First Pitch: White Sox at Rockies

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Lineups:

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As Cirensica

Go Brewers.
Go Sox.

HouseOfTheRisingSox

With the most spacious outfield in the majors, wouldn’t we want Engel out there for both games? Or is Leury always the answer to every question?

As Cirensica

White Sox players not named Jose Abreu can’t play that many games in a row.

soxygen

Last time Leury was in CF was a disaster, if I recall correctly. Didn’t he play strangely shallow and then allow multiple extra-base hits to go over his head?

Last edited 1 year ago by soxygen
Right Size Wrong Shape

He’s done that on a few occasions. If they have him positioned that way in this ballpark it’s going to be a disaster.

The Russa likes to show off how little he cares about defense.

Augusto Barojas

The goal is to have Leury in the lineup as much as possible. If there was a gambling scandal that implicated Tony throwing games, it would be completely believable. I’m not 100 percent sure it hasn’t already happened.

Screw this pitcher. Just tell TA to get in the box at 1:10 at start calling balls until he gets his butt out there.

What is happening? I am still at work

I missed the beginning of the explanation, but apparently he always starts the game late? Like it’s his thing? I’ve never even heard of this guy before today, but he gets to make thousands of people wait an extra 5 minutes for no reason.

Hmmm thanks

soxygen

The pitcher took his sweet time coming out and first pitch was a few minutes late.

Unrelated, he is from Valencia. You? I lived in Merida for about a year.

Last edited 1 year ago by soxygen
As Cirensica

You lived in Merida? Nice city although I have been there only twice in my life. I grew up in Turmero, but left Vzla in 2000. Last time I was over there was in 2013 I think. I highly doubt I will ever go there again.

soxygen

Sadly…Merida was a beautiful place. I was last there in 1996.

dwjm3

My fear of Giolito pitching in Coors already coming to fruition.

As Cirensica

I once suggested that with Giolito, we should use an opener. Let a reliever face the toughest hitters, and then bring Giolito in the 2nd inning.

calcetinesblancos

So much for trading Giolito lol.

As Cirensica

Jose Quintana trade in the horizon?

metasox

There is the challenge with trading away prospects. When the foundation isn’t sound, hard to justfiy adding complementary pieces.

Last edited 1 year ago by metasox
calcetinesblancos

I would assume so; it’s a half-assed move that won’t do anything impactful, so I’m sure the Sox are all over it.

HallofFrank

Does anyone else think Leury just flipping the ball in the air back in like that allowed the run to score? Why in the world… just plant and throw the ball hard.

No, I don’t think that.

It was close. With Cron running and, it seemed to me, still several steps from 3rd when Leury threw the ball. I think he gets held if Leury makes a strong throw.

He would have had to take several steps to gather himself and even then he would have had no momentum on the throw. He made a heckuva play, kept it from going to the wall, and got it to the cut-off man as quickly as he could.

He did well cutting the ball off. But I don’t think he got it to the cut-off man as quickly as he could. That is so rarely the best way to throw the ball, unless you have an exceptionally strong arm.

He does have an exceptionally strong arm, and he made the play with no wasted movement. If he made the play like he was in a Tom Emanski video would it have gotten there a split second sooner? I have no idea. But there’s no way he could have stopped that run from scoring, and sometimes getting rid of the ball quicker can deter a runner from trying to advance.

Kind of like what Hampson just did.

Yeah I went back and rewatched the play and we just disagree. It was well over a split-second difference. He not only threw it straight up in the air, but it had to hop to TA. And he didn’t even have to stop and plant. He slid to stop the ball. Instead of standing up and making a strong throw, he tried to make a kind of odd jump throw?

I couldn’t see the 3rd base coach. But I think there’s a real chance he wasn’t sending Cron but then decided to after he saw the throw.

soxygen

I have seen Leury do strange things when he loads to throw from the outfield. Not the first time I’ve thought: “huh, so that’s the way you’re going to throw it? Okay then.”

hellotowel

Nothing like a 2022 Giolito start to wash away all momentum and good feelings.

As Cirensica

Man…Giolito is toast?

BenwithVen

We’re gonna finish 81-81 this year, aren’t we?

Last edited 1 year ago by BenwithVen
As Cirensica

Nah… the White Sox are winning 90 games this year.

BenwithVen

I wish I had your confidence.

jhomeslice

They’re not winning 90 I don’t think. But 85 should win the division. The Sox might be the only team in the central over .500 by mid August.

mrridgman

Are you counting spring training games?

soxygen

We might need to contact a classicist to verify this, but I strongly suspect that we’re in the 4th circle of Dante’s hell.

