Podcast: 2018 1st Half Recap Part I & II
This edition of the podcast is split into two parts for easier listening.
Part I
The Rundown:
- Jim and Josh share the voting results from the 1st Half Survey.
- Why the White Sox deserve an “F” for the first half.
- Why Tim Anderson was the best position player, and how some Sox fans will never be pleased with him.
- Why Rick Renteria gets a pass managing. . . for now.
- Our guesses if Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech will be called up before September 1st.
Part II
The Rundown:
- The Injury Expert, Will Carroll, joins the show to share his insight on what Dane Dunning and Nate Jones are dealing with their injuries. Plus, what is PRP, and can it help pitchers like Shohei Ohtani?
- Showing improvements in power and his ability to convert run-scoring opportunities, Blake Rutherford joins the show from Winston-Salem to discuss the adjustments he’s made in 2018.
- Jim covers the Minor Leagues with pending word on Eloy Jimenez’s leg injury.
- We answer your questions in P.O. Sox:
Do you believe that Ricky has the technical chops to manage well between 7pm and 10pm when it is time to #POSox
— BeefLoaf (@MrDelicious13) July 1, 2018
Ben Lindbergh wrote a piece for The Ringer about how, currently, the 2018 FA class isn’t looking like the stacked group it was expected to be. At this point, with the unsure possibility that the Sox will even spend, does it look wise to do so after the 2018 season?
— alex gaspar (@alexggaspar) July 1, 2018
Do you let Moncada play through the troubles even if it puts him at risk of ML record for Ks?
— William Gatziolis (@WillGatz) July 1, 2018
To listen to Part I, click play below:
To listen to Part II, click play below:
All-Star Voting Update
And salary-swap, Matt Kemp will be voted in. Crazy world.
It was a toss-up for “best player” for me between Abreu and Anderson. I ultimately chose Jose because of his Daily Doubles, but could easily have gone the other way.
If you gave Anderson less than a C, you’re just determined to never be happy with anything.
I don’t think it’s any more complicated than, “Tim Anderson is not Francisco Lindor.” Or plug in your all star, gold glove, silver slugger short stop of choice. Short stop is a premier position, and I think a lot of fans were expecting this rebuild to play out cleanly and linearly, with all the guys progressing and falling into place like clockwork. I think in a lot of fans’ eyes, Anderson was supposed to be that elite two way threat at short stop that so many other teams seem to have developed, but the Sox have not. I know it sounds like I’m reaching, but I honestly don’t think I am. I think people had visions of Lindor, Correa, Seager, A-Rod, whoever, dancing through their heads, and when Timmy (totally understandably) didn’t live up to those (totally unfair) expectations, people lost all sense of proportion. Add to that the bushelful of errors, and the whole team’s overall performance, and here we are.
I always figured Tim would peak as a light hitting middle infielder with double-plus speed; high average/low OBP-type player. That he’s showing 25 home run power leads me to believe he has a lot more potential than any reasonable person foresaw. Yeah, you can look at pieces of his stats in isolation and be disappointed, but the overall package has the makings of a potential first division shortstop. That he’s made TREMENDOUS strides this year should be encouraging to all.
Agreed. He also just turned 25, so I’m not sure why people are talking about him like he’s a finished product… And anyone that expected him to be Lindor/Correa/Seager/A-Rod just has ridiculous expectations.
This interview with Rutherford is like a rolling ad for providing minor leaguers with healthy, precooked meals. Also, I’m kind of jealous of a 20 year old athlete’s metabolism.
I swam seven or eight miles a day when I was twenty. I pretty much needed to consume cheap garbage non-stop in order to even maintain my weight.