vilehoopster

Okay, this just is not true at all, at all. Benintendi won a gold glove last year, in 2021. Luis Robert won a gold glove in 2020. To describe Benintendi's defense as "neutral" and Robert as "slightly above average" is ridiculous. Colas will be a huge improvement defensively over who the Sox have had in RF in a loooong time. If they stay injury free, outfield defense will be a real strength of this upcoming Sox team. I don't understand how some "fans" come on here just to complain and to justify their complaints with stuff that just is not true.

I agree with CaliSox guy. I think Andrus would be great for the Sox at 2nd base. I can't ignore how well he hit for the Sox in his 43 games. I know it's a small sample, but a very, very impressive sample. He brings great intangibles; great defense. He makes his teammates better; IMO the Sox really have a shortage of players who through intangibles make their teammates better. The young guys, if they have to play, they'll force the Sox to play them. Go with the Andrus for now.

Is Cueto gone? Can the Sox resign him? I thought he signed with another team or something that removed him as an option for the Sox?

Yes and no. Sort of my point. They are not the Astro or the Dodgers. But I think, with the improvement as I stated I expect to happen, I think they are the Phillies.

(Sorry this is in bold. I didn't mean to do that or do it for emphasis. I was a couple paragraphs in when I got called to help with Christmas dinner and so saved it to google docs. When I pasted it in and continued typing, I could not get rid of the bold.) I put my vote with yes. I still think there is a real chance for this Sox team to win a World Series. First, I never saw the "window" as a guarantee that the Sox would be so powerful that they would be in a couple World Series, no doubt. I saw the idea of a window as something where the Sox would be a strong team, make the playoffs every year for five or so years and if things came together, they could win the World Series. Well, in my definition of "the window", it's still very much open, and I think the Sox, if things go right, can absolutely make the Series and win it. Were the Phillies one of the best teams in the NL this year? I would say no. Was Washington, the year they won it all, a top-eight team in baseball that year? No, both teams made the playoffs and just got hot at the right time, and I think this Sox team is very capable of that. The main reason for my optimism is one simple thing that everyone seems to have forgotten. For all the complaining about needing this or that move in the off-season, everyone seems to have forgotten one HUGE area where the Sox will be much improved: La Russa is gone. I absolutely believe 100% that La Russa being gone will make the Sox, at least, ten games better, at least. The depth of Jerry's mistake in hiring La Russa cannot be understated, how it wasted two years of Sox talent. I don't think you can overestimate the drag mentally and emotionally having La Russa as a manager must have been on this team. The players are professionals and were able to deal with poor leadership (I'm being nice here) for a while; I'd say well into the first year. But the mental and emotional anchor of every day going out and playing for a manager who was completely unaware and a total goofus has to have taken it toll to the point where it affected the mental approach of the players, and baseball, as much as any sport, is hugely mental. I think this mental anchor showed itself in lingering injuries (why rehab hard or hurry back from injury for an insano manager with his not knowing the rules, stupid/ clueless lineups and in-games moves, and obsession with playing a total non-offensive threat every chance he got), and players not being mentally into games, either offensively with horrible at-bats and lunkhead base running and terrible defensive plays. Posters on this board keep talking about how it is unrealistic to think that so many players who underachieved last year can bounce back with good years this year. Well, to that, yes and no. Of course not all of them will have good years this year, and some injuries will happen. But I am stating that I believe many, a large percentage, of the players (everyday and pitchers) will show clear improvement over last year. And I think a large part of that will be because La Russa is gone. Like I said before; this emotional and mental anchor is taken away. Again, I think the window, with its chance to get back to the Series and win it is still open. I think the talent is there to get back in the playoffs, and from then, anything can happen, again, think of the Senators. Also, I think it's hard to overestimate what a stupid move it was for Jerry to hire La Russa and completely waste two years of talent. I think this year (I hope) will make that very evident.

I’d love White Sox to get Wacha. Is he available? But Jeez, how much would that cost? But really, it would probably be worth it.

I just want to put my vote that I really like listening to both Jason and Steve. I think they do a great job together. Jason just seems completely the professional, and I think you have to be impressed with Stone's insights, especially how he can predict, from time to time, what is going to happen in an at bat. A player is up and whatever the count and Stone will say something like, "The pitcher will waste this pitch and then come back with a fastball high and inside and strike him out." and damn if not two pitches later that's what happens. Or the other way, Stone will say something like, "If that pitcher throws that pitch again, it's gonna be hit hard into left field, and that happens one or two pitches later. I know some will say that's what Stone does is obvious, but I haven't seen other announcers doing that. On the topic of the "Nationwide" song. I can't believe others hate it so much; it's a commercial, like other commercials. I see the Nationwide song like sweet potatoes with marshmallows at the Thanksgiving meal. Not at all my thing, but it's part of the tradition, and I would be a little disappointed if they were not there.

Can you add TA to your list? Because I would, and I’d have TA near the top of that list.

I am talking about this year, this month and this next month, so no, honestly I don't think a player, regardless of his batting average in the past, who has been playing and acting like Tim has all year would make this team, right now and the rest of the year better. There is more to helping a baseball win than batting. For starters defense, especially at short stop. I know I saw it on here but someone posted a stat about how bad our corner outfielders were defensively, and stat pointed out that the Sox were even worse at short stop (Please someone find that stat). Also, there are intangibles that Elvis adds to the team that Tim is sorely lacking. Work ethic, leadership, attention to detail, putting the team first. Guys who flip off fans and bump an ump again, are not putting the team first. A lot of 3rd basemen were better "hitters" than Joe Crede, but there were very few who helped their time wins games as much as Joe Crede did.

