WestEddy

We win the Robert trade, now, right?

That feels incredibly heavy to me, but I'm a classic prospect hugger. All of our garbage for all of their available stars. I think Gabe Davis and Shelton are dudes who hit a wall with the jump to AA. They'll figure it out and regress to the mean. I guess your assembled package would get their attention, and maybe even send a little money along with Gray.

He's certainly helped create an atmosphere where the young players can prosper and be themselves without worrying about veterans swatting them down. He's using the pitching staff he's been given. It's not like he has 5 Cy Young starters, and he's slotting Acuña in there as a 3-inning opener. He's playing the platoons well. He's probably working with the stats department on the lineups, matchups, openers. The players have to execute. Guys like Trevor Richards and Brandon Eisert aren't best in the game. You get what they can give that day.

Partially.

1) Bunting is part of the game. I understand it's popular to cry about bunting, like yelling "Do Freebird!!" at any random live show gets a cheap laugh. People scream about bunting when playing for 1 run in the 8th inning. That inning of suicide squeeze bunts last week was dumb. That's about the only time I disagreed with bunting. When the 3B is back and Peters sees a good opportunity for a free hit, I'd say take it. That's his job. 2) The pinch hitting works well. 3) Monty playing 3B occasionally is not an issue. Monty at SS and Acuña at 3B is more of a drop-off than Monty at 3B and Acuña at SS. It's a great decision on Will's part to keep Monty fresh at 3B, and to keep the team versatile for the pinch hitting that works well. 4) The bullpen is the guys he has. Venable is also developing as a manager, and has to learn the game, learn his players, what he can get out of them in different situations. Complaining about Taylor of Hudson opening has no merit. 1st inning outs mean as much as 8th inning outs. The logic behind having the starting pitcher start with the 4th or 7th hitter of the order has been explained multiple times. When people say "it makes zero sense", what they're really saying is "I don't have the capacity to process sound reasoning". The team is winning because Will Venable is a great manager. People were still picking this team to lose 100 games this year. Will has this team playing 11 wins better than that pace. The team isn't winning because of the angry posts in game threads. They're winning because of Venable's moves, the lineups, the bullpen usage and the offense.

And, dare I say it, Jarred Kelenic.

Everything will be alright, tonight.

There was some little buzz about this guy hitting the waiver wire this spring. I'm beginning to understand how he fell to the Yankees.

How hard are the Giants rebuilding? How bad do they need 26-man spot? How pressed are they to save a couple of dollars? If he's fixable, he's a very cheap date.

We were thoroughly assured by some commenters that Braden had nothing left to "prove" at AAA. So here, he stays.

That would be selling, tanked to the gills.

Telegram Sam, Chairman of the Psycho Board.

My buddy's always been into Psychobilly, but I think the Elvis Costello version was my first foray. Thanks for posting this. Story Behind The Song: "Psycho" - Texas Music Magazine

SoxMachine pre-game notes: Pregame notes: A hole in the White Sox rotation - Sox Machine Bullpen game, no help on horizon Teel back on Monday? Coaching staff still likes the opener SouthSideSox preview and game thread: Game Thread: White Sox (39-35) at Tigers (31-44) | South Side Sox

Oh, he's been up at Birmingham a little longer than I realized.

Maybe Mike Soroka just doesn't like being traded. He's out for a bit. Michael Soroka, Jordan Lawlar exit with injuries in D-backs' win

Walk up music

Now Murakami is just the guy who can't run MLB bases.

You've been saying all along that trading Carlson now is selling low. Since the Angels aren't good at development, would they even take a guy they need to nurse through a serious swing overhaul? I'd think a guy like Colby Shelton would be more their speed. College dude who just hits.

Don't they usually pro rate the salaries to the number of games played?

I believe James explains in that string that the Pirates don't even spend their entire draft allotment. And they have two 2nd rounders.

Until then...