9/15 GT: Angels @ White Sox, 7:10

[chitownsportsfan]

Goodwin has no place on the playoff roster if Engel is healthy.

[maloney.adam]

2 hours ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I agree but the record speaks for itself, they're not playing great, a few games over .500 since the All Star break. 

There's something missing, seems like they're not overly motivated, maybe because they've never really been pressed by Cleveland or had a crucial series in the second half or it could be the manager is having trouble motivating these guys.

 

 

 

 

I don’t think it’s clubhouse issues. I think it’s more that we haven’t been pressed by any contenders in our division and we don’t have the lineup at full strength yet to get in rhythm. There’s still a small chance that we can be pressed by Cleveland if they go on a tear and we go on a big losing streak but it’s unlikely at this point in the season. Next year, may be a different story with Cleveland, Detroit and KC all being competitive. I wouldn’t count out Minnesota as well. Next year, will be more of a challenge in the division than this year. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by maloney.adam

[Balta1701]

19 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Goodwin has no place on the playoff roster if Engel is healthy.

Goodwin has more of a place than Hamilton if he can’t steal bases.

[CentralChamps21]

6 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Goodwin has more of a place than Hamilton if he can’t steal bases.

They'll both have a place. Goodwin has an .853 OPS vs RHP. He'll be starting in RF against at least some RHP and be a pinch-hitting option in other games.

Hamilton will be the primary pinch-runner/defensive replacement for Eloy or Vaughn.

[Balta1701]

44 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Abreu is a horrible guy to hit and run with. These losses have nothing to do with not putting guys in motion or hitting into double plays. They have everything to do with not trying to win 100% each day. I get it, we're resting guys but we're also throwing away HFA against the Astros. There's no guarantee anybody makes it to the playoffs healthy.  For all we know TA could blow out his hamstring sprinting to 1st in his first AB of the series because he's not in everyday playing condition anymore.

This is pissing me off, obviously. It's fine to manage workloads, it's another thing entirely to basically piss away half a dozen games in the 2nd half because you're chasing something that you might never even catch -- perfect health. The games are tangible, the home field is tangible, directly affects winning.  This health thing is much more intangible and hard to predict and control.  But here we are, trying to control it.

See, I have very little problem with giving guys extra rest. Use the IL, give guys extra days off, that makes sense to me. What is pissing me off is the stupid losses. We have had 2 1-run losses in the last 4 games, places where a bad move is magnified, and the strategy made no sense in either of them.

Saturday, they burn all their good relievers so clearly they’re trying to win. Vaughn is declared unavailable, but for some unfathomable reason he isn’t put on the IL. In the 8th inning, LaRussa burns his entire bench except Vaughn and Mendick, one guy without getting an at bat. 10th inning comes around and oops, we have 2 lefties back to back with the tying runner on third, all Alex Cora has to do it have a lefty on the mound and the runner is stranded. The Sox stupidly put themselves in a box and sat there waiting for Cora to tape it shut.

Last night, Billy Hamilton on 2b as the tying run, with nobody out, the bottom of the order coming up, and a strikeout pitcher on the mound so low odds of strong contact, and Hamilton never runs to set up a sac fly/groundout or run scoring wild pitch? I still don’t get this at all. If Hamilton gets thrown out, I’m pissed at Hamilton because he has one job, why on Earth is he told not to do it?

Just stop with the stupid losses, they have been the hallmark of the whole season and they are so unnecessary. There’s a benefit to resting guys, I’m ok with losing a game because Leury makes an error at short. There’s no benefit to having Vaughn sit on the bench hurt, and I’m not ok with losing a game because we left him sitting there. There’s no benefit to Hamilton not running.

[CentralChamps21]

4 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Last night, Billy Hamilton on 2b as the tying run, with nobody out, the bottom of the order coming up, and a strikeout pitcher on the mound so low odds of strong contact, and Hamilton never runs to set up a sac fly/groundout or run scoring wild pitch? I still don’t get this at all. If Hamilton gets thrown out, I’m pissed at Hamilton because he has one job, why on Earth is he told not to do it?

Hamilton had to stay on 2nd to read the catcher's signs and warn the hitters about the sliders and changeups that they swung through.

[chitownsportsfan]

11 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

See, I have very little problem with giving guys extra rest. Use the IL, give guys extra days off, that makes sense to me. What is pissing me off is the stupid losses. We have had 2 1-run losses in the last 4 games, places where a bad move is magnified, and the strategy made no sense in either of them.

Saturday, they burn all their good relievers so clearly they’re trying to win. Vaughn is declared unavailable, but for some unfathomable reason he isn’t put on the IL. In the 8th inning, LaRussa burns his entire bench except Vaughn and Mendick, one guy without getting an at bat. 10th inning comes around and oops, we have 2 lefties back to back with the tying runner on third, all Alex Cora has to do it have a lefty on the mound and the runner is stranded. The Sox stupidly put themselves in a box and sat there waiting for Cora to tape it shut.

Last night, Billy Hamilton on 2b as the tying run, with nobody out, the bottom of the order coming up, and a strikeout pitcher on the mound so low odds of strong contact, and Hamilton never runs to set up a sac fly/groundout or run scoring wild pitch? I still don’t get this at all. If Hamilton gets thrown out, I’m pissed at Hamilton because he has one job, why on Earth is he told not to do it?

