Home Opener Game Thread! White Sox vs Tigers

[SonofaRoache]

Exactly.

 

And I won't be disappointed if he continues to struggle. Nor will I be disappointed if he gets sent to a lower level if his struggles are greater than expected.

 

That wouldn't mean he couldn't return and excel.

 

 

Did you come over from the Sox board on MLB? I recognize the name.

[Lip Man 1]

Playoff games are played in late October when the sun is out at 10PM, he'll be fine.

 

I don't know if you were joking but in late October the sun isn't out at 10PM.

[SonofaRoache]

I don't know if you were joking but in late October the sun isn't out at 10PM.

 

Yesterday a gentlemen stated that he sought shade at 10PM of a game he attended on 6/21.

[RockRaines]

Baseball isn't typically a game of instant success. The Mike Trouts of the world are rare indeed. The developmental curve of an Avi Garcia or Yolmer Sanchez is more normal. Some guys take time, especially if they weren't fundementally sound to start with. The kid is a toolbox. It could take 3 years for him to figure it out. That wouldn't be crazy at age 22.

Its also f***ing snowing and its April. Dude is supremely talented. I dont understand how people cant see that.

[harkness99]

Well rebuild or no rebuild.. one thing I've seen for a decade is a s***ty ass bullpen, no matter what the situation.

[Knickname]

Did you come over from the Sox board on MLB? I recognize the name.

 

Yes, but I can't find a suitable image of a horse's axx for my avatar.

[kwolf68]

The thing about Moncada is he?€™s a former #1 prospect, the tools are off the charts, and he was one the centerpiece players in the Sale deal. Add to it there are a lot young players that come up and are just good- Correa, Lindor, Seager, Bryant, etc. At some point, it?€™s gotta be the Sox turn to have one of these great young players that are just great at baseball.

 

That all said, it?€™s six games, they got home at 2am last night, and it was probably the coldest weather he?€™s ever played in. He just needs to play, keep a positive attitude, and good things are going to happen.

 

 

Totally agree flavum. I know others gripe a lot about Yoan, my take was only what is best for the kid. Sending him down to AAA is NOT AN OPTION and I categorically oppose that on every level. I was wondering if moving him "to another spot" (lets face it every spot is down from leadoff) to see if he has a different focus. That's all I was saying. I've seen proven stars moved around in a lineup depending on matchups. I don't think it's sacrilegious to think Yoan may need some looks in another spot in the lineup. I am NOT saying that SHOULD be done, only brought it up as a point to consider.

 

My take is not to imply Yoan is a bust or needs to be sent down...just looking for ways to shake him up a bit. Maybe he's too tight. I trust Ricky that he's mentally A-OK and thus if he keeps him at the top of the order I am TOTALLY fine with it. It may in fact be the right move. I was just offering constructive ideas outside of the Yoan sucks, he's a bust, send him down, he has a high K rate non sense.

 

My view of Moncada has not changed from any of the posts I've had in here about him...he has superstar potential, period. It may take time to realize that, but he is a great talent. Anyone who has watched a modicum of baseball can see he can be special.

Edited April 6, 2018 by kwolf68

[Richie]

That wasn't me.

 

I've heard Hawk and too many others say, "So and so will be just fine" too many times.

 

Maybe this time they'll be right about Yoan.

 

I hope they are right.

 

I hope Fulmer makes us happy, too, but if he continued failing to make it through two innings each start I wouldn't want him at the top level without end.

 

I wasn't rooting for the failure of LaRoche, Dunne, and the Danks brothers either, but I won't accept the assurances of posters here or Harrelson that so and so will be just fine.

 

This seems like a strange reply.

 

#1 - I am not telling you that "Yoan will be fine"... That would imply that there is a problem with Yoan. Which there most certainly is not. If you expect every highly touted prospect coming up from the minors to perform like Rhys Hoskins - you will be supremely disappointed. Most do exactly what Yoan is doing. Flashes of brilliance - but mostly inconsistency.

 

Moncada is slashing .227/.331/.400 (with a .730 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 275 Plate Appearances.

 

Some here are in panic mode over this. While they simultaneously rejoice over the emergence of Yolmer Sanchez.

 

Yolmer is slashing .243/.289/.369 (with a .658 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 1240 Plate Appearances

 

 

Hmm... There's no way this could be a knee-jerk reaction to one week of baseball. Could it?

 

#2 - You listed off a number of White Sox players who didn't pan out to support a claim that we should be worried about Yoan. If I listed off a number of White Sox players that DID pan out - would you be satisfied that Yoan is going to be as good as those players? No, you wouldn't be. Nor should you be. Therefore, the logic just doesn't hold up.

