vilehoopster

Wow, this is really fun. A palate cleanser after the Cleveland series.

Has to be one of the better posts of the year.

I don't understand. Where is Yoelqui Cespedes? Why would he not be on Charlotte?

Again, a total eye test, but let's be honest. If I told you to find 19 consecutive fly ball putouts by Eloy that have looked as smooth and competent as Vaughn's 19 outs, I would bet you would have to look long and hard. Not his best 19, but 19 in-a-row. In fact, I would guess that you wouldn't be able to do it. I understand that "smooth and competent" is hard to define exactly, but still, total eye test (now with backing stats); if you're being honest, Vaughn already seems to be better in LF than Eloy.

What strikes me as remarkable is that for however long Eloy has been a Sox, we've been hearing about how hard Eloy works on his defense, how D. Boston works with him hitting him fly ball after fly ball. What is this, his 3rd year as a Sox?? Yet, Vaughn was given an outfielders glove after Eloy got hurt, what 45 days ago, and from both the eye test and now some stats, he clearly seems to be a better defensive outfielder than Jiminez. How is that possible? An Eloy is more athletic. Was all that hard work stuff with Boston just BS?

Look at what you’re saying here. Their scoring THE WINNING RUN has nothing to do with how stupid that move was??? Can’t you step back and see how ridiculous your statement looks here. Plus here’s the mistake every one who agrees with you is making. To get someone as fast as Robert home from 2nd, Madrigal is the better bat there then Yermin. And TLR knew Madrigal would get an at bat with the double play chance removed. All that was needed was a single there (that’s why Gallo was so shallow). That’s an at bat when Nicky is your guy, even over Yermin. Now, you can debate the other way and have some strong points, but to state that TLR was absolutely wrong and stupid ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CLEARLY WORKED is silly on your part.

Actually, it’s pretty easy to excuse. It worked. Because it worked, Sox won the game. That pretty much make your “inexcusable” comment completely . . . . Well . . . Inexcusable.

I see that some people beat me to it, but what idiot came on here two days ago and said that if Abreu can't hit in cold weather that maybe the Sox should sit him down? What idiot said that?? Oh yeah, that was me. Oooops.

Not an Abreu hater. In fact, a few years ago when everyone wanted to trade him (to Boston, if I remember correctly) or never resign him, I'm the one that came on here and talked about how he was the only Sox in the top 100 players in baseball (we now have nine, amazing) how he was a repeat all-star and again how he was the White Sox best player. And everyone started complaining about his defense and low way. So any way, just making it clear that I'm an Abreu fan, a big one. But . . . . . . If he can't hit in cold weather, and he admits it, and Steve Stone keeps tell us how he'll heat up when the weather does, but if he can't hit now. Sit him down. Sit him out when it's cold. He was Boston's best player today hitting double play ball after double play ball. The White Sox should have had 2 or 3 more runs but Abreu's double plays kills us. Steve even said the something about the cold keeping him for lifting the ball and hitting so many ground ball. If that is the case, sit him down. Now we hear how he is a team-first player. How Rick R. got on him for his defense and he really worked on it. Also, he has come into the season the last two years in much better shape and the results have been there. Maybe sitting him in cold weather will motivate him to work on hitting when it's cold. But what happened today, can't keep happening.

I agree. I like him on the show a lot. He's seem very natural, not a stiff like Aaron Rodgers was while hosting Jeopardy.

Six Sox make the All-Star Game (which will not be played in Atlanta): Giolito, Bummer, Robert, Abreu, Moncada, and Anderson; with Anderson, Abreu, and Moncada starting and making a very White Sox AL starting infield. Eloy will return and have a home run before August 15th. But Engel and Eaton will be so solid, both in the field and batting, that Eloy will be made into a DH with some very rare playing in left field (but it will happen to make Eloy happy and when the Sox play an NL team and can't have a DH) And when a ball is hit his way, 60% of Sox fans watching at home will turn away from their TVs in horror and fear of what might happen. Vaughn will be very solid with his bat, but not good enough, to get an everyday spot in the line up due to Engel's ascension and raise tough decisions for Sox management this next winter. As solid as Eaton is next year, during his Minor League season, Yoelqui will leave no doubt that he is the starting RF for 2022. And finally, Avi Garcia will have a great year for Milwaukee so I can continue to come on here and b**** about the Sox releasing my favorite player and say "I told you so" to all the people who didn't want the Sox to pony up the $6 million measly dollars it would have taken to keep him here. And so I can tell all you A-HOLES who wanted him gone that I hope you burn in hell for all eternity. . . . . . Oh . . . . Sorry . . . so sorry, that one just comes out of me every now and then.

but was Joc Pederson too much of an ask, too? This is kind of the my point of this post, and people complaining to just complain. Is there really a difference between Joc Pederson and Adam Eaton . . . . no, not really.

