First Pitch: White Sox vs. Cubs

Watch: whitesox.com, YouTube (below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd4vGiJXPQQ&feature=youtu.be

Lineup:

(Photo by nicopanico / Wikipedia)

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Jim Margalus
Jim Margalus

Writing about the White Sox for a 16th season, first here, then at South Side Sox, and now here again. Let’s talk curling.

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jorgefabregas

Pretty patient inning so far by White Sox batters. Decently long AB for Eaton, walks for Abreu and Moncada. After two straight walks and a mound visit, Eloy was ready for a first pitch strike.

Last edited 2 years ago by jorgefabregas
asinwreck

I would like this version of Dylan Cease to pitch in the regular season.

jhomeslice

I would like this version of Carlos Rodon to pitch in the regular season as well.

Milky✌️

Luis Gonzalez with maybe the cleanest bunt I’ve ever seen

asinwreck

The Cubs needed Lenny Randle at 3B.

jorgefabregas

Stiever velocity watch: color analyst said that he hit 96 (stadium gun) on a pitch on the outside corner. Still not missing bats and is giving up decent contact, generally.

asinwreck

I would not like this version of Jonathan Stiever to pitch in the regular season.

Joliet Orange Sox

There’s only so much command to go around.

asinwreck

Best that it all goes to Cease. I’m glad Stiever’s velocity is up, but he had problems locating the fastball and was lucky to get out of the inning without more runs scoring.

Milky✌️

Fifth inning much better!

asinwreck

He’s looking OK in the sixth, too, though Pederson made hard contact on that fly out to Williams.

jorgefabregas

A really painful discussion of WAR on the broadcast where Rich King thinks that the Replacement is the specific person who backs up a player as opposed to a generic replacement player/level. Garfien can’t help him. What year is it?

Last edited 2 years ago by jorgefabregas
asinwreck

“But what if the guy who replaces him hits as well as him?”

Foulkelore

Yeah, I didn’t really know Rich King before this spring (I know others such as asinwreck are very familiar), and I was generally enjoying his announcing, other than his propensity to get overly excited at non-strikeout swinging misses. That was until the painful discussion with Len the other day about sabermetrics, including King’s least favorite “sabermetic” of “stats after age 35”, which he said is killing free agency. Rich King might be worse than Hawk when it comes to advanced stats.

Last edited 2 years ago by Foulkelore
asinwreck

I’m trying to imagine how Jimmy Piersall or Joe McConnell would handle advanced stats, and I don’t know if they’d be much different. Jimmy might get more irritated with WAR until it was pointed out that you get credit for defense.

jorgefabregas

I think I blame Garfien for not understanding well enough to explain it more than I blame King, who is 73 or 74 and is semi-retired and who works a few of these spring training games each year.

Joliet Orange Sox

I remember Rich King working with Harry and Jimmy. I like him because he’s pleasant, positive, and seems like a man I’d enjoy having as next-door-neighbor. The frustrating advanced-stats discussion is one that anyone who remembers the moon-landing runs into reasonably often talking baseball with others. The older the other fan is, the more likely frustration will ensue. I have a first cousin who is a passionate Sox fan who still thinks wins are the most important stat for starting pitchers!

Last edited 2 years ago by Joliet Orange Sox
jorgefabregas

Yes, I agree with you on King’s positive traits.

asinwreck

And now he’s talking about “that Billy Beane movie.”

asinwreck

Mendick’s bunt attempt definitely vindicating this Moneyball rant.

jorgefabregas

Stiever is finding success relying on his spike curve. His fastball is still getting hit hard.

asinwreck

At least the trainer coming out wasn’t coming out for Crochet.

asinwreck

Kopech’s offspeed offerings look pretty good. Even with the HBP and single, I very much enjoyed watching that inning.