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Um...The Astros have something of a sordid history involving their use of video.

You're fucking this up bro.

Guys I can't be happy with the playoffs because Melky Cabrera wasn't good when we were bad and also the trade for Charlie Tilson didn't pan out. F-

That's a shame...a darn shame.

Cheating POS Cora should of not been allowed to manage again.

Na na na na Hey hey hey Goodbye

Seems like A Rod is treading on Benetti's turf.

If we lose, we will come to Iowa and find you.

You'll see a whole page of "take him out" or "FUCK" and the Sox will be leading 5-1.

FWIW, FanGraphs writers have us as the overwhelming favorites in this series. They also have us as favorites in the ALCS and tied with the Dodgers for the World Series. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/heres-whos-going-to-maybe-win-the-2021-world-series/

This is the kinda stuff that will make me never feel remotely bad about finding not-so-legal means of watching things. Miss me with the artificial scarcity shit.

This is an absolute joke. Really feel for those who can't watch. No local fan should be shut out of a playoff game.

James Fegan wrote an article with a paragraph or two about the player and specifics of how they were acquired. https://theathletic.com/2862389/2021/10/03/how-the-white-sox-built-their-division-winner-rebuild-trades-free-agent-splashes-and-hidden-gems/?source=emp_shared_article&redirected=1 Below I have grouped the players using James' article categories, and have added their 2021 salary and final bWAR. (P Min = Prorated ML Minimum for time on roster). Rebuild Trades ($27.9M; 19.4 bWAR) Lance Lynn ($9.3M; 5.4); Lucas Giolito ($4.2M; 4.3); Reynaldo Lopez ($2.1M; 0.9) for Adam Eaton (2017-2020 $29.4M; 4.8) & Avery Weems (High A). Dylan Cease ($0.6M; 2.9); Eloy Jimenez ($4.3M; 0.6) for Jose Quintana (2017-2020 $36.9M; 4.6). Yoan Moncada ($6.8M; 4.0); Michael Kopech ($0.6M; 1.3) for Chris Sale (2017-2019 $39.5M; 15.4). High Draft Picks ($10.0M; 7.4 bWAR) Tim Anderson ($7.3M; 4.6) - 2013 1st Round (17th pick) Garrett Crochet ($0.6M; 1.3) - 2020 1st Round (11th pick) Nick Madrigal (P Min; 1.2) - 2018 1st Round (4th pick) Jake Burger (P Min, 0.4) - 2017 1st Round (11th pick) Andrew Vaughn ($0.6M; 0.2) - 2019 1st Round (3rd pick) Gavin Sheets (P Min; 0.2) - 2017 2nd Round Zack Collins ($0.6M; -0.5) - 2016 1st Round (10th pick) Cuban Connection ($21.2M; 6.6 bWAR) Luis Robert ($3.5M; 3.6) - Signed May 27, 2017 Jose Abreu ($17.7M; 3.0) - Signed October 29, 2013 We Mean Business Free Agent Signings ($58.6M; 11.5 bWAR) Carlos Rodon ($3.0M; 5.1) - Signed February 1, 2021 Yasmani Grandal ($18.3M; 3.7) - Signed November 21, 2019 Liam Hendriks ($11.3M; 2.6) - Signed January 15, 2021 Dallas Keuchel ($18.0M; 0.1) - Signed December 30, 2019 Adam Eaton ($8.0M; 0.0) - Signed December 10, 2020 Deadline Deals ($12.8M; 1.8 bWAR) Leury Garcia ($3.5M; 2.0) - Acquired August 11, 2013 as player to be named in the August 9, 2013 trade of Alex Rios ($16.3M; 1.2). Ryan Tepera ($0.3M; 0.6) - Acquired July 29, 2021 for Bailey Horn (High A). Craig Kimbrel ($7.1M; 0.0) - Acquired July 30, 2021 for Nick Madrigal ($0.2M; 0.0) & Codi Heuer ($0.2M; 0.5). Cesar Hernandez ($1.9M; -0.8) - Acquired July 29, 2021 for Konnor Pilkington (AA). Very Late Draft Picks ($5.2M; 0.9 bWAR) Adam Engel ($1.4M; 1.5) - 2013 19th Round Aaron Bummer ($2.0M; 0.5) - 2014 19th Round Codi Heuer ($0.6M; 0.0) - 2018 6th Round Romy Gonzalez (P Min; -0.1) - 2018 18th Round Jimmy Lambert (P Min; -0.1) - 2016 5th Round Seby Zavala (P Min; -0.2) - 2015 12th Round Danny Mendick (P Min; -0.3) - 2015 22nd Round Matt Foster ($0.6M; -0.4) - 2016 20th Round Give That Pro Scout A Raise ($6.5M; 2.6 bWAR) Ryan Burr ($0.6M; 1.1) - Signed as a free agent on December 16, 2019. Jose Ruiz ($0.6M; 1.1) - Selected off waivers from the San Diego Padres on December 22, 2017. Yermin Mercedes ($0.6M; 0.5) - Drafted in the Rule 5 Draft from the Baltimore Orioles on December 14, 2017. Billy Hamilton ($1.0M; 0.3) - Signed as a free agent on March 16, 2021. Mike Wright Jr. (P Min; 0.0) - Signed as a free agent on December 24, 2020. Jake Lamb ($0.8M; 0.0) - Signed as a free agent on March 30, 2021. Evan Marshall ($2.0M; -0.2) - Signed as a free agent on October 30, 2018. Brian Goodwin ($0.8M; -0.2) - Signed as a free agent on May 5, 2021. Note: I moved Adam Eaton from "Rebuild Trades" and Carlos Rodon from "High Draft Picks" to Free Agent Signings reflect their 2021 acquisition; and also moved Codi Heuer to Very Late Draft picks (was in Deadline Deals). Note: Batters not mentioned in the article who played for the Chicago White Sox this season include Luis Gonzalez (P Min; 0.1) and Nick Williams (P Min; -0.3). Pitchers not mentioned who pitched for the Whtie Sox include Zack Burdi (P Min; -0.1), Jace Fry ($0.9M; -0.3) and Jonathan Stiever (P Min; 0.0).

