30 minutes ago, fathom said:

Burger should be facing LHP

Burger is 0-3 with 2ks against skubal, so maybe they dont like the matchup.

 

TA has feasted off him with 5/10 and 4 doubles. Abreu has also hit him well and the rest of the team really only has about 1 game against him including Luis with only 1 at bat. 

Hopefully they can pound him early and then the bottom part of the order is just gravy.

Reese has only caught Kopech in any game action since he was traded. Might be a good spot due to some relative familiarity. Also, Kopech’s off speed stuff has been a little wild. Might be good to have a defensive catcher behind the plate despite his not so great stats against lefty’s. 

Thank jeebus TA is back!

trotting out the Sunday special lineup with a day off tomorrow makes zero sense. Managers gonna manage. 

43 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Well, that’s a lineup. No idea why Mendick needs to play at all. 

If you never play, you'll never be ready to play when needed.  This is longstanding TLA rule #1: everyone is kept ready to go in. 

Just now, gogosox1959 said:

If you never play, you'll never be ready to play when needed.  This is longstanding TLA rule #1: everyone is kept ready to go in. 

Mendick shouldn’t even be on the roster now that Tim is back and can get ready in AAA.

29 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

JFC…I hate these “let’s give everyone a start in the first series” type lineups.  Grandal has a 152 wRC+ against LHP the past three seasons whereas McGuire has been terrible against lefties (15 wRC+) and pretty solid against righties (102 wRC+).  Maybe just wait until next series to get him a start to better optimize the lineup each game?

And then you have Burger on the bench despite destroying LHP in AAA last year (1.035 OPS).  Realistically he should be at 3B every time we face a southpaw, but if you feel compelled to play Harrison today why not do so at 2B?  Mendick has reverse spits (55 wRC+ vs LHP in his short career) and really has no business getting playing time with Tim now back and Leury actually being slightly above league average against LHP.

I know this will trigger some people here, but I truly believe Tony doesn’t understand how platooning / splits work and it’s extremely frustrating as he’s leaving a lot of value on the table.

While I would have made some different decisions, I want to add one note on here partially supporting putting a guy like Burger on the bench for a game this series. Literally everyone on the team got less of a spring training than normal, and Burger obviously has a pair of injuries in his background. An extra day off in the first series is well justified based on that. We are already seeing the results of the short spring in other players. Maybe it should have been yesterday with the righty on the mound, but it has to be done.

Same statement with Grandal. The White Sox have plenty of DHs, Grandal had knee problems last year, playing him in all 3 games of a 3 game series early in the year is not well supported. 

I doubt it will happen, but I’d also try to give Robert, Abreu, and Eloy each an extra offday sometime in the next week, same reason.

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

While I would have made some different decisions, I want to add one note on here partially supporting putting a guy like Burger on the bench for a game this series. Literally everyone on the team got less of a spring training than normal, and Burger obviously has a pair of injuries in his background. An extra day off in the first series is well justified based on that. We are already seeing the results of the short spring in other players. Maybe it should have been yesterday with the righty on the mound, but it has to be done.

Same statement with Grandal. The White Sox have plenty of DHs, Grandal had knee problems last year, playing him in all 3 games of a 3 game series early in the year is not well supported. 

I doubt it will happen, but I’d also try to give Robert, Abreu, and Eloy each an extra offday sometime in the next week, same reason.

I don’t think any positional player needs two out of four days off to start the season because of a short spring training.  These guys aren’t pitchers where a buildup is necessary and they should be completely fresh right now.

5 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I don’t think any positional player needs two out of four days off to start the season because of a short spring training.  These guys aren’t pitchers where a buildup is necessary and they should be completely fresh right now.

Burger has technically played 3 out of 4 days since he started the 1st game in Charlotte (and came out that game with a slight injury before being called up). We don't know what these guys are dealing with on a day to day basis and its not like TLR is straight benching him. 

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

Well, that’s a lineup. No idea why Mendick needs to play at all. 

Yeah That's a head scratcher for me too.

Well TLR did say yesterday he wanted to get everyone playing time. I guess this does it idk

1 minute ago, SoxAce said:

Burger has technically played 3 out of 4 days since he started the 1st game in Charlotte (and came out that game with a slight injury before being called up). We don't know what these guys are dealing with on a day to day basis and its not like TLR is straight benching him. 

There obviously could be more there, but I really doubt this about anything more than just giving every guy a start the first series.

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

Well, that’s a lineup. No idea why Mendick needs to play at all. 

Right? Especially getting Anderson back today and a day off tomorrow ?‍♂️

Edited April 10, 20223 yr by Bob Sacamano

1 hour ago, Chicago White Sox said:

JFC…I hate these “let’s give everyone a start in the first series” type lineups.  Grandal has a 152 wRC+ against LHP the past three seasons whereas McGuire has been terrible against lefties (15 wRC+) and pretty solid against righties (102 wRC+).  Maybe just wait until next series to get him a start to better optimize the lineup each game?

And then you have Burger on the bench despite destroying LHP in AAA last year (1.035 OPS).  Realistically he should be at 3B every time we face a southpaw, but if you feel compelled to play Harrison today why not do so at 2B?  Mendick has reverse spits (55 wRC+ vs LHP in his short career) and really has no business getting playing time with Tim now back and Leury actually being slightly above league average against LHP.

I know this will trigger some people here, but I truly believe Tony doesn’t understand how platooning / splits work and it’s extremely frustrating as he’s leaving a lot of value on the table.

Yeah makes no sense to fit your 28th man on the roster into a starting lineup. Play him later in games or if an injury occurs.

45 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Nice pitching matchup.

Not to be the Debbie downer but I really don't know what to expect from Kopech today. His last outing in ST was awful! No control. Couldn't even finish the 2nd before being pulled and then coming back out in the 3rd for more work.

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

Well, that’s a lineup. No idea why Mendick needs to play at all. 

Perhaps Leury brain cramp yesterday earned some bench

23 minutes ago, HahnsKiddieTable said:

Well TLR did say yesterday he wanted to get everyone playing time. I guess this does it idk

What a stupid approach for TLR. Of course the season is a marathon, but let us get out of the first week guy.

They should play the old rant from Coach Herm Edwards.  "You play to win the game."

wow that 6,7,8,9 looks... underwhelming

Not playing Burger against a lefty on his birthday isn't very nice of Tony.

48 minutes ago, Marqhead said:

Thank jeebus TA is back!

trotting out the Sunday special lineup with a day off tomorrow makes zero sense. Managers gonna manage. 

Oh my God!  He just wants everybody to officially play.  
 

Apologies if you were trolling the nervous guys on here

2 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

What a stupid approach for TLR. Of course the season is a marathon, but let us get out of the first week guy.

This is what he does.  It was what he did in St Louis.  This is what he did in Oakland.  Basically, everyone plays almost every week.  It is about preparedness and also builds morale.  

6 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

What a stupid approach for TLR. Of course the season is a marathon, but let us get out of the first week guy.

I guess TLR is thinking your starters can’t get hurt if you don’t play them….

TLR "Well I could play Mendick at 2nd, and give Harrison the day off...

"Wait, what was I thinking?  Who would grind for us?  Whew."

16 minutes ago, gogosox1959 said:

This is what he does.  It was what he did in St Louis.  This is what he did in Oakland.  Basically, everyone plays almost every week.  It is about preparedness and also builds morale.  

I think the Sox delivered a Larussa model then. 5 or 6 starters, and platoon everything else with people that nominally all can play musical chairs. This is fine.

Edited April 10, 20223 yr by Chick Mercedes

Well on the bright side, the OF defense improves tremendously today with Engel in RF.