WestEddy

I think that if Eloy can't be traded, there's really no need to give him at-bats after the All-Star break. I think a lot of people here agree with that. And you agree with my premise. You just admitted that in my hypothetical, the Sox wouldn't have been as bad as they are. I'm not sure why it's so painful for you to admit that you agree with a simple, logical point.

Well, I picked 68 wins on the year. I was one of the more optimistic. Pretty much everybody expected 100-110 losses. Removing 5/9 of their production from the lineup probably took some of the steam out of that 62 win team.

Hmmm. No laughing emojis on the question I posed, maybe you're hearing voices? See how painless trying to make sense is?

Nobody laughed. SS2k5 answered it, you ran away in a snit. And I didn't expect anything. Their 3 best offensive players were out 11 games in, and the next two started in horrible slumps. I'll ask you again, and try not to crap your pants running away. If Eloy, Yoan and Robert don't get injured, AND if Benintendi and Vaughn hit like their career averages, are the Sox sitting with 71 losses at the break?

Well, if you're going to mock me for a months old argument, that was my whole premise about their horrible start. The question stands. would they still have 70 losses at the break?

I'll pose the same question to you: If Robert, Eloy and Yoan didn't get injured this year, and Benintendi and Vaughn both hit like their league-average selves, are you claiming this team would still have 70 losses at the break?

I'd really be on board with a DFA in 17 days.

If Brit Burns, Richard Dotson, LaMarr Hoyt and Harold Baines didn't leave you with anything to hope for, you should probably find some kids hitting the ball around at the park, and ask them to explain the game of baseball to you.

We won't really start to get a feel for what kind of a GM Getz is until after this draft and TDL.

I think that same guy also mocks people who see hope in a player posting a batting line that's well above their career norm. You should watch out for him.

There's a guy around here who is quick to mock others who use small sample sizes to talk about baseball players. He'll probably be along, soon.

I guess we can stop dreaming about a Soroka for Holliday trade now, huh?

Did they just trade Shuster in the middle of the inning?

And if he's as athletic as everybody's claiming, they can give him a couple of years to learn how to play a corner outfield position.

SoxMachine pregame notes: https://soxmachine.com/2024/07/pregame-notes-luis-roberts-plate-discipline-is-growing-right-as-his-future-with-white-sox-is-in-doubt/

Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee and Nathan Martorano are probably, roughly, the equivalent of Jacob Gonzalez, Wilfred Veras and Bryan Ramos. That is not "next to nothing". Lopez was a free agent pickup, struggling with some behavioral issues. I don't think this team would have been a good environment for him.

I think, in referring to it as a weak draft, they're talking about elite talent. There's always guys with tools that can be developed. But none the top 5-7 really stand out as sure-fire, perennial all-star talent. I look at a draft like 2016. Players were drafted who became very productive major leaguers (Will Smith, Bryan Reynolds, Pete Alonzo, Bo Bichette), but the top guys were kind of inflated beyond their ability.

Just a painful game. Team is bad, and they're coasting into the break.

Another quality start.

But, yeah, point taken. Grifol should be getting tossed once a week.

Okay, perfecto's off the table, so is getting no-hit. Let's work on the shutout, then maybe a win. Yeah, I see Sosa as being the placeholder 1B between Vaughn/Sheets and Cag (if drafted). Big if, if he hits.