The Kids Can Play

Like most Sox fans, I'm so excited that Rick Hahn and Kenny will be in charge of the trades.

I think this might be a good time for Dylan to get back to the 2022 form or those first few starts of 2023. Let's go for three in a row, winning our first series of the season and beating the team in first place ahead of us in our division and moving to only 7 games back. Remember small victories are better than none at all! LOL!

Hence why 2005 was then and still is, the most memorable Sox season in my lifetime.

You're right and I apologize, I hit the wrong column. That is on me and my mistake . Having said that, the Pirates are also 20-10 tied for best record in NL and 3rd best in MLB. Maybe one of reasons they are winning. You're right I was using the walks stat, which as we know, the Sox suck at. That is neither here nor there, but we can debate the Sox lack of plate discipline and few walks another time. The point of my post was you were trying to defend Pedro that he didn't make a bonehead mistake with his non steal attempt, or that he screwed up after the first Kopech hit not sending our Grandal. The fact is they were both mistakes. I believe this forum has been quite adamant and consistent that Grifol as a rookie manager from a major losing organization was a bad hire. If you want to be the contrarian and tell us how good Pedro is, then fine, be my guest.

It's not about what Eaton did playing for the Nats. The point of a trade in a rebuild, is to get as much great value as you can trading away a major asset. At the time the Nats needed a CF'er leadoff man and Eaton was valuable and coming off three great years with the Sox. Gio as a former first round Nats pick, in his only season with the Nats in 6 games and 4 starts had a 6.75 ERA and whip of 1.78. The Nats gave up on Gio, hence why he was part of the trade. Lopez in 11 games and 6 starts in his one Nat's season had a 4.91 ERA and WHIP of 1.57. Dunning hadn't even played yet for the Nats and only had a couple of games of experience in the minors. Although many experts at the time said Dunning might be the best of all three pitchers down the road. Dunning is only 28 and doing good for the Rangers, where as Lynn had one good season for the Sox in 2021. In 2022 he was average at best with 3.99 ERA and in 2023 Lynn has been simply horrible with his 7.16 ERA. Gio had one good year for us. Lopez has been extremely inconsistent and once again horrible this year with a 8.76 ERA and now suffering from a supposedly "dead arm." So yeah it's not going to be one of Hahn's great trades in the very end.

I will remove the bonehead harsh term, but with all due respect, I'm sorry it was a managerial situational baseball mistake, I watched the game later last night as I always do, to be able to zoom through all the commercials. As a result, I still have the game recorded and I just re-watched the play. I can assure you the first baseman is several feet in and not even close to Robert attempting to hold him on. Likewise the 2nd baseman and SS also were way in and not even close to the second base bag. There was zero possibility of a pick off. Anyone who has the game recorded, or go find it on YouTube will see this. Consequently your point of a possible pickoff on Robert is not correct or valid. Pedro should have made the call for Robert to steal second and yes a bench coach can only offer advice, but that was the advice the bench coach needed to give Pedro. Again you are forgetting that stealing today is so much easier than ever before. Btw, I am not suggesting that Hamilton would have attempted to go home. The fact is, no throw would have been made to second by the Twins catcher and the Sox would now have runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out and no chance of a double play. Even with Robert stealing second and the catcher throw down to second, there would no way Hamilton goes home. The Twins were conceding the steal. If the Sox are going to make up serious ground, then we need a manager who makes smart decisions and isn't so ultra conservative.

I hope he comes back strong and productive and stays cancer free. This will be the best feel-good story in baseball in 2023!

He was and let's not forget in the 2016 rebuild another of Hahn debacles, after the Chris Sale trade, the next big asset trade was Adam Eaton. That of course brought us Giolito, Lopez and Dunning. Dunning of course brought us Lynn. I get hindsight is 20/20, but right now that isn't going down as one of Hahn's best trades on his final scorecard ledger.

That was a great walk off win and good to finally win 2 in a row for the first time this season. Not be negative and rain on this game, but I got a bone to pick with Grifol. He is still making stupid managerial mistakes that eventually will cost the Sox games. 1. In the top of the 6th inning when Kopech gave up the first hit to Buxton, Steve Stone immediately said, this would be a great time for maybe Grandal to make a mound visit to settle Michael down. Steve added, it didn't have to be Katz and to just send Grandal out to settle him down. You could clearly see Kopech was visibly bothered. Neither Grandal or Katz went to the mound. Next up was Polanco. Since Kopech wasn't in the right mindset because of no Katz or Grandal mound visit, Michael threw 4 straight balls and walked Polanco. Now there are runners on 1st and 2nd with only one out. Ok now Pedro wakes up and sends Katz out to the mound to talk to Michael. 2. In the top of the 9th inning after Vaughn walked and Hamilton came in to pitch run and then stole second, Eloy had a hard ground ball out to the third baseman and Hamilton got to 3rd due to a dumb mental error of the third baseman not looking Hamilton back. Now with only one out and Hamilton on third, they intentionally walked Robert. At this point why in the hell didn't Pedro send Robert to steal second? With Hamilton's speed there is no way the catcher makes a throw. The Twins pulled all four infielders in and Steve Stone said to Benetti, Robert could jog to second as the Twins would obviously not throw to second with the infield in. With one out, you would much rather see our two fastest runners on 2nd and third with Haseley at the plate. The Twins strategy at that point would have changed or at least put more pressure on the pitcher. Don't tell me it was Pedro being cautious with Robert's hammy. If Robert's hammy wasn't good enough to steal second, then he shouldn't have been in the game period. Imagine earlier in the game if Robert had to run out a tough groundball and you're telling me Robert would have only gone half or 3/4 speed? Those were two bonehead mistakes. Where was Pedro's bench coach to help? Was he taking a nap? With the wider bags and the one disengagement stepping off the rubber rule, stolen bases are dramatically up in the league. The Dodgers get this and lead the major with 143 stolen bases. Pedro obviously doesn't get this and we are 27th with 78. I know we have some slow guys on this team. Yet there have been several times this year where we haven't sent someone who were fast enough to steal. The Sox can continue playing better going forward, but that will not get this team improved enough in the standings from this horrible April start, unless Pedro starts making correct situational baseball decisions.

