soxfaninfl

In Chicago and was at the game with my daughter. 0-2 on Morel and I told my daughter, they will underestimate him, groove a fastball and they will score at least two. After it happened, my daughter asked me how I knew… I just said the Sox do what they do and never learn. Anyway, I knew the Sox lost the game then even though it was 7-5.

Yeah, Pedro, that is all well and good now that we are 100 games into the season. The problem is you still sound as clueless as you have ever been. I knew you were clueless during the 10-game losing streak earlier this year and everything since is still spiraling downward. Yeah, you didn’t have a perfect team, flawed in many areas, but whatever you have been doing is not working. Losing is hard, I know. The feeling can run deep in the psyche. Unfortunately, you have never given this team any reason to think otherwise and it shows. Work harder? You need to be better. The team is so devoid of leadership and that what is on you. Because, the baseball gods know, the FO has none. If they did, you would have been fired two months ago.

I think the better question is what happened to the ‘I will sign myself’ Abreu. Something changed at the start of last season.

And if you trade Eloy, expect Robert’s numbers to crater. If I am an opposing pitcher, no way I give Luis a pitch to hit with what the Sox will have left for any protection.

And if you trade Eloy, expect Robert’s numbers to crater. If I am an opposing pitcher, no way I give Luis a pitch to hit with what the Sox will have left for any protection.

I tend to agree with this. Eloy is not the problem. The problem is much deeper. However, I do wish he was playing better and could stay healthy. Those are legitimate concerns (I think he is hurting now if I am reading his movements correctly on the base paths yesterday). And if you are going to compare Frank with Eloy, you are going to be disappointed. Frank was a generational talent. Eloy can still be a useful bat, though. I mean, who hits behind Eloy? Do you really think he is going to get good pitches to hit? At least Robert has Eloy hitting behind him to provide some protection. Eloy just needs to be better and quit thinking he needs to be the hero. But he is not the problem.

Suckage is pretty much endemic to the Sox right now from the minors up. But… have you ever played on a losing team? It’s tough and the blame games just tear a team apart, not to mention focus suffers. Well, I present the 2023 White Sox. They play like losers. They are managed like losers. No confidence in really anything - themselves, teammates, or management. Case in point, because of pregame decisions to put Remy in RF and Elvis at 2B cost, by my count, 6 runs, and the plays they made were just bad. Maybe Lynn gives up runs elsewhere but after Elvis dropped that throw, can you see why Lynn would lose his focus a little? Losing like this just makes evaluating players impossible. And also a reason why so many players seemed to have regressed this year. So, yeah, a lot of players just suck this year. Has to go deeper than just bad players.

Should have been out of that inning with 1 run. Thanks, Elvis… for all the bluster about focus, what do you do with this, Pedro?

It’s just been three years of bad decisions from the roster to manager that have just come to roost this season. The FO fell in love with the ‘genius’ of acquiring these young players but never really started a rebuild after that, let alone complete it. They did victory laps without winning really anything and now, in 2023, we are seeing the result.

Eloy has a career OPS of .822 and an OPS+ of 122. I would like better and tired of waiting for it and I get the frustration but on this team???? That’s practically Barry Bonds. Just a joke and I do think the Sox need to start formulating a plan B to hit behind Luis. The injuries and waiting for him to feel healthy does get a little tiresome.

Another issue… do the Sox have any other qualified bat to protect Luis?

An unfair take on Eloy and even Moncada. I would not question their dedication because a lot of it was required to get where they are, especially considering where each came from. Sometimes, some players are just more injury prone. It happens. A bad back is a bad back, bad legs are bad legs. It’s genetics… but watch any game and I don’t see how you question at least Eloy’s joy for the game.

I always liked Eloy but, yeah. Not sure about trading him because it is what it is at this point, but it’s time to think something else. I just don’t think his legs and body will allow him to be the player everyone thought he would be. No anger at him, just sad.

So much to unpack here. I harken back to memories not long ago of Jose rounding the bases laughing, of TA putting his arm around Jose as they helped each other back to the dugout, of Eloy bouncing around the field, among many others as we watched this team grow together. Where did this go?? Meanwhile, we have a manager who constantly stresses focus. preparedness. Really? Could this not be the problem? These may well be issues but this team severely lacks any type of confidence and they play tight without any semblance of looseness. I see it every time Eloy comes up in a game situation. You can literally see his spine straighten, his sphincter pucker as the game moves entirely too fast and he invariably swings at a pitch he used to wait on. And it's not just Eloy. It's almost everyone but contrast today's Eloy to his approaches in 2020. And pitchers? Watch their body language when they lose their release point and control. No, Pedro, the main issue with this team is they just don't play loose. They play like losers trying to think their way to getting better. To me, the most telling statement in the article was his admission that he doesn't do a lot of team stuff but a lot of individual conversations. Um, isn't that what a coach does? I am willing to admit Pedro may be a good coach but a manager is responsible for the team and right now, this team needs a manager. Ricky was not the greatest tactician but he kept the team loose and confident. LaRussa clearly brought gravity just with his resume. Last year, I felt the team did a bad job of adjusting to being the target but this has now been two years of watching a team regress. It's sad and disappointing. Yes, this is a severely flawed team, a different beef with a FO not understanding what a rebuild actually entails. Pedro has been dealt a difficult hand but I don't think he has done himself any favors either.

Expect more from Eloy. Need more from Eloy.

Need a manager who pays attention for this thought.

Not sure about the ‘modern baseball’ aspect but the problem with Sox pitching is control. I literally scream at the games sometimes asking ‘do we have to go 3-2 on everyone????’ Too many times, pitchers are more concerned about swing and misses than just pitching for soft contact and the out, especially to low BA hitters who peskily foul off pitches. Too many throw away, non-competitive pitches too. I just feel it’s a lack of confidence in something - their stuff, the defense… It’s just a flawed team. Not going to argue that.

Okay, Eloy lays down a bunt, a beautiful bunt. Yaz still strikes out. How many of you would be bashing Pedro for bunting Eloy?

You want Eloy to end the game. He didn’t. Romano was better this time. That’s baseball.

I did. You don’t ask Eloy to bunt. If you want to PH for Eloy to bunt, then fine. But then we would hear from every second guesser when Grandal eventually strikes out anyway.

You do realize he has never had a sacrifice bunt in his career?

The Reds would not ask Joey Votto to bunt.

Well, he could have popped a bunt into a triple play. ? Seriously, how many times in a season would anyone ask Eloy or any hitter with his skill set to bunt? You just can’t ask a hitter to do something he does not do or, yeah, a worse catastrophe could happen.

I am as hard on Pedro as anyone but you just don’t have Eloy bunt. You have to trust him with the bat in his hands. I was actually more worried about him grounding into a DP with Romano’s slider. It was a tough spot and what did it matter anyway? Grandal would have struck out anyway.

Varsho doing his best to showcase his talents to the Sox. Swing at first pitch and ground out meekly. He’s available, Rick.