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Those are things you can speculate on all day and never know the answers. People here were eager to asee 100 again and sounded disappointed when it didn't happen. Maybe the Sox altered his mechanics or actually got him to dial it back just a tad . I would think it's pretty difficult just to dial it down without som kind of change in his delivery ,When you throw that hard you can't just say OK I'm going to throw 96-98 now instead of 98-100. You would like to think that the people who would impart the best wisdom would be at the highest level but that isn't always true. I don't spin my wheels on things I will never know.

I have no idea what you are talking about ? Criminal ? That's a huge load of hyperbole . His arm wasn't holding up in college . He throws the way he throws and how is the pressure going to hurt his arm ? You think he puts more effort into throwing in the majors or less effort into pitching when he's in the minors ? Would he throw 96-100 up here and under 96 in the minors ? This is just a rant because a young player threw his arm out and didn't spend any time in the minors. There's nothing you can say to prove it was the wrong path or bad for his development or that he wouldn't have been injured any way.

I prefer to look at it from the player's perspective. He had the talent to make the team, therefore, he wasn't rushed. He also got a big league salary on top of his signing bonus, so he's made over $5M in his short career. I think he would actually prefer the way it worked out if he was going to get injured no matter what. This is one I can't call a front office mistake. If you are good enough you should play at the level you belong.

Damn I really wanted to blame Kimbrel but it's not his fault he's still here.

Was Crochet schedule to pitch? Wouldn't it be something if Kimbrel was scheduled to pitch and Crochet wasn't and Crochet took Kimbrel's spot for today's game. That would be the OMG the gift that keeps on giving Kimbrel bad luck jinx.

I hope he's ok but you know me, I've saying for a while hejust seemed like a TJS waiting to happen and I had him included in many fantasy trades.

Si or Soo -sa

Everything is Jake.

Inside is the general consensus on the Sox righties. Abreu is the only one who can pull those fairly often, Eloy like to get his arms extended and hit his Bombs to CF and RCF . Robert seems to be able to hit them everywhere but is taking the Anderson approach to become a better hitter . Sheets likes to get out in front so he's more of a pull hitter which is what I'd love to see Eloy do more often .

I watch the replays of his HR's last year and he definitely likes the ball middle/in and low but he hit HR's on thigh high, waist high and top of the zone too. He also hit a couple of changeups middle away for HR's.

Isn't that how most contact is made ? You make it sound like the batter swings on the same plane every time and only makes contact if the pitcher accidentally throw it there.

I feel bad for any Sox fan that said No. Are you going to watch games and keep cheering for the Sox if, in your mind, you don't think they can win a playoff series ? If the Sox make the playoff are you going to be saying ,based on your answering NO , that they won't have chance to win ? Of course not ! Because at that point the team could be on a roll with an MVP type season from Robert , a Cy Young year from LuGio, Cease advancing another step, a batting title for TA, 40 bombs from Eloy, 25 bombs from Vaughn , Moncada, Abreu, Grandal and Sheets , a killer bullpen and some TDL help . The question is based on your belief in how the upcoming season plays out, not on the off season or comparing them to last year. Just like with prospects , growth isn't linear. We have yet to experience the true potential of the Sox young players all in one season. That could actually happen . If you believe in the upside of all these guys, imagine that upside in full bloom.

Sometimes we get a little too preoccupied with our own opinions . I said a long time ago we wouldn't get Conforto and I've ripped the FO a new one every chance I get. However, that does not mean I can't let go of all that and it could be a better season than last year if some positives things happen. It's a brand new season . Some may call that putting blinders on. But it's just focusing my energy in a different way now. I will now ignore the front office and root for the players. As a White Sox fan I am going to root for them to win a World Series. I have not been in that position realistically speaking very often. Spring baseball symbolizes new hope and I wouldn't feel like much of a White Sox fan if I didn't root or expect them to rise above the FO and kick some ass.

