chitownsportsfan

STOP BUNTING

That's exactly what I'm saying. He appears to have gone from 100% a guess hitter to NEVER GUESSING. The time to guess is with two strikes dude. Sit fastball, adjust to offspeed if you can. That's hitting 101.

Hey, competent OF defense!

I feel like I need to hire someone to program an AI listening bot and set it up to record Jason talking. When it concludes that Jason spends 10% of his actual time calling the game in front him I'll send the results to the Sox.

Cease looks like he's put on some good weight this year. Thicc.

I have no idea what TA's plan is with 2 strikes. Whatever it is, it sucks.

And...that is why a high leg kick rarely works at the MLB level.

I feel that I grew up in N. MI, mom still lives there. I talk to her about once a week and the lilacs aren't even blooming yet. They had a snow storm the 2nd week of april. It was in the 50s just last week. Glad to see it's finally warming up there.

Jose isn't even fair when he's locked in like this. He can hit any pitch, any count, any time, hard.

You guys go straight to summer in the midwest? Looks like a humid 82 at game time in the D.

We need more busts on pace for over 4 fWAR. Under 23 would be a bonus.

I like Lopez. more than turtles even.

Work the count? FFS we were just talking about how he needs to be more aggressive early in the count now that the book is out on how he likes to go deep into counts and see some good pitches go right down broadway. Good lord. On a double too.

Friday night, rolling into a long weekend, going backpacking tmr and Lopez on the mound tonight. OH HELL YEA.

Well that settles it. Thanks for that helpful anecdote.

He kinda reminds me of Saladino. If he can stay healthy, maybe he can be a solid utility guy. Never is going to hit much but he's flashed a bit.

No reason to make a move. That said, Kevan Smith should be the starter. He's no great shakes defensively himself but he's miles better than Narvaez. I don't think it's fair to the pitching staff (I know, "not fair"...) to have Omar back their for most of there starts. He's the worst defensive catcher I've seen as a Sox fan. His arm is perhaps his best defensive asset and it's below average. The way he sets up, he's constantly moving while the pitcher is delivering, that cannot be helping. He might be the only MLB catcher I've ever watched that cannot move his glove for the target without coming out of his crouch. I won't even go into detail on his framing and blocking. We all know how awful that is.

Ok sure, but WHY. Most of those guys have shoulder injuries. Gio has no history of shoulder problems. He had Tommy John. That is supposed to be almost a non-event these days, at least until a pitcher gets many years and innings on the other side. Gio isn't even close to that wear and tear. The easiest conclusion is an injury. But he's not injured, at least not officially.

This is my primary question as well. How has he lost that much arm action? Years 18-24 should be when a young athlete fills out his body and learns to generate more power in any athletic movement, not less. Does he have pain and soreness that he's not disclosing? Surely he doesn't have "poor mechanics" on every single pitch leading to constant 91-93 mph fastballs rather than even the occasional 95 or higher. Even more puzzling is that he has zero command. You don't have to be a lifetime baseball observer to know that when a pitcher loses velocity and command it's injury related. He's gotta be injured, right? Just a puzzling situation.

No shit.

You could almost squeeze out a good blog between Josh, Pnoles, Jim and Larry. Now that Jim went back to Sox Machine and took Josh and Pnoles with him SSS is a wasteland and Sox Machine isn't really must read either imo. Right now Future Sox and Fegan at the Athletic are where it's at imo. Soxtalk seems to have had a bit of a renaissance as well. Seems we have some new blood around here.

At this point it's still a few years away but FFS baseball has to change this asinine system. Find an incentive for clubs to promote these guys for 100% baseball reasons, or as close to that 100% as you can. Probably should just give roster bonuses that have little if anything to do with arbitration.

Def one of my all time favorite Sox. Cool story OP, I mean that.

If you are going to take a liner to the face the forehead is the best spot. That said he could still be concussed.