caulfield12

He’s a lot like Carlos Lee. Pure streak hitter. And that streak has finally come around recently after being buried down in the 100’s. Regardless of one’s opinions, he has never become “the next David Ortiz.” And his defense is so bad at third it decreases his value to just being an average or slightly below average 1B or DH. Think Kyle Schwarber. Also, fwiw, James Karinchak is the single most valuable weapon in the AL Central...man, that guy is a monster. just blanked the Twins for two innings, who are now on the verge of their 8th extra inning loss along with 0-4 in doubleheaders.

The most expensive liability in team history, to boot.

Reyes pulled from game with abdominal strain. Might be an oblique. Good news or bad news, but it likely means we continue to stand pat/tread water and hope for Jimenez or Robert to save the offense the last 6-8 weeks.

By RS/RA and being in almost every game this year, one can argue we should still be 12 to 14 over. But with Vaughn and Anderson scuffling and Grandal contact-challenged, it’s a big pile of average even with our 3/4/5 guys. Puts so much pressure on the starting pitchers and pen to be nearly perfect.

He’s basically Zach Putnam. Hardly irreplaceable.

Indians have sort of figured out Sano...use his aggressiveness against him and make him go fishing for offspeed stuff outside the zone. Still hit homer #8. Btw, Duffey in to pitch now, 3-3 tie in CLE, suspended three games and had it reduced to two. Bieber had started for CLE. Every hitter now in CLE lineup below .764 ops other than Ramirez and Reyes...and that’s Luplow, who is in a huge slump and only hitting .172 (but 9 homers.). Average of all those guys around 600-625.

Nasty, Nasty boys...

Except not started the whole national controversy in the first place. 1-3 since.

This was the game where the presence of Hamilton makes such a huge difference in the much more expansive CF...would definitely have prevented that third run from scoring. That’s the only way to beat Cole, keep it as low scoring as possible and best the Yankees’ pen somehow. Plus Anderson and Abreu and Vaughn are really scuffling...not to mention Grandal. Too much to overcome.

But those OPS numbers and BA’s for the last three or even four seasons...yikes.

Fangraphs has him at over -1 defensively. He’s okay in LF, but CF grades out like Kelenic...below average. And his arm strength doesn’t play well in the outfield, either.

You knew the bad vibes from this week were going to come into play...the big question is whether the team goes completely flat or actually gets up for beating LaRussa’s former team. Let’s hope this isn’t our peak and only week all season as the so-called best team in baseball. Just like the Dodgers are missing Bellinger/Seager, we just have to ride it out and hope the unprecedented financial flexibility can at least carry us over the Indians.

O’Neill or Cone just said they haven’t seen any CFer that shallow since Andruw Jones.

Can’t afford to surrender another run...and there it goes. Pretty sure Luis Robert has that. Garcia took a terrible route...that much is for sure. Way too shallow couldn’t get back...got sideways and the ball faded away.

Well, that’s probably the game right there...especially if Cole is getting those low strikes at 98-99 mph.

First sign of trouble so far. Can’t get that slider close enough to plate.

Vaughn or Lamb are obvious...Hamilton, Mendick, etc. Isn’t he still leading or close to leading in BA still?

Moncada not getting a good read...well, he’s gone anyway. What we need to do is just figure out how to go 2-3 the next five...because 1-4 and the whispers about not beating the better teams will start to grow louder. Not sure that the White Sox could survive the AL East gauntlet with their payroll and current lack of depth...not to mention lack of trade capital in the minors.

Best comp is the Eeovaldi deal...4 years, something like $70 million. Not sure JR is willing to hand out another Danks possibility if it goes awry.

He doesn’t want to get tossed because he believes fans actually come out just to watch the second (well, almost) most winningest manager in MLB history.

Almost 2? Vaughn almost overran that one...had to reach backwards a bit.

Yankees’ payroll=$201.5 million White Sox=$131.5 million Indians=$50 million

No hitter, walkoff, triple play...never has happened in just a three day span for any team in MLB history. Looks like the only Cardinals we’re missing are Mikolas in his season debut and Adam Wainright. At least we don’t get 24 hours of Waino/TLR puff coverage. Only 2 swing and misses on first 38 pitches. First time with two walks in an inning as well for Cole this season.

LaRussa thought it was a foul ball and actually came out of the dugout? Miracles never cease.

Opposite of Dunn deal where the first year historically horrific but then was pretty good in 2012...