We can look at the AL Central standings and see that the Sox are only 3 GB of Minnesota and think this team is still better than 50/50 to win the AL Central.

Doesn't matter. Here are the real standings the Sox should care about:

Yankees +3.5

Astros ---

Sox -5.5

Sox are 5.5 games out of the 2nd seed. That's where they need to get to have a realistic chance of advancing even as far as the ALCS. Winning the division and getting the 3rd seed lands you in the Wild Card round against TOR, TB or LA, and if you survive that you get a DS rematch with Houston, again without home field advantage. It's a death sentence.

Cease/Giolito/Kopech/Lynn/Cueto might end up as the best rotation in the AL. Kelly and Graveman might get back on track and make the bullpen lethal. But if the offense doesn't get it together and get it together quickly, the chance to catch the Astros could be gone by the end of June.

The Sox have four players with a WRC+ over 100, and one of those is Mendick, and I wouldn't bother trading prospects for rentals if catching Houston isn't realistic.

17 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

We can look at the AL Central standings and see that the Sox are only 3 GB of Minnesota and think this team is still better than 50/50 to win the AL Central.

Doesn't matter. Here are the real standings the Sox should care about:

Yankees +3.5

Astros ---

Sox -5.5

Sox are 5.5 games out of the 2nd seed. That's where they need to get to have a realistic chance of advancing even as far as the ALCS. Winning the division and getting the 3rd seed lands you in the Wild Card round against TOR, TB or LA, and if you survive that you get a DS rematch with Houston, again without home field advantage. It's a death sentence.

Cease/Giolito/Kopech/Lynn/Cueto might end up as the best rotation in the AL. Kelly and Graveman might get back on track and make the bullpen lethal. But if the offense doesn't get it together and get it together quickly, the chance to catch the Astros could be gone by the end of June.

The Sox have four players with a WRC+ over 100, and one of those is Mendick, and I wouldn't bother trading prospects for rentals if catching Houston isn't realistic.

No it isn't. Harder road to be sure, wild card teams have won the world series. I just want us to be healthey and whole going in to the playoffs.

2 minutes ago, kleedawg said:

No it isn't. Harder road to be sure, wild card teams have won the world series. I just want us to be healthey and whole going in to the playoffs.

White Sox have the best playoff atmosphere of any ballpark. They need to take advantage 

46 minutes ago, kleedawg said:

No it isn't. Harder road to be sure, wild card teams have won the world series. I just want us to be healthey and whole going in to the playoffs.

This sounds like the narrative last season and we all saw how that went.

Yeah, I’m not ready for this thread when they’re not even in the top 6. Worry about seeding once you have the division, you can’t get a seed higher than 4 until you have a solid lead on the Twins.

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Yeah, I’m not ready for this thread when they’re not even in the top 6. Worry about seeding once you have the division, you can’t get a seed higher than 4 until you have a solid lead on the Twins.

My point is that a lead on the Twins isn't relevant. Treat the gap to the Astros/Yankees like it's the gap to the division lead.

They aren't even treating day to day games as important.  Kinda makes it hard to get riled up about home field advantage for the playoffs.

11 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

My point is that a lead on the Twins isn't relevant. Treat the gap to the Astros/Yankees like it's the gap to the division lead.

You have to make the playoffs first.  Baby steps.

Winning the world series is the ultimate goal but Id still rather win the division than nothing.  The sox clearly arent on the level on the Yankees.

Edited May 20, 20223 yr by Green Line

Just now, Green Line said:

You have to make the playoffs first.  Baby steps.

Winning the world series is the ultimate goal but Is still rather win the division than nothing.  The sox clearly arent on the level on the Yankees.

I wouldn't trade prospects for rentals if a top 2 seed is not realistic. Save them for offseason trades instead.

13 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

My point is that a lead on the Twins isn't relevant. Treat the gap to the Astros/Yankees like it's the gap to the division lead.

You are right on.  I can't believe the new format wasn't discussed much more here, it greatly neutralized the advantage of playing in the the weak AL Central.  

Sox need to take advantage of the final year of the unbalanced schedule to get a top 2 seed.  

15 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

They aren't even treating day to day games as important.  Kinda makes it hard to get riled up about home field advantage for the playoffs.

I'm doing the opposite. I'm not getting riled up about being only 3 behind the Twins because of how hard it will be to overcome Houston or New York.

