South Side Hit Men

Could be the highest "must score" of the season this inning. Remaining options: Graveman (second inning) Hendriks (if available) Ruiz Lambert Cripple Crick Foster Sousa (Suckfest) Cease (already warmed up) Giolito (started yesterday)

"And secondly, there is a difference between being asleep at the wheel and passing out at the wheel. I would challenge passed out. " (2:50 in)

bUt ThE SchEDuLe iS gETtinG eASieR,

I don't see Jerry authorizing a $75 flight change fee for this, so better hope he was scheduled to fly into Detroit with the team Sunday evening. For what it is worth, Detroit is going with a bullpen game on Tuesday (Skubal on Monday & Alex Faedo on Wednesday). Sox can bring up the planned Charlotte starter for Monday, place Kopech on the 15 day IL if he is certain to miss at least one start. Again, it may come down to whether Jerry is willing to eat all of this airfare, which has really gone up the past several months.

A bridge too far. December 10, 2014 - Rick Hahn signs Free Agent David Robertson to a four year, $46M contract. 2018-19 Offseason - Prior to tanking season #3, Rick Hahn signs Kelvin Herrera ($18M / 2 Years, DFAd 1st week into 2nd yr) and Alex Colome ($7.3M/Year). 2019-20 Offseason - Rick Hahn signs Alex Colome ($10.3M) and Steve Cishek ($6M). Enters the ALDS after 60 games with two starting pitchers. And then there is Craig Kimbrel Rick Hahn trades Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal for Craig Kimbrel, eating the entire contract and stating October 8, 2021, La Russa stated "It (non closing) is not his situation. He willingly got ready to come in there and pitch. It's a different situation. So he is his resume," Rick Hahn doubles down on the Kimbrel trade, picking up his option with likely only one trade partner willing and able to pay his contract. White Sox acquire their 4th LF/DH (Eloy, Vaughn, Sheets), claiming 34 year old Pollock is a RFer after 6 previous games over 10 seasons. AJ Pollock's RF experiment ends after 5 starts, including ending a game in Detroit on a dropped fly ball.

The time must end for White Sox Gar/Pax, along with Jerry who hobbled the Bulls until Michael took over the day to day.

The White Sox have Luis Robert and Jake Burger until at least 2027. The White Sox have Andrew Vaughn, Garrett Crochet and Aaron Bummer until at least 2026. The White Sox have Michael Kopech and Dylan Cease until at least 2025. The White Sox have Marco Paddy and Ethan Katz in their organization, two of the best in the business. The team, led by Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal, stood up to the bully racist asshat Josh Donaldson, the team won the final two games, and not a single Yankee player or management staff came to that scumbag's defense, though their fans were exposed as racist accomplices. Danny Mendick and Johnny Cueto have performed well in limited appearances, and hopefully will continue to contribute. Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Lance Lynn are returning soon, and hopefully will be able to contribute at expected levels the rest of the season.

They had two starting pitchers available in the postseason. COVID may have impacted bringing in other starters in July 2020, but chalking that up more toward the team roster exceeding expectations in the short "season" and not having adequate starting pitching beyond Giolito to legitimately compete in the playoffs. I think Ricky would have been the better manger the past two seasons, including playoffs. He'd be more welcome to input from the FO, wouldn't have brought in crony staff and players, and I believe the team wouldn't have quit like they have since June 2021. If you brought in a legitimate replacement after 2020 (Boche, Hinch, Espada), I wouldn't have quibbled and they also would have better results with the same roster and injuries.

This is correct after looking it up. https://www.mlb.com/glossary/injuries/15-day-injured-list MLB brought back the 15-day IL for pitchers and two-way players in 2022, with the 10-day IL remaining in place for position players. Again, it's a judgement call on some injuries your initial prognosis is a return over a few days. However, I don't understand activating a player who is physically unable to play upon activation. May 31, Luis Robert Activated - Sits during a 6-5 loss at Toronto. May 13, Andrew Vaughn Activated - Sits during a 10-4 loss to the Yankees. Andrew sat against a solid RHP (Cole), and Lucas is the one he swapped roster spots with, so not as much of an issue with that call. However, Robert could have been a winning difference in the Toronto game.

