chitownsportsfan

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Apr 23, 2015 -> 05:17 PM) Is/will be the biggest game of the first 25% of the season imo. Wouldn't go that far but it's def a big game. It's an opportunity to make up some of the ground lost in the first week.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 23, 2015 -> 04:20 PM) Four game series. I think it's more of an issue why they're playing down to the Twins....3-3 against the worst team in the AL and 8-1 against the rest of MLB (one loss to OAK). Maybe the same overconfidence that struck down the White Sox against lesser division opponents over the last 10-15 years. 4 game set already with a 2 game set already in Cle? Oh well, at least they aren't playing inter league in April this year like some teams. I think the Royals are a mediocre team that had a hot start. On paper, the Sox have just as much talent, maybe you can say the ridiculous pen KC has is some magic elixir but in a rare moment of agreeance with Dick Allen I will say -- this team got lucky to make the playoffs and they are acting like the 27 Yankees, fans included. The Sox matchup well on paper let's see how it goes.

The Tigers just got swept and the Sox can get within 3.5 games of 1st with a win tonight. This is another big series for the central. With Sale on the mound it's critical to take this first one and at least get 2/3 here. The Royals are a bit of a mess after the Oakland series now is a great time to go for a sweep.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 23, 2015 -> 04:04 PM) I'd love to hear your rationale here. Don Cooper's reputation has reached ridiculous levels. If Cooper told the Sox he thought Q had potential and that he was undervalued -- great. But to credit him with all of Q's success is absurd. Cooper has failed dozens of times with reclamation projects, does he take the blame for those? Of course not. He's just a coach. A good one, but a coach.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Apr 23, 2015 -> 03:43 PM) Seems like this premise has gained traction here but it's just not true, at least if you believe in PITCHf/x at all. His velocity is down 1 MPH here and there, which is consistent with April trends that we've been aware of for years. I think his fastball command has been poor and at 90-92 mph he needs to be very sharp with it. I think part of the "disbelief" about Q is that he works with very small margins thanks to his velocity and it all seems a little too good to be true that a guy with a solid but unspectacular 3 pitch arsenal really is a top 15 MLB starter. Thing is, without pinpoint command he's probably not. We'll see how it goes but I'm not that worried about him. If he regresses to a solid 3rd starter whatever pick it up elsewhere his contract is still an asset.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 23, 2015 -> 01:44 PM) When you play in the big leagues regardless if it's your first game or your 100th you need to perform. Rodon didn't. It was a learning experience and hopefully he did just that and does better next time. I think that is the bottom line and no excuses are needed. Rodon will establish himself soon as a plus pitcher. Have to disagree here. You can't expect a guy in his debut to have good command, especially when that's his entire MO -- lack of command. Gotta put guys in a position to succeed. That said, the issue was forced because Rodon was the only lefty available and apparently Duke can only pitch in the 7th, 8th and 9th. I'd ask RV to think outside the box some but that's a bridge too far.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 11:29 PM) Blessings abound. No "Sox Killer" Jeremy Guthrie in this series and Bruce Chen is presently hanging out with Greg, Bill Self and Ozzie at the Lawrence Applebee's and enjoying some chicken wings w/ honey mustard... Better yet Tigers and Royals both lost tonight. Price got lit up and the Royals fell flat after shooting their wad last series.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 11:24 PM) Let's not forget Alexei's pretty direct questioning of the decision not to review the Castellanos tag play... And perhaps they can figure out a way, while they're at it, to keep Jose Quintana from being in the bottom 10 in MLB WHIP. they don't have Viciedo to take their frustration out on anymore! Now it's the whole team lol. Good, I prefer fiery players, good fiery players that is.

So this was brought up in the game thread (thanks to whoever mentioned it) but I wanted to explore it a little deeper. Here's some snippets from Jose pregame: Does anyone remember anything from last year where he was as blunt about the team's play needing to change? It's hard to get a gander through his interpreter at what he expressed in Carib style Spanish, he wasn't that direct imo but I don't remember anything similar prior. And of course the great thing about Jose is that he produces on the field on a day he decided to say a little something. Leads by example and maybe now a bit more through words? I'm sure he's a leader for the Latin guys already maybe he can take over from Kong as the team leader. A bit more at the link, anyone got a video of the interview? http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/jose-a...y-approach-game

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 08:02 PM) I would think that even a selfish player would want to sit vs pitching that makes his stats look that bad. Moreover, he could be a tremendous asset, as a pinch hitter, on those days. Exactly. He's still going to get 500+ PA. Just don't let him get 700+ PA with 200+ against LHP. He's 36 it's the perfect situation let him rest and appear as a deadly PH threat on non start days.

