Series Thread: Crosstown Classic (Round 1): White Sox at Cubs

[richig07]

Yup. 15 minutes after the conclusion of our 4 game sweep vs Detroit. I'm starting it!

We're hitting our stride, rolling into this series, and playing with confidence. Pitching, hitting, and defending well.

I know it's a shortened season with no fans. I don't know about you all, but I am UP for this one. If we can take this series. It could be a massive springboard into what's roughly a 3 week cakewalk schedule (outside of 3 at Minnesota in the middle).

I wish we were rolling out Giolito/Keuchel/Cease here. But... two out of three ain't bad. Maybe the veteran consistency and cool demeanor of Kuechel is a good way to start it off.

Let's go!

 

[Jiddy]

I want to believe. Cubs are good. Losing to them is fine unless it is in debilitating fashion like this past Saturday...

 

[ThereIsNoPlace]

Go Sox Go !!!

 

[Mingo]

Eloy always hits against the Cubs - today's HR was warmup.

 

[ThereIsNoPlace]

Juicy pitching matchup tomorrow with Keuchel v. Lester.

 

[richig07]

Eloy always hits against the Cubs - today's HR was warmup.

Interested to see if Cease will take similar revenge in the finale on Sunday.

 

[richig07]

Juicy pitching matchup tomorrow with Keuchel v. Lester.

I wish we somehow could lineup Giolito-Kuechel-Cease for this series. But if I had to choose Kuechel or Giolito? Gladly the veteran here. The guy won a Cy Young and pitched in the post-season for years. Pitched in and won a world series. This is nothing to him.

We hit left-handed pitching real well. I like Kuechel vs Lester for us. Hendricks and Darvish will be a bit more of a challenge.

 

[richig07]

I want to believe. Cubs are good. Losing to them is fine unless it is in debilitating fashion like this past Saturday...

I mean, those losses really didn't affect us much, clearly.

Being swept by the Cubs would SUCK. I realize that there's still growth to be made, but this team is supposed to compete and land punches against good teams. We need to walk away with something and preferably take 2/3.

The Cubs have been struggling pretty hard recently. It can be done. That team isn't anything special, at this point. It's been a few years.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Jiddy... I know your Jiddy response. "Well, I don't about that, but I know we haven't been worth a shit in years and they've won a whole lot. So, until I see us earn any right to call them "not special"... yada yada".

We know, we know...

 

[Jiddy]

I mean, those losses really didn't affect us much, clearly.

Being swept by the Cubs would SUCK. I realize that there's still growth to be made, but this team is supposed to compete and land punches against good teams. We need to walk away with something and preferably take 2/3.

The Cubs have been struggling pretty hard recently. It can be done. That team isn't anything special, at this point. It's been a few years.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Jiddy... I know your Jiddy response. "Well, I don't about that, but I know we haven't been worth a shit in years and they've won a whole lot. So, until I see us earn any right to call them "not special"... yada yada".

We know, we know...

We haven’t won a series vs a winning team yet and the Cubs are one of the hottest teams in baseball...Last year talk isn’t even necessary. But I hope we win.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm not nearly as surprised at how the Cubs are faring so far this season as I am with how they've achieved their success to date. Their pitching has been really good, especially the rotation, while their bats have been lackluster. I would have pegged this description in reverse at the start of the campaign. I had them doing well with the bats and not so well with the arms. Outside of Ian Happ, their offense has been surprisingly lackluster.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Interested to see if Cease will take similar revenge in the finale on Sunday.

Looks like Cease is going tomorrow for us. Here are the projected rotations, at least according to ESPN:

Today: Keuchel vs Lester
Tomorrow: Cease vs Hendricks
Sunday: Gonzalez vs Darvish

On paper, a huge advantage for the Cubs on the final two games. Our starters need to somewhat quiet the Cubs bats, at least until we can get to the pen. And our bats need to step up.

 

[Jiddy]

Looks like Cease is going tomorrow for us. Here are the projected rotations, at least according to ESPN:

Today: Keuchel vs Lester
Tomorrow: Cease vs Hendricks
Sunday: Gonzalez vs Darvish

On paper, a huge advantage for the Cubs on the final two games. Our starters need to somewhat quiet the Cubs bats, at least until we can get to the pen. And our bats need to step up.

That Wheeler kid is doing good work so far for Philly...What a damn shame...That could have been a huge boon for us.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

That Wheeler kid is doing good work so far for Philly...What a damn shame...That could have been a huge boon for us.