Just stop with the stupid losses, they have been the hallmark of the whole season and they are so unnecessary. There’s a benefit to resting guys, I’m ok with losing a game because Leury makes an error at short. There’s no benefit to having Vaughn sit on the bench hurt, and I’m not ok with losing a game because we left him sitting there. There’s no benefit to Hamilton not running.

Very little about the 2nd half has made sense that's for sure. I just hope the proverbial switch gets flipped in October at this point.  I can handle a competitive well played series loss to the Astros but a sloppy poorly managed 4-1 Series loss isn't good enough.

[Balta1701]

12 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Very little about the 2nd half has made sense that's for sure. I just hope the proverbial switch gets flipped in October at this point.  I can handle a competitive well played series loss to the Astros but a sloppy poorly managed 4-1 Series loss isn't good enough.

Astros only need to win 3. 

[White Sox Park]

9 hours ago, greg775 said:

11 strikeouts tonight. Very boring and very sad what modern day baseball has become. The home run throughout history has been great, but this new brand of baseball in which ALMOST everyone tries to hit a home run or strikeout really truly is ruining the great game. So only guys with almost no reasonable expectation of a home run (a guy as short as Madrigal) try to hit singles.

I was seriously considering just giving up on baseball, as it becomes more and more like some video game . pitching and defense (especially defense) have always been my favorite parts of the game . i do love extended rallies though . hit and run, hitting the other way to move guys over, the stolen base, walks and singles together with ringing doubles down the line or in the gap, will do it for me as far as offense goes . the whole home run thing was great for getting people back in the stands after the strike in 94, but there is so much more to the game that we all love, than just hitting it out of the park..

 Also, i was/am a huge Madrigal fan, and will miss that guy . he was just starting to adjust to running the bases and playing defense in the big leagues, when he got hurt, and the way that he turned the lineup over is sorely missed.

[chitownsportsfan]

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Astros only need to win 3. 

Ah fuck even worse. Stupid short series HFA will mean even more.

[Harry Chappas]

41 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

See, I have very little problem with giving guys extra rest. Use the IL, give guys extra days off, that makes sense to me. What is pissing me off is the stupid losses. We have had 2 1-run losses in the last 4 games, places where a bad move is magnified, and the strategy made no sense in either of them.

Saturday, they burn all their good relievers so clearly they’re trying to win. Vaughn is declared unavailable, but for some unfathomable reason he isn’t put on the IL. In the 8th inning, LaRussa burns his entire bench except Vaughn and Mendick, one guy without getting an at bat. 10th inning comes around and oops, we have 2 lefties back to back with the tying runner on third, all Alex Cora has to do it have a lefty on the mound and the runner is stranded. The Sox stupidly put themselves in a box and sat there waiting for Cora to tape it shut.

Last night, Billy Hamilton on 2b as the tying run, with nobody out, the bottom of the order coming up, and a strikeout pitcher on the mound so low odds of strong contact, and Hamilton never runs to set up a sac fly/groundout or run scoring wild pitch? I still don’t get this at all. If Hamilton gets thrown out, I’m pissed at Hamilton because he has one job, why on Earth is he told not to do it?

Just stop with the stupid losses, they have been the hallmark of the whole season and they are so unnecessary. There’s a benefit to resting guys, I’m ok with losing a game because Leury makes an error at short. There’s no benefit to having Vaughn sit on the bench hurt, and I’m not ok with losing a game because we left him sitting there. There’s no benefit to Hamilton not running.

I would say something but this says it all. 

[ChiSox59]

52 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

See, I have very little problem with giving guys extra rest. Use the IL, give guys extra days off, that makes sense to me. What is pissing me off is the stupid losses. We have had 2 1-run losses in the last 4 games, places where a bad move is magnified, and the strategy made no sense in either of them.

Saturday, they burn all their good relievers so clearly they’re trying to win. Vaughn is declared unavailable, but for some unfathomable reason he isn’t put on the IL. In the 8th inning, LaRussa burns his entire bench except Vaughn and Mendick, one guy without getting an at bat. 10th inning comes around and oops, we have 2 lefties back to back with the tying runner on third, all Alex Cora has to do it have a lefty on the mound and the runner is stranded. The Sox stupidly put themselves in a box and sat there waiting for Cora to tape it shut.

Last night, Billy Hamilton on 2b as the tying run, with nobody out, the bottom of the order coming up, and a strikeout pitcher on the mound so low odds of strong contact, and Hamilton never runs to set up a sac fly/groundout or run scoring wild pitch? I still don’t get this at all. If Hamilton gets thrown out, I’m pissed at Hamilton because he has one job, why on Earth is he told not to do it?

Just stop with the stupid losses, they have been the hallmark of the whole season and they are so unnecessary. There’s a benefit to resting guys, I’m ok with losing a game because Leury makes an error at short. There’s no benefit to having Vaughn sit on the bench hurt, and I’m not ok with losing a game because we left him sitting there. There’s no benefit to Hamilton not running.

+1,000,000.  TLR still kind of sucks.  This team is still 4 games behind its xW-L, and LaRussa hasn't really done this team a ton of favors with his "strategies".

Last night was tough.  Got one of the fastest dude in the world at 2B with no outs and cant' score him.  I know TLR doesn't use TA on off-days, but if you're going to sit him 3x a week right now, he should be available off the bench to PH.