South Side Hit Men

Yes, I like sprinkling in 1-2 backups per game, vs. 3-4 one game and all starters for two games. The Chicago White Sox still haven't posted their lineup on the Twitter feed, could be a PR guy taking a break between games, or perhaps the lineup isn't final. Here is the lineup from the Royals (EDIT - And White Sox - no changes from OG Post):

Tony likes a certain type at that spot, also worries about trying for L R split every two spots. Would like this lineup: 2B Madrigal SS Mendick 3B Moncada # DH Mercedes 1B Vaughn C Collins ^ RF Eaton ^ LF Garcia # CF Hamilton # Also agree with your assessment @gusguyman. Perhaps Tim needs the rest and that’s fine, but definitely agree Grandal can play first, shifting Vaughn to LF.

But do you love Sly and The Family Stone?

Time to start a new winning streak! Game 2 White Sox Lineup per Baseball Press: 1. Nick Madrigal (R) 2B 2. Leury Garcia (S) LF 3. Yoan Moncada (S) 3B 4. Yermin Mercedes (R) DH 5. Adam Eaton (L) RF 6. Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B 7. Zack Collins (L) C 8. Billy Hamilton (S) CF 9. Danny Mendick (R) SS SP: Michael Kopech

Just terrible luck today. All of the damage today was the result of bad luck and strong wind blowing out. Expected batting average..160 and .190 on the five runs given up today. 29 Michael A. Taylor Lucas Giolito 13 2 Home Run 98.4 37 351 90.7 .160 5 Salvador Perez Lucas Giolito 22 3 Home Run 97.0 35 344 84.3 .190

Excellent story in The Athtletic covering this topic. https://theathletic.com/2582448/2021/05/12/oakland-as-mlb-relocation-howard-terminal/ Bye, Felicia.

98 pitches, would like to take him out for McRae or someone else.

They said day to day on the radio broadcast, so likely Saturday or Sunday would be his earliest return.

<teal>Does Lucas still have options?</teal>

My point is there would be many games likely outright cancelled, over both years, if the owners and players did not reach a rare compromise, for the good of the overall game. To me, the 10th inning runner on second is a far greater alteration of the game. Out of reasonableness, I understand and can accept it this and last year, don't want to see it permanent. Shortened games (weather, sunlight/darkness) have existed throughout MLB history. Runner on 2nd to start an inning, not so much. Peace

Perhaps you're not paying attention, but there have been dozens, if not over one hundred players who have already missed days/weeks of games due to COVID, in 2021. I agree with you I don't want to see it with the new CBA become permanent, as COVID should be better managed in future years, but it makes total sense this and last year. The other factor, is without adding to the roster, teams trying to cover four extra innings in these DHs will lead to more injuries.

Laceration and bruise for Abreu. Initial assessment no concussion. Good news, as reported by Len Kasper.

They are played by the same rules every day. If a game is a doubleheader, it's played with 7 inning games. The owners agree, the players agree. Most fans agree it's prudent last and this year between the injuries and COVID cancelled games.

This is a bad hot take, even for game thread standards. The White Sox have an advantage with their staff and bullpen in 7 inning DHs, sweeping the two they played in Boston and vs. Detroit.

Glad Lucas recruited Katz here this offseason. Hopefully he settles down as the season progresses and gets back on track. Sox have the bats to come back, with the wind blowing out.

As one of his biggest “fans” here, I’d say after the first month, the two positive aspects of his second reign are: 1. Keeping the team calm after the loss first of Eloy and then Robert. The air really sucked out of the stadium and team when Robert went down. The off day helped, but beyond the team has really responded well. 2. Not sure about who is the primary driver (Hahn or La Russa or the coaches), but seeing more flexibility/creativity across the roster, beyond Garcia and Mendick (infield). Mendick and Vaughn in the corners are the primary examples.

Yes, the Sox aren’t necessarily the best drafting team in baseball, but the FO definitely did a great job upgrading personnel to draft well the past few years. Coupled with Marco Paddy, they should continue to have a solid pipeline of players, after their draft slots drop from the Top 5-10 to the bottom third. When JR leaves, Marco can include younger prospects.

What’s next, the tomahawk chop. Did they finally dump Thunderstruck this year?

Bullpen Usage - Previous 5 Games Jose Ruiz likely unavailable after pitching the past three days. TBD is the availability of Hendriks (19 Th / 28 W), Crochet (21 Th) for today. For the Royals 9 man bullpen, Bubic is the only pitcher unavailable for the double header today.

The Chicago White Sox are going for their 7th straight victory for the first time since August 16-22, 2020. Alex McRae has been recalled from Charlotte as the 27th Man. No Jake Lamb, no cry! Full regular slate for game one. I'll create a second thread after this game. Go Sox!!!!!!!

I thought the various fast food twitter speculative threads ran to over 1 million posts last off-season, it sure felt like it.

I can only offer the prospective that I don't believe anyone is spending time watching games, and reading about the team here and elsewhere hoping they lose. We are all Sox fans who enjoying watching or listening to the games, celebrating when the team wins and when players do well, regardless of our different opinions about the pros/cons on the owner, FO, manager, or individual player contracts or performance. If people are critical, it's because they want the team to do better, to have the best players available, and to have the players in a position to succeed. Jerry didn't have a WS World Series ring when I met him after the 2005 Division clinching game, but I hope that if I meet Rick Hahn in 2030s, I am wearing sunglasses to avoid going blind by the glare of light emanating from ten White Sox World Series rings on every finger and thumb.

The close games are always the most fun, in terms of enjoying every pitch. I watched the first eight but left to listen on the radio in the bottom of the 8th to concentrate more (there was no audio). Really enjoyed many stepping up today. Looked at the last few Charlotte games, and based on who has pitched and how the pitching is doing, wonder who they'll bring up tomorrow. Stiever and Reynaldo pitched well in their respective Tues/Wed starts, but too soon to pitch tomorrow. McRae brought up last DH didn't provide much (1/3 IP, 2 H / 2 BB). Will be interesting who they bring up, and if they will pitch them. No news from Fegan, who didn't write the recap today (may have been off), but posted this nice tweet after the game: Once I learned about the tradition of game threads and win streaks, I am taking this responsibility very seriously. It will be my pleasure to once again kick things off tomorrow morning, once the lineup is released.

Yoan, get out of the way!

With marginal difference offensively. Can cover CF with Vaughn and Eaton/Mendick.