 

I remember Hawk pretty clearly saying those same things about the likes of Konerko when he went through funks in the early 00's. How about this? Some players pan out - some don't. What the likes of Hawk Harrelson or random Sox fans re-iterate to you is irrelevant.

 

 

Just try and remember how silly this is going to look the first time Yoan has a good week offensively this year. Anyone here would have just as much of a right to crown him the next White Sox legend.

 

In reality - I don't know many of you guys yet. However, I think some of you all pretty clearly had messiah like expectations for Yoan from the get-go. That's not fair to him. Let him have his struggles. Let him have his flashes of brilliance. Keep an even keel through it all - and let's evaluate after a proper sample size.

 

There's no denying his ability - or that he's only had roughly a half-season's worth of PA's under his belt. The kid could go on a tear next week, for all we know. Also, we can all pretend like snow in baseball doesn't make things tricky. However, it's dishonest. If you think that's not a culture shock for a young Cuban too - I would also say that's dishonest.

 

Onto the next one. Eventful first thread to be introduced to the forum with. lol. Cheers.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Richie

[TheBlackSox8]

This seems like a strange reply.

 

#1 - I am not telling you that "Yoan will be fine"... That would imply that there is a problem with Yoan. Which there most certainly is not. If you expect every highly touted prospect coming up from the minors to perform like Rhys Hoskins - you will be supremely disappointed. Most do exactly what Yoan is doing. Flashes of brilliance - but mostly inconsistency.

 

Moncada is slashing .227/.331/.400 (with a .730 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 275 Plate Appearances.

 

Some here are in panic mode over this. While they simultaneously rejoice over the emergence of Yolmer Sanchez.

 

Yolmer is slashing .243/.289/.369 (with a .658 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 1240 Plate Appearances

 

 

Hmm... There's no way this could be a knee-jerk reaction to one week of baseball. Could it?

 

#2 - You listed off a number of White Sox players who didn't pan out to support a claim that we should be worried about Yoan. If I listed off a number of White Sox players that DID pan out - would you be satisfied that Yoan is going to be as good as those players? No, you wouldn't be. Nor should you be. Therefore, the logic just doesn't hold up.

 

I remember Hawk pretty clearly saying those same things about the likes of Konerko when he went through funks in the early 00's. How about this? Some players pan out - some don't. What the likes of Hawk Harrelson or random Sox fans re-iterate to you is irrelevant.

 

 

Just try and remember how silly this is going to look the first time Yoan has a good week offensively this year. Anyone here would have just as much of a right to crown him the next White Sox legend.

 

In reality - I don't know many of you guys yet. However, I think some of you all pretty clearly had messiah like expectations for Yoan from the get-go. That's not fair to him. Let him have his struggles. Let him have his flashes of brilliance. Keep an even keel through it all - and let's evaluate after a proper sample size.

 

There's no denying his ability - or that he's only had roughly a half-season's worth of PA's under his belt. The kid could go on a tear next week, for all we know.

 

Onto the next one. Eventful first thread to be introduced to the forum with. lol. Cheers.

haven't posted here much over the last few years, but let me say that you're a welcome sight on this site. I've enjoyed level headed replies. I'm totally on board with what you and others have iterated. Let all the players figure it out on their own and workout their struggles, how else are they going to be able to do it in the future??? Everything is a necessary experience for Moncada and Davidson and Delmonico, all the ups and all the downs. Let them have that. Then evaluate when it's over...except the bullpen. That s*** needs to be blown up.

[SonofaRoache]

I'm not all that concerned about Yoan's potential, but I also understand people need to vent. I said last year that this season was going to turn half of our fan base off. It's gonna truly suck to watch Sox baseball this year and I can't blame fans for not wanting to watch bad baseball against bad teams. Yoan was hope for our fans and a chance to see the rebuild taking off. His struggles so far is probably scaring people into thinking things may not be going so well. Then there is the fact the Cubs will be competing for a title this year and those of us living in the city will have to endure cubbie blue everywhere we go. Guys like Bryant, Rizzo, Hendricks, Russell, Happ etc came in right away playing well. We will get through this painful year folks, and as Sox fans we will do it together.

[greg775]

Personally I don't think anybody but maybe one guy is worried about Moncada on here. Just an emotional game thread, folks. Big deal. He looks fine. I wouldn't have him lead off, but that's just me. He's not a problem. The pen is disgracefully bad. That's why I insist we are still tanking. Had plenty of time in offseason to address it. Sox didn't want to. Took a flier on Soria. Big deal. Soria is who he is. He'll be OK some nights; and get torched others. Will be very unreliable. Big deal. We are still in tank mode. One more season.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

who would you bat leadoff?

