First Pitch: White Sox at Royals

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Lineups:

(Photo by Corey Seeman)

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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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IllinoisJones

Does it seem like, generally, Timmy’s approach has been worse this year? Or maybe it’s pitch recognition, I dunno. He’s my favorite player, and I just don’t remember him swinging at horrible pitches (seems like lots of sliders outside to my untrained eye?) like this the past two years. He went on that hot streak a couple weeks ago and I was like “finally, Tim’s gonna boost his average and slugging a bit.” and he definitely was white hot… but now it seems like he’s back to the good-not-great Tim he’s been this year.

Foulkelore

With a quick check, overall, his discipline is about the same, or slightly better. His O-Swing% (outside the zone) is 41.8% vs. 43.6% last year and 45.2% in 2019. His overall swing percentage is up from last year’s small sample, but about the same as 2019. His walk percentage is up slightly at 4.8% vs. 4.5% last year and 2.9% in 2019. So, averaging it out, it doesn’t look like there’s a significant change there.

IllinoisJones

Thanks for the data!

Soxfan2

It seems like he’s not hitting pitches this year that he was the previous two seasons. Even Benetti made a comment about him missing a 97 MPH fastball down the middle yesterday.

Here’s an interesting little tidbit…

BA Against fastballs:
2019: .312
2020: .368
2021: .352

His slugging% is down nearly 100 points against fastballs compared to 2019 and 2020 as well.

dwjm3

Good grief Leury…

I’m not knocking Vaughn because I think he’s going to be a really good player for the Sox, but man are we setting up some of these rookies for failure by playing them out of position. Vaughn plays passable defense in LF but because there is some idiotic need to put Eloy back out there, where he has already hurt himself multiple times, we move Vaughn to RF and it takes him less than two innings to commit an error. That is terrible coaching, and that is terrible roster management by not acquiring a real RF.

Catching that type of fly ball is not what makes right field harder than left field. Vaughn may not be able to play right field but that error is not significant evidence to make that case.

IllinoisJones

I kind of thought the same. Only thing I can come up with is maybe the angles or spin or something were different than left

soxygen

I love that Eloy is making all the plays.The man is challenging the conventional wisdom about his defense.

Last edited 1 year ago by soxygen
polishwith

Man, the Sox are hard to watch at the plate right now. b.o.r.i.n.g.

dwjm3

Feels like they are just going through the motions

Foulkelore

Welcome back, Eloy!!!

Yolmer's gatorade

Intentionally walk that.