CentralChamps21

They show the question on screen and you tweet the answer with the hashtag. They don't put the question out on Twitter. I need to remember to try next time I go to my grandparents house. They have old school cable.

I don't know, but I watch on a smart TV running on wi-fi, and by the time I see the question come up, there have been correct answers over a minute old. I tried watching on my phone running on data instead of wi-fi and that wasn't any better. I guess you have to have traditional cable to get the questions earlier.

He was starting to hit like this right before he got hurt.

That's a growth opportunity where Robert and Eloy can learn from Yoan and Yaz. You don't have to swing with 0 strikes, or even 1 strike, just because the pitch is over the plate. You can wait for a more hittable pitch.

Some people can't look past the SLG that's hovering around .400 to see the great OBP and defense.

Nice job to get out of that, but it seems like we've had a lot of high pitch count first innings recently.

I hear Bishop Sycamore needs a QB.

That explains why Mendick was the one brought up.

Most of his body has inflamation.

Time for a new game thread.

BUF 13 4 MIA 10 7 NE 10 7 NYJ 3 14 BAL 11 6 CLE 11 6 PIT 9 8 CIN 3 14 TEN 11 6 IND 9 8 JAX 7 10 HOU 2 15 KC 13 4 LAC 12 5 DEN 8 9 LV 7 10 NYG 9 8 DAL 8 9 WAS 8 9 PHI 7 10 GB 11 6 CHI 8 9 MIN 7 10 DET 4 13 TB 13 4 NO 6 11 ATL 6 11 CAR 4 13 LAR 13 4 SEA 12 5 SF 11 6 ARI 6 11 (2) KC over (7) MIA, (6) CLE over (3) BAL, (5) LAC over (4) TEN (2) LAR over (7) CHI, (6) SF over (3) GB, (5) SEA over (4) NYG (1) BUF over (6) CLE, (5) LAC over (2) KC (1) TB over (6) SF, (2) LAR over (5) SEA (1) BUF over (5) LAC (2) LAR over (1) TB (AFC) BUF over (NFC) LAR

Tampa beat Boston and the Yankees lost last night, so this Sox-Astros matchup is looking more and more likely. As for who should be favored, look at total team fWAR: Houston: offense 27.8 (1st), pitching 13.4 (10th), total 41.2 Sox: offense 22.2 (4th), pitching 20.2 (1st), total 42.4 Looks a lot like a tossup to me.

This thread is bad karma. Dude's gonna get hurt or go into a massive slump if this continues. The guy sucks. He's never hit for the cycle, never had a 3 HR game, and hasn't magically transformed Eloy into a gold glove left fielder. Hell, he didn't even play 100 games his rookie season. What kind of superstar can't even play 100 games as a rookie?

You mean second best after SoxTalk.

We already need 2 spots though so Quintana would make 3.

Gotta have a roster spot you're willing to give him, and the Sox already have 3 guys they have to find spots for off the IL + a 3rd catcher to bring back up and only 2 spots open for roster expansion. Are you willing to send down Lopez to get him? If not, then I don't see how you fit him in.

To not play Houston, one of these things has to happen: Oakland makes up their 5.5 game deficit and wins the AL West. Houston makes up their 5 game deficit and pass Tampa Bay. Sox make up their 7 game deficit and pass Tampa Bay. All of those seem really unlikely at this point.

I think at this point the only drama for the Sox is how early they will clinch the division and whether they can pass Houston for the 2nd seed so they can get Game 5 at home. I don't think Houston is going to catch Tampa.

Lopez has a 0.71 WHIP and 5.29 K/BB, but that's in 34 innings spread over starting and relieving, so not the kind of sample size you can use to compare to full-time starters.

IP/Start: Giolito 5.9, Lynn 5.7, Rodon 5.7, Cease 5.3 WHIP: Rodon 0.97, Lynn 1.08, Giolito 1.10, Cease 1.22 K/BB: Rodon 5.26, Giolito 4.07, Lynn 3.62, Cease 3.36 This has been a breakout year for Cease no doubt, but he has some work to do if he wants to be on the level of the top 3 in this rotation, though his stuff indicates that it's definitely possible for him to get there.

If the preferred reliever to use in the upcoming inning is dependent on whether you lead by 4 or lead by 6+, then it makes sense to have both warming up, regardless of the 3 batter rule.

Ah, OK, you just have to be on the 40 man roster by 8/31, not on the active roster. That makes for more flexibility. They can DFA Lamb when Engel is back and use Sheets for the postseason.

Here's one more issue: Collins can't be called back up until after Wednesday and thus won't be eligible for the postseason roster unless someone else goes on the IL before then. (unless the rules have changed and I didn't see it) That leaves the 12 guys currently on the roster plus Engel and Hamilton as position players eligible for the postseason, and I think they want to carry 14 for the postseason, so that would require keeping Lamb, or replacing him with Sheets before Wednesday.