CentralChamps21

I guess since I don't watch much hockey I immediately thought of Harry Kane.

How about a 1 pitch bottom of the 9th?

With Ramirez and Reyes due up, Hendiks has to get the 9th even if it isn't a save situation.

Lambert/Lopez got through 6 innings only giving up one run. Lineup owes it to them to go out and win this game.

Seby better come through cause we know Tim won't.

1 run in 3 innings is about the best we could expect from Lambert. Zavala better homer again because the top of the order can't drive him in.

How long does this go on before TA and Jose get dropped down in the order?

That's going to doubly suck if they burn Kopech tonight and don't even win the game.

Yeah, win this game and you have a minimum 9 game lead after tomorrow.

Yeah TA shouldn't bat 1st and Jose shouldn't bat 3rd but they seem to have achieved tenure in those spots so Yoan should be 2nd and Eloy 4th.

Not a fan of Hernandez batting 2nd either. He's not a high OBP guy.

Nice 1st for Dallas. Now let's see if TA or Jose can get a 1st inning hit. Seems like forever since either one has done it.

In the last 30 days, Goodwin has a .604 OPS vs RHP and Hamilton is at .606. Goodwin no longer provides a platoon advantage and Hamilton is the far superior outfielder. Now that Leury is freed from 2B there's really, really no use for Goodwin.

Should Heuer go ahead and have his TJS now or wait until he actually gets injured?

Just the mere threat of his bunts causes chaos with the opponent.

David Robertson got the save for the US in their 4-2 win over South Korea.

TA and Jose both get into similar cycles: 1) Pulling everything on the ground to the left side 2) Start spraying singles and doubles to the right side 3) Start pulling doubles and homers to the left side 4) Back to pulling everything on the ground to the left side. Repeat cycle.

Teams can do the math and see that he's 99% likely to be a DFA in April so why give up anything for him now? Except for the Cubs and Nationals who moved a whole bunch of players, teams didn't want guys back who had to go on the 40.

Is Kris Bryant a more valuable player than Craig Kimbrell? Yes. However, Bryant would be replacing an Engel/Sheets platoon that's already pretty good. Kimbrell is replacing Heuer plus probably some innings from other relievers. So when you look at it that way, there is a case to be made for prioritizing Kimbrell over Bryant. Another way to look at it is this: in the late innings of a playoff game, do I want Engel up with the go ahead run on base with Kimbrel warming in the bullpen or Bryant up with the go ahead run on base with Heuer warming in the bullpen and it's answer A for me.

C - Grandal, Collins IF - Abreu, Hernandez, Anderson, Moncada, Garcia, Lamb OF/DH - Jimenez, Vaughn, Robert, Engel, Sheets, Hamilton SP - Lynn, Rodon, Giolito, Cease/Keuchel RP - Hendriks, Kimbrel, Kopech, Tepera, Bummer, Crochet, Keuchel/Cease, Ruiz/Lopez/Foster While I expect the Sox to continue to have a 13/13 pitcher/hitter split for the rest of the regular season, I see no reason to have 13 pitchers for the playoffs, especially if that 13th pitcher is Ruiz, Lopez or Foster. A week ago, I would have said Lamb and Sheets are redundant and kept Goodwin over one of those two, but Goodwin has just completely stopped hitting so unless he turns things around, I keep Lamb and Sheets.

Tony can't get it through his head that they're actually worse vs RHP than Engel. Thinks batting from the left side is some sort of magic.

Engel in CF and then one of Goodwin or Garcia can be on the bench. Tossup between those two at this point.

No Engel? Really tired of Goodwin in CF.

Burr got sent down for Tepera. Kimbrel replaces Heuer. If Kimbrel can't get to Chicago from DC in time then the Sox will be a guy short tonight.

Cubs are in DC and game time is in 3 hours. Are they going to be able to have enough guys to play?