It's like raising children , you can guide them, lecture them , warn them, stress the value of studying and if you say it often enough and reward them for good grades and tell them you are proud of them, then making the right decisions becomes easier for them. I don't think of it as a losing battle . I think of it as if you reach them on any level and it changes a bad decision into a good one it could be life changing. If you reach and change one life for the better it's a win. I can live with being thought of as old and not knowing what I am talking about. I've got a young family man as a neighbor. He's lived a rough life but has made himself into something more but still he does things that I know that if he wants to really be better he shouldn't be doing. He told me the other day he thinks of me as his sponsor like an AA guy I guess. It's nice to know he thinks so highly of my fatherly nature towards him.

You know I was going to ask the same question. I swear I had it typed out but decided against it.

And I can agree with many of your points but I can't dwell on them once the season starts. I will enjoy the games and reassess where they are once the playoffs start. In the meantime I don't think I have to predict a playoff series win here, I just have to think it can happen to vote yes.

Since you asked what's the risk I figured I would tell you. I know all about how young people act because I was there too. I know it's not fair to tell them to be smarter than we were but once you have a family it's time to grow up. Once you have people investing millions of dollars in your future it's time to walk a little straighter and narrower path. You're not just some blue collar Joe struggling through school to become a white collar Joe and make your way up the corporate ladder.

We're talking about more than money here. He got Covid , he may never be the same player. I don't know how he got it or who he got it from or even if his lifestyle was a factor. But the risk is even more apparent when his wife also got it and what does he have 3 young children ? How would he feel if he thought he had passed it on to them and someone had died ?

And also hopefully not risking the health of the ones who mean the most to you.

Don't teams and the players themselves have counselors, life coaches, financial advisors that come with being rich and in the public eye ? Were we ever rich and in the public eye ? The culture has changed, all these guys want to build a brand but to build a brand with a good image that means being smart. Plus we didn't have to deal with a life threatening virus that we could pass on to people that could make them die or have serious long term consequences. Maybe I can get rich being a life coach to those guys. My motto ? Live like you're old, ugly and wise instead of young, handsome and stupid if you want make the most money you can .

Wouldn't it suck to be a fan of a very good team and think they are incapable of winning a playoff series ? Most of us think they will make the playoffs . SO if you think they will make the playoffs how can you not think that they will win a playoff series ? The season has to play out and we can be surprised in so many ways that anything is possible. I can run around all day saying they don't look as good as last year but we all should know that the Sox can win a playoff series and if they can , why wouldn't I think they will ? Am I in a philosophy class ?

If Dave and Jimmy have heard that Conforto hurt himself at a bachelor party you can bet other GM's heard it too and any interested party will surely investigate it. He's made so many bad decisions lately . He's scorched his value. Anyone signing him has to think long and hard about how dedicated he is . It's also like the Moncada siutation. We heard stories about the partying , then they get Covid and you have to wonder how on earth these guys can jeopardize their careers and lives of family, friends and team mates . I know these guys got all kinds of temptations but it's like some of these guys just say fuck it ,I'm young, I'm rich, I'm invincible. That's so extremely selfish and narcissistic.

SO that means the answer is yes . Anyone who makes the playoffs can win a playoff series.

LOL No Vaughn is overhyped and yes I think Vaughn will be very good. But the fact of the matter is every time someone talks about Sheets the Vaughn people say his AB's were cherry picked and he belongs in the minors as left handed depth. I really dislike that it's come down to a Vaughn vs. Sheets argument about playing time . Here we had a good LH rookie hitting clutch game winning HR's . He smacked a HR in the playoffs along with Grandal and Leury ( not Eloy, Abreu,Robert etc amongst our RH stars ) and when everybody says we need LH power there's a guy right in front of your eyes who did everything possible last year offensively to give us hope and we ignore it. I suppose it would've been better if he just wet the bed last year ? You're a Sox fan ,get excited when a rookie does well. Just because he wasn't a top 10 pick in the draft doesn't mean he can't do well. Baseball is littered with players from other rounds who became very good. Allow yourself to dream a little bit instead of barfing on the few of us who like to imagine he can be a good contributor to the team. What's the worst that can happen? He sucks right? Big deal, it wouldn't be the 1st time and won't be the last. Did Gordan Beckham scar you for life ?

LOL not selling you I'm selling everyone else who might need to know how we can win a playoff series ! I'm waiting oh ye of little faith