Well it's not like Hahn didn't give it the ol' college try. I'd be more upset if we pulled the usual and went cheapskate in trying to ink Wheeler. He offered him $7m more than what he signed for. The man simply didn't want to pitch for us.

 

[richig07]

That Wheeler kid is doing good work so far for Philly...What a damn shame...That could have been a huge boon for us.

What do you mean? Kuechel has been great. I would have loved to have Wheeler. But Kuechel has been just as good, basically, and on a cheaper deal.

5/118 mil vs 3/55 mil

I get if you still want Wheeler since he's young. But I'm quite happy with Kuechel and not complaining. He's also a bit more accomplished and we need that. Wheeler would be another guy still sort of trying to reach his ceiling.

Also, F Wheeler for coming out and saying we offered him slightly more, but he wanted to go to Philly.

 

[Jiddy]

What do you mean? Kuechel has been great. I would have loved to have Wheeler. But Kuechel has been just as good, basically, and on a cheaper deal.

5/118 mil vs 3/55 mil

I get if you still want Wheeler since he's young. But I'm quite happy with Kuechel and not complaining. He's also a bit more accomplished and we need that. Wheeler would be another guy still sort of trying to reach his ceiling.

Also, F Wheeler for coming out and saying we offered him slightly more, but he wanted to go to Philly.

Keuchel was always coming here if he chose so. Sox had him on their radar feom day one of offseason. My commentary is under the assumption we would have signed both.

 

[richig07]

Keuchel was always coming here if he chose so. Sox had him on their radar feom day one of offseason. My commentary is under the assumption we would have signed both.

Nah man. We failed at signing Wheeler and Lyles in early December (had highest bids for both) and Kuechel was our backup plan who we inked on December 21st. We went for those guys before offering Kuechel anything.

That much money would really have handcuffed us from making a big splash in the 21 or 22 off-seasons. A Lindor or something along those lines.

It's all touched on here a bit. I'm going to include some Grandal praise and give him praise for helping Kuchel... because this is Jiddy/Richie... so... of course, I am.

White Sox a serious team with Dallas Keuchel, if not a contender

The Zack Wheeler pursuit is open to a wide range of interpretations as we assess the offseason. On one hand, it’s clear that the White Sox settled to some degree for Keuchel, guaranteeing him three years and $55.5 million after Wheeler spurned their offer for five years and $125 million. The Sox’s disparate interest levels — at least expressed in terms of the dollars offered — suggests a gap in expectations.

On the other hand, a winter after the Sox took the stance that only the top of market would do, they’re back to making their team better with the best players available to them, which is how it used to be. Moreover, the divide between the Wheeler and Keuchel contracts makes a great argument that the Sox have far more to offer to future additions, and at least the Sox have the right guy to catch Keuchel’s arsenal:

Keuchel avoids the heart of the strike zone at all costs. Only 18.3 percent of the pitches he threw last season, less than one in every five, were in the interior of the zone (meaning more than one baseball’s width inside the strike zone). Just check out his pitch location heatmaps from 2019 with the Braves — where he got to pitch to another elite framer, Tyler Flowers. […]

Only two regular starting pitchers stayed out of the heart of the zone more often than Keuchel in 2019: Gio Gonzalez — now Keuchel’s teammate in Chicago — and Zach Davies. Both Gonzalez and Davies were Brewers last season. Guess who was their catcher in Milwaukee?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Hot damn, these guys can hit!!!

 

[msgkings322]

Hot damn, these guys can hit!!!

Real hitters all up and down the lineup

I've said it all along, this is the start of the window. Need one more reliable 2/3 type pitcher and they are ready.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Real hitters all up and down the lineup

I've said it all along, this is the start of the window. Need one more reliable 2/3 type pitcher and they are ready.

I do recall you being the only one in here in the pre-covid days who flat out predicted the Sox to make the playoffs this year. I had us tabbed for 87 wins, but falling short, that we were still a year out. And if the number of teams hadn't increased to 8, I'd still be wondering. But there's no doubt this team is for real. Yes, another bonafide, dependable starter would really help, but we do have the makings of a team that's ready to play in October.

 

[Mingo]

If the Sox start right now - winning some series against winning ball clubs - they will win 40 games. That's still my prediction.

Grandal's intangibles haven't even kicked in yet.