40 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said:

I'm doing the opposite. I'm not getting riled up about being only 3 behind the Twins because of how hard it will be to overcome Houston or New York.

Until the manager starts treating this like a playoff team.  I am taking the Jim Mora approach.

This team isn't getting a top 2 seed.  Fairly confident in that. 

That said, the 2nd half of the schedule is pretty damn friendly for the Sox.  Hopefully we're a different team by then and damage can be done.  

For now though, I am much more worried about making the playoffs as opposed to playoff matchups. 

3 hours ago, T R U said:

This sounds like the narrative last season and we all saw how that went.

so last year's result is indicative of every years result?

30 minutes ago, kleedawg said:

so last year's result is indicative of every years result?

Because they made the playoffs while taking 2 months off for R&R last year, they obviously will be able to do so again. No one will challenge them for the division. Ask this poster:

5 hours ago, kleedawg said:

No it isn't. Harder road to be sure, wild card teams have won the world series. I just want us to be healthey and whole going in to the playoffs.

 

Wake me up when they start playing to their capabilities and are healthy.

7 hours ago, CentralChamps21 said:

We can look at the AL Central standings and see that the Sox are only 3 GB of Minnesota and think this team is still better than 50/50 to win the AL Central.

Doesn't matter. Here are the real standings the Sox should care about:

Yankees +3.5

Astros ---

Sox -5.5

Sox are 5.5 games out of the 2nd seed. That's where they need to get to have a realistic chance of advancing even as far as the ALCS. Winning the division and getting the 3rd seed lands you in the Wild Card round against TOR, TB or LA, and if you survive that you get a DS rematch with Houston, again without home field advantage. It's a death sentence.

Cease/Giolito/Kopech/Lynn/Cueto might end up as the best rotation in the AL. Kelly and Graveman might get back on track and make the bullpen lethal. But if the offense doesn't get it together and get it together quickly, the chance to catch the Astros could be gone by the end of June.

The Sox have four players with a WRC+ over 100, and one of those is Mendick, and I wouldn't bother trading prospects for rentals if catching Houston isn't realistic.

The real standings are on August 1st.

2 hours ago, kleedawg said:

so last year's result is indicative of every years result?

Somewhat, yes. Having to go on the road through the playoffs is much more difficult then getting to play with home field advantage obviously. 

The White Sox will either miss the playoffs or host the 6 seed for 3 games. I'd take my chances in that first series with Giolito, Lynn and Cease. 

8 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The White Sox will either miss the playoffs or host the 6 seed for 3 games. I'd take my chances in that first series with Giolito, Lynn and Cease. 

How many veteran starters with QOs have struggled kicking the season off in the middle?  That’s essentially what he is doing.

Think we have to prefer preserving Kopech somehow for that playoff rotation.  Might not be possible.  Could end up like a less dramatic Strasburg situation where they announce an innings cap, especially if Rodon goes down in SF.  We shall see.  

9 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Because they made the playoffs while taking 2 months off for R&R last year, they obviously will be able to do so again. No one will challenge them for the division. Ask this poster:

 

Because being healthy and taking 2 months of are the same things? And I never said no one would challenge us for the division or thatwe would even win the division.

18 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The White Sox will either miss the playoffs or host the 6 seed for 3 games. I'd take my chances in that first series with Giolito, Lynn and Cease. 

This seems to be the most plausible scenario.  The organization doesn't seem to have any sense of urgency, and that is how they have played. 

Until we hear, “The White Sox advance to the American League Championship Series”, this rebuild is a failure. 

So yeah, it’s probably going to take winning a weak division, winning a best-of-3 at home, and a best-of-5 (winning a road game or two) to get there. 

6 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

This seems to be the most plausible scenario.  The organization doesn't seem to have any sense of urgency, and that is how they have played. 

Sad part is they’ve gotten a lot of the fan base to buy into that same way of thinking. 
“All they have to do is make the playoffs, anything can happen once you’re in!”

What a crock of shit. 

15 hours ago, Tony said:

Sad part is they’ve gotten a lot of the fan base to buy into that same way of thinking. 
“All they have to do is make the playoffs, anything can happen once you’re in!”

What a crock of shit. 

We all saw it coming as they coasted into the playoffs last year and were promptly obliterated by a seasoned post season team.  And turned around and put a much worse team on the field with the same hubris. 

Edited May 22, 20223 yr by Tnetennba