caulfield12

Yeah, hard to imagine we can get through this game and somehow avoid using Albers unless we get the lead in the top of the 8th and can give the ball directly to Nate Jones...

Yeah, it's hard to win when Eaton and Abreu are both scuffling, and even Melky's cooled down a little as well. Obviously Garcia and Lawrie had been trending downwards, and then you have Jackson (who had his best stretch going recently) out of the line-up. Struggle to score more than 2-3 runs against good pitching.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 01:22 PM) Probably not a coincidence that the Sox struggled as he has slumped. Probably because every time he opens up his mouth and speaks to the media (this one a big USA Today feature column) or via Twitter, he ends up saying something regrettable. Just kidding. Well, 50% at least. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2...-game/85233580/

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 01:21 PM) You get a 3-1 fastball over the plate where he likes it and he takes. On pitch trax, it's a bit lower and to the outside half of the strike zone...but lefties usually do prefer low fastballs historically.

Gutsy call there to go with a change-up or curveball...Avila was up in the count 3-1. Can't ask for a better swing than Saladino gave them there, though. Now, about that catching situation, Mr. Hahn.

Uh-oh. Duke warming up. Not the words that you want to hear, but we have no choice but to use him I guess. Ventura would get ripped for using Purke, so there's no way not to be second-guessed with bullpen decisions. Saladino can be a hero again today...nice swing, hit the ball too hard and almost right at Conforto. Rollins will be the PH if it gets past Avila to the pitcher's spot.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 01:08 PM) Zach Putnam has been quietly very good for most of the year. He was even better in 2014. This season is something in between last year and 2014. Lagares is playing kind of lackadaisical defense in CF for someone with his reputation...he played Shuck's ball earlier into a hit and got a death look from deGrom.

Atta boy, Todd. 17th homer...leading the majors. They'd been consistently busting him inside so he stepped into the bucket and made an adjustment. Sitting on that pitch..."waiting in the weeds." Smart hitter.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 09:42 AM) This team is not trading Todd Frazier while 2 games out of first place, no matter how many random things you put into a list. Okay, I don't even know what you were talking about since you referenced 2008 which was a playoff season and then didn't clarify which season you were actually referring to..."This team would need a 2008 style meltdown season (not bad month) to get to the point where they think about it." And then I followed up by pointing out ONE season when the White Sox were patient and didn't blow things up. Which is actually positive/encouraging in the same way Greg Hibbard was attempting to be with his thread. Hmmm...

Some Ventura decisions that will be second-guessed. Not walking Rivera to face deGrom, although the pitcher actually walked (and Rivera's a poor hitter historically)...but the Mets' announcers were surprised at the time. And deGrom, even though he looks like a righty version of Sale physically, can actually hold his own as a hitter. Having Abreu running with Frazier (obviously not a contact hitter) batting. PHing Sands and pulling Gonzalez out of the game with only 85 total pitches...exposing the back end of the bullpen

Adam Eaton wants to be the next Sox manager!!!! From the Hawk School of Baseball “I go home,” says Eaton. “I sit on my dock. I fish. I drink beer. And I relax. I don’t look at anything media. I don’t look at anything that’s written. I don’t even know what slugging percentage is. I don’t follow that. I think it’s people from Harvard that want jobs and want to create jobs and stats. Honestly, I don’t put much emphasis in any of that. I let my eyes tell me what to do. "Even in the outfield, if a guy -- if the stats say he’s going to pull this ball but he’s fouling every ball off to my left, I’m not going to go with the stats, I’m going to go with my gut. For me that’s telltale of a good baseball player. You can look at all the stats and all the sabermetrics that you want but realistically it’s your heart and understanding the game and understanding body language with what you think is best.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2...-game/85233580/

I just think it's interesting to see where we stand against them. Obviously, record in different leagues is just ONE of many possible measures or comps. And also for the same reason the Tribune's Crosstown Classic "All-Star selections" are so oft-debated, Arrieta vs. Sale, used to be Abreu vs. Rizzo, etc. Something to talk about or discuss.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 08:52 AM) With as hard as it has been for the White Sox to find dependable position players, especially at third, it really isn't reality to suggest that Frazier is going anywhere. This team would need a 2008 style meltdown season (not bad month) to get to the point where they think about it. And in reality, I really think they trade a guy like Quintana as they know they can produce pitching, before a guy like Frazier goes. 2007? 2009? 2011? 2013? 2015? It's important to note here they were VERY close to blowing up the 2010 team and gave it a couple more weeks (and were rewarded big-time for that patience)....resulting in a 26-5 run. Now if the White Sox would have been better off starting the rebuild then instead of 2013, I'll leave it for someone else to argue.

http://www.southsidesox.com/2016/5/31/1181...e-sox-backslide Pretty well-written article about the managerial situation as of now...

