caulfield12

Another XB hit from Abreu. Even Jose's getting into the doubles/homers parade tonight. Orlando a great athlete but a pretty average outfielder...has misplayed a number of balls similar to that one.

Two more innings to find out about that last one. Great job by Putnam not to let the roof cave in there. Need to keep adding on runs until the 27th out is recorded. Never an easy win for this Sox team in May/June.

I wonder if any team in MLB history has ever had four consecutive blown saves against the same opponent in a season...over the span of less than 2 weeks?

There's absolutely no defensible reason for leaving Sale in past that first hitter reaching. Too hot tonight, labored through nearly every inning but the 3rd, had 4 run lead (not even a save situation). If Ventura can't trust Albers/Putnam/Jennings in that situation, this team's not going very far...unless they plan on bringing Burdi and Hansen up, lol.

This feels like a game that the White Sox absolutely have to win right now. As we speak, Indians still batting with a 4 spot already up on the board in Anaheim... Sale should have his tenth win (again). All the feel good vibes with Tim Anderson having such a memorable debut. Ventura would have to be gone, IMO.

TORRE COX LARUSSA LEYLAND VENTURA One name doesn't belong.

Fwiw, the Royals' radio announcers both said they would have pulled Sale after last inning...before this inning began. I think they do have a sense how bad our bullpen is, too. Jennings to face Hosmer. Holding back Duke.

Royals just never give up when they face the White Sox. This is the first time since last THURS they've scored more than 1 run in a game. If Ventura had a better "middle" bullpen, he could have more confidently pulled Sale and trusted the bullpen from there on out.

Rollins and Saladino held the position for two months to hand it off to Anderson. Rollins helped to change the clubhouse professionalism and winning attitude. Saladino is a utility player, it's pretty clear. Both guys have had huge hits this year, Rollins to win a game at Oakland and Tyler with a bomb against the Mets.

MENISCUS, btw.

Anderson with another base knock. No steal attempt yet. Adam Eaton needs to get going again. 190 BA over the last 3+ weeks.

It would be nice if they could get one more inning out of Sale, but you know they're going to have to go to Jones/Robertson at some point. The debate will be whether you use Putnam, Albers or Sale next inning. If I'm Ventura, I leave Sale out there until the first batter reaches against him. Kennedy's done. Only 1 k on the night.

Man oh man, the ball is flying out of there tonight. Avila just extended his contract for another 4-6 weeks. 4 homers allowed in this game, 14 on the entire season for Kennedy.

Seems that Sale's tempo is way off...not pitching as quickly/confidently as earlier in the season, but still has his 96-97 MPH fastball.

The craziest thing about tonight is the last time a lefty took him deep was four years ago...and Hosmer was something like only the fourth lefty to ever homer off Sale, PERIOD. Anderson seems to be injecting life into the offense...then the confidence is spreading to the rest of the line-up. Just need the bullpen to show up tonight with Sale's pitch count rising. Finally, JB Shuck as the DH entered the game tonight 3 for 26. ENOUGH SAID. (But his career BAA against KC is very high!!!)

"FREE SPEED" might be a headline that they want to re-think about Anderson's promotion to the bigs... Although maybe we all are going to need to start doing heavy drugs this weekend.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-s...en-a-nose-dive/ SMH.

Well, the fact is that KC has lost seven consecutive games, and we've got our two best pitchers going yet AGAIN this series. I think it's fairly safe to assert that getting swept wouldn't be an acceptable result by any stretch of the imagination, even with Shuck and Avi Garcia both in the line-up...and Shuck, for some unknown reason, hitting 5th.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 10, 2016 -> 04:20 PM) You're not angry, you just don't want anything that won't give the answer you want to see. As I wrote late that Tuesday of the Rangers' implosion, the next 43 games were going to be key. 7-20 right now. 16 left to go. If the White Sox are in first place when they play the Twins on June 28th, I'll happily sign off on a (one year) extension. That means he will have finally conquered the AL Central demons for once.

If the White Sox do somehow manage to take 2/3 or sweep this weekend, Greg will be forced back on board again. At least until the next time we face the Royals. Especially because the KC run in Chicago is something like 23-8 over their last 31. I'd have to look it up again, but the White Sox have actually played (somewhat) better at Kauffman, which makes absolutely zero sense with the homefield advantage they current possess there. Unless it's that 'ol "pressure is a lot less on the road" bromide. Nobody can boo you there?

No, I'm simply looking forward to a final assessment being made on Ventura that doesn't provide excuses for the team's lack of performance. That's it. And the run through the AL Central left on the schedule before we finally face the Twins again near the end of the month will provide exactly that. Sink or swim. I doubt there will be any type of middle ground (although that's exactly what happened last year around the trade deadline. It seems this year is going to provide an earlier assessment over the next 17 days.)

Saladino has only played a limited number of games in LF in the minors. There's no way in hell they're bringing up Anderson AND shifting his position on the fly from the only one he's known his entire career. I'm also ready for it to be Leury Garcia or Bourgeois (not sure if he can hold down that position arm-wise) just to KEEP Adam Eaton in RF. Really don't want to see Shuck out there, but Eaton back to CF forces Ventura to choose from Coats/Garcia defensively for RF. Ian Desmond...sigh. Maybe Anderson just follows Beckham, Viciedo, Semien and does end up getting shifted all around. Nothing would be shocking at this point. The Royals have been successful moving Whit Merrifield between OF and 2B doing exactly this, fwiw. But not in the middle of his first week in the major leagues. That would be nuts. Truly.

Here's hoping the injuries to Jackson and Petricka are not used as an excuse...because, as we've highlighted MANY times, the other teams in the division have had much WORSE hardship to deal with than the White Sox. By far.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jun 10, 2016 -> 03:41 PM) Interesting insight. Sure seems like you know a hell of a lot more than I do on this, lol. It's his job. We even used to have a pinned ASK PTAC section here somewhere at this site for his "medical advice/evaluations," and he also has very accurate diagnoses of pitcher's deliveries/mechanics as well. The rate we're going now, Burdi and Hansen will both be coming out of the pen in September, lol...

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jun 10, 2016 -> 03:23 PM) Sounds dumb but this is when we find out what type of team this really is. They got back to .500, well within striking distance at 3.5 games. Now they lose Jackson for 6 weeks & know they have no internal re-enforcement coming out of the pen w/ Petricka coming back for the year. June's schedule is pretty daunting & have a good amount of divisional games. They are finally losing players to injury. Every other team in the division has dealt with it already, so now it's time to see what the Sox can do with it. Burdi.