First Pitch: White Sox at Royals

Kauffman Stadium (Photo by Corey Seeman)

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Lineups:

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soxygen

I could get used to this Cueto fellow striking out the side…but I probably shouldn’t

Johnny Cueto 2022 World Series MVP?

Sox will flip him at the deadline?

Foulkelore

Cueto’s on pace for 27 strikeouts.

dongutteridge

Perfect game likely.

jhomeslice

Highest K rate in the AL among pitchers with at least an inning.

jhomeslice

Nice first inning for Cueto. Historically, there have been others with the initials JC that have done rather miraculous things.

Foulkelore

Oh, I get it. Yeah, Joe Carter was pretty damn good.

jhomeslice

Yes, Joe is who I was thinking of LOL

Foulkelore

Ok, I don’t mind much if Tim or Yoan don’t run on a dropped third strike, but, Leury, run. Force the catcher to make a throw.

soxygen

Baseball games today are really just a long string of promos punctuated by the occasional game action or analysis

Root Cause

nascar perfected the formula. A 3 hour commercial interrupted by several more.

calcetinesblancos

Sucks Engel has been hurt so much because it really seems like he’s become a quality player, especially off the bench.

Foulkelore

There you go, Yaz!

LuBob DuRob

Yes, Yaz! Wakey, wakey.

Yolmer

I think Yaz said “thank you Jesus” after that dinger. I feel that.

I love Cueto’s pace. Mark Buehrle like. Getting it and throwing it.

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

thoughts: the Johnny Cueto Experience is very enjoyable so far

Yaz needed that badly

Isbel has saved several extra bases in right

Foulkelore

Isbel just saved a run there to end the top of the 6th too.

Foulkelore

The old 3-4-1 put out

jhomeslice

Even if KC doesn’t have a good lineup, still damn nice debut for Cueto. Works quick, throws strikes. I like him a lot better than VV already, no contest there.

I’m sure he will get hit sometimes since he is around the plate so much, but he doesn’t look like a guy on his last legs or anything at all. Could wind up a blessing that Lynn got hurt or they wouldn’t have gotten him.

HallofFrank

If Keuchel or Cueto turn out to be a reliable-ish #4-type starter, this is going to be a very, very good rotation when Lynn returns.

jhomeslice

It’s one start, but I like Cueto the best out of him, DK, and VV. VV’s next start should be his last, clearly.

You hope that at least one out of Cueto/DK is pretty good once Lynn gets back. Either or both look more than adequate for #5. It’s just one start but Cueto looks as good as you could have hoped, and better than DK imo.

Cueto will get the Yankees next, an immediate test for him.

As Cirensica

Just tuning in…so Cueto is our savior?

jhomeslice

Well, his initials fit the part.

As Cirensica

Terrible timing for Graveman to unravel

Denman

If only Hahn had invested in the bullpen during the off-season

The only truly renewable energy source is the universe is the White Sox capacity to disappoint. It is infinite.

jhomeslice

Well that was a crappy 8th inning to blow it for Cueto. They sure blow a lot of leads for what they spent on the bullpen.

Foulkelore

If it’s a higher leverage situation (tie game in the 9th), we’re going to use a bad pitcher (Burr). If it’s a lower leverage situation (lead in the 9th), we’re going to use a better pitcher (Hendriks).

Joliet Orange Sox

Every manager in baseball would play it this way. It might not be a good plan but it is a standard plan.

Foulkelore

Yes, this goes in the “bad but traditional” bucket for TLR rather than the “what the hell are you doing managing in 2022” bucket. It worked and bought an inning anyway.

a-t

I believe a Fangraphs piece found that the Manfred Man in extras makes this (conventional) decision the correct one by win percentage, albeit by a small margin

Foulkelore

Oh, you know what, that’s a great point. If they hadn’t scored in the 10th, the 10th would have been a higher leverage situation (tie game, but winning run on 2nd) than the 9th.

a-t

wanted to be sure so i went back and found the piece: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/save-your-closer-terms-and-conditions-may-apply/

it was indeed the correct decision mathematically to have the next-best-available guy handle the 9th and hendriks the 10th

Foulkelore

La Pantera!!!

Foulkelore

Jason’s wrong about not being able to pinch hit Pollock for Sheets without burning the DH. They could pinch hit Pollock for Sheets, put Harrison at 2B, and move Leury to LF, if they wanted.

Yolmer

Lefty-Lefty, runner on third, Gavin has got to learn how to just hit a ground ball to the hole at shortstop there.

a-t

keep throwing those goddamn breaking balls liam or else

Foulkelore

All he has to do is mix them in and get them in the vicinity of the strike zone, and he becomes nearly unhittable.

a-t

that is correct!! and the royals demonstrated that remarkably well