vilehoopster

Sox figured out how to fix Seranthony: replace him with Jordan Hicks.

We need to score some runs. If Kay goes out and gives up three in 5 & 1/3 innings, that should be fine with our bullpen vs. their bullpen. But again, we need to score some runs, some solid offense.

How many people would feel a lot better, not only about tonight’s game but even more about the season going forward, if Mune would hit a damn home run in this game.

I completely agree with: Quero is the obvious choice. Plus, he has so much talent. Hopefully, he can fix himself with a 2nd chance.

Let me do what I can to help Schultz again tonight. I’ll make the same doofus pregame comments I made his last start, so he can again prove me wrong. I’ll go a little bigger this time: Why the hell are we pitching Schultz tonight?? It should be Sandlin. Sandlin is clearly better with a higher floor and ceiling. C’mon Venable, go with Sandlin.

Are all those starts going to be with the Dash? I would like to see a couple there, then up to AA for one start. If all is going well, get him starting as soon as possible in Charlotte. Let’s try to (again if all is going well) fast track him up to AAA. Also, knowing nothing about his defense, I like to see Boston Smith being used at catcher with Charlotte as soon as possible also.

You mean those two when his injury started to tell, but he went out and tried anyway?

I’ve posted this general idea a few time before when the other team appears to have a starting pitcher advantage. Yes, but the White Sox offense is also clearly better. So, I think the Sox are as likely to score off DeGrom, as Texas is to score off Fedde. As far as I’m concerned, tonight is a coin-flip game, 50/ 50 either tesm wins.

It’s tough to refute the way you phrased your point, but I think there are several times this year where having an ABS challenge available has altered a gsme. I can’t think of a specific example/ game, but it seems to me that, at least, at least, twice this year (one relatively recently) the Sox have won an ABS challenge for the 3rd strike and 3rd out in the 9th inning for a Sox win. I think having them in the 8th and 9th inning are really important.

A great read. Thanks for taking the time to write it up and then share.

I understand that Venable wants to be a players’ manager and have them know that he has faith in them and that they’re allowed to make mistakes, but (and this is a big but), he has to put in some rules about who can use the ABS challenge and absolutely when they can use it. The two challenges the Sox batters wasted yesterday were just so stupid with the Sox trying to hold a lead going into the last innings, just completely stupid to waste them at that time. One rule I would do is pitchers and batters can never try an ABS challenge, never unless late in a game and the game is tied or Sox are behind. Only catchers can use an ABS challenge early in the game. If Rule 2 is too restrictive, then incorporate yesterday’s situation somehow. A batter can’t use a challenge in the mid-innings if the Sox have a lead of 3 or less that they’re trying to protect late. (This one needs fixing.) but something like this. Also, they go quickly. I think teams should have 4 challenges instead of 2. Why should teams have to horde them?

Watching Charlotte. Pereira with 5 strike outs today. Ouch!

Why Hays and not Periera as trade bait. When the Sox got him, I remember reading on this forum that the reason the Yankees gave up on Periera was that he was injury prone. I’m there. Yes, I get that Hays is also brittle, but how many times has Periera gone on the IL this year already? At least 3, is it 4? Let’s go with Hays and move on from Periera. This is not a strong opinion from me, really it could be either one or both; I just have a little more faith in Hays, just a little.

Are they playing/ batting to see who replaces Perez? I kinda hope so.

Yes and no. Like you said he might become a very good player, and really, two month ago he was leading (or right up there) the minor leagues in homers. So, it didn’t start just two months ago. But I have to agree, he had nowhere to play, which is a nice statement on how much the White Sox depth has improved.

I think this is valid. We need to look at it this way. But like you, it was tough for me to see him go.

I don’t understand your logic. East Coast bias is East Coast bias. Yes, a guy from Philly, Boston, or Baltimore is more likely to vote for a guy on an East Coast team, especially a player from the AL East division. A writer from a Sox rival, say Minnesota or Cleveland, is more likely, even as rivals, to vote for Vargas from another AL central team. Writers take care of their regional own. Look at the voting for the Heisman Trophy voting: a quarterback from Michigan will get every vote from Ohio rather than a writer from a Big Ten school vote for a guy from the SEC.

Yes and no. Point one: I have to think the voting was very close between Vargas and Bellinger. My evidence is that on the post game show, an announcer said something like, “they’re bringing Vargas over for an interview.” Then he said something like “that seems to be a big clue to who’s about to be named MVP of the game.” He said that. Does anyone else remember him saying that? Strong evidence that the voting was probably close. Point 2: I think (but I don’t actually know) that there are a large number of sports writers who would travel nationally, whether the game was in Miami or Seattle. But I have to also believe there were a ton of upper east coast sports writers who were local and don’t travel nationally, who would not be there if the game were played in Cleveland or St. Louis: that would radio guys, podcasters, bloggers. I would guess guys who would probably be from, let’s say, New York, Philly, or New York or Boston or maybe New York or Baltimore or say New York. It wouldn’t take too many of these local sports guys with their East Coast bias to swing that vote for Bellinger.

Ah, the hard hit arguments. Isn’t that how they justified keeping Andrew Vaughn in the lineup with all his warning track fly outs?

Honest question, be honest. If that game had been hosted in a city west of the Mississippi, do you still think Bellinger would have been voted MVP over Vargas?

I am willing to die on that hill. Bellinger slaps a single against the only total s%*# pitcher of the entire night, but “somehow” wins MVP. Vargas has the two hardest hit balls of the night, the only XBH, but doesn’t win it. Actually, no somehow about it, the reason Bellinger won MVP is because it said “Yankees” on his shirt. If that game had been played west of Pennsylvania, without all the east coast sportswriters voting, Vargas would have won MVP.

Who was the total knucklehead who, early in the thread, said Sandlin should be starting today over Schultz. That guy was waaay off. Oh wait, it was me. What a goofus.

Anybody else think that Colson might be in a funk at not making the all-star game? It has to be tough on him with all his home runs and RBIs, his elite defensive stats (until today) to not be named to the team. Plus even tougher to see Mune (out five weeks) and Tristen Peters (a pre-season afterthought)named and not him. Now, I’ll sure he’s very happy for both those two. But, it’s all but impossible for him not to be asking why not me too? I could see it messing with him mentally.

All the move on from Chase, the let’s trade him now group, they seem to not be aware of how good his defense is, his range; especially how quickly he turns the double play relay, like he showed in the 1st.

Anybody else rather it was Sandlin starting today instead of Schultz? I get it that Schultz has a higher ceiling, but he’s pitched, at least, two clunkers in a row, not giving the Sox much of a chance to win. I just looked: in Schultz’s last six starts, it’s five losses and a no decision. With Sandlin, last four starts: it’s two wins, a loss, and a no decision. To get this last win before the break, I would have strongly preferred to be starting Sandlin today. But, I guess, bottom line: Go Schultz! Get us the win.