2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I’ve got bad news about Eaton ?

Oops...obviously meant Engel.

 

1 minute ago, poppysox said:

On a consistent basis, I want Eloy at DH with Vaughn in Left and  Eaton/Sheets in RF.  Get Escobar and you have a well-balanced lineup regardless of the pitcher's handedness.

But I’m guessing you mean Engel.  Either way, that’s putting a lot of pressure on Sheets IMO.  Escobar will help some, but he’s definitely better again LHP.  Still feel like we’re a bat short against strong RHP.

Don't get me wrong, The Sox have talent but their true talent level in a competitive division is fighting for the 2nd WC Spot in the AL rather than winning a division. 

Anything can happen in the playoffs but I think the talent gap between the Sox and the rest of the AL playoff field is just too high. 

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by Jack Parkman

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I think he hit the poppy a little too hard.

Yeah...still recovering from last night's game.

3 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Don't get me wrong, The Sox have talent but their true talent level in a competitive division is fighting for the 2nd WC Spot in the AL rather than winning a division. 

Anything can happen in the playoffs but I think the talent gap between the Sox and the rest of the AL playoff field is just too high. 

On the bright side, no need for you to log in the rest of this year.

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

On the bright side, no need for you to log in the rest of this year.

Not necessarily, as the 3 bats coming back and lighting it up would change things. However I'm not counting on it happening like so many others. 

I still will be watching through the playoffs but my expectations are pretty muted. 

I still enjoy watching Sox baseball even when they suck. 

Sports are more enjoyable to me when there are zero expectations and I just enjoy the ride. 

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by Jack Parkman

8 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Don't get me wrong, The Sox have talent but their true talent level in a competitive division is fighting for the 2nd WC Spot in the AL rather than winning a division. 

Anything can happen in the playoffs but I think the talent gap between the Sox and the rest of the AL playoff field is just too high. 

We know

2 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Not necessarily, as the 3 bats coming back and lighting it up would change things. However I'm not counting on it happening like so many others. 

I still will be watching through the playoffs but my expectations are pretty muted. 

I still enjoy watching Sox baseball even when they suck. 

Sports are more enjoyable to me when there are zero expectations and I just enjoy the ride. 

This is their weirdest definition of "enjoy" I have ever seen.

53 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

I don't think that those guys will be themselves until next year. Too many people assume that Eloy/Robert/Grandal are going to come in and pick up right where they left off. It's not like Eloy and Robert are even lighting up the minors during their rehab stints.

Like someone else said, as long as they are better than an average player it will an improvement in 3 spots in the lineup. That's a substantial improvement. 

14 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Don't get me wrong, The Sox have talent but their true talent level in a competitive division is fighting for the 2nd WC Spot in the AL rather than winning a division. 

Anything can happen in the playoffs but I think the talent gap between the Sox and the rest of the AL playoff field is just too high. 

"Their true talent level"  is one we have yet to see since everyone has been injured in and out of the line up all season. 

I'll take our team at full strength (assuming we eventually get there) up against anyone.   

1 minute ago, HOFHurt35 said:

"Their true talent level"  is one we have yet to see since everyone has been injured in and out of the line up all season. 

I'll take our team at full strength (assuming we eventually get there) up against anyone.   

I do not expect them to be at full strength until next year. 

We have benefited from being in a shitty division this year and last. I think at full health we can compete with anyone in the league, but we do need some reinforcements otherwise no chance at a WS.

I don't know what "good" lockdown bullpen help is available, but if there is any out there, my guess is the Sox will have to part with Vaughn or Sheets to acquire it. I personally think Vaughn is a better prospect than Sheets so I would expect he's the odd man out.

You got to trade somebody young and good to get somebody good. Maybe Hahn can ship some minor league prospects who are not that promising to get a solid reliever or two instead of having to trade Sheets and/or Vaughn. I hope so.

25 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Not necessarily, as the 3 bats coming back and lighting it up would change things. However I'm not counting on it happening like so many others. 

I still will be watching through the playoffs but my expectations are pretty muted. 

I still enjoy watching Sox baseball even when they suck. 

Sports are more enjoyable to me when there are zero expectations and I just enjoy the ride. 

Please name a team that would be missing 4 regulars, have some sort of restriction on a couple of their better pitchers, and would be doing as well as this team? 

1 minute ago, greg775 said:

I don't know what "good" lockdown bullpen help is available, but if there is any out there, my guess is the Sox will have to part with Vaughn or Sheets to acquire it. I personally think Vaughn is a better prospect than Sheets so I would expect he's the odd man out.

You got to trade somebody young and good to get somebody good. Maybe Hahn can ship some minor league prospects who are not that promising to get a solid reliever or two instead of having to trade Sheets and/or Vaughn. I hope so.

