caulfield12

Baltimore has been playing MUCH better the last 4-6 weeks. They are no longer pushovers like DET. That also comes from playing nearly half the season against four playoff contenders in the East. Have won 8 of their last 14, fwiw. RS/RA they are -39. White Sox -38.

There are currently 24 qualified guys in the majors with a 3.00 ERA or below (Rodon #19, Cease tied for 20th). The big question now is how he reacts to the knee discomfort and prevents a second half fade like 2021…especially considering they have to be a bit careful in the middle of the year with his usage to keep him fresh for August/Sept. Kopech would be 11th behind Corbin Burnes at 2.38, along with a sub 1.00 WHIP. Of course, he would need to be at 65 innings pitched. Averaging 88 pitches per game his last seven starts…one game he left after just 13 pitches. 56.66 IP/12 starts gives you an average of 4 2/3, pretty similar to Cease (correcting for early injury game you get 5.15 IP/game). Obviously both those guys are taxing the pen, along with Giolito having a propensity to get knocked out early, at least recently. Over the course of a full year, Kopech would be at 141 innings, which is pretty close to that 120-140 range everyone was looking at before the season. The problem is just as much the high pitch counts, though.

Through at least 2023 at $3.75 million.

Winning the Gold Glove so early in his career didn’t help. He needs a defensive specialist like Rusty Kuntz in KC that would demand the players’ attention and respect…with that history of turning guys like Gordon, Cain and Dyson into defensive studs. Boston isn’t that guy. We need those young guys like Moncada and Robert working hard or even harder than anyone else…to set an example for the rest of the team. If Abreu can’t get through to them, another approach is needed.

Even if he gets to that ball to cut it off in the corner…it’s a double. Maybe he prevents a few triples. But then Jimenez in LF is going to undermine the defense more than enough to offset any advantage gained.

Pollock has a 593 OPS against RHP and almost 1000 against lefties. Hahn mission a failure in that regard. Abreu and Robert have been decent but still mid to low 700’s against RHP…726 for Luis and that obviously has to tick up to the 750-775 range. Vaughn 877 vs. 918 is the obvious major improvement. Burger 643 vs. 1.169 even more extreme than Pollock. Brandon Drury, fwiw, is this year’s Cesar Hernandez/Adam Frazier candidate. Near 800 against righties and 1000 against lefties.

Maybe. But that play charging in and throwing against your body’s momentum that Moncada makes with relative ease isn’t one he’s particular adept at.

What about that changed over the course of the last 12-18 months? The issues are all the same. It’s not like his body has changed at all…or basic musculature. Unless he completely revamps his mechanics TJ doesn’t mean he will be healthy indefinitely.

Not sure how desirable having Lynn around two more years from now is going to be…if he doesn’t take better care of himself, he’s going to end up breaking down like Grandal. Just not sure he has the discipline of a Verlander. Of course, very very few do. Another factor is how long TLR is around, since they have a pretty obvious connection. And we’re already the oldest team in the AL Central, certainly if you look at just position players. Not sure how long that approach is sustainable without getting contributions outside of Anderson, Vaughn and Robert.

When have you ever started a thread recently? You seem to enjoy criticizing, but that’s fairly easy now, isn’t it? Hopefully it provides you a modicum of enjoyment.

https://www.prospectslive.com/scoutingreports/garrett-crochet Comp here was Tyler Glasnow Physical Description: Tall and extremely athletic lefthander with a high-waisted build that should add good weight over the years. Close to physical peak already, high level athlete and conditioning. Repeats his mechanics well, and uses his athleticism to create deception. Delivery & Mechanics: Athletic but offbeat mechanically, big leg kick that closes off his front side to the plate as he pushes off from the third base side of the rubber before exploding toward home. The motion is violent but it works for him as he extends well and drops down to deliver from a low three quarters slot. There's some inconsistency in his back leg but he's able to repeat his motion for the most part landing on-line with the target at release. Serious stress on the arm and shoulder have led to frequent injuries. ….. Control and Command: Did not walk a batter across six major league innings in 2020 fresh out of the draft. Displayed average strike throwing as an amateur in a starter's role and his control and command seemed to tick up in relief with the White Sox. His stuff has enough intense movement that elite pinpoint precision is unlikely to manifest but it's an average control with fringe-average command profile. Crochet is the type of arm where it's less about hitting spots and more about getting it in the zone. Think Tyler Glasnow. Control: 50 | Command: 45 Overall: Perhaps a future bullpen ace if the White Sox decide to go that way. The dreaded forearm tightness reared its ugly head in 2020, but it turned out to be a mild flexor strain. Due to Crochet's mechanics and injury history there's a fair amount of risk in the profile despite his ascent. It's unheard of that a player would join a major league club out of the draft, but the unusual circumstances of 2020 and Crochet's unique arsenal were the perfect combination. We know what he can be in a bullpen role already, but there's many that view Crochet as a capable starting pitching prospect. Despite the injury risk we're comfortable labeling Crochet a high leverage relief arm. Which by all accounts is not a tremendous leap. There's still an outside shot the White Sox develop Crochet as a starter, but frankly the injury risk coupled with his impressive debut might make it too difficult to remove him from the backend of the pen.

