Reading Room: Road stops, Teahen, Thome
The White Sox come limping home from Detroit, somehow turning a 7-3 road trip into a disappointment by bunching the three losses at the end.
For one reason or another, this team has a habit of finishing up swings with really flat play. In late July, the Sox dropped two to Oakland ending a 4-6 West Coast tour, then came home to win seven of eight. More recently, they closed a 4-4 road trip to Detroit and Baltimore with two one-run losses to the Orioles.
That was exactly one month ago, and the White Sox have played .500 ball since then. The Twins, on the other hand, have gone 19-8 over the last 31 days.
Things look pretty bleak, to say the least. At six games back, they’ll need to channel their July selves in order to make a race of it.
*Update from the last thread: Per Buehrleman’s suggestion, I have updated the Mark Teahen defensive flow chart to account for his inability to pick a hop. I believe it’s now complete.
*Brent Morel, Teahen’s replacement, went 0-for-2 in a mixed bag of a first start. He also went to the Crash Davis School of Answers. There’s a reason scouts say his makeup is a selling point.
*Poor Carl — He has to keep drawing imposing Minnesota Twins …
*Because the White Sox added one to their roster. And Ozzie Guillen still has no regrets over the decision. I’d single out a quote, but there aren’t any of use. His answers this time are even more perplexing than his last ones. I don’t know what anybody would expect him to say at this point, though.
*J.J. Putz returns to the bullpen just in time, because Bobby Jenks is dealing with forearm tightness.
*Old favorite Nick Masset allowed a steal of home because he turned the wrong way. Watch that video, and then watch this one of Harold Reynolds showing how Colorado Rockies rookie Chris Nelson timed Masset. Reynolds is hit-or-miss as an analyst, but he makes me smarter when he talks about baserunning.
Great video. Regarding Masset, he’s having another good season. It’s interesting that after he left the Sox, he basically employed the Don Cooper plan with the Reds – started throwing cutters instead of sliders.
Hard to say if he would have been as solid if he had stayed in Chicago, but it is another mark against the Griffey trade.
As long as you consider Griffey gunning down Cuddyer at the plate at least … seven … marks in favor of the Griffey trade, that’s fine by me.
In intangible storyline watchability, absolutely. Its in my top three favorite defensive plays that I saw in person (along with Buehrle from opening day and Iguchi from 4/15/06).
In terms of cold hard numerical maximizing of wins… if their big midseason move had been something more than acquiring a league average hitter playing bad defense, they never would have even had to play that game.
You know it’s a depressing point in the season when people are clamoring for the great Nick Masset.
He wouldn’t have made a huge difference, but a guy striking out more than a batter per inning with good peripherals would have been nice to have around during the recent Sox bullpen swoon.
I think it’s safe to say Masset would have been a far sight better than Tony Pena.
They’re pretty much the exact same guy when you factor in leagues.
Maybe the 2009 versions. Masset in 2010 has nearly twice as many strikeouts, which is more than just the league difference.
Moreover, Masset wouldn’t have cost Brandon Allen.
Somehow, he gained 3-4 m.p.h. on his fastball. His cutter is the same speed as his fastball was with the Sox.
I’m guessing that’s why he didn’t throw the cutter much, and if there wasn’t an injury behind it, I’m guessing he still wouldn’t be much use for the Sox’ bullpen.
Believe me I’d shoot higher than Masset for bullpen help, but if Masset wouldn’t have been much use for the Sox pen, where does that leave Pena?
Which reminds me to add this to:
KENNY’S GRADES 2010 (since Pena didn’t pitch all of 2009)
Pena deal — F — lost a prospect to boot!
WHIP of 1.48 since we got him. Career high in BBs this year.
Can the Tony Pena Experience please end?
Padilla obviously paraphrasing Morel’s answers. I’ll bet the full text would read more like,
“Life is a race and I know I can win it
‘Cause I’m learning the rules of the game
If I can stay on the ball taking minute by minute
I just might make the hall of fame
What can I say
I’m doin’ it the best I can
Leanin’ on nobody but me
Oh, seeing it from where I stand
Nothin’ comes easy (nothin’ comes easy)
Oh I’m always bringing home second places
At the end of every one of my days is
A house with love on all of their faces
That keep me doin’ it the best I can
Yeah
I’m doin’ it the best I can
I’ll keep on doin’ it the best I can
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oooooh”
Give him credit, he’s in the right organization for quoting Growing Pains spinoff Just the Ten of Us.
You’re making a serious bid for stretch run MVP. You and Omar Vizquel against the world.