Even in defeat the Yankees are arrogant. Boone in the postgame just now: “this shows the league is closing the gap on us.” Uh, you are the wildcard loser. You didn’t win the AL last year. The Yankees are not the standard in the AL against which other teams are measured, despite what ESPN tells you. Worry about making the f’ing playoffs next time. Also, “there’s….some teams in the Central who are getting better now.” No mention of the Sox. Well, he can watch us this week from home and get acquainted.

Did I mention I hate the fucking Yankees???

Sox vs Sox ALCS is what I really want

A-Rod is so bad.

He said homers by both Schwarber and Rizzo real popular in the Chicago market.

Anything but a 0 tonight was going to be a disappointment from Cole. He’s being paid to be the best in the league. Hope he keeps getting torched

Love seeing someone the Yankees are paying that much money to giving it up.

I wish that poster that loved radio frequencies would come back

He was 100 years old, not 99. As an oldster who became a Sox fan in 1952, I remember him along with a few others from the early GO GO years. He had a nice career and played with almost every team in the AL, sort of wierd that his best year with home runs was with the Sox while playing in cavernous Comiskey Park.

Do you want his social security number too? I mean as old as he is, it is probably like five numbers.

If you check baseball’s free fall ratings decline over the past few decades, there are fewer customers each year. Jerry and his fellow RSN owners are fleecing what they can off the remaining dying cable audience, many of whom don’t even watch their shitty broadcasts, too cheap to send their announcers to half the games. Their most recent brilliant ideas, kill 42 minor league franchises to destroy fan interest further in those communities, and lock out players for 2/3 of the season. Next on tap, a 2022 lockout followed by a permanent devaluation of the regular season, but not before their drunk commissioner hands out “the piece of metal”.

I think you are doing is missing your chance to Aye or Nay…

It is completely asinine that in 2021, a fan can’t go on MLB.com, type in a credit card number, and have an option to watch any damn game they please, either a la carte, for a whole season for any team, or all teams. Period. You want to know why football and basketball have left you in the dust decades ago? It’s asinine game stewardship like MLB broadcast policy that shuts out fans willing to pay. Live in Vegas or Iowa or other places, you’re blacked out for up to six teams (though you can at least go to a Sportsbook in Vegas).

Who made the last game thread the last time we played the Astros in the playoffs? Technically i guess that would be every game that series haha edit: just checked. It was @Heads22!

MLB wonders why their viewership is underwhelming. THIS hoop jumping surely doesn't help. I pay 120 bucks a year for MLB.tv and they don't give a crap.

I don't know why any fan is shut out of watching playoff baseball. I subscribe to MLB.TV and HULU and I get only the Sunday game here in Michigan. Not a happy camper.

If only we had drafted Mike Trout instead of Jared Mitchell, we would have a dynasty like the Angels.

I myself can't get it out of my head how Mark Teahan was so great against us and then could not play well for us....I hope I am ok by Thursday but I have my doubts....starting to think about how disappointed I was in Viciedo now.

