3 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

Grandal can’t throw runners out, and has problems with pitches on the dirt.  But his hitting is good with great OBP.  Suitable for DH and back up catcher.

Is there a catcher alive that would actually throw runners out the way the White Sox pitchers let them get jumps?

53 minutes ago, macsandz said:

LaRussa is gonna return which means JR is gonna spend. 

$170M would be all-time high for JR and a top 10 payroll for the league I believe.  I just can’t see him going above that next year, especially with the potential for a work stoppage.

Just now, Dick Allen said:

Is there a catcher alive that would actually throw runners out the way the White Sox pitchers let them get jumps?

Seriously everybody loves to shit on Grandal but every Sox starter is awful at holding guys on but Keuchel. Rodon is about as bad as you can be as a lefty. Lynn doesn't even seem to care. Cease won't shorten up won't vary his looks. Kopech looks like he just loses focus. Kimbrel's big slow leg kick should be ran on all day. It's very bad. 

8 minutes ago, Joshua Strong said:

Hopefully Jerry sees what we all saw, comes to his sense and fires TLR.

It all starts and stop with him. And if he refuses to do so, its going to be another wasted year. 

Agree with you.  Problem with TLR returning is that he is not going to learn from his mistakes.  He does not adjust.  He is set on his ways.  Will be a repeat of all the blunders of this season.

6 hours ago, ron883 said:

If Abreu hits into less GIDPs, this team is in a great spot. 

Solution is simple. Hit and run with Abreu at the plate whenever possible.  We have speedy guys ahead of him.  Pressure the defense, focus Abreu and create holes in the infield.  It’s worth a try.  What we are doing now is not working.  Abreu has led MLB in DP hit the last three seasons.  Problem isTLR does not adjust.  

13 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

Grandal can’t throw runners out, and has problems with pitches on the dirt.  But his hitting is good with great OBP.  Suitable for DH and back up catcher.

It’s apparent that he changes the way he calls the game once runners are on base because of his lack of confidence with pitches in the dirt. It was a night and day difference between him and Maldonado in this series. Maldonado didn’t change the game plan with runners on because he trusted his ability to block balls in the dirt. Can’t say the same for Grandal. No advanced metric will capture this either but it’s a big problem and has been ever since he arrived.

11 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Seriously everybody loves to shit on Grandal but every Sox starter is awful at holding guys on but Keuchel. Rodon is about as bad as you can be as a lefty. Lynn doesn't even seem to care. Cease won't shorten up won't vary his looks. Kopech looks like he just loses focus. Kimbrel's big slow leg kick should be ran on all day. It's very bad. 

I’m more perturbed by his game calling and the fact that he leans heavily on fastballs with runners on base because he’s afraid of passed balls/wild pitches. You can’t do that. Not at this level, that’s for sure.

9 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

Solution is simple. Hit and run with Abreu at the plate whenever possible.  We have speedy guys ahead of him.  Pressure the defense, focus Abreu and create holes in the infield.  It’s worth a try.  What we are doing now is not working.  Abreu has led MLB in DP hit the last three seasons.  Problem isTLR does not adjust.  

Yes, I'm sure Jose will love the constant hit and runs when he is up to bat, constantly requiring him to swing at a pitch regardless of where it is at. 

Edited October 13, 20214 yr by ron883

14 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Seriously everybody loves to shit on Grandal but every Sox starter is awful at holding guys on but Keuchel. Rodon is about as bad as you can be as a lefty. Lynn doesn't even seem to care. Cease won't shorten up won't vary his looks. Kopech looks like he just loses focus. Kimbrel's big slow leg kick should be ran on all day. It's very bad. 

100% this - the bases were completely stolen on the pitcher.  

I really hope the team really upgrades their bench going into next year.  

Edited October 13, 20214 yr by Joshua Strong

19 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Seriously everybody loves to shit on Grandal but every Sox starter is awful at holding guys on but Keuchel. Rodon is about as bad as you can be as a lefty. Lynn doesn't even seem to care. Cease won't shorten up won't vary his looks. Kopech looks like he just loses focus. Kimbrel's big slow leg kick should be ran on all day. It's very bad. 

This is all true.  It doesn't mean that Grandal isn't terrible as well.

1 minute ago, Joshua Strong said:

I really hope the teams really upgrades their bench going into next year.  

The bench was ok this year.  Definitely need a new back-up catcher.

18 hours ago, fathom said:

He’s basically Madrigal 

No, David Fletcher is 5'9 not 5'0

6 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

I’m more perturbed by his game calling and the fact that he leans heavily on fastballs with runners on base because he’s afraid of passed balls/wild pitches. You can’t do that. Not at this level, that’s for sure.

