South Side Hit Men

I’m not a wave guy, but why throw that in with a legitimate argument against drunken douchebaggery? Someone called in to b**** about the wave on the postgame show Monday. On to more pressing fan discussion topics: Is M & M Guy going to return to his rightful place in the scout seats, or is his change to behind the Sox dugout permanent?

Tampa’s lineup. Ryan Yarbrough (L) 1. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B 2. R. Arozarena (R) DH 3. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B 4. Austin Meadows (L) LF 5. Yandy Diaz (R) 3B 6. Joey Wendle (L) SS 7. Manuel Margot (R) RF 8. K. Kiermaier (L) CF 9. Mike Zunino (R) C

Well, they may be easing Adam in with more off days than usual. Hoping they will also play him vs. LHPs, or at minimum bring him into the game after the starter is pulled. Thought Lamb may have played yesterday vs. today. @SoxFanForever , Lucas career splits show he is much better in day games than night games. This year’s stats are skewed by the Fenway early morning massacre. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=giolilu01&year=Career&t=p

Time will tell if after the substance ban (and if it's enforced) if nearly every other out is a K. That said, OF defense will still be a factor come playoff time. Having Adam and Robert as starting in RF and CF, respectively, and Billy a defensive replacement in the 8th or 9th for Vaughn makes for an elite defensive OF. Couple that with their great infield (Moncada, Anderson, Mendick and Abreu) and the only worry is Grandal or Collins (or Crochet) catching the baseball. Team defense is an overlooked factor in terms of White Sox pitching success this year already, with a huge upgrade in LF and RF overall an upgrade.

This not an accurate take. Players can use sunscreen, but are advised not continue applying sunscreen after the sun has set, or in dome stadiums. They can apply sunscreen in all other circumstances, they just can't combine the sunscreen to rosin, and then apply it to the ball. I agree with the players assessment that this rule change should be announced early in an off-season, to allow players to adjust for the following season. I also agree with the players assessment that driving a wedge between hitters and pitchers is one of the key factors in terms of implementing this mid-season, right before the CBA expiration. This should have been implemented last offseason, before Spring Training, and not after a few months of "comprehensive data collection process". Speaking of which, MLB continues to implement changes to baseballs, in-season, over multiple seasons, with or without a "comprehensive data collection process". Fix your own mess, before starting this shit you drunken assclown. That also goes to the MLB owners this assclown represents. My comments are not directed toward any advantage or disadvantage the Chicago White Sox will experience. I Just want the integrity of the game to be better managed, far better than the past 30 + years, when owners tossed any semblance of an at least partially independent commissioner when Bud Selig was installed, followed by this idiot. It's all half ass reactionary measures, based on media reports or random individual umpire actions. Steroids, electronic sign stealing, and increased doctoring of baseballs were widespread and widely known, for years/decades. Nothing was ever done to counter this until multiple embarrassing incidents were exposed by the media, with the Commissioner's office actively participating in coverups throughout time trying to quell or deny any of this was going on, and then taking half measures to counter primarily for PR/ obfuscation / misdirection / attacking the players union. The stewardship of this game is the most embarrassing in sports. The NHL's Count Dracula would be a major upgrade compared to Selig/Manfred.

Not to mention Rodney. Shoot that poison arrow. Full disclosure: I like Fernando Rodney and his poison arrow.

The Great: Keuchel 7 shutout innings; Adam Engel goes DEEP; TA goes 3 for 4. The Good: Leury goes 2 for 3; 6-2 each get 1+ hits. The Ugly: 3-4-5 go 0-12. Day game tomorrow. Despite the weird start to 2021, Lucas is a much better pitcher in Day Games (35 GS; 80 OPS+; .633 OPS) than Night Games (62 GS; 111 OPS +; .746 OPS), so hopefully he reverts to career norms tomorrow for a White Sox Series Win.

Radio faster than TV broadcast.

Thank God! That's a White Sox Whuppin', Made it too interesting in the end. First TB loss by more than 2 runs since May 8.

That's not true. Rick Hahn's stance changed, and stated so during the Luis Robert (RIP) press conference. https://sports.yahoo.com/white-sox-must-reconsider-eloy-231918749.html

Just poking a little fun at all of the hot takes the past few weeks, between calls for DFAing Vaughn, saying Engel isn't healthy, isn't going to hit.

Adam Engel is NOT the answer.

DFA Vaughn already.

Tampa hasn't lost a game by more than 2 runs since May 8. They are 24-10 on the road this year. Pretty amazing for a team payroll capped at Grandal + Keuchel + Albert Pujols' 2021 combined salaries.

He hit that ball after the ball bounced off the ground. Hope someone tweets a replay.

