caulfield12

Here we go again with the issues of taking a closer and putting him into an unfamiliar role. Sure, it was a terrible pitch, but it's just a completely different mentality in a tie game in the 8th.

Which is why he wasn't valued inside the Top 30 or 50 or whatever at FG for trade purposes. Then you're going to turn the position over to Burger? Hard to imagine any rebuilding teams interested in a contract like that...so his market is fairly limited unless he closes out as an 800+ OPS hitter with more power the final 6+ weeks.

Can't come up with the big hit with RISP all night long...at least so far? Bummer? Kimbrel?

Leury Garcia as part of season ticket promotion for 2022? Is that reverse psychology marketing?

What is this, the CIA? FOIA?

Or Ivan Calderon in Detroit...

I don't think many Sox fans want to see him starting in the post-season unless it's against a team he matches up extremely well with...

The only time Cease would start would be in a seven game series, and they still might go Kopech or even Keuchel. Heck, even Lopez.

Sure, but Garland came up at 20, and was a sinker baller more than a pure power/high K and BB guy. Cease is more reminiscent of Jason Bere or Danny Wright before all the injuries.

Yoan Moncada from 2017-2018 says hello...

There’s our RF solution.

They used to have those old timer’s games in conjunction with the MLB All Star games going back to the 1980’s…maybe something similar. Logistically, a lot of the same issues with getting to Dyersville as Cooperstown.

Who is well marketed, though? Trout never really embraced that role. Ohtani? Does it have to be a Yankee or Red Sox? Basically you’re left with TA7, Tatis, Acuna, Harper, deGrom, Judge, Betts, Soto and Vladdy, Jr.

Ron, make sure to keep your eyes peeled…Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, TMZ if you must.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debra-winger-madonna-a-league-of-their-own-171534670.html Since it's baseball AND Hollywood week. Mostly about the movie and how Debra Winger still got paid NOT to be in the movie because she didn't like Madonna and didn't think the movie would do justice to the source material about female professional leagues in the 1940s and early 50s.

The timing is right for breaking up the dog days of August…not having to compete with anything but pre-season NFL, but the heat and humidity are pretty oppressive this time of year. Probably helped to have a lot of open air and less concrete. That said, made for a lot of fun with homers disappearing into the corn as opposed to a pitcher’s duel. 1-0 with a walk off like the Blackout Game would have been cool, too. But the ebbs and flows of momentum made it so much more memorable. I guess you used to have the Cedar Rapids Reds as well, they had guys like Paul O’Neill and Eric Davis.

Anderson is always going to be driven down in value by low walk rates, not having that classic 30-40 homer power and occasional defensive lapses or losses of focus. He probably equates more to a Lindor type (at least pre 2021), but that’s somewhat scary (even more pressure to keep him in the fold) when you consider he will be 31/32 as his contract ends after 2024…especially for a player who derives considerable value from his speed. There are so many leaders on this team, but he is THE guy, quite clearly. Irreplaceable? We shall find out. Certainly great for promoting the sport, for connecting with young people, for inspiring athletes in other sports to try baseball…etc.

Outside of Costner, it would be really forcing things to top that… 1) Janes Earl Jones returning from frail health to give his iconic baseball speech 2) Frank Whaley returning to cross baseline as Moonlight Doc Graham…changing from doctor’s outfit to old Giants jersey 3) Little girl who choked on the hot dog returning with Amy Cusack and Timothy Busfield 4) Costner driving VW bus with J.E. Jones up to field 5) Recreating the “have a catch” scene (that doesn’t work with both actors older now) But I would suggest fathers of the players (or their most impactful coaches) doing it with their sons instead… 6) Something with distant relatives of Joe Jackson and him being announced into HoF (that will never happen) 7) Family members of Black Sox if White Sox ever return Another one would be a celebrity charity game with all the players wearing throwback jerseys for Make A Wish Foundation or whatever appropriate charity they selected. Ed Harris doing the voices…that would be weird, other than the “if you build it, they will come” one. Starting the game later at night and having all the headlights showing as they slice through the cornfields in one long traffic jam to enter… Kansas City will probably be thinking of one more directly tied to their Negro Leagues museum…and RBI/ACE youth programs.

With 3D printing, they could recreate mini versions of those old iconic stadiums like Ebbets Field or The Polo Grounds…Forbes Field in Pittsburgh for Roberto Clemente Day, etc.

Unfortunately, a number of people left that game early…which made it all the more special to those who stayed. Forgot how those original concrete dugouts looked like World War II pillboxes. Ugly.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/Newsletter-Media/2021/08/09.aspx

That’s a big gamble to think that Hendriks can go back to set up for one season plus, then magically return to closing again in 2023-24. Not sure what choice Hahn has here, he basically is committed to keeping Kimbrel around next season. Maybe (only) if the Sox won the World Series fans wouldn’t freak out about Kimbrel’s status for 2022.

That’s a big gamble to think that Hendriks can go back to set up for one season plus, then magically return to closing again in 2023-24. Not sure what choice Hahn has here, he basically is committed to keeping Kimbrel around next season. Maybe (only) if the Sox won the World Series fans wouldn’t freak out about Kimbrel’s status for 2022.

With seven teams fighting over that same territory (hence the blackouts for Sox, Cubs, Cards, Brewers, Twins, Royals, Rockies to a much lesser extent)…they will never give it to the White Sox every season, despite the obvious connections to Shoeless Joe Jackson. Manfred already announced there will be at least one more game next season with two new teams…if it’s one of those Midwest franchises along with the Red Sox, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Mets, or maybe they will have the defending World Series champ come back against the team with the best record in 2022? https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/baseball/2021/08/12/mlb-tv-blackouts-commissioner-rob-manfred-field-of-dreams-game-top-priority-major-league-baseball/8111648002/