SpringfieldFan

Hahn needs his checkbook and phone privileges revoked. Full stop.

There is no good answer but I would have to say trade either Abreu or Sheets. Anyone else would be trading low. Sheets is attractive but its based on a small tenure. Abreu is a known quantity and inarguably valuable. He would bring a great return and the time to take advantage is now where he is about to start the downside of his career, and with his GIDP already an issue. He of course will be back as a coach in 10 years anyways.

I think the team was just too young, individually and collectively. Most of the core is very young and one could argue Crochet, Vaughn and Sheets typically wouldn’t be on an MLB roster yet. As a whole, the regular lineup has only been together a little over a year and for most of that period COVID and injuries kept them from even playing together as a team. Then, for better or worse, the liberal resting of players kept the team out of action as a full unit once everyone *was* finally back. Given that, how are they supposed to be expected to triumph against the battle hardened elite on the biggest stage when October comes calling?

The only thing this debate has accomplished is confirm what we already knew - that Gen X is the best one.

Well if it goes as it’s been going at least it’s better for me that they get dispatched because they obviously have no business advancing rather than have a close series and lose in a heartbreaker.

Is Houston this good are the Sox this bad? How would either fare against TB or BOS later?

Microcosm

Going against a slider sinkerballer tonight so I am going to say 1 run. Cease/Kopech/Hx might shut them out though for the W.

But Robert has been fun to watch. He has been like that biker kid that joined the Bad News Bears and was the one guy good enough he could have played on the other team.

I think they can get the win Sunday but that may be it. Houston is intense and they are hot. It will take an electric outing by a pitcher to trump that. Right now Dylan is the one guy who *might * be able to deliver that. It’s a shame we don’t have the early season Rodon.

First, I am not on board with big headline grabbing moves from this FO. They tried that in July. I also don’t ever want to see anything about a bullpen on the wishlist. How many times to we want to keep tapping that well? The situation is that this team wasn’t tempered by the fire of a competitive divisional race. They have the talent, but it appears they do not have the mettle.

I will just leave this right here....

As I have heard, we will never see a .400 hitter again because of the invention of the slider. That understood, and also understood that I am hardly an expert hitter myself, but isn't this an issue of our hitters needing to focus more on going the other way with the pitches instead of defaulting to trying to jack everything and causing them to pull off the ball all the time?

I’m just thrilled Aaron Judge’s cracker Jack all-American boy face won’t be plastered over every MLB splash screen and commercial throughout the playoffs now. That and I’m glad we won’t have to face him.

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

The cool thing is that if the Sox win just one of the first two games, at worst this becomes a three game series in which they have HFA.

I say just call it. Too many comebackers, HBP’s and assorted freak injuries so far this season. Now add wet slick conditions to it all right before the playoffs. Nah, pass.

So if the don’t get it in do they play two tomorrow or could there be a possibly of something like HOU ending 93-69 and the Sox 93-68?

I was at a dinner with some acquaintances here downstate. Cardinals fans of course. One said that if they could get past the wildcard they should have a really good shot at the World Series and that he knew they always had the talent this year but just had to put it together - and mentioned how their outfied could well be the best in baseball in a couple years. I always thought the Cards were pretty meh this year but whatever. He brought up the White Sox. Said he would love to see a WS between them and the Cards but kind of doubted the Sox had what it takes yet. Ok...

Yeah, facing poor teams was a real break for him after posting that 7.62 ERA facing all those Ruths and Gehrigs in the AAA gauntlet...

He certainly would not have the obscurity if it were an NY sewn on the pinstripes instead. I hope he continues how he has been going because it is going to be one eye opening October show for a lot of folks around the country.

I will take the MLB's craziness and up the ante. If they add two more teams then I say after 81 games the top 16 teams "make the cut" and vie for 4 playoff spots. The bottom 16 battle eachother with the best records getting the top draft positions. Everyone has something to play for all summer long.

He is like that one kid on the little league team that happened to have grown sooner than the rest of the kids.

My expectation for some time has been that the Sox will go through the playoffs with two regulars sidelined with injuries. It’s just a question of who they will be. I’ve made peace with it.

TLR should have just taken the game off to party with the others and let Yaz player-manage the kids.