caulfield12

Not choked. I think they stopped competing too early after sweeping the Twins...started experimenting with relievers to find the right combinations. At that point, there wasn’t even a clear third starter, remember? Robert was in an atrocious tailspin. They took the foot off the gas, got run over by the Indians and couldn’t get their mojo back down the stretch...going from nearly the best record in the AL to almost missing the playoffs did elicit a sense of panic in such a young and inexperienced team. I mean, Keuchel choked, right? And they still had the lead in Game 3 and plenty of positive vibes until Crochet had to come out early. Also don’t even know if Renteria was actually allowed to pick his starter for that one...

No doubt TLR has more weapons. Jimmy Cordero was abused/overused, but the Hahn Special in Cishek was a hot mess from the beginning. Compare those names from the 2020 bullpen to this year. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/2020.shtml For God’s sake, Ross Detwiler and Jace Fry vs. Crochet and Kopech...Colome vs. Hendriks, etc. Burdi. Gio Gonzalez.

I think they’re going to try to keep Hamilton as last man on the roster. Unfortunately, that leaves Mendick as the odd man out, depending on Eaton’s health status. Or Lamb. Don’t assume it’s 100% automatic Engel will supplant Leury in LaRussa’s estimation when/if he does return at 100%.

Watching the utterly preposterous F9 might help you escape for two hours and fifteen minutes, but probably not.

Ohtani is the current favorite for AL MVP, or Vladdy Jr./Jose Ramirez.

Leury=-1.3 Vaughn=0.6 FG defensive ratings

That would be at least a 7-10 game suspension going after him twice.

Chains comment seems to be directly addressing Moncada and Yermin, among others...

It might be the only homer hit in modern baseball history at a pitch under 50 mph, unless Wilkerson of the Orioles managed the same ignominious feat with Wendle. Certainly under fifty thrown by a position player in the StatCast era.

Not to mention Severino is about a month away from returning...

Mariners are better, Angels obviously worse. Out of those top 8 AL teams (well 7 + Sox), we have yet to take on the AL East, cream of the crop in West...meaning the Astros and A’s. So arguably the most impressive wins are over the Indians.

They’ve got the starting pitching, but not sure I would take that offense over even CLE.

https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds Yankees, Astros, White Sox the 3 favorites in the AL Red Sox, Blue Jays, Athletics, Rays bunched up for spots 4/5, Cleveland on the outside looking in Dodgers, Padres, Mets in the NL Brewers, Giants, Braves, Cubs and Phillies fighting for two remaining spots

Cobra Kai?

Sentimentality, but not the massive numbers jump. It's a great story. By that argument, it could also be Eduardo Rodriguez.

Can pretty much already award AL Comeback Player of the Year to...JD Martinez of the Red Sox.

And yet hardly surprising if you follow the minor leagues...the diminished number of players drafted last year that would be expected to fill out a roster (especially advanced NCAA D-1 selections from upper tier programs) of a Low A team the following April. That's where the gap in talent is, along with cutting back on their short-season teams (Great Falls, used to be Bristol as well in the APPY League) over the past couple of seasons.

Who's even looking down at the 3B coach for signs in the first place in that situation? I think TLR simply meant some kind of "common wisdom" meant that there was an automatic take sign IMPLIED...the example of 577 pitches with 3-0 counts and 10+ run leads in the last twenty years and nobody swung away. The Tatis situation with a 7 run lead in Texas (FWIW) was earlier in the game, same 3-0 count, but pretty big difference between 7 and 10-11 runs IMO...and we all know from watching Sox games there how quickly runs can pile up in Texas from June through early September.

FRI, 6 p.m. Carlos Rodon vs. LHP Jordan Montgomery, 2-1, 4.75 ERA, 41 K's Carlos Rodon LHP 5-1, 1.47 ERA, 49 SO After five starts and five decisive victories, Rodón lost for the first time in 2021 during his last trip to the mound Saturday against the Royals. Rodón has 49 strikeouts against 12 walks over 36 2/3 innings this season. Jordan Montgomery LHP 2-1, 4.75 ERA, 41 SO Montgomery struggled Sunday against the Orioles, going just three innings and allowing five runs -- his shortest outing and most runs allowed this season. Before that, he had put together two consecutive quality starts to begin May. SAT, 12 p.m. Dylan Cease vs. RHP Gerrit Cole, 5-2, 2.03 ERA, 85 K's Dylan Cease RHP 2-0, 2.41 ERA, 50 SO In parts of three seasons, the right-hander has never pitched at Yankee Stadium or even faced the Yankees. Cease only has two career starts against the American League East. He has fanned 50 batters over 41 innings in 2021. Gerrit Cole RHP 5-2, 2.03 ERA, 85 SO Cole had an uncharacteristic start Monday against the Rangers, allowing five runs in five innings for just his second loss of the year. It was his shortest outing and most runs allowed this season, and he will look to prove that was merely an aberration. SUN, 12:05 p.m. Dallas Keuchel vs. RHP Jameson Taillon, 1-3, 5.73 ERA, 46 K's The White Sox have scored 13 runs and 16 runs, respectively, in each of Keuchel’s last two starts, which not surprisingly, both ended up as victories. Keuchel is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA over five career starts at Yankee Stadium. Taillon is looking to find his footing in the early going, having compiled a 5.73 ERA in eight starts this season, with 46 strikeouts against only 10 walks. He has faced the White Sox only once in his career, going 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision in 2018.

Larnach hit his first MLB homer. Looks like the Twins are going to end up a DHer split.

Nobody can prove that he did or didn't. McEwing hasn't said much one way or the other, not wanting to be seen as second-guessing his own manager. There's absolutely no video evidence that LaRussa came to the top of the dugout steps as the pitch was about to be made shouting "take, take, take!!!" It's just his word. Not to mention how fast Astudillo was getting the ball and throwing it, and the fact that MOST MLB teams don't even give signs anymore in that type of "blowout" scenario where the only goal is just to get to the end of the game as quickly as possible without any injuries, even to back-ups.

Kapler, Francona and Bob Melvin are much more deserving of accolades with their teams. Heck, would much prefer Dusty Baker, even.

So much MORE likely to get killed on a 95+ mph fastball lined up the middle at 105-120 exit velo (see Shohei Ohtani).

I just think they've moved on from the Bumgarner Era....fresh approach, brought in a lot of interesting pitching talent like Gausman and Desclafini, Alex Wood, even Aaron Sanchez. So far this year, they've collectively been remarkable, and have given Posey a reason to get excited to come out to the park, having so many experienced vets to work with again. Their everyday starting line-up looks like a hot mess, but somehow they keep getting it done. Yes, sitting out 2020 and getting 100% healthy for Buster was a KEY factor...but they used to push him to play every year because the GM was constantly "rebuilding on the fly" (see KW) and they needed his presence in the line-up to remain competitive.