 

and honestly...I've had no problem at all with Avi batting 2nd at all.

I have a little problem with Avi batting 2nd . Even when people said he sucked he always hit well with RISP . Right now he just isn't getting the opportunities to drive runs in.I'd like to see Sanchez 2nd at least against righties then Avi, Abreu, Davidson, Castillo.

[TheBlackSox8]

I might put Anderson at leadoff if he continues with the improvements this year. He's got some walks, and seems to be seeing the ball well for hits. Also the speed he is showing is impressive early on. Then throw Sanchez at 2, Avi at 3, Abreu, Davidson, Moncada, the rest...

[BlackSox13]

I agree with a lot of what is said here, but the Yolmer stuff seems off base. Yolmer put together a very nice 2017 campaign and has seemingly continued that into 2018. He is 25, and is incredibly versatile around the diamond defensively.

 

I don’t think the rejoicing around Yolmer is just related to a hot start in 2018

Yep some of us have been following Sanchez for years now. I recall following him when he was 20/21 and playing winter ball. I looked at the roster to check on how he was playing and noticed the name Yolmer and asked myself who the f*** is that? Then I looked at his picture and it was the Carlos Sanchez I was looking for lol. That was the first time I had seen the name Yolmer.Remember the polled thread when we were asked to choose between Sanchez and Micah Johnson? I was team Sanchez all the way.

[BlackSox13]

I might put Anderson at leadoff if he continues with the improvements this year. He's got some walks, and seems to be seeing the ball well for hits. Also the speed he is showing is impressive early on. Then throw Sanchez at 2, Avi at 3, Abreu, Davidson, Moncada, the rest...

I know it's early and that cold players will heat up and hot players will cool off but I was thinking something similar today. Moncada has power so maybe sandwich him between Abreu and Davidson in the order. Timmy had a rough year last year so I take his stint in the lead-off with a grain of salt and would like to see him and his speed get another shot batting first in the line up. Sanchez's switch hitting, capability of drawing a walk could make for a solid #2 hitter.

[hi8is]

This seems like a strange reply.

 

#1 - I am not telling you that "Yoan will be fine"... That would imply that there is a problem with Yoan. Which there most certainly is not. If you expect every highly touted prospect coming up from the minors to perform like Rhys Hoskins - you will be supremely disappointed. Most do exactly what Yoan is doing. Flashes of brilliance - but mostly inconsistency.

 

Moncada is slashing .227/.331/.400 (with a .730 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 275 Plate Appearances.

 

Some here are in panic mode over this. While they simultaneously rejoice over the emergence of Yolmer Sanchez.

 

Yolmer is slashing .243/.289/.369 (with a .658 OPS) up in the Major Leagues. Through 1240 Plate Appearances

 

 

Hmm... There's no way this could be a knee-jerk reaction to one week of baseball. Could it?

 

#2 - You listed off a number of White Sox players who didn't pan out to support a claim that we should be worried about Yoan. If I listed off a number of White Sox players that DID pan out - would you be satisfied that Yoan is going to be as good as those players? No, you wouldn't be. Nor should you be. Therefore, the logic just doesn't hold up.

 

I remember Hawk pretty clearly saying those same things about the likes of Konerko when he went through funks in the early 00's. How about this? Some players pan out - some don't. What the likes of Hawk Harrelson or random Sox fans re-iterate to you is irrelevant.

 

 

Just try and remember how silly this is going to look the first time Yoan has a good week offensively this year. Anyone here would have just as much of a right to crown him the next White Sox legend.

 

In reality - I don't know many of you guys yet. However, I think some of you all pretty clearly had messiah like expectations for Yoan from the get-go. That's not fair to him. Let him have his struggles. Let him have his flashes of brilliance. Keep an even keel through it all - and let's evaluate after a proper sample size.

 

There's no denying his ability - or that he's only had roughly a half-season's worth of PA's under his belt. The kid could go on a tear next week, for all we know. Also, we can all pretend like snow in baseball doesn't make things tricky. However, it's dishonest. If you think that's not a culture shock for a young Cuban too - I would also say that's dishonest.

 

Onto the next one. Eventful first thread to be introduced to the forum with. lol. Cheers.

You good. Me like.

Thanks be you.

 

Hi.

 

Edit: Fix grammar’s!

