Chicago White Sox

I was at the game yesterday and it was a tough one. Started off great and the crowd was amped up, but Cleveland stole a lot of the energy by the end. While there were some truly atrocious at-bats amongst the 19 K’s, it’s clear the guys were also trying to do too much. I think the lineup might have been a little too amped for their first home game. I think playing down and some bad batted ball luck didn’t help matters either. I believe we see a better performance from the hitters tonight. They are a resilient group who has rose to the challenge over & over again throughout both the regular and post season. Pitching remains the wild card. Yesterday was brutal in many aspects and a sign of the challenges we face moving forward. Can’t just rely on your best arms all the time or they will tire out and the ones not used will be rusty. It’s a predicament not easily solved. What I do know is this. You got to find a way to win this game tonight without using Burke. While the odds of us beating the Rays are low, they are much better if we can throw Burke game #1 and make sure we get two starts out of him next series. Lose tonight and he becomes a critical piece of a do or die game #5 in Cleveland. Let’s avoid that all costs.

Brazoban isn’t on the playoff roster.

My expectations for tomorrow: Hagen = 1 Fedde = 3 Newcomb = 1 Hicks = 2 Taylor = 2

Is this official?

8pm start?

I’m sorry…Sean Burke isn’t available on normal rest for game #5?

Fully agree. You game @ron883 ?

You were the goat before you turned heal on us!

f*** Ron and that bullshit Cubs song he cursed us with. If I were a moderator, I’d ban his fucking ass for that stunt!

He’s a diehard Sox fan for better or worse.

Why? He threw 7 pitches tonight and there is an off-day tomorrow.

Dude…we are celebrating a playoff winner and you are posting fake science on why we should have lost. I have nothing but love you most of the time Caulfield, both today I can’t tolerate this s%*#. Let’s fucking go White Sox!

Hagen for sure goes starts the game going two or three. Taylor likely ends it with one or two. Not clear who will pitch in between.

What a fantastic fucking win! End this s%*# in Chicago!!!

Please STFU…thank you!

Yup, I think that’s definitely the goal.

It’s pretty impressive that Pham is statistically astute that he knew he got robbed on that flyout.

I’d rather have Antonacci or Peters in there over Braden against a LHP, but Montgomery has also hit a bomb off Messick so what do I know. Either way, let’s fucking go!!!

Makes total sense. Hopefully then can get Newcomb going again as that could be a pretty deadly pair against the Guardians.

Against Messick, I want to see the following lineup. Stats are wRC+ against LHP on a full season basis and for the last two months. C. Meidroth, 2B (187 | 287) R. Grichuk, RF (197 | 233) M. Vargas, 3B (155 | 153) M. Murakami, 1B* (110 | 120) B. Doyle, CF (158 | 158) S. Antonacci, LF* (83 | 134) T. Pham, DH (103 | 103) K. Teel, C* (75, 140) C. Montgomery, SS* (118 | 65) I thought about putting Rogers in for Teel and wouldn’t completely hate it to start the game, but I ultimately went with our main dude Kyle as he’s hit LHP surprisingly well over the last two months (SSS). The other question was LF and whether to go with Sam or Peters. I decided to go with Sam and save Peters for when the Guardians’ bullpen comes in. By doing so, it allows us to decide if we need to prioritize defense or offense and gives us better flexibility on how to deploy Tristin. If we’re down, he comes in for Doyle or Grichuk. If we’re up, he comes in for Antonacci. My only concern with the above lineup is it quickly gets imbalanced once you start subbing in guys. However, I still think stacking your big three RH bats at the top makes the most sense. Getting after Messick the first or second time through the lineup is critical and those three RH bats are the best way to do that.

Cleveland is much worse against LHP than RHP. I think game #1 & game #3 will be heavy bullpen games. Hagen & Newcomb both ideally go two or three innings each. Taylor closes it out. Leverage your best relievers as needed in between depending on the situation. The single inning relievers should be able to pitch pretty much every game in the series given the amount of off days, so short of extra innings some guys won’t get used. Sandlin & Fedde are both options if further length is needed. Burke gets game #2. He has been excellent against the Guardians this year with a 2.79 xERA over 17.1 innings. His start would be on a full four days rest which should keep him strong. Every reliever outside of Hagen & Newcomb should be available to back Sean up as they are needed for game #3. This might be a good spot to leverage Schultz if additional length is needed. If not, go with your best relievers available and then close it out with Taylor. Game #4 is the tricky one. I’d probably lead with Kay and piggyback him with Martin to try and get five innings between the two of them. Davis has me a bit nervous, but if we make the ALCS we are going to need him to provide innings. Again, all relievers except Hagen & Newcomb should be available. Schultz, Sandlin, & Fedde all options if length is needed. Otherwise, go with your best relievers and close it out with Taylor. Game #5 is the all hands on deck game if needed. Ultimately I’m trying my best to get 9 innings out of Burke, Smith, Newcomb, & Taylor. Burke would again be on 5 days rest and should provide the bulk innings, but Venable would have the other three available at the first sign of trouble. Ideally the Sox can avoid this game altogether and Burke can be saved for the opening of the ALCS.

Put me down for being on Team @ron883 . Great dude who makes this place a lot more fun. I hope he makes the last gamethread of the season for us.

I saw that pitch on the gun and had to do a double take. Stuff definitely looked bigger and better tonight.

What a fucking series! Chase Meidroth is a fucking stud and should be celebrated until the end of times. Let’s go to Cleveland and f*** up some Guardians.