CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Hi I'm Cali and I'm an Elkoholic

While I am in favor of Colson getting more minor league at bats now and for at least another month or so , the C. Montgomery the Sox envision is needed very badly . They need power and another guy who knows how to take a walk while providing adequate defense be it at 3rd or SS. The Sox would be fine with the ideal version of Colson at SS and Meidroth at 2nd for a long term solution. While I have stuck up for Sosa this year he does not fit the ideal vision of high OBP the Sox have . But there is no hurry to get Colson in the lineup right now since he keeps getting hit by pitches and missing games. He still has to show that the things he and Fuller accomplished in his Arizona hiatus will stick.

Thank you and it's the RH Wacha . So our lefties are Palacios, Teel, Quero, Rojas, Benintendi Tauchman. Most of them played last night along with RHs Robert, Vargas Meidroth and Elko. I'm curious to see how many of the guys who played last night are in the lineup . Some, of course, have to be. Meidroth and Vargas are 2 who didn't hit well yesterday. Maybe Teel plays 1st base and Elko sits.

I haven't looked to see which arm the Royals pitcher throws with today but a day game after a night game usually means Teel wouldn't be catching today. Could he play 1st base today ? You never know. Or Teel could DH with Quero catching.

That clueless guy brought in a pitching coach and a hitting coach who seem to have a clue on how to help pitchers and hitters. He also has 3 guys in the lineup he traded for with Meidroth , Teel and Vargas. He also has a pitcher who could be the Sox All Star game representation who he took with the 1st pick in the Rule 5 draft and traded for another Rule 5 guy who is their best relief pitcher so far and eats up valuable innings which helps immensely. Smith and Vasil have been very valuable in their roles. They became instant major league pitchers who we couldn't even worry about how they were doing in the minors. How often does that happen ? Before the Rule 5 draft a lot Soxtalk posters took their shot at who the Sox should pick up in the Rule 5. I don't think a single one suggested Shane Smith or Mike Vasil. He also got Vasil from Tampa Bay who we usually talk about having such good people that us fans are always saying don't trade with them. They'll fleece us. It's easy for fans to throw around names like Canario and Workman and make fun of the no names that the Sox churn through between AAA and the majors like Capra, Amaya ,Palacios, Cusick, Jones, Maton , Murfee, McKendry, Gomez, Altavilla, Castro, Ellard, Gilbert, Max Roberts, Jake Curtis, Tommy Sheehan etc. But that's the process you go through in a rebuild to come up with a guy like Adrian Houser who actually helps. Sure,chances are you can mention it's a shame Gage Workman didn't work out . But It's not like he's become a MLB All Star. You either show something quick since he was another Rule 5 or you're gone. He wet the bed .Oh well. There are some people here who talk about these minor things endlessly but barely acknowledge Smith, Vasil or Houser or need a good 6 months from Vargas to be convinced he's turned it around yet will cry about Workman because after he left he's had an . 825 OPS in 16 games in the minors. Hell if we didn't see Amaya hit in the major with our own eyes and he was a guy like Workman someone would be crying about his 1.300 OPS and .500 BA in 25 minor league AB as proof that our GM can't judge talent. There's not a lot to be happy about but there's also a lot of molehills being turned into big talking points that actually mean very little.

A 4 tool guy instead of just a 2 tool ( speed/base running and defense) is still immensely valuable. Robert still has a lot of power. He just needs to show it. A good 6 to 8 week hot streak, while implausible given how he's preformed since returning from his injury last year, is not impossible. He'll never be great contact hitter or a high OBP guy but he could get a lot closer to the La Pantera skills he usually displayed when healthy. The hitter he's been since June of last year could be a guy who's lost his mental edge afraid to be aggressive because of all the injuries. It doesn't show up in his speed or defense, the things that come more natural to him ,but hitting isn't something that comes naturally to many hitters. It takes a lot of discipline and mental toughness because all hitters have weaknesses that pitchers attack. Your job is to punish the mistakes if you can last long enough in at bats to recognize them. And recognizing them isn't as easy as it sounds especially with aggressive hitters who grew up with the "hitting their way off the island " or " you can't walk off the island " approach so common in poor Latin American. countries. It's a fine line for a free swinger to alter his approach in such a dramatic way. Even the Most valuable version of Robert in 2023 only had an OBP of .315 but that guy at least had a .542 slugging .Sure his walk rate now is better than it's ever been which shows he's trying to change his approach but maybe he just can't be a guy who walks a lot and still be a feared power hitter.

Robert 2 for 3 with a walk, 3 RBI going back to his 2023 stance/foot lift / leg kick w/e you want to call it, which I'm pretty sure I suggested in the Robert trade value thread. Next step a monster HR so he knows he still got it .

Finally !

What a great crowd ! They need more Mexican Heritage Nights or whatever it was today.

But the fielder is still throwing it to 1st. It just depends where he catches the ball at and how quickly he thinks he has to get rid of it. Runners also used to slide with their arms in front of their face . Of course baseball's a little more gentle than it used to be . Forcing runners to duck and cover on slides was usually because breaking up a DP by coming in high and hard or wide and hard at 2nd was allowed until they changed the rules an you got an auto DP if you try too hard to break up the DP. Better to just get down and stay out of the way now. Sox got fucked on a slide deemed too hard earlier in the year.

Contact with the ball.Infielders purposely used to sling the ball low to force runners to get down or get smashed the face on DP relays. Not sure how prevalent that still is but apparently it must be if Robert slid like that. However there's no rule that says you can't slide directly into the base and risk it. But I'm sure the Sox prefer he stays healthy and continues to swing the bat.

Can't beat fun at the old ball park. 😉

Pope Ball the 1st. 🙏

1st win of the year against the Royals preceded by 1st win against Tigers since 2023 in Chicago. And won in front of a full house !!!

Royal implosion !!

Teel got home fast on that pitch . And oopsie error on KC brings home another. 6 -2 !

The attempted force out at 2nd was a bad throw and pulled Witt off the bag only Robert slid way early and to get out of the way of a throw so he came up short and Witt still got the force out because he beat Robert to the base.

Yes woot for Luis !!

Benidouble !

Leasurely adventure but mission accomplished. LFG !!

Glad KC didn't challenge the play at 3rd.

That Leasure FB to Witt was straight as an arrow.

Teel can be the hero today.We're all good with that right ?

Looks like Robert went back to his 2023 leg lift and got his feet closer together.

LFG bebe !! Win one for those fine fans in a full house !!