And an inevitable 0/10 or 0/12 slide will have many complaining about his lack of pop for that position...just as it does with Engel.

You're welcome. Good sign to see fellow Sox fans getting cockier again...

Hooters? Do those still exist? Haven’t been back to the US for three years and counting…

Melendez RH Seth Beer?

https://www.mlb.com/news/oneil-cruz-shows-off-arm-in-debut?partnerId=zh-20220621-632643-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20220621-632643-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=IjU6J2gDxr6md%2FhJORmdIjcIe8PUf3B5Mz2vX37LKC9VLQR1vi2FLyK7vD9VUVUC&bt_ts=1655819565290 6’7” not 6’5”? That’s hard to fathom at SS. Oneil Cruz did a little of everything in his 2022 debut. Played two games late last year. https://www.mlb.com/video/oneil-cruz-s-skills-at-shortstop

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/reports-abraham-ancer-leaving-pga-222211533.html Abraham Ancer leaving for LIV, too.

Swingin' on the front porch Swingin' on the lawn Swingin' where we want 'Cause there ain't nobody home Swingin' to the left And swingin' to the right If I think about baseball I'll swing all night yea Swingin' in the living room Swingin' in the kitchen Most folks don't 'cause They're too busy bitchin' In honor of the new and improved Sox offense

https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/34943/dylan-cease 7 of his last 8 starts have been under 6 full innings. Only exception the Cubs' game at 7 IP. No pitcher in the AL and maybe majors has pitched five consecutive starts with over 100 pitches thrown. If anything, they might sacrifice this game if it's not THAT close early just to protect Dylan and get the B bullpen guys some work to stay fresh. The problem with that is Giolito has been terrible lately for G3.

https://sports.yahoo.com/photo-shows-tiger-woods-injured-170410604.html Koepka leaving for LIV now as well, making the Ryder Cup and certain majors less and less attractive unless a compromise is brokered.

The obvious difference is Sale had a non-competitive 2011 season to get ready… White Sox don’t have that luxury with their current all-in posture and Bummer having something of a down season compared to years past.

https://t.e2ma.net/click/rs5nv7b/jysj9gw/jmnjga9 Plan to rest Buxton intermittently working… Guess we want the Indians to take 2/3 on the road, leaving both tied at +7. Looking at the pitching matchups, no Bieber, playing at home and possible absence of Ramirez, you’d predict 2/3 to Twins and a 2 game lead at +9. But the Guardians are playing ultra confidently at the moment. Civale vs. Ryan McKenzie vs. Gray Plesac vs. Smeltzer Bright lights, big city Well, the Guardians certainly didn’t get stage fright over the weekend. In taking two out of three games from the Dodgers, they played in front of 151,472 fans at Dodger Stadium. That’s almost 50% of what the Guardians have drawn at Progressive Field in 22 games this season. The three-game breakdown went like this: 48,361, 50,078 and 53,033. You couldn’t fit 50,000 fans into shrunken Progressive Field. Max attendance is about 35,000. The attendance and a regional TV contract that pays them over $300 million a year are two of the reasons why the Dodgers can afford a $260 million payroll. The Guardians’ regional TV deal is worth an estimted $40 million a year. “It was really cool to start here,” said Shane Bieber, Sunday’s starter. “It’s a great atmosphere. The whole weekend series was big. It was just a ton of fun. https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2022/06/jose-ramirez-will-test-bruised-thumb-before-tuesdays-series-opener-guardians-takeaways.html

I must have been thinking SD to Tiajuana then.

As long as he can play 145 games per season and doesn't leave as a FA. Because then he will always trail Thomas and Konerko and Baines...not to mention Aparicio, Minoso and Fox.

Okay, 90ish? The one time I had that drive on I-5 during Thanksgiving felt like 2/2.5 hours.