Is there any support of this theory?

Just now, turnin' two said:

This is all true.  It doesn't mean that Grandal isn't terrible as well.

When the base is stolen on the pitcher it doesn't matter if it is Grandal, you, me or a young roided out Pudge Rodriguez back there.

I'm guessing the reason why called a lot of fastballs this series is because very few of our pitchers could get a breaking ball over for a strike.

1 minute ago, raBBit said:

Is there any support of this theory?

When the base is stolen on the pitcher it doesn't matter if it is Grandal, you, me or a young roided out Pudge Rodriguez back there.

Did you watch this series?

2 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Did you watch this series?

If you don't have proof that's fine I was just asking. 

5 minutes ago, Bunt Ritual said:

I'm guessing the reason why called a lot of fastballs this series is because very few of our pitchers could get a breaking ball over for a strike.

The only pitcher who consistently got his breaking stuff over was Tepera, and Bummer once. No one else did.

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

I'd be open to selling high on Sheets as I am not convinced he's suddenly a lefty masher in the bigs, but man, he sure looked the part.  But we need leftys so that would be a little ass backwards, but he is a DH only so just makes the log jam worse.  No way I am trading Eloy or Vaughn coming off 21 - would just be stupid.  Abreu is going nowhere.  Nor is Yaz.  

So yeah, not really sure there is much wiggle room there.  Only way all these guys fit is if Sox stay in house with RF and commit to a dog shit OF defense.  

The problem with moving Sheets is you’re going to get the least amount in return, so you’re basically moving him for little benefit.  I agree that moving Eloy would be a poor decision given the season he just had.   As for Vaughn, I think most savvy organizations would realize how good he was in Jul & Aug before getting injured / running out of gas and would be all over him.  I’d hate to move him, but if I can get a similar player at another position it may be the most value additive way to clear surplus we currently have.

12 minutes ago, Bunt Ritual said:

I'm guessing the reason why called a lot of fastballs this series is because very few of our pitchers could get a breaking ball over for a strike.

I didn’t go through the entire game but quickly went through the pitching logs for Rodon and Kopech yesterday. Rodon threw 21 offspeed pitches, 11 for strikes. Kopech threw 5 offspeed pitches, 4 for strikes. 5 out of the 6 hits they gave up were on fastballs.

I think Crochet is gone this offseason, his development is so off track. Hes either a reliever with us or a starter elsewhere. I am only saying that because he hasnt been stretched out at all and i cant imagine relief duty is what he wants to do to start his career. The time to stretch out his arm isnt during our window imo.

10 minutes ago, raBBit said:

If you don't have proof that's fine I was just asking. 

I’m unaware of statistic that tracks it but watching the games you can see he starts calling more fastballs with runners on. Not sure what else to say.

2 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

I didn’t go through the entire game but quickly went through the pitching logs for Rodon and Kopech yesterday. Rodon threw 21 offspeed pitches, 11 for strikes. Kopech threw 5 offspeed pitches, 4 for strikes. 5 out of the 6 hits they gave up were on fastballs.

Crochet threw 4 offspeed pitches, 3 for strikes. Tepera threw 14 offspeed pitches, 7 for strikes. So the first three guys were actually getting their offspeed pitches over for strikes more than Tepera despite everyone’s perception. It’s just that Tepera threw a hell of a lot more offspeed and it worked, surprise!

3 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Crochet threw 4 offspeed pitches, 3 for strikes. Tepera threw 14 offspeed pitches, 7 for strikes. So the first three guys were actually getting their offspeed pitches over for strikes more than Tepera despite everyone’s perception. It’s just that Tepera threw a hell of a lot more offspeed and it worked, surprise!

The two hits allowed by Crochet and Tepera were on fastballs. I don’t have the time or energy to go through the entire series but I’m sure you’ll find a similar pattern through all four games. Why didn’t Grandal or anyone else pick up on it? Meanwhile, Astros pitchers are junk balling Sox hitters to death…

Edited October 13, 20214 yr by JUSTgottaBELIEVE

11 minutes ago, reiks12 said:

I think Crochet is gone this offseason, his development is so off track. Hes either a reliever with us or a starter elsewhere. I am only saying that because he hasnt been stretched out at all and i cant imagine relief duty is what he wants to do to start his career. The time to stretch out his arm isnt during our window imo.

We handled his development to a starter horribly.  Undisputed. He is now a reliever for his career unless someone wants to let him pitch in the minors for 2+ years to build up innings

Edited October 13, 20214 yr by Squirmin' for Yermin