Balta1701

Nicky Lopez is now 6/19 against the White Sox with 6 walks and 2 doubles this year. 2 stolen bases also.

DJ just called out Robert for not hustling fast enough to get to the ball.

Nicky freaking Lopez come on

Before anyone says this: Yes, going 3-2 against the Royals is better than the alternative, and it is winning another series. However; -the white Sox are already playing catch-up and need to look to make up ground, particularly against weaker teams -the white Sox already had one major slump against their division opponents -the Royals lost Salvador Perez in game 2 -This series is bracketed by the Yankees and 1-3 against the Yankees followed by 3-2 against the Royals is still losing ground on .500. If they don’t go 2-1 in the Bronx, you have to join in the criticism at that point, it’s only fair.

The White Sox have 4 pinch hit at bats all season. Fewest in baseball. The average team has about 18. There is no obvious pattern of the teams not using PH being good or bad though.

I recall far more complaints about ground balls than about the shift in general. More ground balls does not seem to be an ideal solution to that.

I do think at a trade deadline you would likely get a solid piece back for each of Graveman and Hendriks. How good of one depends on if Hendriks’s ERA keeps dropping and if he keeps giving up home runs. If he’s back in a groove, that’s not all that different from the White Sox taking on Kimbrel’s deal while giving up a highly drafted piece. Graveman brought back a piece that was a top 6 prospect in the Astros system and who was showing promise at the major league level - for 2 months of control. Moncada is a tougher one to figure out. A 4-5 WAR 3b has a lot of value, especially with a lot of control remaining. It’s hard to see teams giving up what it would take to get that guy fairly with that amount of control - that’s an Eaton like deal, and that type of deal isn’t always available. If Lynn comes back strong someone would at least give you a top 10 prospect in their system plus absorb his contract to get him, teams always need pitching and his contract isn’t bad. If you had to do that though, the combination of affordable pitcher, 1.5 years of control, and high performance is Giolito. He’s a guy who should bring back a true top prospect + others at the deadline.

I’m ok with all Rick Hahn slander if deserved, which most of it is - but in press reports they all but said Joe Kelly in particular was a decision/request/order/whatever made by the manager. How that fits into the rest of the offseason I won’t guess beyond what I know.

If their guys do keep having success they might well have enough to do it by the deadline.

Right now they have 2 regulars with an OPS above .800 - Vlad and Springer. Is Springer a match for a Giolito or Lynn trade? That’s a lot of money the White Sox take on.

Exactly, it’s not easy. Plus…the White Sox don’t exactly have room For a 1b/DH unless you think they’ll cut Abreu.

Name a team that works as a matchup. Needs pitching but has a bat to give up from their solid offense? This seems rare. I can’t think of a midseason example of that since Cespedes for Lester and both teams wound up unhappy after that. Give an example that makes some sense.

I would like to ask again: how the absolute f*** do you give up 6 runs to this Royals lineup?

Well yeah they change opponents to the Yankees.

Massive step back on defense this year for him and no one quite seems to know why.

Because basically every game starts as a close game when the starter leaves. They pretty much could decide to bring in Graveman and Hendriks in every game if they want to bring them into 2 run or less games. Those pitchers just can’t do that. They have so many close games that even if Bummer and Kelly come back as nails, they might still need bullpen help.

Yeah, and now they’re out Salvy!

I’m becoming violently frustrated with the existence of Nicky Lopez.

How the everloving f*** do you give up 6 runs to this Royals roster????

Since Tim Anderson, right now the White Sox have -0.7 WAR from all their first round picks on their roster this year counting the picks and even the guys they were traded for.

I know. But that post is talking about them going from 3.5 back to 10 back in 13 days. That basically means they have to win what, no more than 2 games the rest of the month?

Minnesota is not that good and the White Sox have games coming up against the Cubs and Red Sox.

Yes. Kansas City right now is quite bad. Detroit’s entire starting rotation is on the IL.