Sox @ Twins

[FoxForce2]

4 minutes ago, Tomtom said:

Is it time to start thinking about being sellers at the trade deadline and getting a high draft pick?

If you're talking about mid-season tanking resulting in a high draft pick, that would be tough to do considering the contracts involved. We wouldn't be able to trade enough talent to bottom out. Now, selling to get prospects would be a different story, but that would entail throwing up the white flag if we were still in contention, which in turn is still the most probable of cases considering the strength of division.
But sure, JR does have a track record of running the white hose up the flagpole.

[dohnut]

Turned this one off when the Twinkies tied it up - I think we all knew what was going to happen. I’m not at the “scorched-earth, white-flag-at-the-deadline” point yet, but there has to be a big shake-up. Soon.

[Jerry McNertney]

Anyone know what Shingo's up to these days?

[wegner]

Pardon a ignorant question since I don't follow the National League at all, but 

AJ Pollock is better than this, right?

[caulfield12]

3 minutes ago, Jerry McNertney said:

Anyone know what Shingo's up to these days?

Ringing the gong in Yokohama.

[caulfield12]

Just now, wegner said:

Pardon a ignorant question since I don't follow the National League at all, but 

AJ Pollock is better than this, right?

Aging player long layoff cold weather...injured and just had a kid so he's clearly not locked in.

Then you factor if this would be the end of a normal spring training...pitchers are usually ahead.

[wegner]

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Aging player long layoff cold weather...injured and just had a kid so he's clearly not locked in.

Then you factor if this would be the end of a normal spring training...pitchers are usually ahead.

Well....some pitchers are ahead.

[SCCWS]

56 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

Get ready to be shocked, because the Sox will not win the division if LaRussa remains at the helm. BTW, the team really doesn't have a closer right now.

Did you say the same thing last year at this point?

[elrockinMT]

Things will get better and we will be back  in first. We did have some positive things today 

Edited April 25, 2022 by elrockinMT

[Greg Hibbard]

Can’t wait to revisit the hot takes in this thread when this team is playing way different baseball in June.

[chitownsportsfan]

2 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

Can’t wait to revisit the hot takes in this thread when this team is playing way different baseball in June.

I don't know. I can see around .500 but that would be a huge disappointment. I can also see Twinkies 2021 on the South Side where shit just snowballs and half the guys you thought were going to hit just complete collapse at the same time.

[hi8is]

All you can do is laugh. I had to pause the game when it was tied in the 9th and just got done watching now.

When Hendricks went to 3-1 on Buxton all I could say out loud a few times was, “JOKE”

Then we know what happened. Perfect.

😆

[greg775]

1 hour ago, NWINFan said:

Get ready to be shocked, because the Sox will not win the division if LaRussa remains at the helm. BTW, the team really doesn't have a closer right now.

Baseball has a way of changing quickly but the banged-up White Sox are not going to contend for the division title as the team is currently constructed. Seven consecutive losses does indicate a huge problem. I'll stick with the injury explanation but the Sox have so many holes right now they are not division contenders. Team is below average defensively, has no reliable bullpen, starters are only expected to go five innings per modern baseball, and has so many injuries the offense is mediocre at best. Ouch.

Edited April 25, 2022 by greg775

[greg775]

1 hour ago, NWINFan said:

I don't want to hear the BS it's too early. It's not too early. Something dramatic has to be done or this team is going south and staying there. I can't believe I am saying this again but put Ozzie in there. And tell him to get rid of the coaching staff while he's at it.

Wouldn't that be cool if Tony resigned, said he didn't have the energy and didn't like modern baseball and Oz took over as interim? It'd give Oz a full season to show if he'd changed (the mouth that roared) and I'd like to see Oz add his personality to this team. Oz wouldn't allow starters only pitch five innings. He'd up that baby to seven innings for starters in a hurry IMO. I can dream. But Oz would wake up this team, which needs to be inspired amid all the injuries. If he didn't do a fine job, hire some genius sabermatrician next offseason.

[ron883]

7 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Wouldn't that be cool if Tony resigned, said he didn't have the energy and didn't like modern baseball and Oz took over as interim? It'd give Oz a full season to show if he'd changed (the mouth that roared) and I'd like to see Oz add his personality to this team. Oz wouldn't allow starters only pitch five innings. He'd up that baby to seven innings for starters in a hurry IMO. I can dream. But Oz would wake up this team, which needs to be inspired amid all the injuries. If he didn't do a fine job, hire some genius sabermatrician next offseason.

Greg, people would always rip on you for it, but I think almost everyone is on board with Ozzie for manager. Jerry still loves him. I know Jerry said he'll never manage the team again, but after Tony, who knows? Ozzie could step in right now. If it would ever happen, it's now. They need somebody like Ozzie to light a fire under their asses. It honestly seems like he has embraced analytics a little more and learned from his previous mistakes.

Edited April 25, 2022 by ron883

[Polar Bear]

2 hours ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Chuck, Ozzie, and Frank all roasting the fuck out of TLR right now. Wish Jason and Stoney would too. 

They are so far up TLR's ass they can't breathe 

 

[NWINFan]

6 minutes ago, ron883 said:

Greg, people would always rip on you for it, but I think almost everyone is on board with Ozzie for manager. Jerry still loves him. I know Jerry said he'll never manage the team again, but after Tony, who knows? Ozzie could step in right now. If it would ever happen, it's now. They need somebody like Ozzie to light a fire under their asses. It honestly seems like he has embraced analytics a little more and learned from his previous mistakes.

