What the Brewers Series is Telling Us

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

We may have given up too soon on Eaton considering we need more LH hitting.  His defense was better than Goodwin.

Adam Eaton is toast. 

[soxfan49]

4 hours ago, Jack Parkman said:

I do not expect them to be at full strength until next year. 

And even then I fully expect you to find something to whine about

[Jack Parkman]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

But you expect the World Series?

I don't. The only thing I expect is 162. anything more is gravy. My "negativity" is reinforcing that. 

[asindc]

9 hours ago, black jack said:

Meh.  It's not who you play, it's when you play them.  

The Astros looked unbeatable against us, then couldn't beat the Tigers or O's.  The Brewers have lost more games than us playing in a NL central that doesn't look much different than the AL central.  The window is wide open.  No reason to shorten it by selling the future prospects. 

This.

[MiddleCoastBias]

What this series has told me is that the trade for Lynn was a damn fine decision.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

I think it's more Jack's insistence that he's being a realist and outright denial of his over the top irrational negativity that rubs people wrong sometimes.

You want to be a negative Nancy and say things like this team isn't even a playoff caliber team, whatever. To try and tell everyone that it is some data driven reality is where it becomes laughable and over the top.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Look at Ray Ray Run

[35thstreetswarm]

15 hours ago, hankchifan said:

We may have given up too soon on Eaton considering we need more LH hitting.  His defense was better than Goodwin.

hopefully that changes at the deadline.  

[TheCommish]

23 hours ago, shago said:

The accomplishment of this pitching staff and line-up to-date has been truly amazing … however, as we’ve seen in the last few days, this is not a team ready to make a serious run in the playoffs. Against, playoff caliber starting pitching, this line-up isn’t strong enough to compete. Against the pathetic AL Central, sure, but even with the return of Eloy and LuBob, the front office needs to make some moves to bring in more OF firepower if we want to make a serious run.

Really??? So we are without 44% of our starting offense and you don't think we are ready to compete for a playoff run. That's obvious. However, With Eloy, Robert, Grandal in the lineup we are looking at a top 7 hitters of Anderson, Moncada, Abreu, Eloy, Vaughn, Grandal, Robert... then RF, 2B... that's a lineup that can make a serious run in the playoffs. What we don't have is RP that is ready to make a run. We thought we had one, but they aren't performing. That is what we need. I'll take a 2B upgrade, I'll take a RF upgrade, but that is not NEEDED to make a run. We NEED 2 RP that can cover 6th and 7th. 

[NWINFan]

That the Sox need Eloy and Robert back because this offense can really stink.

[mqr]

22 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

That the Sox need Eloy and Robert back because this offense can really stink.

Every offense stinks against those pitchers

[gusguyman]

19 hours ago, Jack Parkman said:

It's not negativity, it's tempered expectations. 

I want to see evidence of team superiority first. 

If it wasn't for the team record against >.500 teams I'd be completely bought in. 

During the regular season they have to check all of the boxes for me to get excited. 

Even in 2005 I didn't expect that team to win a playoff round. I thought Boston was going to smash their brains in. 

No, you wouldn't have, you'd have found some other obscure stat to avoid any sort of hope or expectations. I like ya Jack but you do this non-stop. And for the most part, that's fine. We may not believe you, but if this is truly the way you get the most enjoyment out of baseball, then more power to you.

But I draw the line at trying to suck the rest of us down into your Eeyore fandom. You constantly come on here looking for validation of your latest theory on why the White Sox actually suck at baseball. It is exhausting and just creates massive arguments that spiral into toxicity. I totally respect your need to manage your own expectations, but I don't think its too much to ask to stop using us as a fun house mirror during the process. Find a way to separate your monumental pessimism from your posting. 

[gusguyman]

19 hours ago, Jack Parkman said:

You know what's worse? 

Getting excited and then getting swept in the first round. 

The 2008 blackout game is one of the most beloved memories of all recent White Sox fans. Would it have been better if it led to a world series? Sure. But instead it led to a 3-1 series against TB that felt as noncompetitive as any sweep. 

And you know what? The blackout game is STILL a cherished moment. 

[RG23SoxFan]

47 minutes ago, mqr said:

Every offense stinks against those pitchers

How can anyone who watches baseball on a regular basis not understand this?  It seems some on this board don't want to believe that other MLB teams actually have some talented pitchers/players.  Even with all our players back we most likely aren't going to light up Burnes & Woodruff and with the injuries we have it makes it more unlikely.

[ThirdGen]

18 hours ago, hankchifan said:

Beg to differ. The NL Central is much better than the AL central. Talking about Brewers, Reds, Cards, even Cubs are better than Cleveland, Tigers, Twins and KC this season.

