35thstreetswarm

For as gut-wrenching as this week's multiple manager-assisted game-forfeits have been, this team has battled and been in position to win every night on the road against the league's best pitching. I'll say it again, they have flaws but they do not look like a "dead team" to me by any stretch. If we were coming off, say, a 7-0 loss to cap off getting swept by the worst team in baseball I'd feel worse. I think the guys come in fired up to beat the tiny baby animals. This series usually serves as a springboard for one of the teams - let's make that team the Chicago White Sox.

Yes yes, I like it

I’m just going to tell myself he truly doesn’t care about the division and is “experimenting.” That it will all be fine when we play “for real.” Yes, I must believe that.

Remember that the "shit" here is a #3 overall pick who has had multiple stretches of dominance as a big league starter. I'm as skeptical about Rodon's long term prospects as anybody, but there's ample reason to think he has the tools to be a valuable piece in the playoffs--certainly more reason than the likely roster alternatives.

Yeah I had really high hopes for him based on last year. Maybe his arm just couldn't take the abuse.

Me too. Detwiler has real value on this roster.

Happy to have them, but why Detwiler?

This picture reminds me: I'm really worried about going into the 2005 playoffs with our best player out for the season, Carl freaking Everett as our DH, and having almost blown a 15-game lead. You can all bury your heads in the sand if you want to, but that's just not a professional lineup, certainly not one that stacks up against the defending champs we'll have to play in the FIRST ROUND.

Cy Bieber is closing in on 90 and he’s not even out if the 4th. You must think he’s *really* dogshit

I don’t think the team has looked lifeless. Last night’s game should have been a W after the nice extra inning hitting—the ending was like a weird perfect storm. The first loss to the reds was a rookie who had never been above a-ball getting (predictably) lit up. A little adversity will be good for these guys. Just keep playing hard.

Weird

Let’s see, positive things: the record, the standings, the clinched playoff spot, the run differential, the MVP, the batting champ, the roster, the future...I’m going to stop now bc that was a real struggle

I feel badly for those of you who use this thread as a therapist’s couch.

Are you serious? ?. This is screen shot city.

Did everyone expect us to win all three remaining series (and win like 40 games)? I sure didn’t. I thought we’d lose the CIncinnati series, specially since we pretty much punted the first game with Stiever. We’re one game into the Cleveland series. Relax. We’re not going to play at a .700 clip every week.

Can we spell his name correctly in the thread title? It burns my eyes every time I see it

Nope, only great if you’ve won the last game, or have a memory longer than 48 hours

We’ve moved well beyond the Sale/Laroche/Eaton man-baby era; by far the least likable Sox team of my lifetime. Really not interested in backsliding.

The more I learn about this idiot the less I want him on the team. This team is so likable at the moment, and has such a great energy and vibe. Would hate to spoil it.

That would dramatically increase our chances of facing Cleveland in first round. Give me Toronto if we’re in the top 2. I think our ideal path is to lock up the division but slide down to 3. That practically guarantees us a date with the team with the worst record (the Cheaters), and avoids the Yankees in second round.

Winning the division doesn’t guarantee you the one seed.

Right, plus concerns about lack of spring training and uncertainty about team role—I heard it was multi-faceted as well, though no one really knows other than him and those close to him. I think some are making it a little simpler and more sympathetic-sounding than it likely is (how dare we fault him for simply saving a BABY?) to prove a point. He made a career decision. He’s entitled to that. Fans of the team are entitled to be annoyed he’s not playing. I am, though I wish him well as I would any stranger. None of us has a personal relationship with him, and there are no personal obligations flowing either direction, which is why I find the language surrounding Kopech a little strange. Not sure any of us needs to be “supportive” for example, or that he needs our “support” whatever form that would take.

One thing I don't understand is how we've gone from "we have no idea why he opted out, it's none of our business, stop speculating" to "he opted out because of totally unassailable safety concerns." I'm all for avoiding needless speculation. But do we know he opted out primarily because of COVID? I'd heard it has a lot to do with uncertainty about his place in the rotation, ramp-up time, etc.

These are certainly familiar sports mores that we apply to other players all the time. And this board hardly flinches to cast aspersions on other players as people, teammates, etc. for all types of behavior, minor and major. Look, my own view is that I am disappointed Kopech is not playing for the team I love. I have no idea what motivated his decision to sit out (though all reporting at the time suggested it was a variety of factors, both personal and baseball-related), and I understand the wisdom behind avoiding speculation about things you don't know. I wish him the best and hope he comes back next year. But the degree of deference Kopech gets around here is weird. Whether I agree with those who question his decision to sit out or not, I just don't see any reason that discussion of that topic should be beyond the pale.

Don’t feed the trolls