Must have been all that social media activity that Robin reportedly tunes out completely that changed his tune, lol... Obviously, if Tyler had gone 0 for 4 with 2 K's yesterday and an error, Rollins probably would be playing today. Catching some breaks now...no Cespedes, and Duda, d'Arnaud and Wright are out. And no deAza to be the next former White Sox to taunt us by overperforming against us.

Saladino is in the line-up after all today, hitting behind JB Shuck.

Finished this one but will continue to make comments when a discussion comes up... Deliberating between Molly Knight's The Best Team Money Can Buy and Jeff Passan's new one, The Arm. Thoughts?

Finished this one but will continue to make comments when a discussion comes up... Deliberating between Molly Knight's The Best Team Money Can Buy and Jeff Passan's new one, The Arm. Thoughts?

QUOTE (Dunt @ May 31, 2016 -> 03:05 PM) What? The Dodgers were playing the Cubs at that moment in time...

At that age, are you 100% willing to give him 3-4 years and $70-90 million...?

It would probably have to be Rodon and Nate Jones for Gallo and Profar. Maybe one more Top 4-12 piece (minor leagues) coming over from the Sox. The biggest concern for the Rangers undoubtedly is their bullpen.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 08:27 AM) This issue should be relatively simple to resolve. Here are the reasons to let Saladino play: 1) SS is a defense first position and, at this stage of his career, Rollins cannot provide even average defense. Saladino is a plus defender, with better range and a better arm. 2) Platooning them doesn't make sense because Rollins can no longer hit RHP and Saladino is actually a better hitter vs. RHP. If Robin insists on platooning them, it should be reversed, with Rollins facing lefties and Tyler the right handers. At least that would get him the majority of the bats. 3) There is little doubt about what can be expected from Rollins, at his age. There is always the potential for a young guy like Saladino to evolve into a pretty good player. 4) Management should be trying to find out what they have in Tyler, going forward. Although he can play several positions, he is probably best suited to SS or 2ND and those two positions could belong to Anderson and Lawrie, next year. If Tyler can establish himself as a regular, they could trade Lawrie, or at least not try to resign him. Or, they might even consider Lawrie as Frazier's replacement at 3RD, when both of them become eligible for free agency, at the end of next year, and giving 2ND to Tyler. Rollins does not enter into that future equation, therefore playing him accomplishes nothing, going forward. 5) At least according to Harrelson, Saladino has a very high baseball acumen, which along with his speed and versatility make him a very useful utility player, at the very least. What am I missing here, aside from some preference for "veteran leadership," or some other dubious notion? Then you would have to give Lawrie an extension now or wait until after 2017 and see if he'll test the FA market...since both Frazier and Lawrie are leaving at the same time. Not quite understanding your point here. There's also the possibility of Trey Mich. and Delmonico being able to contribute at that position as well.

Well, the problem is what kind of contract's Frazier going to get as a FA? Lawrie? It's better to have Year 1-3 players, but year 4-6 is still much better than FA because 1) they're in their primes, physically and 2) there's at least a possibility at that stage of giving them a "lifetime family security guaranteed" contract like the Sox have done with Eaton/Quintana/Sale and many young stars around the game have signed in the last 5 seasons. I don't like trading Rodon primarily because we aren't sure yet what we have in Fulmer. Does a line-up with Profar/Gallo and RANDOM PITCHER like Ervin Santana along with Latos/Gonzalez/Ranaudo give the White Sox a better team overall?

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jun 1, 2016 -> 07:58 AM) Where is sox weakness at SS or 2b? Profar is reportedly becoming capable of playing LF/CF, but for now is primarily an infielder (more value to the Rangers, more trade value in general).

The Rangers could be showcasing him for a trade. But, if he can prove he has the ability to play SS after his surgery last year, then they'd be foolish not to trade Andrus for peanuts. However, if he's relegated to only playing 2B, then that limits his marketability. With Odor already seemingly entrenched there, he doesn't have many other places to play. Perhaps 1B/DH with Moreland struggling so mightily right now, as well as Fielder. But they pretty much are stuck playing Fielder at this point due to his contract. Otherwise, they have to play him in CF (where DeShields began the year). All things considered, though...the more players like Desmond/Zobrist that you have capable of playing multiple positions on the diamond (LF/CF/SS/2B/1B/DH), the better off your manager will be. But the White Sox don't have the pieces to get him...at least what they're asking for. They MIGHT trade you Profar and Gallo for Rodon, but we can't make this trade without sacrificing an important part of our future rotation. Then you would absolutely have to make a corresponding move to fix the rotation. But imagine this line-up offensively: Eaton RF Profar CF/2B Abreu DH Frazier 3B Cabrera LF Lawrie 2B/1B Gallo 1B Catcher Anderson SS If Abreu ever figured things out, POTENT.