From umpire scorecards: G1 HP Adam Hamari had two Sox games this year, home win 13-3 over MIN and 4-3 home win over BOS. Both games were rated as being called slightly in favor of the Sox G2 HP Chris Conroy had three Sox games this year, home win 11-0 over DET, home loss 9-3 to LAA and an 11-0 win at DET. All three games were rated as being slightly in favor of the team that won. G3 HP and Crew Chief Tom Hallion had two Sox games this year, 7-5 home win over SEA, 11-5 loss at DET. Both game were rated as being called slightly in favor of the opponent.

Jon Morosi has Dylan Cease as World Series MVP. Sure. Why not?

Good.

Burger really did similar compared to sheets in both minors and majors (120 wrc+ and 122 in AAA and mlb for burger and 131 and 125 for sheets) but I think sheets got more of a run because he is a lefty and the Sox are an extremely right handed line up. The Sox simply needed some lefty bats and sheets offered that and did well. Burger didn't really Hit worse but with so many right handers in the lineup he probably is more expendable

It's only happening because of the logistics of the Chicago Marathon. People with Monday Game 4 tickets and a normal job should make arrangements to take off at least a half a day now. Barring a TB / WC sweep (a Sox sweep makes Game 4 irrelevant), there will be four games on Monday. and the Sox will likely be the first or second game scheduled. Grandal will have to come back on short rest or DH as well.

We’re undefeated against the Astros in the playoffs, I’m not concerned.

Good lord. This team is in the playoffs having built up from the absolute bottom, and you are talking about trades for middle relievers at the end of their contracts. You must be real fun at parties.

Did not realize Bummer was drafted so late.

Really interesting that despite the grief we routinely give the front office on here (some of it deserved) that trades and free agent signings have provided us with the biggest bWAR contributions. I know stats can be used to prove many things but in my opinion Hahn can't be all that bad at his job looking at those figures. And no I am not related to him or any member of the front office ?

Playoff games should never be day games. So fucking stupid. I agree with the guy who said we watch 100+ games a year just to get shafted in the playoffs. I WFH on Thursday though so I guess I will work my face off until game time and after. And try to take a half day on Friday or something.

I really didn't consider my OG post as an analysis, strictly a grouping of players based on the article, their 2021 salary and final bWAR. @GreenSox comment "And even in the rebuild trades included above, the net WAR is negative and the only big winner is the Eaton trade." is absurd. I listed the entirety of what was given up to date (the player and contract traded, and bWAR earned for the remainder of the contract) vs. strictly 2021 performance. Here are the trades with ML total amounts paid and bWAR earned from the time of the trade through the end of this season. It also doesn't account for future control of players at below market rates, which provides the Sox an even greater advantage. White Sox return = $37.4M & 42.0 bWAR + Future Control (2 Years for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez; 3 years for Eloy Jimenez & Yoan Moncada; 4 years for Dylan Cease & Michael Kopech). White Sox gave up 24.7 bWAR (at the contract cost of $88.9M) and Avery Weems. Lance Lynn ($9.3M; 5.4); Lucas Giolito ($5.5M; 11.5); Reynaldo Lopez ($3.4M; 4.5) for Adam Eaton (2017-2020 $23.4M; 4.8) & Avery Weems (High A). Dylan Cease ($2.0M; 2.9); Eloy Jimenez ($7.0M; 3.4) for Jose Quintana (2017-2020 $26.0M; 4.5). Yoan Moncada ($9.0M; 12.9); Michael Kopech ($1.2M; 1.4) for Chris Sale (2017-2019 $39.5M; 15.4). 2020 salaries adjusted above compared to the OG post for the pro-rata salary paid due to the 2020 Owner Lockout.

There should be 4 four games on Saturday and Sunday. Then weekday should be at 4 and 7. If there are two on at once so be it.

It's a little hard to say before the match-ups are announced, but to take the "backend type" in Valdez, you're still talking about a guy with a 3.18 ERA and 3.58 xFIP. With the natural regression we've seen from Lynn in the second half (3.66 ERA), Giolito/Lynn and McCullers/Garcia is really a wash in my book. Rodon/Valdez, if that's the matchup, is a wash in my book. Cease is really our one edge there. Like I said, the starting pitching isn't all that different.

I mean, the problem is the Astros can literally say the same thing - they don't need to play above their potential either. Their offense is good enough to keep them in games and if they get a starting or bullpen performance or two, they can push into a lead. That's why this is a difficult series to assess.

It would be so much better for everyone if they didn't have to take this route

I never ceased to be amazed by how great of a job you do of showing your ass when you post.