Jake

Castro has had some pretty big fluctuations in his K rate over the course of his career. Not sure what has driven that. Some shifts in his velo too (95.5ish early, then up to 98ish average, dropping down to 94.5 last year. He's around 95.5 in AAA in 2025). The slider is his best pitch despite the big velo and run on the sinker. Changeup heavy approach to lefties and it has generally performed okay to good. Sinker has been the trouble spot for him but is probably a pitch he needs to grab strikes. Last season he started mixing in four seamers and they got crushed; he hasn't thrown any in AAA this year.

Seems like the most likely explanation here is Capra is a more prototypical bench player than Amaya: plays multiple positions (including a few reps in the OF) and is a fast runner. But I assume Amaya could play 2B/3B, we just don't ask him to since he's the best SS defender on the team. But he's not a great runner. Move probably doesn't matter much either way. Capra had one great year in AA following the COVID season but otherwise hasn't shown much upside.

I've been watching one thing for Colson. Today was his first AAA game without a strikeout all year. That's the kind of progress I want to see from him, especially since it seems pretty clear by now that most contact is going to be very hot as long as he gets to it.

Astros cheating was pretty bad although it was more of a matter of degree than kind. Manfred's response on that was notoriously weak as is (arguably) his handling of the Rose situation under political pressure. This is Rob "just a hunk of metal" Manfred, after all. Not sure how Hall voters will look at it. I suspect the veterans committees will take a dim view of gambling and steroids for the time being.

It never seemed clear how Workman would be able to stick for too terribly long once the team got healthy. Of course, there's no guarantee the team ever would/will get healthy enough to push out the last marginal guy (hello Amaya and Palacios). Sox grabbed the kid to take a look and see what happened. He proved untrustworthy in the field and the infielders all got healthy. Goodbye to Mr. Workman, hope all works out.

Did the Sox "deserve" to win? I don't know, these games tend to turn on very narrow moments. But you're supposed to win some games like this. Last year's team basically never did. Winning your coin flips now and then is how it's suppose to go. Even better when a lot of young guys are involved in the key moments.

Selig told Pete he'd remove the ban if Pete would admit his guilt, stop gambling, and not do gambling endorsements. That was too much to ask for Pete. Manfred made a similar offer. I suspect that Hall of Fame voters will pass on letting him in and I won't lose sleep over it. Major ethical lapses that affect the integrity of the actual baseball games should get the absolute highest scrutiny.

I used to really dislike Harold based on mostly seeing him on draft night, but once I got full access to MLB Network he grew on me a lot. It helps when you don't hear his extreme positivity for young players as most of what he says

Don't really know what they see in him. Righty with a slow fastball and secondaries that get hit just about as hard as his heater. No real track record of success in the minors. As minor league starter, never averaged 5 innings a start and even that short leash wasn't enough to make his numbers look very good. Control appears to be an issue.

Soxtalk has been a great thing in my life and Heads is a big part of what has made Soxtalk great. Terrible for him to go, and so young too.

By my count, Colson is 3 for 17, all singles, 2 BB, 4 K in the complex league.

Hahn drafts chicken s%*#, Getzy turns it into chicken dinner!

The commitment to Palacios has been one of the biggest headscratchers to me. I assume he'll be gone when Tauchman returns but I'm still surprised we haven't tried running somebody else out there. I'm not surprised they have left Julks down there though as his Statcast metrics look bad.

I was pretty surprised to see that he was playing in games. I had assumed he wouldn't see pitching faster than about 65mph coach tosses for at least a week and a half or so.

They'll have to re-score that play, giving the E to Taylor is heinous. Timing on that play for him was tight so he had to barehand it while on a full sprint. Not a play for him to be proud of but the E (and blame) for that play is all Meidroth.

Could raise the question about Booser coming in to face 4 out of 5 right-handed batters as well while the prospect righty who has been getting high-leverage situations had only thrown 3 pitches.

For those keeping score at home, that Dominic Fletcher walkoff bomb was a real cheapie tonight

Regardless of the disposition of the India ball, I hope the brain trust will take the opportunity to ask themselves whether Amaya's glove is giving enough value to justify his use of that roster spot

Statcast would place him as the 3rd fastest runner on this rather slow White Sox team

Watching the botched grounder to SS, I don't think there's much hope to get double play there. It's probably a ball that a Meidroth doesn't touch at SS given how hard it was hit and how far from the starting position it was. The problem for Amaya is that he actually had plenty of time to get the force out but didn't use it. IMO, at least. Amaya played it like it was double play or die

Let me state for the record that I would have just left Leasure in. If you lose with Leasure, it usually takes a lot less time

Idea: IBB Witt

Welp

I don't really feel like either team deserves to win. Maybe the 9th will settle it one way or another

Entire Royals lineup has been up there hunting sliders. Makes life difficult for the two-pitch relievers, especially Leasure who seems a little shell-shocked by hitters smashing well-placed heaters his last two outings