I am going to be my usual overly-optimistic self. I think it's gonna be Engel. He's going to take over there the second or so week of April and make the Sox wonder if they ever want to move him out of there. I think he's going to go there, and of course, play great defense. Also, I think he is going to be surprisingly solid with his bat: Hitting around .275 and about 15 or so home runs, moving guys over on the bases, bunting, and stealing bases.

For all you guys using Eloy's injury to justify all the complaints you been making all spring is just total BS: The owner is too cheap; Hahn's an idiot; LaRussa's too old and a idiot for playing Vaughn in LF or for other reasons. . . or Why didn't we get more depth, especially at starting pitching . . . or Why is our drafting (or if you please, spending money on Latin players) and minor league development so terrible? The bottom line is the White Sox are World Series contenders, without Eloy or if he returns, the Sox are still World Series contenders; and I said this before, that's all you can realistically and reasonably ask of ownership and management. First of all, can we quit calling Eloy an idiot and implying he should be fined for trying to make that catch? Every ballplayer in that situation is gonna try to make that catch; that's the kind of catch that gets you on the Sports Center highlights for that night. Of course he's gonna go after it; anyone would. A player in the minors or majors; any high school or college player; hell, I'm in my 60's and in my softball league, I'd have gone after it. He was at the fence, had his right hand on the fence and had it measured. He's gonna go after it. I have no idea how he got hurt. I guess he is just made of glass, but it's absolutely crazy to tell him he can't play left field or any where because he might get hurt. He's been hurt running the bases; he's been hurting celebrating, he could choke tonight eating chicken. Should he never run the bases, or celebrate, or eat chicken. You guys are letting your disappointment get the better of you and attacking a player who was doing his best to try to improve and win. You can't play sports worrying about getting hurt. It's a sports cliche, but it is a cliche because it's true: The fastest way to get injured is by playing not to get injured. Plus, I wonder why Eloy might want to make that play; why would making a catch like that, even in ST, be so important to him? Hummm? Would it be he was trying to shut up, at least for a while, his critics who bash him LF play on this board and now in the press? You think that might have played into why he wanted to bring back that ball so badly?? Of course it did. Next, on to the injury thing, again can we stop the over-worrying about injuries. Now people are saying that Vaughn shouldn't play LF because might get injured or even more stupid, he might get Robert injured. He might, but he could and Robert could get injured in a myriad number of ways. Do we wrap them in bubble wrap and sit them on the bench? You try to put the best team on the field to give you the best chance to win. You guys using this as a complaint, it's just stupid. You're disappointed and pissed off about Eloy's injury, so you're gonna find anything possibly to b**** about. I think Vaughn in LF is a good move. We give up some defense to try the best way possible to make up for the lost offense. Plus, all you guys bitching about Eloy's terrible defense, can't tell me that Vaughn is gonna be that much worse. All you guys, the entire point of you complaints was that Eloy was barely better than a little leaguer (you know, like what you used to say about Avi Garcia in RF). For all you guys, and there are many of you, who have been saying that, how can Vaughn would be that much worse. Again, you're just bitchin' to b**** because you're upset and pissed off. Next, the drafting and Latin player development thing. If we ever needed them, it really looks (and I know it's only ST) like our draft choices are really starting to come through more than they ever have, and again, when we really needed them. Rodon has looked great. Collins has looked great and that's why Vaughn can play in LF. And then there's Vaughn; he's looking rather above average. So, I think that management has done of pretty good job of drafting and having player ready to contribute. Robert and Abreu as example of good Latin players? All the complaining about not getting another starter. I think the funniest, most ironic poster on this board is the guy that keep complaining about Dylan Cease, how he has no control and is walking too many. What has Cease given up this ST? I think it's one run. I liked the post where the guy compared Cease to Musgrove after people where complaining about not getting him; that was pretty funny. And you're right; Rodon, we can't depend on hit; he has been a total fail so far. In reality, he's looking a lot better than our 5th pitcher. Now I know Rodon still could get hurt and Cease could go all to hell. But right now, the "we need to sign more pitching depth" complaint looks pretty sad. To me, I think it's our starting pitching (let us pray on avoiding injuries) that's going to compensate for the lose of Eloy. And if we do get a starting pitcher injured, if only we had some one or some two like Kopech and Crochet to fill in as a starter (another failed and not developed draft choice). I posted a message with this same message about a month ago. The complaining on this site is ridiculous and petty. Please get you emotions and disappointment under control. Again, we have a World Series contender. Yes, losing Eloy really hurts, but look at our line up; it's still amazing: Moncada, Anderson, Abreu, Robert, Vaughn, Grandal; put that with Madrigal and Eaton and Collins and the White Sox are going to score a lot of runs, a lot of runs; and with our starting pitching and bullpen. There's no reasonable way to deny that the Sox are still very much a World Series contender. But if all you did was read this message board the last few days with all the bitching and complaining, you'd never know it.

