almagest

Without Vargas today it'd be a shutout

Both. 2nd and 3rd 0 out, 1st and 3rd 1 out. Both times Smith got a weak grounder - first one Vaughn only had a shot with a perfect throw to home (it wasn't perfect). He should've taken the out at 1st. The second one was a double play ball even with the infield in, but the SS went home with it. Perfect throw and the runner would have easily been out, but Thaiss dropped the ball. Then the lineup turned over to PCA, Tucker and Suzuki with Smith laboring after a ton of extra pitches.

Yes

Hopefully the power shows up as they get more used to the majors. Both are having good at-bats consistently.

I think that time is coming soon. 🤞

Is that a Brooks Boyer fever dream? Because that's absurd.

Because they don't want to admit he's a bust? That's fine, but the spotlight is already on him. He's already done. Get him off the MLB team.

With WORSE results, you mean. He's basically gotten worse every year, and has totally bottomed out this year. I have to assume he'll be sent down at some point soon. Dead weight is fine when the entire roster is dead weight, but they actually have some players who can play now with (hopefully) more on the way. There's no place for a 1B/DH hitting below .200 with bad defense.

I don’t know. He should be in AAA working things out, with Elko getting a shot to see what he can do. Sox are probably banking on Vaughn still hitting the ball hard, though I feel like we’re past the point of “bad luck” after so many years of this.

Well, if Vargas makes a swing change and it works, and Montgomery makes a swing change and it works, then we know the Sox are trying to help players, and they’re seeing some success. Seems likely that either Vaughn has been making changes and they’re not working, or he won’t make them.

Have yourself a game, Thaiss. Yeesh.

You know, I like Vargas.

Infield in that early in the game with a rookie on the mound who likely has a limited pitch count is stupid. This isn't the postseason. Smith executed the pitches he needed to, which is the worst part. The defense just couldn't hold up and that led to a huge inning.

I'll check in on this one later. Yeesh.

Go out there and settle him down Katz holy crap

Or hell even just one, if Thaiss could catch.

Give a good hitting team like the Cubs extra outs and this is what happens.

Totally getting squeezed. Yikes.

When you don't have Vaughn running in quicksand towards home plate I guess you can actually score with the infield in

Come on, Thaiss

Wish that was reviewable

Yeah that's not Baldwin's fault. Terrible call.

I like seeing PCA screw up.

That team can MASH. Their bullpen is awful, though.

He didn't have to trade Semien, Bassitt and Tatis Jr. He didn't have to bank on signing Machado or Harper when he knew Reinsdorf sucks. He could've drafted better in the first round - of the 12 picks Hahn made, only Anderson, Rodon, Burger and Crochet have provided any value, with none of them still on the team. Jury's still out on the last couple, of course. Point is, he needs to look in the mirror.