Adam

Twins go down 3-0 in the first. Come back in the top of 2 with 3 of their own vs a great pitcher.

We do the same. Then go 1-2-3 in under 10 pitches vs one of the worst pitchers in baseball. Not a great start here

Right Size Wrong Shape

Almost like they’re completely different games!

Adam

Twins just gave up 5 so now 8-3 brewers. So maybe we’re better off here. Big chance now to head home 2 back

Right Size Wrong Shape

I hope so. Long way to go.

Joliet Orange Sox

I enjoyed the 1987 clip of Iván Calderon robbing the home run. Was his murder ever solved?

Adam

Doesn’t appear so. Found an article that says a gang in Puerto Rico had ordered Calderon to turn his son over to them or they’d come for Ivan. One would suspect that would be a cause of some kind. But 20 years later now, probably never get an official word

jhomeslice

Wow, Robert will not be back Friday. That’s not good. That’s pretty unusual to have symptoms like that for that long. You can only hope they find out what it is soon, and that it is not serious. Tony’s words on the matter did not bode well.

The health of this team has just been super F’d up.

soxygen

Let’s go ahead and put that in the column under the heading “reasons we should not trade away prospects we care about for the sake of 2022.”

metasox

His health is nothing to mess with. But the last comment here from La Russa did not sound awful

“He seems like he’s improving every day, except he’s still getting tested,” manager Tony La Russa said of Robert. “But there has been improvement. He’s doing more baseball stuff.”

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-injuries-and-roster-moves

jhomeslice

That’s great to hear. His comment I was referring to was the ominous one this site mentioned, about how people should be more concerned about him personally than professionally or something. Anyway if there is improvement that’s great.

Adam

It’s like yasmani went to the Cleveland guardian slap school of hitting the last month. I’ll take it!!

Foulkelore

Finally, someone runs out a DTS

Adam

He’s the worst baseball player alive. Jesus. Bases loaded

Foulkelore

Sigh, of course that just happened. Nothing will ever beat the 8-5 triple play for futility, but eliminating a bases loaded situation by getting caught off of third is close.

Joliet Orange Sox

The unbelievably rare WHTHO.

Foulkelore

Careful with the vowel sound in that first syllable if pronouncing it out loud. Your conversation may get awkward.

Joliet Orange Sox

I think it is pronounced what-hoe like Berie Wooster greeting someone in a Wodehouse story.

Here’s a video of Hugh Laurie saying it many many times from the great PBS adaptations of the early 90’s.

soxygen

Happened while I was listening to the radio and manning the grill, but DJ suspects that was McEwing’s fault.

Foulkelore

Yeah, it certainly could be. It’s his responsibility to watch the 3B to see how close he’s getting to the bag and let the runner know.

dwjm3

One of the dumbest things I have ever seen a baseball player do

jhomeslice

That is very strange for such a well coached and managed team that is always alert, energized, and ready to play smart baseball.

dwjm3

Huh? Care to add more context to your post

Last edited 1 year ago by dwjm3
jhomeslice

It was a bit of sarcasm. It is impossible to provide actual context that the Sox are well managed or alert/energized/ready when they are close to the opposite most of the time.

dwjm3

Ok, makes sense

Right Size Wrong Shape

DJ wondered if it was McEwing’s fault, since Leury seemed to have no clue that the 3rd baseman was sneaking up behind him.

Papa Giorgio

You’ve gotta be kidding me Garcia.

Foulkelore

Perfect time for our best singles hitter, Grandal, to be up with a RISP.

a-t

Twins down 10-4 in Milwaukee, bottom 7. Their pitching is imploding, it seems.

a-t

Three double plays and a goddamn pickoff. Christ, man.

dwjm3

We play a fundamentally sound game last night and then we come out today and play like this. This is so very White Sox.

Foulkelore

Alright, boys. How about at least 1 home run while you’re in Colorado?

a-t

AJ in the clutch! He’s been impacting games like he was supposed to since the ASB. Keep it up!

Joliet Orange Sox

The key to this rally was Seby and TA not getting picked off when Yoán walked.