Hahn isn't trading Vaughn for a relief pitcher...I doubt he would part with Sheets either.  If that's what it takes to get a quality relief pitcher then the best move is to not make one.

33 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

Not necessarily, as the 3 bats coming back and lighting it up would change things. However I'm not counting on it happening like so many others. 

I still will be watching through the playoffs but my expectations are pretty muted. 

I still enjoy watching Sox baseball even when they suck. 

Sports are more enjoyable to me when there are zero expectations and I just enjoy the ride. 

This sounds perfect if you want to root for the lovable losers on the north side. That's the epitome of a Cubs fan during their long run of suckage. 

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by ron883

4 hours ago, shago said:

The accomplishment of this pitching staff and line-up to-date has been truly amazing … however, as we’ve seen in the last few days, this is not a team ready to make a serious run in the playoffs. Against, playoff caliber starting pitching, this line-up isn’t strong enough to compete. Against the pathetic AL Central, sure, but even with the return of Eloy and LuBob, the front office needs to make some moves to bring in more OF firepower if we want to make a serious run.

Somehow there is always this belief they can out hit their mistakes.  We see a lack of fundamentals, ignorant base running, poor defense and this goes deep into drafting and development.  Plus this is a very young team and with more experience you won't see some of the mistakes.

Unfortunately with the home run craze the art of getting on base is lost.  With injuries fewer players are willing to steal a base.

4 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

I remember in July or August  of 2005, the Angel's coming to Chicago and dominating. The Sox should have packed it in right then.

Why are people so panicked? The team is missing 4 regulars. 3 will come back soon. A 2nd baseman will be added and a reliever. If they can stay healthy,  I like their chances.

 

It was also a far more polished team. They could beat you with small ball or the long one.

We will be in the playoffs. All we need to do is dominate our division and we have done.that.  Adding Robert, Jiménez and Grandahl in Augusta will help tremendously in the playoffs. Why are we panicking and demanding trades? We are poised for several years of success so we don’t want to be trading our prospects for players, who are rentals or won’t fit in 2022. Any trades have to make sense

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by elrockinMT

9 minutes ago, ron883 said:

This sounds perfect if you want to root for the lovable losers on the north side. That's the epitome of a Cubs fan during their long run of suckage. 

Did you ever think Brave fans ever felt that way with all of those playoff runs? How about Bills fans with 4 Super Bowl losses? Losing has different definitions. 

12 minutes ago, elrockinMT said:

We will be in the playoffs. All we need to do is dominate our division and we have done.that.  Adding Robert, Jiménez and Grandahl in Augusta will help tremendously in the playoffs. Why are we panicking and demanding trades? We are poised for several years of success so we don’t want to be trading our prospects for players, who are rentals or won’t fit in 2022. Any trades have to make sense

True but this year has a different feel to it. Kind of like USA Basketball showing weakness in exhibitions and nobody panicking and sure enough, they lose their Olympic opener. ... Sox seem like a team that has shown its own weaknesses that likely won't be corrected just because on paper it's possible to correct them internally. I betcha Hahn does what most contending teams have done forever, maybe a move or two at the trade deadline.

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by greg775

11 minutes ago, elrockinMT said:

We will be in the playoffs. All we need to do is dominate our division and we have done.that.  Adding Robert, Jiménez and Grandahl in Augusta will help tremendously in the playoffs. Why are we panicking and demanding trades? We are poised for several years of success so we don’t want to be trading our prospects for players, who are rentals or won’t fit in 2022. Any trades have to make sense

I would not consider is automatic. Imagine if 2 of the starting pitchers go down.

If the day spring training started you were told Eloy would miss 100 games, Robert around 80, Madrigal most of the season, Grandal over a month and 2 months at far less than full strength. Foster and Heuer would implode, and Bummer be far from the lock down releiver  we expected,  Earon would be released,, Engel miss a couple of months,, TA spends time on the IL, Abreu be banged up, you probably would have thought the team would be where the Twins are, not running away with the division.  There is really nothing to complain about.

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by Dick Allen

In the three most recent road series vs contenders (@NYY, @HOU, @MIL), the Sox have been outscored 54-15. Obviously this doesn’t definitively prove anything one way or another (injuries, etc), but it’d be foolish to completely dismiss it because they have a cushy division lead on four not good teams.

4 minutes ago, Snopek said:

In the three most recent road series vs contenders (@NYY, @HOU, @MIL), the Sox have been outscored 54-15. Obviously this doesn’t definitively prove anything one way or another (injuries, etc), but it’d be foolish to completely dismiss it because they have a cushy division lead on four not good teams.

^^^^^^