QUOTE (SouthWallace @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 06:41 PM) 13 Hits off Kluber on a cold afternoon. FWIW that is a career high against him. Good job Sox.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 04:53 PM) He wasn't too bad, earlier in his career. The last two seasons have been brutal. I posted the stats. It's not surprising if you watch him he has the exact same problem Dunn did against LHP -- his bat isn't quick enough any more to punish bad fastballs so all they see is junk down and fastballs up and outside. If a pitcher does leave a fastball over the play 9/10 they will foul it straight back. LaRoche very much needs a platoon partner and it's too bad Robin doesn't see it that way. Hell, get Davidson up in July if he keeps mashing and let him see some LHP at DH.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 05:53 PM) Positives: Shark didn't have his best stuff and he still shut down Cleveland through 6IP. His strand rate should be way high, but he's making the big pitches in the short term. 6 guys with two hits today. That has to be a first for the season. Eaton. When he gets going the offense is going to look very different. 5-12, 2 BB this series. 2/3 against Cleveland when they had the pitching matchup favor them every time out. Dan Jennings has been nails. His ERA would be zero if Alexei/Micah didn't screw up that weird play where Micah in game one. Momentum is tomorrow's starting pitcher: Chris Sale. A 14 hit attack mostly against Kluber. I will take that. They hit Carrasco pretty hard too just had some bad BABIP luck and untimely hitting. A positive series for sure now they need to string some wins together and close the gap on the top.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 05:35 PM) Today is the first day I looked at the standings. 2 back of the 2nd wildcard and mired with a lot of other teams in the AL at 6-8. Just our luck the AL Central might be the best division in MLB this year. I was a bit doubtful it would be but it's looking that way.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 05:19 PM) Could anyone kindly post some stats? I'm on a plane and mlb.com is too much to load. Just some top hitters and pitcher Jose Abreu 2-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI Shark, 6 strong shutout innings. 3k 2BB, 6H

Not a bad series considering the middle game they had some chances just couldn't convert. Well pitched for the most part and defended. Seems it took the team two weeks into the season to really be ready. That's kinda unfortunate.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 04:50 PM) Chris goes 9 tomorrow. He hates the Royals. seriously ANOTHER AL CENTRAL TEAM? My god man I hate the unbalanced schedule but this is rediculous. Entire month against AL Central and if it was to be broken up it probably would have been with interleague. Man I miss the old days sometimes.

everytime i get pissed when Jose waives at a 3-2 slider outside the zone I just need to remember that this is who he is. He's a helluva hitter that has a very obvious weakness. That said, good luck facing him even when you know his weakness.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 04:29 PM) He's doing a great job in his role. That's all we can ask for anyone on the team. I agree he's been a bright spot. That said, he has over 1200 PA of suck in MLB. Pardon me for not getting a Beckham boner for a hot few weeks.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 04:26 PM) It's frustrating that more people on here aren't excited about his contributions so far. it's frustrating that guys aren't excited over a .5 WAR player that no other MLB team wanted that has had a nice 30 PA? Wow, I know it's been a s*** start but come on.

The Sox need to find a way to clone Jose, or get his kids in the academy.

Not sure how you can argue that the Sox haven't had good success with pitchers. It's the lack of position player development that has held them back the last decade without a doubt.

This team and forum needs a slumpbuster. f***ing run off 8 of 10 or some s***. Tired of talking about the same old problems with this org. Develop a god damn position player or two along the way please. I pray to God that Marcus doesn't turn into a 4 WAR SS. It would be very fitting.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 22, 2015 -> 01:45 PM) I am taking it this is your first time listening to Don Cooper speak. Losing leads to scrutiny and IMO, as someone who has paid a lot of attention to a lot of different sports for the better part of 30 years -- when your team's coaching staff starts with the whole "it's hard" routine -- the end is near. It might not be for Cooper, but for White Sox 2015.

Cooper is starting to piss me off. Usually when a coach has nothing else he starts using the whole "it's not easy" BS. Another thing is that this was a division game against a rival and a high leverage spot -- a MULLIGAN??? GMAFB. Don't insult our intelligence. Why is Hahn the only person in this org that owns up to mistakes? He owned up to the replay mistake even though he could have easily thrown the guy he didn't hire under the bus. How about Cooper says "you know it was a tough spot and with our other LOOGY option unavailable we did what we had to do. It was a tough spot but we felt it was the best option". I'm not even saying this was a "mistake" but take some of the heat off your players man without resorting to the whole "if it was easy you bums in section 103 would be out here" crap. You'd think with 5k showing up last night the first line of defense wouldn't be "it's hard being a major leaguer". No s***.