Edited April 6, 2018 by hi8is

[pcq]

I know it's early and that cold players will heat up and hot players will cool off but I was thinking something similar today. Moncada has power so maybe sandwich him between Abreu and Davidson in the order. Timmy had a rough year last year so I take his stint in the lead-off with a grain of salt and would like to see him and his speed get another shot batting first in the line up. Sanchez's switch hitting, capability of drawing a walk could make for a solid #2 hitter.

If Yoan could be Jorge Orta with a good glove I would be happy.

[hogan873]

Yesterday's game was a very frustrating one, and it's the type of game we'll probably see more often than we'd like this year. The bullpen is weak, and they're going to lose some games...maybe a lot of games. I think we're all prepared for a losing season, but damn if it isn't frustrating day by day.

 

That being said, I like what I'm seeing from the offense, especially with guys like Yolmer, Davidson, and Anderson. These guys could (and most likely will) be part of the very promising future. I'm not worried about Moncada. He needs to be playing everyday to continue to see MLB pitching. He's still very young.

[soxfan49]

Personally I don't think anybody but maybe one guy is worried about Moncada on here. Just an emotional game thread, folks. Big deal. He looks fine. I wouldn't have him lead off, but that's just me. He's not a problem. The pen is disgracefully bad. That's why I insist we are still tanking. Had plenty of time in offseason to address it. Sox didn't want to. Took a flier on Soria. Big deal. Soria is who he is. He'll be OK some nights; and get torched others. Will be very unreliable. Big deal. We are still in tank mode. One more season.

I wouldn't necessarily say that Moncada "looks fine."

[Knickname]

I can imagine scenarios where it would be best for the organization and the individual to be sent to a lower level for what would likely be a short time.

 

I appear to be the only one who recognizes that possibility.

 

I made no statement regarding its likelihood.

 

And the opening day loss had nothing or little to do with anything Yoan did or didn't do.

 

I did not predict that "send down" scenario and am certainly not hoping for that scenario.

 

My reputation is not riding on the 2018 success or failure of Yoan Moncada or any other player.

 

I hope he he has a long and glorious career with the White Sox.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Knickname

[Jose Abreu]

I wouldn't necessarily say that Moncada "looks fine."

True, he looks better than fine

[WBWSF]

1)Yesterday was my 48th Opening Day. I've been to good games, and bad games on Opening Day. Yesterdays loss was easily the ugliest loss on Opening Day that I have attended. The bullpen blowing the game and the terrible defensive play by L. Garcia was really ugly.

2)When Hahn Traded Robertson, Jennings Kahnle and Swarzak last season he left the team with one of the worse bullpens in the history of the team. At best I thought he might improve the bullpen this off season. I think its fair to say that this bullpen has not been improved.

3) I can't help but wonder if the game plan with this team is to have another bad season which will result in another high draft choice and a even lower team payroll. The White Sox are 28th in payroll and it could probably in lower next year.

4) One of my major beefs against Rick Hahn is his signing players who are not any good and paying and wasting millions of dollars on them. LaRoche, Keppinger, Holland and now Soria were all acquired By Hahn. All of them didn't produce and were paid millions of dollars.

5) Attendance. It was certainly cold at the game yesterday and I'm sure it didn't make anybody come to the game as a walkup. Still to only have 33,000 at the home opener is not exactly anything to be happy about. Most Opening Day tickets are usually sold out weeks in advance. This tells me more and more people are not buying into this rebuild. Yesterdays crowd might be the biggest crowd of the year.

6) I see this so called rebuild going on for years. I wish that JR would sell the team.

Edited April 6, 2018 by WBWSF

[soxfan49]

True, he looks better than fine

He's 4-26 with 11 K's. You can try to talk yourself into him looking "better than fine" due to how many BARRELS he's had or whatever, but he hasn't looked "better than fine."

[Jose Abreu]

He's 4-26 with 11 K's. You can try to talk yourself into him looking "better than fine" due to how many BARRELS he's had or whatever, but he hasn't looked "better than fine."

Then I guess we're watching different games. Prior to yesterday, he has looked great.

[oneofthemikes]

He's 4-26 with 11 K's. You can try to talk yourself into him looking "better than fine" due to how many BARRELS he's had or whatever, but he hasn't looked "better than fine."

 

Sure he's striking out more than we'd like, but his K rate will get better with time. Moncada's wOBA is currently .258 and his xwOBA is .407. That's a .149 disparity. That's HISTORICALLY unlucky. Last season, Miggy Cabrera's disparity rate led all of baseball at .060. Take a deep breath and remember that this kid is 22 years old. When Yoan breaks out, he's gonna break WAY out.

Edited April 6, 2018 by oneofthemikes