Just upset that Hahn even traded for him in the first place and gave away Reese McGuire. Just another in a long list of the Hahn debacle trades.

BetRivers thinks the Sox will start another losing streak tonight making the road team Twins a favorite on the win line at (-162) and our mighty home team White Sox (+138) on the win line.

I am totally in favor of bringing up several minor league players to replace the dead weight losers on this team, but only after we trade them away before the deadline.

I want to be positive. These last few years and especially April have been so depressing and hard to watch this team. I knew when we finally won one and especially in such dramatic fashion, this resurgence and false hope would try to reel us all back in. I'm sorry though, this team hasn't been bad in just April this year. They led us along with hope all last year and totally crushed our hopes at the end. I am not buying into this big turnaround after one good game. The bullpen is worse than last year. The starters are inconsistent. Other than Sunday, the hitting is one of the worst in most baseball stats and metrics. We have a tougher schedule than last year. Most importantly the injuries are not going down. Here are the key questions: I know TA and Moncada are coming back and eventually Crochet and Liam. Will they make a difference? How long before Moncada gets reinjured? Is TA going to quit being a drama king and start playing like the all-star he previously has been? Crochet coming off TJS and Liam off cancer. Can they make a difference? Is Eloy ever going be the hitter we hoped? Is the worst bullpen in the league going to stop these constant disaster outings? There are just too many IF's to be be hopeful on a big turnaround and making the playoffs. Too many things have to go right! My bottom line is this, I really don't want to just be 500 or a little below. I would rather see this team implode badly as many have stated here. I want them lose 95-100 games to create hopefully major change in the FO. The worst scenario that could possibly happen is the Sox think they have a shot, because of playing in the worst division and staying close. Then they pass up being sellers at the trade deadline and we don't make the playoffs.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Ed as a color analyst too. I just recall him more in the radio booth with DJ. Ed knew baseball well and explained it a way that made sense. He didn't have to get all dramatic to make it entertaining. His sense of humor was one of a kind.

Agreed! Yet we've known this for awhile and yet he is still here. But then again, a lot of players, coaches and FO people are still here in the organization that shouldn't be.

That brings back great memories of hearing Ed Farmer's voice. He will always be in my book the best play by play broadcaster ever in Sox history. I really miss his calls and wry humor exchanges with Darrin Jackson.

I agree. As usual another example of where Hahn's FO have a bad track record at drafting, trading or free agent signings for the right players to fit our roster needs.

I think Vaughn's numbers will only go up as he keeps getting experience and playing daily. The last few years he has played out of position and part time. Now he is playing a position he is comfortable with and not having to waste mental energy on a position he never played before until he came to the Sox. I will always treasure the great years Jose gave the Sox. However it was the right time to move on and obviously we are seeing the results prove it, especially with what we are paying Vaughn as opposed to Jose's salary. You're so right we always gave Abreu a break for the April cold weather. However I find it interesting that it sure isn't cold in Houston. The Astros have played 16 home games and 12 road games at Minn, Pitt, Atl, TB. Other than Pitt and Minn, all warm weather cities, so the April thing isn't a valid excuse anymore.

Shocking another injury! LOL! There is just bad karma on this team and has been for years during this debacle rebuild.

That depends on the health of Robert. If he is still hurting from his hammy, then of course play him for Robert. Also maybe some games for Colas. Both Colas and Robert are both struggling, so if we can get a spark from Haseley, then I would play him for awhile. I am just saying that every player can have big day now and then. I'm just not setting my expectations very high for Haseley until he can prove he can hit consistently at the ML level.

Still one of the dumbest and weird nuances of baseball that a reliever who sucked during the game, just because of a miraculous comeback hitting form the team, gets a win. Bummer still is a POS pitcher and needs to be gone!

Great comeback win! Great morale booster and great clutch hitting especially from Vaughn The bullpen still sucks and is the still the worst. Let's pump the brakes! It was just one game and this is baseball, where a bad team can sometimes win a game and beat a great team. Rick Hahn still is a horrible GM who put a bad roster and horrible farm system in place.