Autumn Dreamin

Walking more and chasing less is good in general, but I watched this AB from him a couple games ago and kind of hated the passivity: The actual bat is too good for me to want him chasing a walk down one in the 8th with a runner on. But the Mets lineup is less dependent on his power so maybe it balances out. Other guys came through behind him and they won IIRC.

Fun fact: Davitt also moonlights for his hometown local paper: https://www.indianola-ia.com/opinion/staff-favorite-duncan-davitt-belief-bordering-on-delusional/article_6a1e8632-77f4-40e8-aa30-3e09218a52d6.html So however his debut goes, we'll probably get to read about it.

Much like the White Sox, I'm a sucker for an outlier lefty.

Taylor was available today, but Burke's short start means they never get to him. If Taylor opened, maybe Burke's second time through (where he gave up his 2 runs) is in the 5th or 6th instead of the 3rd. Instead, Sims gives up the deciding runs because Burke can't go a third time through and the 6th is still too early for a leverage-only Taylor. And that's totally a worthwhile tradeoff if a now rested Taylor gets a couple leverage innings that matter in KC. Hopefully he does! But the shortage of reliable arms remains the reason I liked seeing them get more creative with Taylor's usage. Every time the starter doesn't make it into the 6th, they are asking that "3 legged table" to cover the toughest pocket of a lineup twice at a minimum without guaranteeing Taylor or Dominguez gets either attempt (assuming Dominguez is pitching the 9th regardless of pocket). Arms that you could feasibly hide with favorable matchups vs. the 5-6-7 hitters with 1 out will keep getting overexposed against one of those pockets, then they'll burn better arms anyway trying to put out the fire and/or having to get them work in decided games. If the opponent's best get two tries against your starter and two tries against your pen, then how does neutralizing one of those latter two opportunities early compare to hoping for a chance to do it late? Considering the middle relief options available, well... Personally I'd take a situational approach with it. I'd probably open for Burke more often than not right now. But I'm not saying there's a "right" answer here, especially without seeing how/if the pitching stabilizes over a larger sample size. Starters getting 16+ outs with any consistency would work wonders. And if they can get the game to Taylor in leverage twice in their next 3-4 games, I'm totally fine with it not using him today. I just think it's a shame if it ends up that he was "saved" to throw in an 8-3 game in Kauffman instead.

The expectations I have for the season were always going to rely more on their June or July performance than their record two weeks in

They started 4-16 last season and 4-22 the year before, so honestly 4-8 barely registers to me. The pitching was fine enough, look moderately less hopeless with RISP and it shouldn't take them another two weeks to find win #5 like it did last year. Teel and Pereira should be back by then if nothing else, and they'll be past the service time cutoff for Antonacci and company. too

For those without MiLB streaming, CHSN will have the Knights game

Nice gesture by the Sox to celebrate Mune's 250th pro HR He broke a Japanese record as the youngest player to reach that milestone across NPB/MLB

3-0 lead for Kanny early. 6 pitch HBP for Fauske, 6 pitch BB for Carlson.

It's precisely because the staff isn't good enough to perform like this consistently that the bats need to show up when they do. Just go like 4-15 with RISP instead of 2-15 and it's a won or winnable series.

If this staff is giving up an average of 3 runs/game, the bats just have to be able to win one of them. Especially at home. Get a timely hit or two.

Yeah, 5.1 IP from this pen with a meager 2 runs of support is just a tough ask. If this score holds, you've gotten 3 ERA production from your arms over these two games. Bats need to show up.

Gunnar's been tougher even. Over 1.000 OPS vs. "only" .939 for Bux.

Gunnar is a Sox killer

Pretty good inning from Hicks there

Even if he challenged one and won, doubt he challenges the second. Basically the same pitch and Rogers got the call both times.

Nice contact for Colson off a quality lefty

They've shifted Quero to playing left knee down full time and I don't think he's as comfortable with it yet. Last year he was about half and half left and right knee down.