First Pitch: White Sox vs. Giants

(Photo by Josh Nelson/Sox Machine)

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Lineups:

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a-t

4 runs in 5 IP off an excellent sinker/slider RHP is encouraging stuff. Let’s have the bullpen not blow it, boys!

DocGreedo

We are hopefully through the Diekman window.

a-t

It was a perfectly reasonable time to use him, bases clear in 6th with 3/4 of the hitters next up being LHB. Bummer time!

As Cirensica

2000 hits is a remarkable achievement. Only 293 hitters have accomplished that. Think about it for a moment. That is a tiny portion of hitters in baseball history.

As Cirensica

WOW….didn’t know about that story.

Yolmer's gatorade

This White Sox offense seems capable of capitalizing on the team’s above average starting pitching.

As Cirensica

WTF?
Stopped watching for a bit and now the bases are loaded? What happened?

Alfornia Jones

It’s early in the season, but the Sox pitching leads league in BB’s issued, and the Sox hitters are next to last. Same old, same old. Nothing is sustainable if you are outwalked by 2-3 times. Also explains continually scoring few runs on 10+ hits. 9 hits through 6 is good, but 7 are singles.

a-t

To be fair, this is partially bc of the SP they’ve faced; of the 6 now SPs, only C. Javier had a worse than average BB% last year, and that by less than a percentage point. DeSclafani, Webb, Urquidy, and García are well above-average in walk rate last year.

Alfornia Jones

It just continues the narrative from last year: they don’t walk enough at the same they are issuing BB’s well above league average. The hitters had the 2nd least walks last year, and the pitching was top 10 most. It’s not good company so hopefully this coaching staff is addressing it, unlike the last regime.

phillyd

The coaches can only do so much. The players are who they are.

a-t

Sure, the pitching staff should improve on that, but early season wildness isn’t uncommon, even if undesired.

As for the hitters, the Astros and Giants were no. 1 and no. 2 in team FIP last year; even though the ‘Stros lost Verlander, these are two really excellent pitching staffs. I’m not gonna be terribly upset about them not walking much in 6 games if they’re having good offensive success vs. high quality pitching.

Last edited 1 month ago by a-t
Yolmer's gatorade

The shift ban should help a lot though.

Augusto Barojas

On balance the team looks more good than bad. At least some guys are hitting. But 6 games doesn’t mean much, even the Tigers beat the Astros a couple. Will take until mid May to see how all these guys are doing with a much bigger sample size, they will face some good teams between now and then.

We’ll find out if the rest of the team can avoid pulling a damn hamstring for 40 games or so. That’s the huge elephant in the room question with this team. Eloy couldn’t even last a week.

Last edited 1 month ago by Augusto Barojas
a-t

Hey, way to pull through Reylo. I was not liking where that was headed!

bullrun1861

Not exactly sure why the Anderson diatribe resulting in another ejection. As with any new rule(s) like the hitter “timeout”, the process is still a work in progress and thus requires patience by all. This is exactly why Anderson’s antics rub me the wrong way. He’s not team leader material by any stretch and continues to be a distraction through his volatile immaturity. My impression may be wrong, but the dugout wasn’t exactly leaping to his defense. Of course, I fully expect someone here will roll his eyes and wave his hands at the notion Anderson is not all this and that.
 
Meanwhile, Moncada pulled up with a bit of limp after rounding first base. Seemed to shake it off but on the heels of Big Tofu’s IL assignment the glass menagerie is hamstring-to-hamstring.

a-t

Moncada pulled up bc he had fouled a ball right off that foot a couple pitches ago, it’s not hamstrings.

Anyways, the whole dugout was absolutely complaining after Robert got run up on a pitch 4 inches off the plate. Tim got tossed very quickly from that point. I think you’re making a mountain outta a molehill here.

Bonus Baby

I was rolling my eyes in silence at home. Wasn’t going to comment but now I feel obligated to let you know that.

bullrun1861

Just don’t get tossed.

calcetinesblancos

Just let me know what reaction you’re hoping to get to your TA diss and I’ll try to fake it.

bullrun1861

Seems few if any in this forum stomach even the slightest Anderson criticism? You’re making my point. What next, I am being racist?

DocGreedo

No; but you seem to like a bunch of losing traitors who were racists.

a-t

As has been noted, using a profile picture of Stonewall Jackson does not really help when trying to preemptively ward off any not-yet-made accusations of racism.

King Joffrey

I believe that, when selecting a profile picture, one should select a figure beloved by all the people.

calcetinesblancos

Dude you already said that in your first post, which is why I made mine. Stop repeating yourself and add something new to the conversation.

Alfornia Jones

You’re not wrong about TA. Moncada grabbing his hamstring is a feature in that model.

BillyKochFanClub

Moncada never grabbed his hamstring. He fouled a ball off his foot previously and limped a little afterwards.

DocGreedo

I’m kind of surprised Romy wasn’t put in for Tim; he hasn’t appeared as much as the hype videos made it seem he would.

As Cirensica

Gavin Sheets is Barry Bonds when at home

calcetinesblancos

Good to see the Sox keep fighting for more insurance runs. This team seems more focused than last year.

Yolmer's gatorade

Jim, you should start tracking games that would look different without the new rules with a hashtag in the recaps. I don’t think the Sox score 3 in the 7th without the shift ban.

a-t

Be nice to conserve Graveman for tomorrow, if possible. Lambert for 8th, Santos for 9th?

DocGreedo

Lambert should be able to go two; don’t you think?

a-t

He could, yeah, but I’d like Santos to get low-leverage work when available, to work on his command, is all.

DocGreedo

Yeah that makes sense.

BillyKochFanClub

I’m of the belief that we never signed Joe Kelly, but Kelvin Herrera in a very convincing Joe Kelly costume.

I’m impressed, but ultimately not fooled by this disguise.

As Cirensica

Back to 500

Joliet Orange Sox

Some of the comments today seem detached from the fact the Sox won easily and looked pretty good doing so. I’m not sure I could keep following the team closely every day for half of every year if even today’s game brought me down.

Right Size Wrong Shape

You can’t expect an entire offseason of harumphing and bitching to end over the course of one week, can you?