tray

9/11 was brutal , shocking day as those of you old enough to remember it know. A friend of mine lost the wife..

Presto Presto... 4-3 Good guys. Hold 'em now.

Yes Yes Yes !

I'd bunt.

That line drive double to Left Center caused the Left fielder to shag it was great to see. A few more shots like that and outfielders will think twice before they play Madrigal super shallow.

Talent evaluation is key. I wonder if some other teams scouts asked to see Vaughn in the outfield. Vaughn appeared to me to lack speed and athleticism in the Spring. I keep thinking of that play where he was running from first to home while his teammates were laughing as he was gasping for breath after chugging the last 90 feet. Vaughn could become a shorter version of Paul Konerko but he did not look that great at 1B, a position that requires reach and flexibility - not a short, tank like physique. Despite botching a few plays, Eloy takes long strides and covers a lot of ground. He is improving and will not be displaced by Vaughn who, unfortunately, is way too slow to play outfield. My hope is that Vaughn proves that he can absolutely rake in the Minors next year and then come up as a RH DH/pinch hitter. The other possibility is that he has enough trade value to get some decent pitching back in return. The Sox are not going to get rid of EE during the last few weeks of this season so let's see what Vaughn ad Burgur will do in the minors next year. McCann in LF ? OK, proceed.

Lots of posters said Moncada should stay at second base- "his natural position" And many said McCann would regress,that Giolito was toast after his bad year, TA should play Center field, that Abreu should not be signed to an extension,,, Lots of great advice here.

I would like to see a thread named for every player like this one devoted solely to Nick Madrigal. My opinion of Madrigal has evolved since I have seen him play in competitive games at the major league level. I like the fact that he tried pushing the envelope on the bases, that he runs out every grounder like it is a World Series game, and that he grinds out every at-bat hitting for a high average, even after two strikes. I also changed my mind that he is a small player. He isn't He has the upper body, arms and hands of a player that is a half a foot taller and the heart of a giant. When Nick runs the bases, his larger torso with small legs churning below remind me of the mascot races around the outfield. Seriously, Nick is a gamer and a great guy to have as one of our Chicago White Sox for years to come.

Dunning had pinpoint control. His fastball had movement and his slider had bite to it. I think he is going to be a lock as a 4th starter but at the same time, I realize that Pittsburgh's line-up is weak and that the Pirates are pretty much going through the paces instead of really bearing down in every at=bat to win. I wonder how Dunning will fare against Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz, Sano and the Twins in the upcoming series with them. We shall soon see.

Oh yea, McCann won't be on the Sox next year. Like it or not, You heard it here . (sarcasm)

Grandyman apparently didn't get invited to Bozo's Grand Prize game.

No question about that.

Fans like to fall in love (figuratively) with prospects but after they actually see them at the major league level, they are often disappointed. Speculation often leads to disappointment. Burgur, Fulmer, Courtney Hawkins, Gordon Beckham.. They are all sure things until they aren't.

Vaughn doesn't catch.

Vaughn is a super prospect, end of story. He has not proven that he can play any position at a major league level. He is a tank.

This team is in the heart of a competitive window. It is my opinion that there would be a lot more catching gaffes like last night if you run out Grandai to catch about 120 games and Collins ( a potential defensive liability) to catch 40. It is not that easy to replace proven major league talent like McCann. Prospects like Burgur and Vaughn are just that...prospects. You can speculate all day about them and pencil their names into future lineups. but that doesn't always work out.

Vaughn is a tank. He has not yet proven that he can play any position at the major league level , including first base. He needs at least a full season in the minors.

The Sox might be better off without a full time DH on the roster if they can utilize position players like Grandal, Eloy,Abreu and others to fill that role. If Vaughn absolutely rakes in the minors next year against LH and RH pitching, and does the same when he comes up to the majors, that is another story.

This is called a false choice.

A few positives from the loss: Madrigal's two doubles, especially the one to left center were hit hard. It is clear that Madrigal is going to add a lot to this line-up . Cease looked good for the first 4 innings. Abreu extended his hitting streak. Moncada appeared to have a little bit more strength and ran a bit better. McCann is now in a little bit better position with the WSox to negotiate a 3 year deal.

The Sox may have to do the unthinkable ....bring ReyLo back up for another start or two...especially if Keuchel's back has to be rested. Cishek is not an option in any important game where the Sox need a hold in late innings. Our bullpen is going to be pitching on on fumes by the time the play-offs start. What a waste of a year when we finally have a line-up that crushes the baseball.

Bummer is throwing but no word yet how the nerve issue in his biceps is responding. There are reports that Rodon has new injury issues. Keuchel has back issues that flair up from time to time. The WSox have lost confidence in ReyLo and he has lost confidence in himself. No Crochet this year I guess. There just aren't enough horses in the pitching stable to make a long run into the play-offs. After constructing a killer line-up the Sox could get checkmated in the playoffs if the pitching staff continues to get depleted. And what if Giolito or Keuchel lose a play-off game? That would pretty much make the odds of winning a playoff series almost insurmountable.

Mazara and EE are starting to hit. Now if Moncada starts feeling better and returns to his pre-covid form, this line-up will be a juggernaut.

We need another 5 runs to put this one away.

We'll never know for sure, but I feel that Kopech could have made a huge difference in helping this team get over the top.