If Jerry would hire anyone right now, it would be Ozzie. It is a matter of personal comfort. JR will not bring in someone from outside the organization if he would bring on anyone at all. Normally, I wiuld say no to Ozzie but these are not ordinary times.

[caulfield12]

The Buxton walk off HR was the longest of the Statcast era.

[elrockinMT]

36 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Baseball has a way of changing quickly but the banged-up White Sox are not going to contend for the division title as the team is currently constructed. Seven consecutive losses does indicate a huge problem. I'll stick with the injury explanation but the Sox have so many holes right now they are not division contenders. Team is below average defensively, has no reliable bullpen, starters are only expected to go five innings per modern baseball, and has so many injuries the offense is mediocre at best. Ouch.

Injuries result in holes in the lineup. We have the players needed to win but if their not healthy the team will struggle as we have seen 

[South Side Hit Men]

53 minutes ago, wegner said:

Pardon a ignorant question since I don't follow the National League at all, but 

AJ Pollock is better than this, right?

When he has been healthy enough to play, he has been solid vs. LHP, and hold his own against RHP. His defense has dropped off the past few years, and that was in LF. Not sure it's wise to ask a 34 year old to move to a more challenging position (LF to RF), but Hahn is going to Hahn. His bat should be fine and better than the crap Hahn signed for 2020 and 2021.

Think the better long-term fit for everyone's current abilities would be to keep Pollock in LF, play Vaughn DH/LF when Pollock rests, Engle and Sheets platoon in RF while Eloy is out, get a solid actual RF at the deadline (could be the Sox 3rd/4th OF, sliding Engel to 5th OF). Transition Eloy to 1B/DH, and keep him there beyond 2021 if he isn't traded.

[dohnut]

32 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

If Jerry would hire anyone right now, it would be Ozzie. It is a matter of personal comfort. JR will not bring in someone from outside the organization if he would bring on anyone at all. Normally, I wiuld say no to Ozzie but these are not ordinary times.

Same - I’d be all for Ozzie at this point. Bring the fire back 🔥

[caulfield12]

15 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

When he has been healthy enough to play, he has been solid vs. LHP, and hold his own against RHP. His defense has dropped off the past few years, and that was in LF. Not sure it's wise to ask a 34 year old to move to a more challenging position (LF to RF), but Hahn is going to Hahn. His bat should be fine and better than the crap Hahn signed for 2020 and 2021.

Think the better long-term fit for everyone's current abilities would be to keep Pollock in LF, play Vaughn DH/LF when Pollock rests, Engle and Sheets platoon in RF while Eloy is out, get a solid actual RF at the deadline (could be the Sox 3rd/4th OF, sliding Engel to 5th OF). Transition Eloy to 1B/DH, and keep him there beyond 2021 if he isn't traded.

Sheets in RF 2/3rds of the time next to Robert just seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

[Balta1701]

24 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

When he has been healthy enough to play, he has been solid vs. LHP, and hold his own against RHP. His defense has dropped off the past few years, and that was in LF. Not sure it's wise to ask a 34 year old to move to a more challenging position (LF to RF), but Hahn is going to Hahn. His bat should be fine and better than the crap Hahn signed for 2020 and 2021.

Think the better long-term fit for everyone's current abilities would be to keep Pollock in LF, play Vaughn DH/LF when Pollock rests, Engle and Sheets platoon in RF while Eloy is out, get a solid actual RF at the deadline (could be the Sox 3rd/4th OF, sliding Engel to 5th OF). Transition Eloy to 1B/DH, and keep him there beyond 2021 if he isn't traded.

There’s a part you didn’t note - for a RF, throwing is magnified because they’re the farthest from 3b and that’s where more throws need to get to. Pollock had the weakest throwing arm in baseball among regular OFs over the past few years. That’s manageable in CF and LF but magnified in RF…and maybe more importantly, one of his major season-costing injuries was to his throwing arm.  For a guy with a long injury history, this should be a worry until the day he opts out for ‘23.

[caulfield12]

15 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

There’s a part you didn’t note - for a RF, throwing is magnified because they’re the farthest from 3b and that’s where more throws need to get to. Pollock had the weakest throwing arm in baseball among regular OFs over the past few years. That’s manageable in CF and LF but magnified in RF…and maybe more importantly, one of his major season-costing injuries was to his throwing arm.  For a guy with a long injury history, this should be a worry until the day he opts out for ‘23.

Should be more of a worry when he opts IN, lol.

[vilehoopster]

2 hours ago, ChiSox59 said:

I don’t think Hahn is shrugging this off. I think he’d love to can TLR. Problem is it’s not his call and JR will never allow it. 

That was some painful shit. Went to all three this weekend. Saw that one coming. Larussa with 3 big mistakes in the 9th. Not pinch running for Yaz was dumb. No reason to not pinch run Engel on that spot. McGuire maybe stops that passed ball. Then not checking on Liam when he was clearly hurting, but worst of all - why in the flying fuck do you face Buxton there!?’?! You’re on a tough spot regardless but you set up the DP, get forces everywhere, Aarraez is super unlikely to homer. It makes less than no sense. 

Please for the love of god give us a new manager on Tuesday. 

I agree with this. I posted this a few pages earlier on this post. Something is going to happen tomorrow, a serious meeting with Jerry and Hahn and LaRussa. What happened on this road trip, as said, can’t be shrugged off. 
 

LaRussa will probably survive but he is gonna have to make concessions of some sort. I would guess that Leary playing every day is one of them. When Stone tweeted that Garcia, however he said it, doesn’t have a place or shouldn’t be on this team, that comment came with the blessings of Sox management.