tray

The epic trade fukup that may have turned the tide of baseball history on the Southside was Tatis Jr for James Shields. The Mazara and EE deals were mistakes but not really that costly or significant moving forward. Once Eloy returns I can see Big Foot (Vaughn) in LF and Eloy in RF. I want extra offense until the 7th when defensive substitutions can be made (as was done last night).

Fox News is a rank propaganda channel that has divided this nation. It is hard to stop them because they have convinced their viewership to distrust news sources and only tune in to their channel. This has to be challenged head on in some way. Their anti-vax nonsense has to stop.

If Grandal swung away he could have made an out without advancing Robert into scoring position or worse, hit into a double play. If Grandal made an out without advancing Robert, nothing short of a triple would have scored Robert from first. T LaR knew Mercedes would then be walked. However, he also knew that there was little chance that the infield could double up Hamilton even if he hit a grounder. Therefore, chances were that Madrigal would have a chance to win with a single if Hamilton failed, and he just missed winning the game with two line drives that went foul. Criticizing that move in hindsight , especially considering that it worked perfectly, seems like mindless LaRussa hatred. Bunting the winning run into scoring position in the 9th has been part of baseball for generations.

If Kopech can go 4 innings in his next few starts, Cease may lose his spot in the rotation to him.

Nice K

Great defensive switch getting Vaughn out of there

There are many reports of long term health impacts from infection by the Covid virus including brain fog, heart rate spikes, and chronic fatigue. Perhaps Moncada''s Covid experience is an example of that. Not enough is known yet about how long the virus lingers in those infected with it and whether it has long terms impacts like organ damage but the risk of that seems too much to ignore. Young people and some minorities, including those addicted to anti-vax politics, need to be encouraged to get vaxxed. If you don't think it will impact your own health, OK, I get how young people feel invincible, but please do the right thing for your family, your friends and your country and get vaxxed.

I would be in favor of a requirement for proof of Covid vaccination for everyone entering a large public venue. There are several apps out there that could do that. I have considered the privacy issues, but feel that the benefits outweigh privacy concerns. I also think that something like that should be done to encourage people who may have become nonchalant about getting and spreading the virus to get vaccinated. I wonder how many here at Soxtalk have been vaccinated, including those who have attended games already. Edited to add: The CDC may approve the one shot J&J again. If so that should make it easier for baseball fans to get vaccinated since they are largely males. " On Friday, Tom Shimabukuro told the (CDC) panel that all of the 15 cases discovered were women." In other words, there has not been a single case where a male who was vaccinated with the J&J has experienced those complications.

I am worried about Vaughn in LF and the threat he poses to Robert if he runs into him.

I looked at his splits and can't glean anything useful from them that I can cite. I was looking to support or refute the notion that maybe Moncada should forget switch hitting and bat LH no matter who is pitching. I don't know...maybe that would make it easier for him to focus and to adjust to off-speed pitches.

Vaughn should focus on hitting and forget the outfielder's glove. It is nothing but an unnecessary distraction for him. Eloy is gone for most if not all of this season so don't worry about him this year.

I am not trying to be negative, but the line drive to Vaughn looked like a good but mainly routine play for most major league first baseman. Having said that, Vaughn belongs at 1st base instead of the outfield so if that play convinced anyone that he is the natural at 1st, I say it was the greatest play I have ever seen a first basemen make, at least since that Buehrle/Konerko play on Opening day a few years back. I mean wow, what a catch there. Must have been 115 mph off the bat with seeing eyes for the outfield.

I can't find that highlight either. Madrigal hit a hard line drive that rang around the RF corner. He made it to third easily.

Steve Stone said during today's game that Madrigal will be a good major league player for a long time. I have not read any opinions to the contrary outside sports blogs loaded with contrarian/bitchers. Madrigal will be the White Sox second baseman until Sox management decides otherwise, and there is no indication of that. Comparing players that are short in stature with one another is not helpful. How about comparing Yogi Berra (who was Madrigal's height) a 15 time all Star to Madrigal based only on his height? Yogi was a multi-dimensional talent and Madrigal can be as well. He showed some of it today on that triple with hard contact and good base running.

Justin Heyward made a lot of money in the North side and never hit .275 or anywhere close to 35 HR . I think those that are disappointed with Eloy are Cub fans. They are still reeling from that trade. Thanx Cubs!

I think he is thinking back to when Soler was on the Cubs. And that should tell you something.

Yea, I think you are wrong about Eloy as well.

Jack- The thing is KC has Soler and we don't have Eloy. Meanwhile we are waiting patiently (at least for a few more series) for the real Andrew Vaughn to arrive.

I didn't say that. I do feel that there are incremental differences in the talent level of teams the Sox have played, and those differences can turn some close losses into wins. Vaughn had a hit today but in reality that was on an error. Hahn will have to demote him if he doesn't start hitting in the next few series. You cannot replace a star player with a dude that can't hit .200 and think that doesn't make a difference in a league that is as competitive as the AL is.

The combined talent on the White Sox does not appear to be demonstrably better than any of the teams they have played thus far this season. That isn't anyone's fault, it just is what it is. Right now, it looks like the White Sox are a pretty decent .500 team, plus or minus a few games. Once Eloy got injured, I resigned myself to the Sox being in the middle of the pack , perhaps competing with KC for third place in the division.

The reality is that Rodon was released by the Sox front office (Hahn, et.al. ) . They waited for a month or two (according to Rodon himself during an interview with Garfein) before they decided to sign him to a one year deal. Apparently, no other team made him an offer during that time period. Historically, Jerry has shown a sense of loyalty to existing or former White Sox. Rodon has been in the White Sox system for 5 or 6 years or so, I think. I do not know for certain whether the organizational loyalty that Jerry has instilled in the front office contributed to them taking a second look at Rodon, but it would not surprise me if that came into play in some fashion. IMO, I doubt the Sox would have signed Rodon if he was from another organization. So far, it looks like signing Carlos was a good move. If he stays healthy and keeps pitching like he has been, it will be one of the FO's best signings.

IMO Vaughn needs at least one season in the high minors to refine his hitting and fielding. His talent is too raw to develop at the major league level. In comparison, consider how long Mercedes has had to develop his hitting skills. The reality for Vaughn is that Engel will soon return and Mercedes has sewn up the DH spot for the foreseeable future.

I do not think we have seen enough Vaughn yet to conclude that he is better than anyone out there. Let's withhold judgment on him as a hitter and as an outfielder until we see more of him. TLaR is giving Vaughn the chance to prove himself.

It may soon come down to whether you want Vaughn or Mercedes as our full-time DH. Pick one.

Afternoon shadows between the mound and the plate impacted hitters. Cold weather was a factor on both offense and defense. This is football weather, not baseball weather. I am amazed how many times posters still like to take shots at Eloy. If a player wants to take his starting role they will have plenty of chances on offense and defense this year to prove themselves. This was a bad game today because, among other things, it was impacted greatly by what I believe was a bad call on Eaton's double. Allowing a defender to tangle his leg with a base-runner and then stumble down while tagging him looked like a dirty trick by a wise guy more than a legitimate baseball play. Then the taller player stared down Eaton like a tough guy. All that without any consequences for his behavior.