And yet those four NL Central teams are a combined 16-22 against the AL so far.  Not showing it on the field.

[Chisoxmb35]

On 7/25/2021 at 12:07 PM, Jack Parkman said:

What this series is telling us is that the Sox are only a playoff team because the rest of the ALC isn't trying and the Twins pitching staff collapsed. 

What I keep seeing is that the Sox are not playoff caliber in any aspect of the game. Their offense isn't good enough, their SP are bum slayers and their bullpen is terrible outside of Hendriks/Kopech and sometimes Crochet, who is very hit or miss. 

I don't think that Eloy/Robert/Grandal will save them either. 

If you can't find a reason to be optimistic about this season, I feel sorry for you. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Chisoxmb35

[GermanSoxFan]

Just like any single series in baseball, it didn’t tell us anything other than that nobody got hurt.

[Soxsi75]

On 7/25/2021 at 9:55 AM, Dick Allen said:

I remember in July or August  of 2005, the Angel's coming to Chicago and dominating. The Sox should have packed it in right then.

Why are people so panicked? The team is missing 4 regulars. 3 will come back soon. A 2nd baseman will be added and a reliever. If they can stay healthy,  I like their chances.

 

Thank you. Exactly!! Your words should be remembered whenever we lose a series the rest of the year. I'm sick and tired of media induced panic by people who listen to stories of "this is a playoff preview" and if we lose a series to them, it means we can't beat them. Throw in the fact that as you pointed out, this shouldn't be even close to the team we'll have in October, ( if we're healthy.)  This series meant nothing. It meant we lost 2 out of 3 games. And also, to flip around what you said about the Angels beating us in 05, it's worked against us as well. Does anyone remember that in August of 1983 we won 4 games in a row from the Orioles? And the Orioles weren't missing Cal Ripken and 2 other regulars. 

[Snopek]

On 7/26/2021 at 11:03 AM, RG23SoxFan said:

How can anyone who watches baseball on a regular basis not understand this?  It seems some on this board don't want to believe that other MLB teams actually have some talented pitchers/players.  Even with all our players back we most likely aren't going to light up Burnes & Woodruff and with the injuries we have it makes it more unlikely.

I agree to an extent. Problem is, the playoffs will be loaded with really good pitching (including ours!), so the "tip your cap" thing has to end at some point.

[Superstar Lamar]

That they should try to avoid teams in the playoffs who can roll out three all star staring pitchers and they should try to obtain home field advantage

[RG23SoxFan]

16 hours ago, Snopek said:

I agree to an extent. Problem is, the playoffs will be loaded with really good pitching (including ours!), so the "tip your cap" thing has to end at some point.

My comment was in reply to the offense stinking, and when facing really good pitching a lot of times the offense is going to stink.  I am not suggesting you can win playoff games with no hitting.  However it is very possible to win playoff games with a score(3-1) like Sunday vs the Brewers.  I wouldn't characterize that as an offensive explosion.  As you mentioned most or all playoff teams are going to have good pitching so if the expectation is that we will put up 6 or 7 runs a game then in most instances your going to be disappointed. 

[Balta1701]

36 minutes ago, RG23SoxFan said:

My comment was in reply to the offense stinking, and when facing really good pitching a lot of times the offense is going to stink.  I am not suggesting you can win playoff games with no hitting.  However it is very possible to win playoff games with a score(3-1) like Sunday vs the Brewers.  I wouldn't characterize that as an offensive explosion.  As you mentioned most or all playoff teams are going to have good pitching so if the expectation is that we will put up 6 or 7 runs a game then in most instances your going to be disappointed. 

Then the White Sox pitching staff better be ready to hold them to 3 runs or less. Giolito did, but then the bullpen imploded, Rodon didn't, Lynn did and the bullpen held. 

Interestingly, the White Sox only got 6, then 4, then 6 innings from their starters, which does seem like a "playoff type setup" to me.

[mqr]

54 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Then the White Sox pitching staff better be ready to hold them to 3 runs or less. Giolito did, but then the bullpen imploded, Rodon didn't, Lynn did and the bullpen held. 

Interestingly, the White Sox only got 6, then 4, then 6 innings from their starters, which does seem like a "playoff type setup" to me.

Good thing it's July

[RG23SoxFan]

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

Then the White Sox pitching staff better be ready to hold them to 3 runs or less. Giolito did, but then the bullpen imploded, Rodon didn't, Lynn did and the bullpen held. 

Interestingly, the White Sox only got 6, then 4, then 6 innings from their starters, which does seem like a "playoff type setup" to me.

I agree, in the playoffs the pitching staff needs to hold the opponent to 3 runs or less most games.  If they allow 4 or more in a game there is a pretty good chance they are going to lose.