Angels/Sox 3/29...

[fathom]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:55 PM, chw42 said:

It's amazing how badly they screwed up the 2018 and 2019 first round picks. 2 top 5 picks for 2 guys who could be out of baseball soon.

Expand  

And two guys that if they did a second of scouting would have recognized how athletically limited they were.

[kitekrazy]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:25 PM, Chicago White Sox said:

Vaughn is the biggest bust of the past rebuild

Expand  

Not really. Let's account for games not missed.  I think it wasn't the best draft choice for someone who is not very mobile and plays 1st. 

[kitekrazy]

It's not like they lost to a 5 era pitcher.

[wegner]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:58 PM, kitekrazy said:

Not really. Let's account for games not missed.  I think it wasn't the best draft choice for someone who is not very mobile and plays 1st. 

Expand  

I remember some expert saying that Vaughn was the best college hitter since Kris Bryant and I was excited....that obviously has not worked out. This season has to be his last chance on the South Side I would guess.

[WhiteSox2023]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:58 PM, kitekrazy said:

Not really. Let's account for games not missed.  I think it wasn't the best draft choice for someone who is not very mobile and plays 1st. 

Expand  

Who cares if he plays games?  He sucks while he’s playing.

He owns a career .722 OPS and 1.3 bWAR in his fifth season.  He’s garbage.

A backup SS starting at 1B could do about as well as him.

Edited Saturday at 09:06 PM by WhiteSox2023

[kitekrazy]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:02 PM, wegner said:

I remember some expert saying that Vaughn was the best college hitter since Kris Bryant and I was excited....that obviously has not worked out. This season has to be his last chance on the South Side I would guess.

Expand  

That's always the Sox MO.   They don't look at anything else. 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:03 PM, WhiteSox2023 said:

Who cares if he plays games?  He sucks while he’s playing.

He owns a career .722 OPS and 1.3 bWAR in his fifth season.  He’s garbage.

A backup SS starting at 1B could do about as well as him.

Expand  

You are really in your element after a shutout loss 🤣

[WhiteSox2023]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:12 PM, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

You are really in your element after a shutout loss 🤣

Expand  

He’s bad.  Have a good night.

Edited Saturday at 09:16 PM by WhiteSox2023

[Lip Man 1]

I fully expect far more offensive performances like today's than Thursday's.

Once again, fundamentals lose the game. Allowing a two-out RBI and a two base wild pitch setting it up.

Little things add up. 

Edited Saturday at 09:38 PM by Lip Man 1

[wegner]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:17 PM, Lip Man 1 said:

I fully expect far more offensive performances like today's than Friday's.

Once again, fundamentals lose the game. Allowing a two-out RBI and a two base wild pitch setting it up.

Little things ad up. 

Expand  

They also scored zero runs on Friday 

[wegner]

Hey, let's flush this one and win the series tomorrow.

[PaleAleSox]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:10 PM, kitekrazy said:

That's always the Sox MO.   They don't look at anything else. 

Expand  

It’s not like the Sox reached on that pick. He was regarded as a great bat coming out of college. He is a bust like many before him in the league and many after.
 

The Madrigal one was terrible right from the get go. 

Edited Saturday at 09:30 PM by PaleAleSox

[Lip Man 1]

  On 3/29/2025 at 7:57 PM, Timmy U said:

Oof. Clevinger just gifted them the game. Cannon fields that ball easily.

Expand  

I don't know if Cannon would fare any better but what I do know is that the exaggerated twisting follow through which seems to be the "norm" today makes it almost impossible to actually field your position and as soon as the pitcher releases the ball he becomes a fielder.  

But I guess it's more important to throw 100MPH than 95 and actually be able to play defense. 😆

[ChiSoxFanMike]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:46 PM, tray said:

Thaiss basically lost the game. Can't wait for Kyle Teel to come up.

Expand  

I honestly thought Thaiss was pretty good behind the plate today outside of that one play, which you could argue was more Clevinger’s fault anyway.

[tray]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:43 PM, ChiSoxFanMike said:

I honestly thought Thaiss was pretty good behind the plate today outside of that one play, which you could argue was more Clevinger’s fault anyway.

Expand  

What about Thaiss not catching the pitch and then his errant throw to third which went into the outfield?  I hate close late inning losses....too remindful of last season. Plus  Man bun allowing Moncada to get a game winning  infield hit. Jeezus H. Chryst.

[pcq]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:03 PM, WhiteSox2023 said:

Who cares if he plays games?  He sucks while he’s playing.

He owns a career .722 OPS and 1.3 bWAR in his fifth season.  He’s garbage.

A backup SS starting at 1B could do about as well as him.

Expand  

Basically unequivocally inescapably undeniably incredibly inevitably inexorably accurate yet there seems no one available to challenge or replace him. Strange. 

[Ducksnort]

Shouldn't have tried to extend my beat the streak streak with Lenyn Sosa 🫠

[nrockway]

  On 3/29/2025 at 8:57 PM, fathom said:

And two guys that if they did a second of scouting would have recognized how athletically limited they were.

