Rays 9, White Sox 1: Crawl under a tarp

Back on the first iteration of Sox Machine, I would occasionally summarize fan-murdering games like today’s by using a picture of a brown lab taking a dump, with a somewhat guilty look on its face.

I can’t use it now. I’d like to say it’s because I’ve matured, but it’s more that I don’t have rights to the photo. But those of you who were on the site way back when will know what I’m talking about, and agree that this game would’ve warranted it.

At any rate, the followed-from-work bullet-point recap:

*This might have been the most visually depressing White Sox game in recent memory. Between the one hour, 39-minute rain delay to start the game that limited attendance to the fraction of the 11,107 announced in attendance, the immediate early hole created by Reynaldo López, the fecklessness of the White Sox offense and more embarrassing play defensively, this looked like a team playing out the string of a season that’s only 11 games old.

*López started the string of ugly performances by White Sox starters, and he continued it, giving up eight runs on 10 hits (three homers) and four walks. He needed 104 pitches to get through 4⅓ innings, and that included a seven-pitch second. His command was awful.

*Conversely, Tyler Glasnow was dominant, striking out 11 White Sox while limited them to two singles and the random four-pitch walk to Daniel Palka. (Palka also drew a four-pitch free pass on Opening Day, the only one yielded by Brad Keller.)

*The White Sox had one chance to get back into this game. Palka drew the aforementioned walk to start the third, then moved to third two batters later on Leury García’s single up the middle. Alas, Glasnow struck out Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu to end the threat.

*The Rays took the threat seriously, kicking the game out of reach the next frame. López retired the first two batters, then gave up back-to-back homers to Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham. Ji-Man Choi then hit a liner to right that Palka whiffed on and came home on a single by Avísail García.

*Palka also airmailed a throw home in the ninth on Willy Adames’ RBI single. Adames took second of the throw, and might’ve been able to advance further had Welington Castillo’s wild throw to second not hit umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. Palka also struck out in his other two plate appearances, so he’s now 0-for-25.

*Palka wasn’t credited with an error for either miscue, so his fielding percentage remains a perfect 1.000 for his career. Moncada was charged with an error for letting a grounder skip under his glove while shifted at the shortstop position.

*Tim Anderson once again produced in vain, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. He also wiped his nose on Choi’s sleeve, after which Choi offered further assistance.

*Eloy Jiménez finally recorded an extra-base hit, a double to left off Jalen Beeks. Beeks gave up the lone Sox run, but he still got the save for pitching the final three innings.

*Caleb Frare was optioned to Charlotte after the game.

Record: 3-8 | Box score | “Highlights”

Take a second to support Sox Machine on Patreon
16 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hatchetman

Thanks to Ed and DJ fo keeping me company at work today. I love those guys.

fundman

God I miss that picture

Brett R. Bobysud

Other than Yoan, Tim, & Eloy there’s very little reason to watch this team at the moment, imo.

karkovice squad

Should’ve sold the naming rights to TiVo.

Southside Hitman

Or Earl Scheib’s Stadium, “a bad paint job on a shitty product”!

Uh oh…….may be showing my age with that one LOL

Brett R. Bobysud

Also, am I completely out of line if I’m continuously asking why Adam Engel is here instead of Ryan Cordell, at this point?

Defense

vanillablue

It’s so frustrating that Hahn seems to have no plan for rebuilding after step 1 (trade veterans for prospects.) Rebuilding involves, you know, building something. Did they really think they could just get a bunch of young guys, roll out the balls and bats, and watch the team magically turn into a contender? Wait, don’t answer that.

35Shields

Not sure what you mean. Hahn’s plenty able to plan beyond that:

1. Trade veterans for prospects
2. Run a league low payroll while playing these prospected
3. Profit

PauliePaulie

Regression is a hell of a thing.

jose robcada

Can we please send palka down, he’s competing with Chris Davis over here

Soxfan2

I am officially at the lowest point of this rebuild.

-Lopez had a solid year last year pitching as a #4 type guy. I was hoping he would prove to be a solid #3 guy this year. He has taken a massive step back. 
-Giolito was brutal last year. My expectations were practically nothing and I’m still disappointed. Was hoping he could at least be a #5 guy but that seems unlikely at this point. Not sure how he would fair in the bullpen.
-Rodon is what he is. Good Slider/fastball, limited control/command. Best pitcher we have and is free agent in 2 years. At most a mid rotation starter.

So as of right now we have 1 definite starter that is a free agent in 2 years (Rodon). Kopech Tommy John. Dunning Tommy john.  Who knows how they will fair. That leaves Cease as the only healthy guy that might prove to be a top of the rotation guy and he did have TJ in high school. Pitching massive question mark.

Moncada, Anderson, Jimenez appear to be for sure MLB starters. Anderson more of average to above average guy (2.0-3.0 WAR). Sky is the limit for Moncada, hoping he ends up as at least a 4 WAR guy, appears as though Sox would need him to be a superstar for things to be on track. Jimenez should be that middle of the order guy but he may be moving to 1st/DH.

That leaves us with holes at 2nd, 1st, Catcher and possibly an entire outfield. I think madrigal can fill 2nd. At this point, Luis Robert NEEDS to turn into a star for the white sox. Collins is a big ?..Basabe, Adolfo have tools but have some big holes in their game. Gonzalez and Rutherford have some questions with their power.

With this all being said, it wouldn’t be the end of the world IF the sox spent money. You sign a Machado or Harper and all of a sudden things look a lot brighter offensively. You add a superstar to at least 3 solid starters (2 with superstar potential) then you can mess around with the depth we have. 

What irks me the most is that the sox were the #6 most profitable team last year at $76 million (via forbes article). Two years of a harper/Machado deal would have been payed for from last years profits. Not to mention the increase in ticket sales, Jerseys, concessions etc this year and beyond. Jerry bought the team for $19 million in 1981 and the sox are now worth $1.6 billion. Talk about a return on investment. I guess Jerry can’t reward the fans one time with a giant splash in free agency.

Sorry for the long post but I had to get this off my chest.

Powerofmyth

I keep hearing we are set at 2nd base in Madrigal. However, he continues to be a light hitting player who has limited power. I suspect the sample size is still too small to know what he will do…but I think it is way to early to have anyone claiming he is the 2nd baseman of the future. I don’t see Altuve attributes just yet.

asinwreck

The dog at least expressed guilt. This roster construction was done with malice aforethought.

vince

Why would we expect anything different after that turd of an offseason?

roke1960

That was the worst game I can remember seeing. This team is so bad in every aspect. We have 3 decent players who have a chance to be really good (Yoan, Timmy, Eloy). After that, nothing. It’s time for some major changes to take place all through the entire organization. Everyone can see that. But everyone also knows they’re not going to happen. And that’s the frustrating part. Who do we watch this mess? I think we all need help!