OmarComing25

QUOTE (maxjusttyped @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 04:16 PM) ZIPS has the White Sox finishing with the best record in the American League. It gives us a 75% chance of either winning the division or making the play-in game. https://twitter.com/DSzymborski/status/725432328462450689 ZIPS says our chances to win the World Series is basically the same as the Mets. I'd take it.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 03:42 PM) Why would the Sox want to do that? 120 mill encumbrance for a 20ish HR guy. Just get Markakis for salary relief. Astros, after several years of hard work evaluating, drafting, and developing, are moving backwards, abetted by seriously dinging their farm system for "elite" level talent like Carlos Gomez (and others). I'm not advocating for a Freeman trade, because I think the cost to acquire would be too much, but Freeman is definitely worth his contract. He's been worth an average of 4.2 WAR over the past three seasons. He's only 26 years old, is he a "hero" just because he got a big contract? Even this year, he has a career high walk rate, and though his strikeout rate is high, he has a 4.5% HR/FB rate, which is 10% lower than his career rate. He's hitting way more flyballs this year than usual, so if that HR/FB rate was at his career norm his batting line this year would look pretty good. He's a great hitter.

So if this team plays exactly the same as the 2015 team did in their final 141 games, we'll win 83 games. I like to think of that as our floor.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 02:21 PM) Coats is on the DL and Shuck is bad. If the Sox find themselves up (or down) big again in the next 5 games that is when Webb will be used. They're shuffling chairs around for something that I assume has to do with Danks. Yeah I assume Webb is here to take any garbage innings so that our actually valuable relievers don't have to during this long stretch with no offdays. He can easily go 3 innings in a blowout win or loss if needed.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 02:11 PM) I thought Oakland was going to be a .500 team this year, last year they were doomed by a bad bullpen and a terrible defense. I don't like the Astros' pitching, especially their starting staff and the Angels are meh. The Rangers should run away with the division. I think Seattle is a bit underrated and the Rangers are a bit overrated, I think they're at least on par with Texas. The Rangers' pitching is pretty bad, even when Darvish comes back. Not sure why they should run away with anything, they're as mediocre as anyone else.

QUOTE (ronkark @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 02:07 PM) Least exciting move ever? Webb to me is one of the faces of our struggles last couple years. Dude can't throw strikes consistently. he's done okay in minors but that was the case previous times as well. hope it's just a short term move. At least Kahnle's a fresh face. I'm a bit puzzled why it wasn't Kahnle either, maybe because Webb can go longer? At least Webb hasn't walked anyone yet this year.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 01:53 PM) You can tell its going to be one of those years for the A's. The ALW is down because the Astros blow, Beane wont be selling this year. Yeah I don't know why so many are assuming the A's are going to be sellers. They just called up a top prospect, the AL West looks mediocre from top to bottom and they're currently in 2nd place, and Rich Hill is pitching like his 4 starts last year weren't a fluke. They'll probably be in the thick of things by the deadline.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 01:56 PM) Half of the NL is tearing their teams down and rebuilding. Take a look at some of the pitching staffs being trotted out there it is a complete joke. I know but that was true last year too. The NL has a league ERA half a run higher than the AL right now, when it's usually the opposite. I know it's early but that's still a bit bizarre.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 01:40 PM) Must have seen that before B-R updated it. 3.71 runs per game. League average is 3.98 right now. Would like to see the Sox play the next 50 games scoring 220 runs. That would probably lock down season long contention. What's weird is there are 6 NL teams that have scored more runs than the top AL team. The last time an NL team scored the most runs in a season was the Mets in 1990.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 09:48 AM) The Sox are 13th in the AL in runs per game. We're actually 10th, although we're a couple extra runs scored from being 8th.

Rich Hill is starting to look like his crazy 4-start stretch last year wasn't a fluke.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 11:34 AM) Jay Bruce will continue to be named a lot. He's negative WAR right now because of defensive metrics, but that shouldn't be a problem if we move him to DH. He's hitting more or less like old Jay Bruce - a little worse, but certainly better than the performance we've gotten out of DH. The Reds would still love to shed that salary and he isn't good enough for them to be asking for Fulmer or Anderson for him. Yes, a 108 wRC+ would be a big upgrade and he shouldn't cost much to acquire. Side note, I think it's funny that Avi is hitting .186 with a near 30% strikeout rate yet somehow has a positive WAR for the first time in his career (looks to be due to his baserunning).

QUOTE (TheTruth05 @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 11:15 AM) Optimistic Piece, good stuff. What I like about it is that we're 15-6 despite not having everything go right. Many hitters are performing well below expectations (especially Abreu), and so even with inevitable regression from our pitching (Latos in particular), that could be offset by positive regression from the offense.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 27, 2016 -> 09:38 AM) Can of Corn ‏@ThatsaCanofCorn 3h3 hours ago If the Sox win tonight, it will be their first sweep in Toronto since 2005. I like the sound of that for obvious reasons. Was that the one that resulted in the classic headline "Somber Sweep"?

http://gfycat.com/UncomfortableAdventurousJay

With the Twins terrible start, Cleveland missing Carrasco, Tigers pitching looking very vulnerable again, and KC's rotation starting to get smacked around, I'm starting to feel pretty good, hope it continues.

Astros now have the worst record in the AL despite the Twins starting 0-9.

That's 6 of the last 7 against the Jays, right? Let's make it 7 of 8.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Apr 26, 2016 -> 09:50 PM) RV has little to nothing to do with it, much like every other manager. The historical pitching to start and the massively improved defense aren't some RV pixie dust it's just a better roster with better players in better spots. RV has already had his usual share of befuddling decisions but even at worst a bad manager tactics wise is worth -1 or -2 wins a year at most. Just curious which befuddling decisions you're referring to, I think he's been fine.

I love Putnam striking out the side in the 9th. He's got great stuff, everyone kind of forgot how good he was in 2014 after his struggles last year, though that was largely due to some bad luck on HR/FB%. I'm a big Putnam fan, though I like everyone in our pen, even Duke.

Putnam has nasty stuff. How often has there been 3 straight pinch hitters in a game?

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 26, 2016 -> 08:16 PM) Give Petricka the 9th. Sale struggling tonight giving up way too many hits. I agree about Petricka but too many hits? What? I'm a bit concerned about his lack of strikeouts this year though.

Two nice defensive plays by the Jays.

He crushed that

Offense really loves the 7th inning this year.