Game Thread: 5/26 Sox vs. Royals, 7:15pm - PPD

[Chisoxfn]

Royals have an interesting decision to make about rebuilding.

 

Do they believe they can stay in the race without Gordon (who hasn't given them anything) and Moustakas...or should they start trading off all their pieces like Cain, Hosmer, Volquez, Wade Davis and Escobar (Perez isn't going anywhere IMO)?

 

Do they believe that Morales is done or is going to recover offensively? Because they're not going anywhere with only Cain, Hosmer and Perez providing the offense. Just not enough balance. When you only have 2 total homers from FIVE spots in the batting order, you just can't survive with that little pop even if all of those guys were contact hitters (which they're not).

 

My sense is that they believe they can compete if 1) Morales isn't done, and 2) if they can add a couple of pieces at the trade deadline.

They are the defending champs. If I were them, with the goodwill of a world series, I'd be potentially buying. No one is running away with this division. Good god...sell off cause of some injuries.

 

[caulfield12]

From a PR perspective, Harvey vs. Sale is the most compelling.

That said, the one thing they can't do is let up and assume they'll just walk over the Royals now...don't think that's going to happen, though.

 

Indians have a "tough" weekend series with the Orioles. Otoh, guess we should hope they face the Twins more since they're just 2-4 against them.

[Jose Abreu]

PPD. Gonzalez tomorrow

[caulfield12]

They are the defending champs. If I were them, with the goodwill of a world series, I'd be potentially buying. No one is running away with this division. Good god...sell off cause of some injuries.

 

 

 

At any rate, the (potential) market for Gardner and Beltran just picked up even more. Of course, the Yankees aren't in the sell-off business, either. Doubt the Orioles will trade them Alvarez so they can return him to 3B.

 

The next thing is we'll hear that Shields and Wil Myers are both coming back to KC via trade.

 

 

Fairly safe to say that most prognosticators are putting all their chips with the Indians now.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

I am already calling this will be the start where Harvey turns it around......... Not a hard prediction to make, but this is where he gets going.

That was the very first thought that came to mind the moment I heard the report about him making his start and who he's facing. The White Sox are like a travelling Coop Will Fix 'Em clinic for struggling opposing pitchers.

[caulfield12]

CURSE OF THE OFF-DAYS CONTINUES. Started with the Thurs/Monday combo after the Rangers' series.

Well, everyone can focus on OKC/GS again.

 

In other MLB news, Odor suspension reduced by one game.

[Panerista]

In other MLB news, Odor suspension reduced by one game.

They replace him with Jurickson Profar? Not too shabby

[BigHurt3515]

Rain sucks

[LittleHurt05]

They replace him with Jurickson Profar? Not too shabby

 

Can you replace a guy on the roster when suspended?

[greg775]

They are the defending champs. If I were them, with the goodwill of a world series, I'd be potentially buying. No one is running away with this division. Good god...sell off cause of some injuries.

I agree. Really all they need is a Shields/Cueto type of No. 1 guy they can trade for at the break. The bullpen thing they have going is still good as long as they get the good Soria, not the bad one. That potentially will keep them mediocre. Soria can screw up their whole bullpen thing.

[greg775]

That storm that passed through Lawrence to the west of Kauffman was mighty bad and scary. Still got a lot of lightning going on. NCAA track meet is here and they are f***ed considering it's supposed to keep storming 4-5 days. These pop up storms are nasty.

[caulfield12]

Not sure.

 

Guess he meant more in the sense they would have to bring up someone to play 2B everyday for a week.

 

I suppose Hanser Alberto could do that as well, but maybe they want to see how he looks after surgery...originally, he was a SS and the thinking coming into this offseason was that they might need to shift him to CF/LF.

 

Theoretically, Desmond could play there as well, but not sure if they'd want to mess with another position change after he's just gotten acclimated in LF.

 

 

RangersTalk over. Back to SoxTalk and the disappointment of a rainout.

[caulfield12]

I agree. Really all they need is a Shields/Cueto type of No. 1 guy they can trade for at the break. The bullpen thing they have going is still good as long as they get the good Soria, not the bad one. That potentially will keep them mediocre. Soria can screw up their whole bullpen thing.

 

 

Yes and no. They still have Hochevar for the 7th (as well), but, over the course of a full season, you can't make it with just three dependable relievers. You need a fourth, and, with Duffy back in the rotation, they're also missing a lefty. Supposedly Tim Collins is coming back soon but at one point that timetable was May and now it's already June.

 

All that said, it's much easier to find a reliever than a 3B.

 

And Soria has been pitching much better recently, has his ERA back to the mid 3's.

 

 

[SoCalSox]

Am I the only one somewhat relieved tonight's game in cancelled? This day off could be a good thing. Time to regroup & figure out what the hell is going on.

[Lip Man 1]

Great news...Sox can't lose tonight! Woo Hoo!

 

Mark

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Great news! Can focus on the Pens ECF game 7

[Panerista]

Can you replace a guy on the roster when suspended?

I don't believe so, but Jurickson Profar will replace Odor at 2nd.

[Dam8610]

So Gonzalez gets skipped then, right?

[caulfield12]

NOPE.

 

Gonzalez/Duffy tmrw...Royals pushing back Ian Kennedy to next week, Ventura Sat and Volquez Sun.

 

Sale vs. Mets next week in NYC.

[BigHurt3515]

Smart, let's push back our best pitcher against a division rival

[southsider2k5]

NOPE.

 

Gonzalez/Duffy tmrw...Royals pushing back Ian Kennedy to next week, Ventura Sat and Volquez Sun.

 

Sale vs. Mets next week in NYC.

 

I wonder if after his worst start of the year, they are worried about getting Sale an extra day of rest?

[caulfield12]

Yeah, someone mentioned that Sale has pitched much better on an extra day of rest...he had that hellacious 40+ pitch inning with those extended at-bats with Ramirez and Uribe, they must be a BIT concerned about the aftereffects.

 

However, putting him in the spotlight in a game where everyone will be watching to see what Matt Harvey does...he's either going to dial it back down and throw lower 90's and only occasionally throw 96-97 or he's going to end up repeating his CLE game by overthrowing and trying to duel with Harvey on the radar gun.

 

Hopefully he's matured beyond doing that and is more concerned with just getting out of there with another win.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah, someone mentioned that Sale has pitched much better on an extra day of rest...he had that hellacious 40+ pitch inning with those extended at-bats with Ramirez and Uribe, they must be a BIT concerned about the aftereffects.

 

However, putting him in the spotlight in a game where everyone will be watching to see what Matt Harvey does...he's either going to dial it back down and throw lower 90's and only occasionally throw 96-97 or he's going to end up repeating his CLE game by overthrowing and trying to duel with Harvey on the radar gun.

 

Hopefully he's matured beyond doing that and is more concerned with just getting out of there with another win.

 

It is also worth noting that the team has already used moved the rotation around twice to keep say on 4 days rest instead of keeping the 5 man rotation in tact. This is the first time this season that they are letting Sale get longer rest out of the three chances they have had.