South Side Hit Men

I can Tony taking a sick day on June 5th.

Not a great start, but Matt Harvey is dust.

All in for Game 1 today. Hope most of the core can play 14 innings today. Game 2: SS TA; 2B NM; 3B YM; 1B JA; DH YM; LF AV; C ZC; RF DM; CF BH.

Because, Pirates.

Hopefully Yoan will play 3B in the Keuchel start. There’s a good chance Leury “Everyday” Garcia moves to sole possession of fifth in White Sox games played, eclipsing Adam Eaton (both tied at 41 of 49 games played). Thankful for Yermin “He who shall not wear chains” Mercedes and Ethan Katz for their superhuman efforts to hold this team together under these difficult circumstances. Games Played (OPS+) 47 Moncada (130) 45 Abreu (132) & Mercedes (155) 43 Madrigal (116) 41 Garcia (64) & Eaton (86) 39 Vaughn (108) 37 Anderson (108) 34 Grandal (115) 27 Hamilton (51) 25 Robert (131) 24 Collins (79) 21 Mendick (97) 15 Lamb (107) 4 Williams (-26)

Good, I can concentrate on the Vegas Golden Knights. Fuck the Minnesota Wild. Feel bad for the fans freezing at the park for hours. Vegas scores!!! Go Sox - Tomorrow!

Sox have been bet down based on the odds both in Vegas where I just was and the Illinois sports books. $100 to win $1,030 were the best WS odds I saw, but most were in the $800-$860 range from a $100 bet.

I do as well. Despise "Chi-town", but good with Chi, script looks sharp as well. Like Quin's hat picture as well.

Just seems odd baring an unknown injury to Yoan to give him a routine day off for your groundball pitcher starts. Lamb didn’t play bad at third the few games he played there. Now we will likely see Hamilton inserted into the game in the fifth or sixth inning, with Leury and Hamilton attempting to hit back to back in the lineup, whereas you could have kept Lamb (3B), Mendick (RF) and Hamilton (CF) in all game, and let Leury get a day off (or several). Hamilton’s defense far outweighs any possible slight batting advantage Leury may have.

I’m not the target audience for these, but outside of the number font, these are actually solid. Feared they would be atrocious like Boston’s, which looked like bicyclist uniforms. Liked the multiple comments trashing the god-awful 1983 Jerseys, I’d support every player taking the scissors to those uniforms. May as well wear the Einhorn e caps for a cherry on the 1980s era turd Jersey sundae.

Why is Lamb not playing the one defensive position he may actually be able capable of playing? Mendick played well in RF. Would also start Hamilton over Leury to help cover the OF, especially with Lamb out there.

I liked the intentional balk by Kimbrel. Surprised more pitchers don’t do this in the ninth up more than a run. https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-cubs/craig-kimbrel-intentionally-recorded-his-first-career-balk

Or a Rape Crisis Center after Daryl Boston.

Yes, and he underperformed in the role (.319 OBP / .748) as compared to his batting in other lineup spots (overall .359 / .892), albeit in a small sample size. I believe he can settle in as a solid #2 when he returns. The Sox are fortunate their #1, #3 and #4 hitters are healthy, they all work well in their respective roles. The Sox really don't have a solid #2 option on the current roster.

Yes, only the 8 hole has had a lower OBP this season (thank you "Everyday" Leury). Eaton has been the primary #2 hitter this season. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/split.cgi?t=b&team=CHW&year=2021

Well, you’d have transparency and proper job delineation in a properly run organization. Sadly, we are fans of the Chicago White Sox. A manager should have input into their coaches and players. I’d say Ricky had zero (coaches) to minimal (player) say. Tony appears to have above typical input based on the acquisitions, with Lynn, Hendriks and Lamb definitive prior history with Tony Lynn was the best player acquisition since the tanking trades (Katz overall best acquisition), while Tony obviously liked him, give Hahn credit for getting the deal done. Also, there’s evidence the Sox were interested in Lynn last Summer. Jerry may have already determined at that point Tony was going to be hired in October, and Tony may even have given Jerry input on players last Summer, buts it’s just speculation at this point. I believe it’s universally accepted Hahn was opposed to the La Russa hire, in a range from disappointed / upset to furious.

Michael Scott has nothing on Tony in the gaffe department.

Reminds me of Michael G. Scott if he grew a stache.

Hawk’s criticism of umpires would at times border on overkill, but his barbs at Joe West were warranted. Angel Hernandez is the only worse umpire I can recall of the top of my head.

No Cardinal fan involvement. Not surprised an Illini fan was involved.

Wonder if Tony deems Engel worthy of playing time, ahead of “proven” veterans like Leury Garcia, Billy Hamilton and Tony’s “Franchise Player” Jake Lamb. I’m hoping Engel can crack Tony’s lineup more than once a week this Summer.

I’m on record as not being a fan of the large contract given to Grandal, and while his walk stats are inflated regularly hitting ahead of a AA / AAA hitter (Leury), he’s doing the right thing not chasing garbage pitches. He’s far superior to Collins, and since La Russa has zero interest in playing Yermin behind the plate, he is the best regular option behind the plate in terms of hitting. Collins works well handling Rodon’s pitches. If Lucas can successfully work with Grandal or Collins, that’s the only other Starter who may be theoretically better with an alternative to Grandal defensively. Would like to see La Russa at least attempt to play Collins with a proper platoon split for non Rodon starts.

Smells Like Wrigley Doublemint Gum.

Is it Jerry Narron’s job to retrieve Tony and return him to the White Sox dugout after he inevitably wanders over during the game to Cardinals dugout?