White Sox a playoff "favorite"

[chw42]

I believe that Kansas City is well above 500 other than there 12 game losing streak, not exactly gimmes.

 

Not saying, I'm just saying.

 

They're still bad and I don't see the Sox finishing below them somehow.

[balfanman]

They're still bad and I don't see the Sox finishing below them somehow.

 

I don't think the Sox will finish behind them either, but I don't think that they are that bad. They gave the Sox fits when they were bad. It wouldn't suprise me at all if the Royals take the seasons series from the Sox.

[chw42]

I don't think the Sox will finish behind them either, but I don't think that they are that bad. They gave the Sox fits when they were bad. It wouldn't suprise me at all if the Royals take the seasons series from the Sox.

 

That's very possible. Our inability to beat KC has really screwed us over in the past few years.

[Jake]

I'm going to just hope that the exit of Ozzie Guillen can keep us from playing down to the level of our opponents like we did so often in the past

[soxfan3530]

I'm going to enjoy this one day at a time.

Agreed. I'm enjoying the current ride, but not fully ready to jump all in just yet.

[The Ginger Kid]

Agreed. I'm enjoying the current ride, but not fully ready to jump all in just yet.

I will start thinking post season after I see where we are following that brutal schedule in July

[flavum]

I will start thinking post season after I see where we are following that brutal schedule in July

 

I agree with that. Two months from today, the Sox finish a series in Texas.

 

I would be very happy with a 55-46 record at that point, which means 28-24 from now to then.

 

That would leave 61 games to go 35-26 for 90 wins.

[Jake]

I agree with that. Two months from today, the Sox finish a series in Texas.

 

I would be very happy with a 55-46 record at that point, which means 28-24 from now to then.

 

That would leave 61 games to go 35-26 for 90 wins.

 

Let's just win something like 20 in a row and play mediocre baseball the rest of the year

[NorthSideSox72]

There were two "tests" for this team coming into the season.

 

One was, how would the Four Horsemen of Underachievement from 2011 do? Well, Dunn is back to his old self, Rios is doing pretty good, Peavy is doing very good... and Beckham, well, the jury is still out. So 3 out of 4, at this point. That's great.

 

The other is still to come. Peavy, Sale and Humber would all have to dramatically increase their innings pitched from last year, to stay starting all this year. Chances are, one or more will fade, probably starting around August. So... how those three hold up, and how any fill-ins the Sox use (Axelrod, Quintana, Castro, Doyle, whomever) perform. That's the second test, and at this point, that is what will make or break the team's playoff chances, in my view.

 

[Jake]

There were two "tests" for this team coming into the season.

 

One was, how would the Four Horsemen of Underachievement from 2011 do? Well, Dunn is back to his old self, Rios is doing pretty good, Peavy is doing very good... and Beckham, well, the jury is still out. So 3 out of 4, at this point. That's great.

 

The other is still to come. Peavy, Sale and Humber would all have to dramatically increase their innings pitched from last year, to stay starting all this year. Chances are, one or more will fade, probably starting around August. So... how those three hold up, and how any fill-ins the Sox use (Axelrod, Quintana, Castro, Doyle, whomever) perform. That's the second test, and at this point, that is what will make or break the team's playoff chances, in my view.

 

The nice thing is that Peavy got quite a few innings last year, which was valuable in building a "base" so to speak for this year. I really don't expect him to have problems down the stretch, even if I flinch every time he releases a pitch and does anything but his normal follow through, etc. Humber faded late last year but still racked up quite a few innings...so I expect him to last longer this year/have no issues. The nice thing with his bad outings early in the season is that he's had several outings with very few pitches.

 

Sale is a wildcard. He'd thrown enough innings his last year in college to expect him to get up to ~180-200 innings no problem last year. Since he didn't, who really knows? He may be fine. This weirdness around his elbow soreness is nothing to forget, but it's also hard to interpret.

