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Rangers/Dbacks, please

Something tells me the Rangers' good "culture" has more to do with spending a bunch of money on good players and winning games because of it. I don't think we were talking about the Rangers when they were bottom-feeding the last decade. Bochy seems like a good manager though, maybe we only lose 94 games with him at the helm.

We’re so fucked.

Glendale made the finals last year, and I was kind of hoping for a repeat so that Colson, Ramos, and crew could get some “playoff” experience…but after a 1-5 start in week 1, they would have a lot of catching up to do. The pitching has been the best in AFL (2.92 team ERA, over a run better than second place) and Sox guys have done their part with that: Jake Eder had 3 scoreless/hitless innings in his one start and made BA’s hot sheet for the first week. Jordan Leasure has made 2 appearances: 2IP, 1R (0ER), 1H 1BB, 3K Fraser Ellard has also thrown twice: 2IP, 0ER, 1H, 1K Adisyn Coffey: 1IP, 1ER, 1H, 1BB, 1K Josimar Cousin got roughed up by the undefeated best offense (and his own defense): 2IP, 4R (3ER), BB The Glendale offense has really struggled (.192 team AVG, .559 OPS, both league worst), and the Sox bats haven’t been much of an exception to that either. Hopefully they can pick it up this week when not up against the Jobes and Robys of the world. The Week Ahead Another 6 game slate for the week. Jake Eder starts again tomorrow (10/10). Only one Glendale stream this week, for tonight’s game: Game 1: GDD vs. MSS (Gameday | Live Stream) Burke, Montgomery, Ramos at the top of the lineup again.

Unsurprisingly, Montgomery leads the list of top AFL performers yesterday. He attributed his slow start to getting his timing back after the layoff between seasons. He also talked about his two strike approach: To his point, both HRs were after fouling off a two strike pitch.

The team is in so much flux that I honestly don’t care who the manager is. No manager is saving this sinking ship. Suffer it out 1 more year with Pedro and this terrible roster and then bring in someone new when the team is (hopefully) revamped.

October 14, 1906 - The Sox beat the Cubs, winning the World Series four games to two behind the pitching of Guy "Doc" White. They clinched the title winning the sixth game 8-3. “Big” Ed Walsh won two games for the Sox during the series with infielder George Rohe batting .333 and playing in all six games. The “Hitless Wonders” White Sox had a team batting average of only .230 for the season and hit even worse, .198 in the series. But they collected 10 doubles and three triples in the six games and held the powerful Cubs to a series batting average of only .196 After the game, owner Charles Comiskey handed a $15,000 dollar check to manager “Fielder” Jones. It was to be split among the players. The players viewed the check as a bonus for their efforts. Comiskey though considered it as part of their 1907 salary! The seeds of the eventual “Black Sox” scandal were perhaps sown on this day. It is the only time in over a century of playing baseball that the Sox and Cubs have ever met in the postseason.

Pulling for Jose all the way. Go Houston.

Glad to read this. One of the first posts suggesting things 'could' change quickly. Hopefully the Sox have a plan and will attack it right away once the WS ends. If this plan means acquiring Whit and Salvy right away, that to me is absurd. Maybe they think Sox just have to have these two 'winners' who in contrast to that belief lost a zillion games for pathetic teams in KC.

more choices and every one of them is worse. maybe doing the same thing for 50 years is how it becomes a tradition and part of everyday life instead of a trend. maybe that's good for business, ask the catholic church.

I want my Sox games back on WSNS damnit

we could use two wilbur woods. i've got pictures of wilbur and dick allen in my man/baby cave(5 grandkids).

Jose is ready to light it up for the Strohs.

They knew they'd never be in the ballpark of what we got from Philly. The Sox are a top 5 most pathetic franchise in the MLB. The market is what it is for the best players and Reinsdorf simply doesnt even compete and stubbornly sticks to his guns. Couple that with inadequate resources on the farm and it's a recipe for disaster. Go D'backs.

