Timmy U

Charlotte already lost and Birmingham is getting thumped, combined scores 22-2. Birmingham has given up a 10 run inning thanks to a lot of walks. There is no mound help on the farm.

Kelley imploded again 0IP 1H 5R 5ER 4bb 1HBP. Pitching development is horrific all around, but the staff in AA is especially bad. Everyone takes a major step back when they get there.

Would be fine. Freeze control. It's not like they're going to be good for the next two years anyway.

What's the harm in trying? We might derail the progress of a middle reliever with 3 years of control?

W-S stormed back with a 6 run 9th to win 7-2. Kanny held on 2-1. Winner for the Ballers was Ben Beutel a soft-tossing lefty sidearmer. I want to live in a world where pitchers with non-96 mph fastballs with perfect spin rates can also succeed because I like weird, but I fear that world is not this world.

Navarro, Peralta, Cronin, which one had you heard of?

Nice to see Andrus starting the game for what could be his last appearance in a Sox uni. I wonder if they'll give him a motorcycle or something.

.900 OPS. Straw has never dreamed of that. Mirage or break out? McCormick has over 200 ab. I wish we could teach people to hit like that.

I have always wanted them to try. Fact is, he can't stand up to the reliever workload. Maybe piggyback starter with someone like Scholtens once every 5 days would allow him to pitch 80-100 innings. That would be valuable to a team that currently has 2.5 starters.

Maybe Tampa should make a move. Houston got Alvarez and Altuve back and said, "Hi, remember us?" They're leading 16-2. HR Abreu (10), Yordan 3-5. Chas (bleepin') McCormick has a .900 OPS. Weird fact: McCormick and Jake Meyers their 2 centerfielders, each hit right, throw left. Can never remember a team with two of those types. Anyway, Houston still a formidable team for anyone trying to win the AL.

Allen is really small. Classic crafty lefty.

HR Sosa (after 3 Ks)

4IP 3H 0R 0ER 0bb 3K. 50 pitches, 34 strikes.

What's his max pitch count today? 60? 80?

Bush is getting crushed. Quero 0-2 with a K. Sox lost the trade.

44 pitches, 22 to the last two guys. Surreal.

Oppo Elko Taco. Still old for the level. Gonna be interesting if he can hang in AA, then he'd be on the radar.

Tough start for Colson. K, E-6. W-S trails 2-0

DFA from Giants but acquired in trade for Mitch Trubisky buddy Kade McClure.

ACL led 6-0 leading into the 7th and final inning. McLaughlin (as has been his habit) completely lost it. 2 walks, 4 hits, no outs, suddenly it's 6-6. Bonus: it will give Jacob Gonzalez another ab.

Who knows? Right now, these are all very experienced players. His age appropriate level of competition is the DSL, but they would never do that. His development is going to be super tricky.

Lefty Andrew Perez promoted to Charlotte. If they deal Bummer (which they say they are not doing) I could see him getting a shot. He throws more strikes than Cronin, Navarro or Padilla do.

Padilla currently on the IL. Maybe he gets another look when he's healthy. Navarro's ground ball rate is insane. Looks like another Bummer situation where he's gonna walk a bunch of guys then get grounders which our infielders will be unable to handle. Rinse and repeat.

Navarro has excellent metrics and no idea where the ball is going. 16% bb rate in AAA is alarming. Still would rather see him than more Shaw. Yeah, let's use the last two months to get a long look at a 35 y.o. pending FA who's been a gas can at AAA and horrible in the majors for years.

More hits -- Aguero, Park, Burrowes, and Gonzalez all single. ACL up 4-0.