Expand  

Everybody knows athleticism is overrated…in baseball and every other sport. You must reach a certain threshold of 99th percentile athleticism sure, which every player pretty much does, but after that point, then you actually need a brain to be good and stick around. 
 

I’ve had this thought in my head after watching a little league game and seeing the smallest kid on the field hitting bombs. Maybe that kid just knew how to swing a bat and maybe there’s something about “natural” wrist strength. I don’t know anything about that, but baseball is in part a fun sport because, a lot of the time, the best players just look like a regular guy. Judge and Ohtani are clearly athletic specimens, but the brainpower separates them from the Eloys of the world. I don’t mean it as a slight against Eloy, but it clearly is, and he just strikes me as a simple person. Superstar body, role player mind.
Then look at mookie Betts. You wouldn’t see him on the street and think “dang, that guy is clearly a pro athlete — maybe a pro bowler”. Balding, short dude with a paunch. And yet he’s one of the best players in the league. 

 

point being, stop signing bodies and sign minds. Probably more relevant for international scouting. 

[TheBooneLoganEra]

  On 3/29/2025 at 9:28 PM, wegner said:

Hey, let's flush this one and win the series tomorrow.

Expand  

Don't......not even joking

[Jerksticks]

  On 3/29/2025 at 11:28 PM, nrockway said:

Everybody knows athleticism is overrated…in baseball and every other sport. You must reach a certain threshold of 99th percentile athleticism sure, which every player pretty much does, but after that point, then you actually need a brain to be good and stick around. 
 

I’ve had this thought in my head after watching a little league game and seeing the smallest kid on the field hitting bombs. Maybe that kid just knew how to swing a bat and maybe there’s something about “natural” wrist strength. I don’t know anything about that, but baseball is in part a fun sport because, a lot of the time, the best players just look like a regular guy. Judge and Ohtani are clearly athletic specimens, but the brainpower separates them from the Eloys of the world. I don’t mean it as a slight against Eloy, but it clearly is, and he just strikes me as a simple person. Superstar body, role player mind.
Then look at mookie Betts. You wouldn’t see him on the street and think “dang, that guy is clearly a pro athlete — maybe a pro bowler”. Balding, short dude with a paunch. And yet he’s one of the best players in the league. 

 

point being, stop signing bodies and sign minds. Probably more relevant for international scouting. 

Expand  

Nice post.  I’ve thought for decades that the key to batting is playing the game in the box which is totally mental.  This is an ability all in its own.  Wait for the exact pitch you want until 2 strikes.  Then become a tough out and foul off a bunch until you can serve one the other way for a single.   
 

It sounds simple, but 99% of Sox hitters look like their plan is to swing hard at strikes in the zone.  Same plan with 2 strikes. 
 

 Paulie figured it out the last year or two and TA had it dialed in pretty good until he became a train wreck 

[caulfield12]

  On 3/29/2025 at 11:28 PM, nrockway said:

Everybody knows athleticism is overrated…in baseball and every other sport. You must reach a certain threshold of 99th percentile athleticism sure, which every player pretty much does, but after that point, then you actually need a brain to be good and stick around. 
 

I’ve had this thought in my head after watching a little league game and seeing the smallest kid on the field hitting bombs. Maybe that kid just knew how to swing a bat and maybe there’s something about “natural” wrist strength. I don’t know anything about that, but baseball is in part a fun sport because, a lot of the time, the best players just look like a regular guy. Judge and Ohtani are clearly athletic specimens, but the brainpower separates them from the Eloys of the world. I don’t mean it as a slight against Eloy, but it clearly is, and he just strikes me as a simple person. Superstar body, role player mind.
Then look at mookie Betts. You wouldn’t see him on the street and think “dang, that guy is clearly a pro athlete — maybe a pro bowler”. Balding, short dude with a paunch. And yet he’s one of the best players in the league. 

 

point being, stop signing bodies and sign minds. Probably more relevant for international scouting. 

Expand  

Or Pat Mahomes...dad body.

[caulfield12]

  On 3/30/2025 at 12:25 AM, Jerksticks said:

Nice post.  I’ve thought for decades that the key to batting is playing the game in the box which is totally mental.  This is an ability all in its own.  Wait for the exact pitch you want until 2 strikes.  Then become a tough out and foul off a bunch until you can serve one the other way for a single.   
 

It sounds simple, but 99% of Sox hitters look like their plan is to swing hard at strikes in the zone.  Same plan with 2 strikes. 
 

 Paulie figured it out the last year or two and TA had it dialed in pretty good until he became a train wreck 

Expand  

Konerko 2013-14 -2.5 fWAR

[caulfield12]

It also helped Soriano pick up the win, which Moncada believed was well deserved. Moncada had the satisfaction of coming through against his old team in a key moment and helping his teammate get his first victory of the year.

“He was tremendous,” Moncada said. “He pitched a great game and helped us get the win. And he just did a great job.”

 

Venable was highly complimentary Soriano as well.

[WhiteSox2023]

I’m just going to pretend I follow the Dodgers.  5-0!!!

[greg775]

Can you imagine if this was Game One of the series? We'd have been very negative with the 2-hit shutout loss. Instead game three Sunday will be very interesting if we can win the series.