Colson finished 3-5 with 2 HR, 4 RBI, and 3 runs scored. His 3rd HR in 24 hours has him tied for the AFL lead after a slow start. Him and Ramos started a rally in the 9th with a single and a walk, and both eventually scored to help tie the game...But Burke was called out (on a pitch that looked pretty outside on the broadcast...) to strand the bases loaded. A couple more slightly questionable calls against them, and Glendale loses in 10. Cousin was fine, but does seem to get a lot of 2 strike counts that he can't put away quickly. Still, he could have finished with 0 ER if someone like Burke or Luis was in center...the ITP was pretty fieldable.

Agreed, he won't pitch for a year and he's already in his mid-30's. Why do the Sox keep going down the road of relying on declining veterans?

Probably not

No point in picking up Liam’s option.

Cousin done after 3IP, 4H, 2ER,1BB, 1K. Lots of weak contact, one hit was a bouncer to second that the 2B just gave up on for some reason. Both runs scored on an inside the park HR to center. It was well hit, but the CF definitely could have played it better...Burke would have. I know we're not used to this, but the Sox players are quite comfortably the best defenders on the team. And in other news, Colson just hit ANOTHER home run.

Lol, Colson just went yard again. Some bonus BP swings:

Game 5: GDD vs. SCO (Gameday | Live Stream) Cousin on the bump, Burke leading off at DH, Montgomery/Ramos batting 3 and 4.

Pat Kelly was one of my favorites from that era. I remember for some reason he didn't make the opening day roster to start the 1971 season and Harry Caray would constantly report on how he was doing down in the minors and repeatedly ask rhetorically, "Where's Pat Kelly?" during the radio broadcasts until they finally brought him up.

It's pretty clear Kenny and Rick wanted a manager they could control and who wouldn't rock the boat.

Grifol sees a rookie trying too hard and making mistakes: "I'm going to publicly rip him to establish accountability." Grifol sees a vet slacking and making mistakes: "Carry on you've earned leeway." Culture.

I haven’t read the article, but if you really want to establish a culture, you don’t stick with a loser, brown-nosing manager like Grifol. It’s amazing to me that Hahn said he wanted to hire a guy with experience in a competitive org and then goes out and hires some rookie chump from the Royals. You reap what you sow I guess.

The Sox have an opportunity to put together an interesting team for 2024. They won't compete for a playoff spot, but we could see a team that is fun to watch and has some potential future cornerstones. Whether or not they make the right moves remains to be seen. There were some good hires as assistants to Getz that could possibly pull his puppet strings. But let's remember JR is the master puppet string puller here.

Troye might have a future in scouting (or motivational speaking?). The three guys he shouted out all showed out tonight: Colson gets the bat going, 2-4 with a HR and 3B. 2 RBI. Burke had a great night too. 3-5 with a HR and 2 RBI. Leasure with a perfect, 2K inning. Here's Burke's HR: https://www.mlb.com/video/jacob-burke-s-two-run-home-run

He just added a triple. Could have been a RBI, but the runner on first got caught stealing.

Jacob Burke HR now too ?

Game 4: GDD vs. SCO (Gameday | No Stream) The Dogs back home at Camelback, and our full trio is at the top of the order again. Burke lead off single, Colson HR. Keep the hype train going!

Some notes: I don't hate the hype, but maybe let him breathe a little... ? Could be why he's been pressing at the plate. Secondly, Baseball isn't Boring had Red Sox prospect Christopher Troye on to talk AFL, and when asked to name 3 players who had impressed him, they were all White Sox: Leasure, Burke, and Montgomery. Compliments their play and personalities. And finally, some winter ball tidbits: Deivi Garcia is getting some extra work in with Licey Veras is still playing (and hitting!) and I think that's our Luis Reyes too

Desert Dogs got gobsmacked. Saguaros scored 16 runs on 32 hits. Fortunately, no Sox prospects pitched. Burke went 1-4 and scored the only Glendale run.

Game 2: GDD vs. SUR (Gameday | No Stream) Off day for Ramos and Montgomery. Burke leading off, but playing RF instead of CF today.