 

I wouldn't mind us giving starters periodic breaks from a start or two, especially if a guy like Quintana continues pitching well. Could pay off in the end if we're trying to make a playoff run.

[southsider2k5]

The nice thing is that Peavy got quite a few innings last year, which was valuable in building a "base" so to speak for this year. I really don't expect him to have problems down the stretch, even if I flinch every time he releases a pitch and does anything but his normal follow through, etc. Humber faded late last year but still racked up quite a few innings...so I expect him to last longer this year/have no issues. The nice thing with his bad outings early in the season is that he's had several outings with very few pitches.

 

Sale is a wildcard. He'd thrown enough innings his last year in college to expect him to get up to ~180-200 innings no problem last year. Since he didn't, who really knows? He may be fine. This weirdness around his elbow soreness is nothing to forget, but it's also hard to interpret.

 

I wouldn't mind us giving starters periodic breaks from a start or two, especially if a guy like Quintana continues pitching well. Could pay off in the end if we're trying to make a playoff run.

 

This is why pushing these guys last year was so important. If you run a marathon, you can't train by running 400's.

[NorthSideSox72]

The nice thing is that Peavy got quite a few innings last year, which was valuable in building a "base" so to speak for this year. I really don't expect him to have problems down the stretch, even if I flinch every time he releases a pitch and does anything but his normal follow through, etc.

 

This is why pushing these guys last year was so important. If you run a marathon, you can't train by running 400's.

 

Yes. It amazes me how many people were all up in arms about how bad Peavy was last year, and how they shouldn't have let him pitch. That's what last year HAD to be for him, just as it is for other pitchers coming off major surgeries. You miss a year, then you spend a year sucking at picthing but getting stretched back out, THEN you have a chance at a good year, maybe.

 

By the way, I am not saying all three guys are going to collapse. I just think its likely that 1 or 2 will fade and be gassed before the season is over, so they'll need to give them more than just an extra day of rest here and there. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[southsider2k5]

Yes. It amazes me how many people were all up in arms about how bad Peavy was last year, and how they shouldn't have let him pitch. That's what last year HAD to be for him, just as it is for other pitchers coming off major surgeries. You miss a year, then you spend a year sucking at picthing but getting stretched back out, THEN you have a chance at a good year, maybe.

 

By the way, I am not saying all three guys are going to collapse. I just think its likely that 1 or 2 will fade and be gassed before the season is over, so they'll need to give them more than just an extra day of rest here and there. I hope I'm wrong.

 

I'd bet on Sale hitting a dead arm period. But again, the only way to get him ready for the next run is to push him.

[Balta1701]

I'd bet on Sale hitting a dead arm period. But again, the only way to get him ready for the next run is to push him.

I disagree a little...I think he's going to hit a dead arm period too, but I think the best way to handle that is to build in some extra rest. Use Mr. "Offday" once a month for him in June/July/August/September, he'll still push 150+ innings if he's healthy, and that might keep him fresher late in the season. And perhaps most importantly, it could avoid having him feeling sore/tired when the Sox happen to have a double header, as we already saw this season.

 

(That won't happen of course, not our style, but that's how I'd do it).

[flavum]

I disagree a little...I think he's going to hit a dead arm period too, but I think the best way to handle that is to build in some extra rest. Use Mr. "Offday" once a month for him in June/July/August/September, he'll still push 150+ innings if he's healthy, and that might keep him fresher late in the season. And perhaps most importantly, it could avoid having him feeling sore/tired when the Sox happen to have a double header, as we already saw this season.

 

(That won't happen of course, not our style, but that's how I'd do it).

 

It would be great if the Sox can open up a division lead, so they have more wiggle room to do that.

 

It's going to be interesting to see how they set up the rotation after the break. Fortunately or unfortunately, Peavy and Sale could both be going to KC for the All Star Game. That could push them back. Maybe go Danks, Peavy, Sale, Humber, Floyd.

[southsider2k5]

Expected playoff% 81.2% (72.2% as ALC champ, 9% as WC) with an expected wins of 94.4 now.