Adam Frazier is also off today. Surprised the fast food twitter handles aren't all over this breaking development.

Assuming Eaton isn't inserted late in the game, "Everyday" Leury Garcia will pass both Adam and Nick tonight in games played (55), moving to the fourth slot behind Abreu (62), Moncada (62), and Mercedes (61). Leury's pitching equivalent, "Everyday" Eddie Guardado. "Fat guys don't get hurt." -Ozzie Guillen

Has Fegan or somebody asked about Lamb’s availability to play 3B? I get they are facing a lefty today, but what about yesterday or in general? Perhaps the Sox staff feel he can no longer play infield, after his 30 combined innings at 1B and 3B this season. Those were his natural positions throughout his career. He was terrible at 1B in limited time, but didn’t look so bad at 3B. Is he taking infield practice? If Yoan missed 20 games, would it be 20 Leury starts and 0 for Lamb?

He will need 193.6 hits per season through his age 39 season to reach 3,000. It’s going to be a challenge.

Yes and no. Vaughn is young, same age as Robert’s first season, slightly older than Eloy. Also is destroying LHP early in his career (1.057 OPS), albeit a small sample. Mercedes is 27, beyond old for a rookie. Doesn’t mean he can’t rebound, just saying he doesn’t have the same long term upside as the other three players, and unlike Vaughn doesn’t provide any value or serviceable position defensively. It’s not smart to risk Eloy to further trips to “Heaven”, or suffer through his LF “fielding”.

Nice video narrated by one of my all time favorite players C. C. Sabathia, and Jim "Mudcat" Grant. Much respect to two of the fifteen Black Aces!!

If Crochet graduates this threshold, reaches Kopech level or close in 2022 (say 120 reg season or 140 total innings, carefully managed like Kopech), he could start for most of 2023, maximizing his value. Katz is tending to the little things to keep pitchers healthy and effective. I don’t think Kopech and Crochet even get this far 2 1/2 months in under Cooper, not to mention Rodon and Cease’s health and effectiveness, when both showed little in close to a combined decade under Cooper. Tampa Bay has had the benefit of modern pitching coaches for a decade, the Sox are just starting to make that leap. Haven’t heard anything about a “pitching lab” as teams like the Astros and Cubs have, but pitchers like Rodon are working with outside labs (ProX). Perhaps Michael Reinsdorf will find the benefit of investing in-house on this front once his father is out of the picture.

I concur on the greatness of TB's FO and Manager/Coaches managing the entire roster. Can you imagine SoxTalk if the Sox had Wander Franco, kept him in the minors hitting .933 OPS in AAA, the Sox trade their starting SS in May, and still kept Franco down? I also agree with you regarding load management for Sox starters and two young bullpen arms. That said, the Sox are doing a good job managing their load. I expect a few more IL stints, hopefully minor and/or phantom ailments as has been the case to date, to help them get extra rest when needed. Rodon is the major concern in terms of lasting the whole season. They are managing Kopech well, and I don't expect him inserted into a starting role into the end of the season, if at all. Crochet is bullpen only regardless, so he is likely around 80-90, perhaps near 100 if they reach the WS. Keuchel is here to eat 5-6 innings a start and try to keep opponents to 3-4 runs. Overpay for those expectations, but it is what it is. He doesn't throw hard, isn't a huge injury risk, but even if he did get hurt and missed 2 + months, that buys the Sox flexibility in 2023 shedding $20M. Would help with a FA acquisition and/or Lynn extension if warranted. The Sox should have a big enough lead to screw around with a minor league starter for 6-8 starts this season (Lopez, Lambert, whatever) and not worry about any impact on the divisional race, either by going 6 man for a strech; juggling load management IL stints, or having one legitimate lengthy IL injury.

The problem is platoon only / bench players are playing everyday. There is a place for three of the four on a postseason roster (sorry Yermin, if Eloy returns). Wouldn't be averse to keeping Hamilton over either Lamb or Eaton, depending on how things go. Yermin is gone unless there is a major turnaround (May OPS .619; June .462) Vs. RHP (ML Career OPS Splits) SS Anderson .719 3B Moncada .819 1B Abreu .849 DH Jimenez .864 CF Robert .737 C Grandal .794 (C Z Collins .706 for Lucas and Carlos - Bats 8th / Eaton & Lamb move up to 6th and 7th) RF Eaton .796 LF Lamb .803 2B Mendick .759 Vs. LHP (OPS Splits) SS Anderson .849 CF Robert .866 1B Abreu .926 DH Jimenez .801 3B Moncada .702 C Grandal .795 (C Z Collins .416 for Lucas and Carlos - Bats 8th / Vaughn and Leury move up to 6th and 7th) LF Vaughn 1.057 2B L. Garcia .682 RF Engel .689