Dogs gave up as many runs tonight as they did in their previous 7 games combined...and they still have the lowest ERA in the league (4R being unearned helps). Eder gets a tough luck loss, as only two of the 17 runs were on him (both solo shots). Coffey was called in to get the last out of a messy 5th, but apparently didn't have it when he came back out for the 6th. Whether he was getting squeezed or not, leaving a guy in to walk 4 in a row doesn't seem particularly wise. Burke 1-4 with a BB, SB, and run scored, Ramos 1-3 with a double, BB, and 2R scored, Colson 0-4.

I wish I knew how accurate pitch location data is for games that don't have StatCast, because uh...Gameday makes it look like the ump has shrunk the zone to the size of a postage stamp, which seems like basically the only way for a team to walk 7 in a row? Looks like literally nothing in the zone is getting called a strike unless it's swung at or right down the middle.

Eder's almost got the reverse Dalquist. 3.1 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER (off 2 HR), 1 BB, 3 K Dude gave up 7 hits and the only runs were on two solo shots. Meanwhile, Burke's got 1 hit, 1 BB, 1 K, a stolen base and a run scored. Ramos has a double. Colson's struggling. 0-3 with 2 strikeouts.

Game 2: GDD vs. PEJ (Gameday | No Stream) Eder gets the start today against the best offense in the AFL by far. Peoria is undefeated and averaging something like 9 runs a game. Burke leads off, Montgomery and Ramos batting 3 and 4.

I believe Eder is supposed to start today.

Normally Montgomery maintains a good approach even when the hits aren't falling, but he was really pressing tonight. 4K's in a row including a couple in big spots, very visibly frustrated after each one. He has never had a 4K game before at any level, even during his 2022 cup of coffee in Birmingham. He got a solid line drive single in his last AB though, so hopefully that gets him going. It was followed by a Ramos swinging bunt IF single and a walk to load the bases. A's reliever Jack Weisenburger had to be helped off the field after landing funny on his last pitch and the guy that replaced him stranded the runners. Montgomery and Burke were both 1-5. Burke was 1-3 with 2 walks. No Sox arms today, but Glendale's pitching remains incredible and they win a 2-0 shutout. The pitching coach is a Dodgers guy, so I definitely don't mind having our guys getting his insights for the next few weeks.

If my wife didn’t insist on having cable and 30 different streaming services, I would cut down to probably two or three streaming services and be happy. It would probably mean no more Sox games, but that’s fine. I still wear my straw boater hat to every game. I didn’t realize it went out of style.

Yeah, I'd LIKE to think that they're going to do something intelligent with the prospects. On that, I'm willing to give Getz some benefit of the doubt. I hope he has a plan for prospects. That's the extent of my hope for 2024, is that they figure out what to do in the minors. (yes, that's bleak)

Ah, you believe the prospects we have will be handled correctly. Well, I hope you are right. But what I am trying to say is yea it can be worse next June when they call up Montgomery against all advice and then we have Pedro handling our best prospect

What prospects? Nobody worth a damn on a contending team is close to being ready to come up to a big league club next year. There are no big league ready prospects to screw up, unless you're looking to flip some mid-level prospects. My vision for 2024 is to get a collection of veteran cast-offs on "show me" contracts. Focus resources on putting together an actual farm system with a development plan, and let the kids develop at an appropriate level... not just rushing guys to the big league level just because we have nobody else at that position.

A.J. Pollock wanted out so bad he left money on the table to do so to cite one example.

Why would Bob Melvin come here to manage? The only managers that would come here are those who can’t get a job elsewhere. Same for free agents. No one is going to pass up other teams to be a part of this dysfunctional organization. Every player who leaves here talks about how poorly run this team is.

Do you want any of your prospects coming up next year to be handled by him?

Kapler would be an awful hire. The guy covered up sexual assault when he was with the Dodgers. I'm good. https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2019/2/6/18213283/gabe-kapler-los-angeles-dodgers-philadelphia-phillies