I agree with this. I saw that he will be there tomorrow, but under the idea that there's no time like the present to start something that is clearly necessary.

Oh my God we overreact on this board. First of all, we don’t know how badly he is hurt. Also, he’s our left fielder. Just because people exaggerate how bad he is doesn’t mean he should DH. Is he below average, yes; so is Anderson at short. Are we gonna DH Anderson too. The Sox have a powerful lineup because we have a great bat in left field. It’s relatively easy to get a good bat at DH; the Sox have one ready to take over right now. The trick is the great bat in left field. But the Sox have one there and they’ll keep one there and ignore fan forums that always , always overreact.

Yes, I think someone on this board explained it as a salary dump, and after reading that, I always accepted that as the reason behind the trade. As to whom to blame for the loss, I wasn’t trying to be logical, just major pissed because I always want to beat the Cubs, even in ST.

I don't know a lot about this pitching, but I think he looked great. I think he looked as good as we could possibly hope he would look. He didn't walk anyone, which is the major area of concern. The only hit he gave up was a weak bloop over 2nd base. I think it went as well as Sox people could want.

Organizational filler that grounded into a double play when we had a great chance to BEAT THE CUBS. Yes, I am angry. We gave up Todd Frazier, David Robertson, and Kahnle (that's the one that really hurt) for a guy who will never make Triple A. I don't even know; I just want to b****. Has Rutherford ever made it to Triple A?

God damn Blake Rutherford. So glad we wasted all those vets when we traded for him. I hated that deal then and hate it even more as Rutherford pisses away a chance to beat the Cubs. He's been a great addition to the Sox Single A and Double A teams. What a f-kin waste. Would make me happy if they released him tonight.

I agree with this guy. I think the Sox feel that Rodon has more upside and can really be something. But, I disagree with that idea. I never remember Rodon ever being good; at his best, he was slightly above average. Sometimes he'd pitch a game and come out after 5 and 2/3 innings with a guy on 2nd and Jason B. would be saying something like, "Now that's the Carlos Rodon we've been waiting for, really showing his potential." He say something like that, and I'd think, "Really, a No. 3 pick with a great game? Really, giving up 2 runs (maybe 3) in less than six innings?? At his best, he's just above average. On the other hand, I can remember lots of outstanding games and stretches of games from Lopez. I admit, they're becoming distant memories, but I know he can really throw a great shut or a one-run game. I went to a game against the Angels when he came out in the 7th or so, and he lost 1 to 0. I just really feel that he has way more upside than Rodon. I wouldn't bet the house (or even five dollars) on it, but I wouldn't be shocked if he was the Sox three-pitcher this year. I've seen and can remember great games from Lopez, though rather briefly and long ago.

That strike on Eaton is the Ump knows the game is over and he wants to get going as soon as possible. He's thinking, "Why waste anymore time on this batter? Let's move it along."

From what I understand, Reylo really preplexed 'em with his slow ball: Two innings, six batters and six outs, no base runners.

Did he look any better than Lopez? I don’t see how.

Okay, I'll deal with the second question on this thread first: When the Sox signed Yoelqui and Marco Paddy bragged him up as MLB ready, I made the prediction/ hope that he'd be our starting right fielder in 2022. I am going to stick with that. Now the question of Yoenis is very interesting. On one hand, I can't think of a place or clubhouse where he'd have a better chance of success, with his step-brother in the organization and all the fellow Cubans to welcome him. And he has serious potential; he could be a real powerful bat in the order, could be . . . He could be a 30 or more home run guy in the order. But . . . with his age and leg/feet problems (can't remember which one it is), can you realistically think he can play in the outfield? I don't know about this? So really, if you're signing him, you're signing a right handed DH. If you do that, and it works out, you're sending Vaughn down to the minors this year. Which for many reasons may or may not be good. I would say look at him, especially to see if he can still run, at least some, and be able to play outfield. If he can play some outfield, I would give him a performance loaded minor league offer and see how it goes. If he can't play in the outfield, at least some, I say go with Vaughn at DH. But still staying with my prediction, Yoelqui in RF in 2022.