CaliSoxFanViaSWside

I don't feel like he was squeezed but a couple of pitches up in the zone could've been called strikes maybe . If he's working in out ,up, down ,you want some of those calls.

Well I will say it's difficult to gauge fact from strong personal opinions with him. He's known here as an insider but also known for strong personal opinions and stating those opinions as fact like he just did. He rarely phrases what he says as opinion like " I think this" or "I thank that". I will say that if Grandal's early health issues are a sign of things to come , then whoever gets more playing time has to take advantage of it . Lucroy might not have much left in the tank either. COVID or McCann could've played a part in the slow development of Collins but it also might have something to do with how they view Collins dedication. They won't move him because he does have valuable skills . With Grandal ailing and Lucroy's health always a question and a possible early season opening at DH Collins should get more chances this year. Now if by some miracle Mercedes makes the team and Collins doesn't, that would be a pretty clear sign the Sox are sending Collins some kind of message. Unfortunately Mercedes could hit 8 HR's and throw out 8 runners, hit .450 this spring and he still wouldn't get a job on the 26 .

I don't know if it's a counter example. Everyone just doesn't like everybody else. People are going to clash whether it's their actions or words that lead to those confrontations. AJ Pierzynski was, according to most sources ,a Grade A asshole. Some people just have a gift for getting under people's skin.

I don't want to pile on so I'll be brief . The maturity level and the belief in your own abilities is much higher in the pros. At the pro level not many are threatened by new guys because you get paid for being good and if you aren't good and someone is better you get cut. It's the difference between boys and men and you can't equate your experiences as a teen or in your early 20's to guys who play sports for a living . If you can't cut it as a pro you have no one to blame but yourself and you don't have guys resenting you because you might take a buddy's spot on the team or you think you're God's gift. There are cocky a-holes and and then there are guys who are just confident and secure in their abilities because they work as hard as they can on it. Any sport at the highest level will humble you soon enough if you don't do what's required or don't have the talent.

Glad you said it and not me. I argued that till I was blue in the face after the game 3 loss. People hyping the BP forget a lot of those young guys were cutting their teeth against poor teams and they completely wet the bed in game 3 against a non AL Central team and Crochet got injured when he was specifically rested to pitch in game 3. Bad pitching and an injury are not the fault of the manager. You don't win many games when the BP walks 7+ guys. I think the bullpen is pretty good but Heuer and Foster and the like will have a much harder time this year with the normal schedule and better lineups. That's just the vagaries of relief pitching.

As did I at the time. I did not like EE's declining stats. Reminded me too much of LaRoche only like 4 years older. They weren't going to win a World Series in 2020 without more pitching so giving Yermin and/or Collins more time in the bigs could've left more money to acquire pitching and led to one or the others emergence.

I'm not convinced of that either which is why I had hoped he was given a legit look before now.

I like it but he hit neck and neck with Robert in AA/AAA when they were there at the same time and with a much better walk rate and people call what Robert did in 2019 across 3 levels phenomenal. Now of course Robert had great fielding and base running too and was younger, but we are just talking about hitting. Go check I'm not exaggerating . Batting averages, OBP, OPS both killed Birmingham and Charlotte. I understand if you have doubted in the past if you have legit concerns about his fielding but as far as hitting goes the only hurdle he hasn't conquered is MLB and late 2019 and all of 2020 the Sox never gave him a shot.

Might as well throw LuCroy in the mix too.

All he does is hit !!

To me he's just an older guy for whatever level they put him at and will be watching his 1st 3 months closely. I'm guessing A+ and hoping he can get to AA by mid season . AAA by end of year I'd be surprised.

I want to watch Robert hit more than anyone else on the team. I want to see him run more than anyone else on the team. I want to watch him play the field more than anyone else on the team.

LaRussa knows what Spring Training is for. I guarantee you he isn't concerned at all. He's just letting all the NRI's pitch to see if any of them can impress. Pretty much the same thing with the lineup giving Collins, Mercedes and Lucroy pretty equal time along with Adolfo, Rutherford , Gonzalez, Nick Williams, Vaughn, Mendick, Burger and Sheets. This could go on for another week or 2.

Yup not real concerned about Burr, Sousa Tomshaw, Johnson,Dopico, Guerrero, Lindgren, McRae, Medeiros,Paulino, Sadzeck,Vargas and Wright pitching poorly. The majority of guys expected to make the team haven't even pitched for the most part.

Recent articles and podcasts: Keuchel likes Jimmy Lambert https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/dallas-keuchel-endorsed-jimmy-lambert-good-bet-help-white-sox-2021 Abreu and others like Vaughn https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/jose-abreu-no-doubt-white-sox-top-prospect-andrew-vaughn-ready-bigs Jerry Narron talks about artitstic lineup , cards, Larussa, catchers and more https://art19.com/shows/white-sox-podcast Garrett Crochet on his rookie season and this season https://art19.com/shows/white-sox-podcast/episodes/827ed18e-918a-43e4-ba7c-b67bf8654a95 Chuck with Scott Merkin after the 1st spring training game talking Abreu, La Russa, Burger and fans. https://art19.com/shows/white-sox-podcast/episodes/eac4476e-cf0a-4f96-b482-604a4504ea3c

Just for posterity some one had to mention Kane becoming the 10th American and 100th NHL player to reach 400 goals. That's a lot of great round numbers !

3-2 . Johnson and Lindgren 5 straight walks

All he does is hit and hit and hit.

Just amazes me that Williams didn't run as soon as he hit it. You'd think constant hustle should be imbedded in a fringe player's head.

He's been quite critical of Keuchel when he spoke up and talked about leadership and then didn't perform well in the playoffs. So he's grinding his axe there.