7 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

I didn't say that. I said I'd hate it. Lynn on 3 days of rest is not a better option than Cease, with how they have both pitched.

I think it really depends on how the games in Houston go.  But I think Cease is the favorite to pitch game 3.  Carlos goes in game 3 if Sox are up 2-0 and they can afford a short start, or game 4 if Sox up 2-1.  Any other scenario, I think its Lynn, Giolito, Cease, Lynn, Giolito.    

22 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

And yet he got on a roll in 2020 that completely surprised me.

It was six weeks, than he injured his back. Was pitching from behind this season with the intentional late start to preserve his arm. He went the previous two seasons with only a couple of months, due to owner collusion (2019) and the owner lockout (2020).

He’ll likely bounce back somewhat next year, and he will start unless the Sox resign Rodon or at least one other starter.

Kopech can’t go a full season off of his short base this season. The Sox were fortunate to go relatively unscathed this season in terms of starter injuries, and I wouldn’t expect the same good fortune next year, especially if there is a deep playoff run.

45 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

I think Goodwin makes a lot more sense on the roster. Mendick doesn't make any sense, but whatever. 

Mendick makes slightly more sense because he is more versatile. Both of them really arent going to be relied on, but in case of an emergency Mendick can play a few more positions than Goodwin can. 

Just now, bmags said:

This pre-emptively getting mad at TLR for decisions he won't make is fun. Playoffs are fun.

TLR was horrible in the first half, and other managers are better, but I'm thankful he was able to guide this team into the playoffs with a remarkably healthy team that is well rested and playing good ball. He was able to manage Lynn's knee and Rodon's shoulder so we have both. Kopech is here in the playoffs. Crochet is here.

And now they are going to be going 110%. No more management. No more holding back.

He had one job in the regular season, don't lose the team and deliver them in the best possible form for the playoffs.  I don't really think that you can argue much that he didn't achieve that.  Now is the time that he is supposed to distinguish himself from Ricky.  That Hall of Famer Baseball person stuff better show up.

3 minutes ago, chw42 said:

I never really thought of him as a benefactor of sticky stuff since his spin rates were never good. He could have been one of those guys who used it to get finer control. His spin rates did decrease by about 40-50 RPM right around the time of enforcement and it's gone back up slowly over the past few months. But the results have gotten worse as time went on. Hopefully he tries some new stuff to figure it out over the winter, because I don't think it's because of an injury. 

I wouldn't either, but he was a very good pitcher in 2020.  He was a servicable pitcher in the first half.  He was a dumpster fire in the 2nd half.

17 minutes ago, bmags said:

Because Carlos Rodon made the roster.

Yep. Tandem start of Rodon-Kopech right here.

Just now, manbearpuig said:

Yep. Tandem start of Rodon-Kopech right here.

I wonder if the possibility of a tandem start makes Kopech's availability a bit more limited. 

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

He had one job in the regular season, don't lose the team and deliver them in the best possible form for the playoffs.  I don't really think that you can argue much that he didn't achieve that.  Now is the time that he is supposed to distinguish himself from Ricky.  That Hall of Famer Baseball person stuff better show up.

My biggest issue with TLR was early in the season when he quite simply didn't know the rules on multiple occasions, and continutally put the Sox in a position to fail.  He improved in late May-mid July, and post ASG - the Sox were more focused on health and rest than pushing a lead that was already a pipe dream for anyone to catch up.  

I give TLR a solid B on the season. The bolded is spot on.  

Not too many surprises. Think most of us expected 5-man bench. Just surprised about Mendick over Romy (though I guess it’s possibly they were denied if they petitioned?).

7 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

I am glad Goodwin is off the roster.  His defense does not belong in the playoffs, and he has not been hitting well lately.  Also prevents TLR to use him.

This. I don’t even like him on the taxi squad, TBH. I don’t want him ever fielding in a playoff game, and his bat isn’t good enough to be considered.

I would have rather the Sox DFA Goodwin before the playoffs this year, vs. when they DFA’d what would have been a very useful Detwiler before the playoffs last season.

