TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Lineups:
The White Sox are a season-high 19 games over .500 for the first time since 9/6/08 (80-61).
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 16, 2021
⏰: 7:10 p.m. CT
📺: @NBCSChicago
📻: @ESPN1000 pic.twitter.com/T7zro7nNro
#Astros lineup to kick off the second half:
— Ryan Herrera (@ryan_a_herrera) July 16, 2021
Jose Altuve-2B
Michael Brantley-LF
Yuli Gurriel-1B
Yordan Alvarez-DH
Carlos Correa-SS
Kyle Tucker-RF
Abraham Toro-3B
Myles Straw-CF
Martin Maldonado-C
RHP Lance McCullers, Jr.
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So after that first inning I won’t complain, but what’s the rationale behind getting Cease an extra start when presumably everyone is rested.
Nice, sharp Cease in the first inning.
This is the best Cease has looked. This reminds me of the televised intrasquad game before they started in 2020 when everything was sharp, and he was putting it exactly where he wanted.
Well, it was for 8 outs, anyway.
Im a Benetti fan overall, but the use of ‘dazzling’ has become nails on a chalkboard. Please make it stop.
Leury having a rough day.
Totally. Leury with two mental errors today and it’s still early.
He isn’t a starting major league player. He gets exposed with two much playing time.
Have we even won this year in the ‘Southside’ uniform ? I’m not sure if I recall
I would have never brought in Heuer here
No kidding. The guy can’t even throw strikes to a guy hitting .170, so he winds up having to face Altuve instead. Got him out, but still… their relievers aside from Kopech, Crochet, Liam and occasionally Bummer are just not reliable, and certainly can’t be called good.
This one so far is following the script of the last 15 years of an important feeling game
Our holes get exposed against elite competition.
We need a second baseman, bullpen pitcher, and right fielder. I doubt we can get all three at the deadline.
I’m mostly of the opinion that they built a team than can compete for a playoff spot but not one that’s built to compete with the best teams in the league. Their success has been predicated more on a bad division more than an elite talent roster. And that’s fine! This isn’t a franchise that wins many divisions! It’s fun when they do!
We shouldn’t lose sight that this is not the complete roster. We don’t really know how the team would look with Robert, Eloy , and a legit right fielder.
I don’t think they are far off but they need a right fielder moving forward and a payroll increase to win a title.
That’s fair but they I’m not sure Eloy and Luis make enough of a dent in the -25 run diff they’re currently sporting against the Astros through 4+ games to convince me otherwise. I’m not holding my breath that they’ll figure out RF any time soon, either, since it’s been 2 seasons with that being a glaring need and they’re not any closer. My guess is that Engel will shift there and that will be the ‘fix’.
They are probably going to have to make do with Engel/Goodwin in RF this year I think. I can’t see them trading for anybody significantly better without giving up a package we would all dread.
They might be able to get a 2b, if the cost is not extreme, but there is no way they can afford not to get a reliever or two. Liam, Kopech, Crocet (and Burr) are the only relievers with ERA under 3, Ruiz the only other one with an ERA under 4. That’s just not good enough to go through a postseason with, even if they upgraded at both 2b and RF.
If both teams are healthy, Houston is better at every position except catcher.
I don’t agree with that. I wouldn’t trade their starting rotation with ours.
It’s fine. Reynaldo is back to fix the bullpen issues.
Doing our best Kannapolis Intimidators
impersonation tonight.
They are going to need some middle relief help if they are going to beat this Astros team in October, that’s for sure. If there is one area there is no excuse for Hahn not to address, it is this one.