Feel for Timmy. Dude clearly isn't 100% yet is battling out there.

Just now, Richie said:

Cease must get to 2 strikes on something like 60-70% of the hitters he faces before losing a startling amount of them. I would be interested in any numbers on this. He has been horrific pitching with two strikes on batters. 

It's been a little better today thus far. However, you can clearly see why his pitch count is always jacked up, going back to the minors. Even when he gets guys out after getting ahead, the amount of foul balls he throws is quite something. 

 

Same problem with López despite throwing as hard as he does...

1 minute ago, Richie said:

Cease must get to 2 strikes on something like 60-70% of the hitters he faces before losing a startling amount of them. I would be interested in any numbers on this. He has been horrific pitching with two strikes on batters. 

It's been a little better today thus far. However, you can clearly see why his pitch count is always jacked up, going back to the minors. Even when he gets guys out after getting ahead, the amount of foul balls he throws is quite something. 

 

Can't be worse with that than lopez has been the bulk of the year

Wheeler is shredding. At least Cease looks good

Just now, Richie said:

Cease must get to 2 strikes on something like 60-70% of the hitters he faces before losing a startling amount of them. I would be interested in any numbers on this. He has been horrific pitching with two strikes on batters. 

It's been a little better today thus far. However, you can clearly see why his pitch count is always jacked up, going back to the minors. Even when he gets guys out after getting ahead, the amount of foul balls he throws is quite something. 

 

That was the knock on Quintana early on and he was fine,  same for DeGrom and Scherzer earlier in their careers. Not saying that he will have their careers, but I am not exactly worried yet.

Just now, Richie said:

Cease must get to 2 strikes on something like 60-70% of the hitters he faces before losing a startling amount of them. I would be interested in any numbers on this. He has been horrific pitching with two strikes on batters. 

It's been a little better today thus far. However, you can clearly see why his pitch count is always jacked up, going back to the minors. Even when he gets guys out after getting ahead, the amount of foul balls he throws is quite something. 

 

Lopez has the same problem at times.  If a MLB hitter knows a fastball is coming he can foul it off, even at the velocities Lopez and Cease reach.  They both need to continue to refine their command on off speed pitches.  Chris Sale's wipeout slider is probably the best example recently of how a pitcher can finish off a hitter.  It has to be in the zone and out of the zone. 

Cease and Lopez too often are never in the zone with their offspeed stuff and it's just a show me pitch.  Maybe in AA Cease was getting more chases but he's not in AAA and MLB so far.

Don’t cancel the postgame show, Wheeler’s earning another $25 million by padding his stats against this AAAA lineup...

9 minutes ago, gusguyman said:

Poor Mets. How can a team with this much pitching be this bad? Reminds of our 2016, except with an even more incompetent front office and ownership group.

They're not that bad. They're 4.5 games out of the WC hunt. Their pitching also hasn't been great. Thor's ERA is over 4.50. 

Also, in 2016... we had Sale and Q. About it. Rodon got going in the 2nd half, but Sale also regressed during that period. After that, it was a clown show. Latos, Shields, Danks, etc.

 

1 minute ago, caulfield12 said:

They’re almost back in the WC hunt...look at the standings.  Unfortunately, after next series, their schedule turns really difficult.

 

White Sox outscored 100-55 during this 4-15 stretch since ASB.   Abreu 0 for his last 31.

I'll preface this by saying that I have always really liked Abreu, so it saddens me to say that he is looking like Jermaine Dye when he just regressed very quickly in that last half season with the Sox.  I hope I am wrong, but Abreu is just looking awful.

2 minutes ago, GermanSoxFan said:

That was the knock on Quintana early on and he was fine,  same for DeGrom and Scherzer earlier in their careers. Not saying that he will have their careers, but I am not exactly worried yet.

Yeah, me neither. Just making observations. 

6 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

Feel for Timmy. Dude clearly isn't 100% yet is battling out there.

Poor guy’s great average from first half is going to plummet

11 minutes ago, mqr said:

Can't be worse with that than lopez has been the bulk of the year

I think it's comparable. However, yes... Lopez has been equally as frustrating and over a longer period of time. He's also a veteran, so it's worse. Lately, he's been pretty pleasant to watch. We'll see if that continues. 

Not to jinx it, but Cease just wrapped up another quick inning 2nd time through the top. Looking solid. 6 outs from a real smooth QS. Perhaps this will be the start when he puts it together start-to-finish?

 

 

Edited August 1, 20196 yr by Richie

9 minutes ago, fathom said:

Poor guy’s great average from first half is going to plummet

I've got a bet with a Twins fan at over .275.  He'd need to be dreadful for the next two months to drop that far, but.....

Reed is perpetually down 0-2 in the count. They should just have him start his AB's that way. Save time

Reed is just stealing at bats from Collins or Mercedes

I didn‘t mind taking a chance on Reed, but he makes Yonder look competent

2 minutes ago, GermanSoxFan said:

I didn‘t mind taking a chance on Reed, but he makes Yonder look competent

This. I still agree with the decision, but I think it's time to admit it didn't work out. 

2 minutes ago, GermanSoxFan said:

I didn‘t mind taking a chance on Reed, but he makes Yonder look competent

The Sox must have a bottom 5 MLB scouting staff.   The cannot access either their own guys or guys like Reed with any degree of accuracy.  In theory Reed was a smart pickup in a tank year.  In reality the Astros scouted him properly and the Sox are sleeping on guys already in the org that are better than Reed.

Are we going to hear Stone and the Sox blame the struggles on Yoan being out and him being the heart and soul?

strike 3

Goins is slowly taking Yolmer's utility job next season. 

Damn Leury! 

Edited August 1, 20196 yr by SoxAce

2 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

Goins is slowly taking Yolmer's utility job next season. 

The utility job is Leury‘s to lose. Sanchez should be an easy non-tender.

Just now, GermanSoxFan said:

The utility job is Leury‘s to lose. Sanchez should be an easy non-tender.

Leury might be auditioning for RF next season IMO.

3 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

Goins is slowly taking Yolmer's utility job next season. 

If Leury is the opening day starter in RF next year something has gone terribly wrong