Am I the only one who, when you look at defense and other intangibles, thinks that Elvis should remain at short stop and sit Tim down? Beyond defense, what intangibles? Well, for starters, he actually wants to win more that build his brand. Tim's # 1 priority, to me, is more about being noticed anymore than helping the Sox win. I've felt that every since he was suspended for the 2nd time this season, you know, before the 3rd time. Examples: Serving three suspensions this year, getting picked off 1st base consecutive nights, some real bone-headed plays on defense. To me that is a guy who is not mentally into the game and helping his team win each night. Example: Elvis's bunt last night in the big inning. That was a huge play. Would Tim have done that, tried to do that. Stuff like that is about winning, not being noticed. Can Elvis keep playing and batting at his current level? Sure. Being with a contender has him playing harder that what he was doing for the A's Now, I know you can't really do this, and the clubhouse would go crazy if Tim sat, but I don't think you can look at what is happening and what has happened all season and not think that the Sox are better with Elvis at short for the rest of the month and into the playoffs, if they get there.

You’re really happy that Vaughn is out? He is arguably the Sox’s best bat, certainly among the top three, and you’re happy he’s sitting out a game when every game is so important? That he’s not in the lineup, somehow, every day strikes me as crazy.

Can we please bring up Burger so we have a bat at 3rd base. How many men has Moncada left on base the last two games. It has to be over 10, no exaggeration.

Home runs since August 10: ALBERT PUJOLS: 7 White Sox: 6 Red Sox: 5 If the White Sox, as a team, shared the amount of PEDs that you have to believe Pujols is taking, the Sox would probably have 50% more home runs.

Was it only me, or did did anyone else see Giolito looked towards LF as the inning ended and he was walking off, and Giolito with a seriously pissed off expression on his face.

Well . . . Yes and no. But not weird at all. Ignoring body language (non-verbal communication) seems like weird, burying your head in the sand behavior. Body language communicates a lot more truthful communication than words, a lot more info. There’s tons of studies that come to that conclusion, to the point it is pretty well accepted as fact. It’s extremely easier to lie, misdirect with words than body language/ actions. Can you positively know a person by their body language, of course not. But it communicates a lot more truth than words. Southsider, we’ve all watch Moncada play for years and games after games, and that equals hours and hours, probably hundreds of hours of watching him play. That gives no validity to your comment he or we “don’t know a damn thing about him”. That’s a disingenuous statement to win an argument. Are you really going to argue you’ve never seen Moncada take a bat appearance off, where he goes up there with no mental effort and just quickly strikes out. Really, you never seen him do that or do a game worth of at bats like that. I think we know a little damn bit about Moncada and his work ethic.

I can't believe we're still talking about Comforto on this board. While we're at it, I like our chances of getting Bryce or Machado. Oh wait, no. We're going to trade for Soto. No wait. We're trading for Shohei . . . For God's sake, let it go . . . . .;

So every ball that lands in the OF is because Vaughn and Sheet are DHs. Really, how many RFs would have caught that? Very, very few if any. Again, complaining just to complain.

I thought that too.

BS, with at least 75% of RFs in majors that's a double, at least, and Haseley wouldn't have hit a homer. You're complaining to complain here.

Because he sucks?

So a light at the end of the tunnel. Only one more year of him.

How much longer is Grandal's contract?

Serious question, if we sent Sheets ( or Burger or whoever) down to AA against AA pitching wouldn’t he tear the cover off the ball and have an OPS around 1100 or 12OO. Mendick’s Charlotte OPS IS .894, way better than his Sox OPS, and that’s Triple A. Wouldn’t Mendick’s OPS be over 1000 in AA? I remember when Palka had that terrible start for Sox in 2019, something like 2 for his 1st 45 at bats. He still went down to Charlotte that year and had an OPS of .900 and had 27 homers. So, minor league pitching much easier than MLB pitching, so even with his great start in AA, that doesn’t mean he can hit major league pitching. I agree he will be a good one for Sox but we probably need to cool our jets on Colas, especially with a small sample size.

Living in mid/ north Indiana, back pre-covid, I was able to go see the Knights play in Indy a couple years in a row. But then Covid hit. and last year they did that thing where teams only played local teams to cut down on travel and whatever else reasons, so the Indianapolis Indians and Charlotte didn't play at all. But this year, in May, the Indy Indians had a series in Charlotte, but Charlotte never played in Indy. Does anyone know, will Charlotte return the favor and come to Indianapolis next year. I really hope so. It's just great to be able to see the Knights in Indy, an easy drive, cheap seats and parking, a total win.

How can we fans be complaining about dumb plays and low baseball IQ and no one bring up Tim Anderson yet, especially after his play today not stepping on 2nd base to start that double play? He makes the dumbest, most mindless plays, and seems to me, far and away the most of any Sox player. Even before this season, I was amazed that a major league player could get picked off 2nd base as much as Tim has been. But this year he's been something special. Was it a month, a month and a half ago where Tim got picked off 1st base in back-to-back nights. One of the pick offs was because he tripped and stumbled over 1st base as he stepped back and 1st baseman just held the glove on him as he fell off the base. It was a couple or few weeks after that where Tim was running to 2nd base and ran past and tripped coming back and was tagged out. Again, the defender just held the glove on him as he fell off the base. Today, he completely missed stepping on 2nd base to start a double play. A player missed stepping on 2nd base to start a double play. How is that possible? Mendick had that bonehead play trying to tag up to 2nd base which cost a run. Moncada/ Engel ran into that triple play. And Leury constantly playing drives me crazy, but it seems unfair to pile on about him or the others being as being dumb players and nobody brings up Tim Anderson.