Nothing is 100%, but would put it at around 95%. Perhaps he still would have had spasms today if he didn't pitch yesterday, but if Lambert was the choice for a high leverage 3-3 appearance warming up before the Sox scored in the bottom of the 8th, he certainly should have been an acceptable option for an 8-3 appearance in the 9th, especially when you knew Graveman was likely unavailable after 28 pitches in the 8th. The Sox need a 21st century manager, focused on using his best pitchers in high leverage situations, not to hand out wins/saves to his preferred guys.

Is the 10 Day IL still available? I can see waiting to get Bummer back through the weekend if you lose him 15 days for a 4-6 day absence. If the 10 day is available they should pull the trigger if he can't go tomorrow with no anticipated return date available. However, there is absolutely no excuse for activating players from the IL when they are still unavailable for days after their activation. I also believe they should return Yoan to the IL, and be cautious with Grandal and put him on the IL if necessary once they determine the extent of his injury. They aren't improving with their ailments trying to soldier through it.

Thursday was the absolute last time we should have seen Sousa pitch in a game within 7 runs either way, until he proved over several mop-up appearances he has figured something out over weeks,

South Side Hitman has been a "Fire Tony" Guy since booing his ass every time he left the dugout in 1985. David Wells (throwing up on the mound, suspected booze was the culprit) was the only other person I booed in a White Sox uniform going to games 1975-2020.

Fuck Bruce Levine, his tweets, and his decades of kissing Chicago ownership ass no matter how indefensible their actions. Tony is responsible for Cancer Culture in the White Sox Clubhouse since the day his criminal ass was introduced as manager.

Hell, the Rangers finished ahead of the White Sox all but two full seasons (2014 and 2021) since the White Out Game. Last night I questioned why Lambert was warming up for the tie game, and then not inserted after the Sox took a five run lead. Would have been nice to have Liam available today, especially if Graveman (26 pitches yesterday), Bummer (last game Tuesday - put him on the IL if he's injured) weren't going to be available Saturday. Of course Tony's useless Kelly is out as well. https://www.baseballpress.com/bullpen-usage Tony's primary concern is "the pitcher of record", his defense for why Cease stayed with nobody warming up when it was clear he was running out of gas Thursday, and why he won't use Liam unless it's for a "save", This is Cro-Magnon Man logic in 2022. Also questioned last night catching Grandal on a day after night game (discussion with Caufield). I support having pitchers select their preferred catchers when possible, but if Grandal is Lucas' preference and McGuire is Kopech's, than Grandal should have DH or played 1B Friday night to allow his legs a chance Saturday. Not necessarily blaming the injury on it, but just common sense not to catch a catcher who has been gimpy all year twice within 24 hours.

The one year deals won't kill you, it's the three four year deals, especially in the $15M-$20M range, where you're at risk of eating a lot of money due to both injuries and natural age decline. Pollock was unnecessary, they could have actually filled RF or 2B with the Kimbrel option money. Encarnacion made no sense as half of their hitters were/are DH types. Pollock can still pan out hitting, but when Eloy returns they have 4 LF/DHs and still no RFer, either forcing Vaughn or Pollock back out there and having Engel play periodically .

Nice to see the Sox plugging away the entire game, and everyone contributing. Grandal came up HUGE in the eighth, also enjoyed the solid pitching performances. Have to come back tomorrow for a day game, so don't party too hard (Yoan). Hope Tony keeps Grandal and Moncada down in the lineup a few more games, keep the pressure off and let them work their confidence back. Perhaps come back with the same lineup tomorrow (or rest/DH Grandal so he can catch Sunday with the short turnaround tomorrow).

Yes, warming up Lmabert for a tie game, and then inserting Liam with a five run lead, seems backwards.

Andrew Vaughn (5) finally surpassed Gavin Sheets (1) in plate appearances and at bats yesterday. Andrew Vaughn 152 PA, 139 AB, .811 OPS Gavin Sheets 149 PA, 137 AB, .597 OPS

Looks like Tony and Rick may have had a conversation about platoons and lineup construction. Hahn took away Sheets, and Moncada (.408) and Grandal (.491) are not littering the top of the lineup up to split R/L. Hope this remains a consistent lineup (pipe dream) until either / both are able to turn things around, and Tim returns. Also hope Andrew doesn't get hurt attempting to play RF. Will be easier to get a 2B at the deadline vs. RF if the Sox are buyers.