Last edited 1 year ago by Joliet Orange Sox
a-t

Ruiz for the 7th implies Reynaldo for the 8th and Graveman to close with Hendriks only semi-available, I think?

dwjm3

I think I would roll out Reynaldo for two innings….Ruiz is just asking for disaster

SoxCauldron

Reynaldo with a back issue from what I’ve read

a-t

Ah, that’s not good. It’s Kelly warming, so him for 8th and Graveman 9th I guess

Foulkelore

+1 for the icon
+1 for the information I hadn’t heard yet
-1 to the Sox for playing short-handed yet again

Last edited 1 year ago by Foulkelore
dwjm3

Ruiz in with a lead…buckle up

soxygen

Ok, I think we might be cursed. The curse of the Russa.

Foulkelore

Mafia man, Jimmy the Cleaner, the last couple of days

tommytwonines

Wasn’t Zavala called out on strikes for a pitch clock infraction in the minors? Damn, he loves fidgeting around the box.

dwjm3

Damn Graveman doesn’t seem to have it

Foulkelore

Graveman’s going to walk 5 in a row to lose this with his control so far.

a-t

Fucking A.

a-t

I know it’s a tough play, but it feels like there are a huge number of plays at the plate this year where the throw home beats the runner but it skips by the catcher on a hop anyways

dwjm3

Now we need a Houdini act

dwjm3

Nice work Graveman….pathetic

hellotowel

No moral victories, no “good efforts,” no “just came up shorts” – a loss is a loss is a loss.

OldMMJ87

We are way past the point of moral victories. We need to make up games and we keep pissing it away.

Denman

Unbelievable, given how much Hahn invested in the bullpen.

OldMMJ87

Can’t help but notice the Blue Jays and Phillies started playing a lot better after they fired their manager. Just saying.

jhomeslice

The Sox would be in first already if they had someone else. The games his decisions cost them, plus the intangibles and momentum that he destroys. The. Worst. Ever.

OldMMJ87

Honestly it’s not just the game decisions (though I think his game decisions have cost them at least five games thus far) but the amount of stupid plays we’ve seen, all the outs on the basepaths, at some point that’s not just on the players, it’s on the coaching staff for failing to correct it.

soxygen

I think Cleveland is a good illustration of the fact that having a .500 record feels different based on how you get there. We are a .500 team that underachieves, plays sloppy, and looks lifeless. Cleveland is right around .500 and they got there by overachieving, executing well, and playing hard.

Last edited 1 year ago by soxygen
Denman

Not to defend LaRussa, but, how is Graveman’s walking the bases loaded in any way Tony’s fault. I’m sure Liam and Lopez were “unavailable”. Graveman to close out the 9th was the right call; he just performed poorly.

Last edited 1 year ago by Denman
OldMMJ87

Yea but the Sox constantly running into outs on basepaths, that’s not just on the players that’s on the coaching staff of which Tony is theoretically accountable for.

jhomeslice

I’m not going to blame Graveman’s walks on La Russa. Of course there are many things he is not responsible for. But the way this team looks, so often, how un-energized, un-sharp, and un-ready to play, a lot of that is on him. Or really, on Reinsdorf for hiring, and not firing him.

Foulkelore

Graveman’s performance was the second worst thing I’ve seen today, second only to the new NBC Sports Chicago rap promo that I thought was a joke, but apparently is real.

Foulkelore

“It’s not like he was wild.” TLR describing Graveman.

OldMMJ87

What?

dwjm3

Please tell me he was joking?

Foulkelore

It’s possible I misheard him, because he mumbles, but he was being his usual, defiant self to the reporters, and I really think I heard him say that. He also argued with reporters by saying Kelly didn’t hurt his arm. Of course, the official report was a biceps injury.

Last edited 1 year ago by Foulkelore
soxygen

He did have a bicep nerve problem this spring, so maybe what Tony meant is “nerve not muscle.” I’m just guessing because the team is cloak and dagger and because Tony is a mushmouth so that’s about all we can do.

Last edited 1 year ago by soxygen
jhomeslice

I dunno, maybe there are reasons you don’t sign a guy who is injured and won’t be ready until at least a month into the season? Signing the already injured Kelly for 8.5 per was just the DUMBEST idea.

Last edited 1 year ago by jhomeslice
metasox

The logic would have looked something like this: it is an easy division so they can afford to not have someone at the beginning, but will definitely have him geared up for the post-season when he is really needed, and all for a discount because he starts the season late.

pesh111515

Graveman pitched the last 3 games before today. Reylo hasn’t since Saturday, does he have altitude sickness too?

Right Size Wrong Shape

Len mentioned mid-game that Reynaldo was unavailable and Hendriks probably was too. I didn’t hear him say why, though.