Stream Date: 9/17/2020
The 2020 Chicago White Sox have done it! After winning three out of four games against the Minnesota Twins, the White Sox have clinched a postseason berth in 2020. Josh and Jim share how they feel about the event 12 years in the making, Jose Abreu’s MVP moment, Eloy Jimenez coming in the clutch, and preview the upcoming series against Cincinnati.
Click play below to listen:
Been following you guys since finding SSS in 2010 and a supporter of the podcast since the beginning (your production skills have come a long way ????), and I couldn’t think of a better, more informed, even-keeled crew to guide us along on this ride. Thanks for all the work that goes into this production and giving us a nice place to congregate.
So excited for us, Abreu, and the rest of the players to finally.. FINALLY see some playoff baseball. It truly has been something that’s brightened my days during this year, and hopefully much better times are ahead. Let’s go White Sox!
Oh god that first season.
Haven’t listened to the whole episode yet, so you may have covered it later on: but as far as who the Sox would have played yesterday in their original 162 game schedule? Kansas City at home, start of a 4 game weekend set.
We’re definitely the best team at obliterating the Tigers and Royals. If the Indians are the second wildcard we want to be behind the Rays since the Blue Jays are (theoretically) much easier, but if the Indians are the first wildcard other way around.
Thank you for starting the show with Kool & The Gang, a week after we lost band founder Ronald Bell. In a year when we have lost so much, it is good to win something.
Jim – I have a small bone to pick with you regarding your discussion of the utility of WAR and defensive metrics and how they relate to the MVP discussion in the short season. You’re right that defensive metrics take a longer time to stabilize than corresponding stats, so if the goal was to determine who is the best defensive player, it would take a larger sample. However, I don’t think that’s what the MVP award is all about – otherwise they might as well give it to Trout every year. The MVP is about who performed the best on the field in the games that were played. Abreu has made some great defensive plays this year – it doesn’t really make any difference (in terms of the MVP discussion) whether he will make those plays again going forward, it just matters that he made them and they have been valuable in leading the Sox to the postseason. The same is true, of course, for offensive numbers. I don’t think Abreu is actually a better hitter than Trout, but it’s a fact that by some metrics (wRC for example) he has been better so far in 2020.
Anyway, I’m just nitpicking here – great job with the site and the podcast and I’m looking forward to the playoff coverage!