My biggest TLR worry was actually that last night Scherzer getting pulled early would end in an STL lead and TLR would respond by letting our pitchers go way too deep to show the pansy managers how to baseball. 

Fortunately that didn't happen.

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

My biggest issue with TLR was early in the season when he quite simply didn't know the rules on multiple occasions, and continutally put the Sox in a position to fail.  He improved in late May-mid July, and post ASG - the Sox were more focused on health and rest than pushing a lead that was already a pipe dream for anyone to catch up.  

I give TLR a solid B on the season. The bolded is spot on.  

I mean I am all about the nitpicking over a few incidents, but in the grand scheme of things, this team was always about the playoffs.  As long as that wasn't screwed up, the real season starts now.

Just now, southsider2k5 said:

I mean I am all about the nitpicking over a few incidents, but in the grand scheme of things, this team was always about the playoffs.  As long as that wasn't screwed up, the real season starts now.

Yep.  

I like Romy over Mendick in the long run, but do you really want a guy on your playoff roster with 32 MLB at bats?  

Some of the early season stuff was really bad and like...ugh. 

However, he 100% did say he was learning about the team, and I do think he followed up on that. I do think he has been testing players, and I do think the playoffs will be him putting his players in the best position, which wasn't happening in april/may. Thankfully Carlos f'n rodon and Grandal basically carried this team to 20 games over and then we just kinda floated through some consistent injuries and slumps.

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I mean I am all about the nitpicking over a few incidents, but in the grand scheme of things, this team was always about the playoffs.  As long as that wasn't screwed up, the real season starts now.

For a team that was "all about the playoffs in the grand scheme of things", a number 3 seed (and effectively just needing 2 more wins) is still frustrating as all hell.

Just now, Balta1701 said:

For a team that was "all about the playoffs in the grand scheme of things", a number 3 seed (and effectively just needing 2 more wins) is still frustrating as all hell.

Doesn't life get tiring finding ways to always focus on the negatives or worst outcomes?  Enjoy this man!  Who knows how many chances at this we'll get before this window closes.  

1 hour ago, bmags said:

why is every chicago team the slowest to get rosters out

You got someplace to be?

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

For a team that was "all about the playoffs in the grand scheme of things", a number 3 seed (and effectively just needing 2 more wins) is still frustrating as all hell.

And yet if you would have asked people pre season how many wins Sox would have if Eloy missed 4 months and Robert 3.5 months and Grandal 2 months 93 wins would have been on the optimistic side

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

For a team that was "all about the playoffs in the grand scheme of things", a number 3 seed (and effectively just needing 2 more wins) is still frustrating as all hell.

If someone told you at the beginning of spring training. That Eloy and Robert would miss half the season, that Grandal would miss 5 or 6 weeks, that TA would have hamstring issues almost the entire season, that Keuchel would pitch himself off the playoff roster, I think you would take the seed.

7 minutes ago, bmags said:

My biggest TLR worry was actually that last night Scherzer getting pulled early would end in an STL lead and TLR would respond by letting our pitchers go way too deep to show the pansy managers how to baseball. 

Fortunately that didn't happen.

Wait...what??

1 minute ago, bmags said:

And yet if you would have asked people pre season how many wins Sox would have if Eloy missed 4 months and Robert 3.5 months and Grandal 2 months 93 wins would have been on the optimistic side

Well yeah but if you also gave me that the Twins and Clevelanders were going to collapse then my guess at the start of the year would have been substantially higher than the 87 I went with.

5 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

For a team that was "all about the playoffs in the grand scheme of things", a number 3 seed (and effectively just needing 2 more wins) is still frustrating as all hell.

And why didn't the pitchers throw perfect games every time and go 32-0!??!?

Just now, RibbieRubarb said:

Wait...what??

TLR was vocal about the Snell pulling after his hiring and how analytics shouldn’t make decisions.

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

Well yeah but if you also gave me that the Twins and Clevelanders were going to collapse then my guess at the start of the year would have been substantially higher than the 87 I went with.

This year was all about the playoffs for the twins too.