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Series Thread: Pirates at White Sox (8/25-8/26)

richig07

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Quick two games with the league's worst team. Before seeing them again for two more in a couple of weeks at their place. With Giolito and Kuechel throwing? There's really no excuse for having a letdown and not taking both.

We've been playing very well. It hurts not finding a way to take the sweep in Wrigley, but you have to be happy with how we performed in taking two of three. We're still winners of 7 of our last 8 as well.

IMO, this is a MASSIVE stretch. The cake of our schedule. We have a chance to take this little run we're on and turn it into a BIG, BIG run.

Check out our schedule over the next 3 weeks:

vs PIT x2
vs KC x3
at MIN x3
at KC x4
at PIT x2
vs DET x3

That's a 17 game stretch with 14 games coming against KC/DET/PIT. We're tied with Cleveland for 2nd place after their loss vs MIN. 2.5 games back of MIN for 1st. Not only do we have an opportunity to stack wins vs some of the league's worst. We have Minnesota sandwiched in there for 3.

I realize we're not going to keep hitting HR's at a god-like pace. However, if we play well, I don't think it's out of the question to take 11 to 13 of these 17 games. That would give us 28-30 wins heading into the final stretch, making us a shoe-in for the playoffs, and giving us a damn good shot of taking down the division.

If you are wondering - after this stretch? It's home vs Minnesota for 4. A big one.
 

Mingo

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The Sox seem to be getting their feet planted on this season's ground and gathering their wits about them - time to go prove they can play with anyone in this league. Go Sox!
 

Jiddy

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The first 20ish games of our season were pretty rough and we got out of it 5 over...We're in good shape. Now we just watch to see where it goes...
 

Jiddy

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We have the 4th best run differential in the entire league at the moment.

Impressive to say the least.

Now the spotlight is on us...You see the "how about those White Sox" articles starting to pop up...See how these boys handle the upped pressure going forward.
 

Mingo

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The first 20ish games of our season were pretty rough and we got out of it 5 over...We're in good shape. Now we just watch to see where it goes...

Are you sure your user name isn't Giddy?
 

Lake Shore Drive

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Altho neither of our two game set against Pittsburgh should be taken lightly, there's really no excuse for failing to take both contests. We have our top two pitchers going for us against the team with the worst record in the majors. Looks like in the first game, the Pirates are going with openers. Steve Brault is a long reliever/spot starter who has nonetheless made 4 starts this year, with only one - his first start - lasting as long as 5 innings. He ERA tho is a very acceptable 3.00. The second could be a bit tougher as the Bucs go with Trevor Williams, their top starter. His record isn't all that, but he did manage to hold the Twins to one earned run in 7 innings of work. Still, if Giolito and Keuchel pitch to their usual standards, this should result in a double dub.
 

Mingo

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The Sox will lose both to the Pirates - then sweep the Twins in Minnesota and leave us back here next week just as confused as we are now.
 

Jiddy

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Are you sure your user name isn't Giddy?

lulz

Nah, I said at the beginning of the season that we'd find out pretty quick-first 20 or so games-whether we were legit or not. 5 over and a +30 is more than I would have ever guessed. I'd say it's fair to start sitting back and hoping this thing goes all the way for us in the next few years. Legitimate hope, vs. theoretical hope that...some...of us (yours truly excluded) had leading up to this season.
 

Jiddy

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The Sox will lose both to the Pirates - then sweep the Twins in Minnesota and leave us back here next week just as confused as we are now.

Honest truth: If you offered me that deal...As in I could say "yes, let's win 4 out of 6 with all 4 being vs the Twins" and it just happened.

I would reject and take door #3 and the 5-6 wins we will get.

1*9ltVbmUtw2Y_vjxhtw3W4w.jpeg
 

richig07

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We have the 4th best run differential in the entire league at the moment.

Impressive to say the least.

Now the spotlight is on us...You see the "how about those White Sox" articles starting to pop up...See how these boys handle the upped pressure going forward.

We climbed to 8th in the MLB.com power rankings. Don't mean shit, but it's cool to see the world taking notice.
 

Jiddy

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We climbed to 8th in the MLB.com power rankings. Don't mean shit, but it's cool to see the world taking notice.

Yeah...This is good. Let them feel some of that pressure. The more the merrier. Make 'em battle tested when the time comes.
 

richig07

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We are dropping Moncada to 5th and slotting Edwin at DH in the cleanup spot. Hmm... Okay. Eloy up to 2nd - which is fine. He's been seeing the ball well.

Looks like Ricky is caving to the "personal catcher" thing with Giolito/McCann as Grandal is sitting down tonight.

Honestly, Moncada is clearly hurt. Would anyone be against just sliding him onto the 10 day IL to rest? A healthy Moncada is a fringe elite player and I rather have that for all of September than 65-75% of Yoan Moncada the entire time.
 

richig07

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Yeah...This is good. Let them feel some of that pressure. The more the merrier. Make 'em battle tested when the time comes.

Yeah, no sense in babying them. This team should be playing in October.

It's kind of like a kid in college vs one in high school. "Tough shit. You're almost in the real world. You gotta bite the bullet every once in a while." These White Sox are almost in the real world of competing for a title. Time to throw em into the cooker.
 

Lake Shore Drive

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richig07

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Altho neither of our two game set against Pittsburgh should be taken lightly, there's really no excuse for failing to take both contests. We have our top two pitchers going for us against the team with the worst record in the majors. Looks like in the first game, the Pirates are going with openers. Steve Brault is a long reliever/spot starter who has nonetheless made 4 starts this year, with only one - his first start - lasting as long as 5 innings. He ERA tho is a very acceptable 3.00. The second could be a bit tougher as the Bucs go with Trevor Williams, their top starter. His record isn't all that, but he did manage to hold the Twins to one earned run in 7 innings of work. Still, if Giolito and Keuchel pitch to their usual standards, this should result in a double dub.

We will know in the first half of the first game whether or not we're going to see a letdown or not.

This team has to be mature, professional, and show up to the ballpark with the same mindset they did over the weekend. It might sound like a vapid platitude - but we have seen this team have mental lapses and come out flat multiple times this year in games they should have won. Let's see the growth tonight.
 

Jiddy

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This where the party’s at?!

Yep and nope. I'll probably post in the one iddy starts shortly or start my own, not as a slight to richi but because #nofanleftbehind.

Yesterday was sad no White Sox baseball. The kids can play. Now it pisses me off we didn't get 162. But beggars can't be choosers I guess.
 

Lake Shore Drive

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We are dropping Moncada to 5th and slotting Edwin at DH in the cleanup spot. Hmm... Okay. Eloy up to 2nd - which is fine. He's been seeing the ball well.

Looks like Ricky is caving to the "personal catcher" thing with Giolito/McCann as Grandal is sitting down tonight.

Honestly, Moncada is clearly hurt. Would anyone be against just sliding him onto the 10 day IL to rest? A healthy Moncada is a fringe elite player and I rather have that for all of September than 65-75% of Yoan Moncada the entire time.

I highlighted the middle paragraph, as I don't think Ricky is caving into anything. Giolito said it many times last year that he worked very well with McCann, and often credited his gamecalling and pitch handling as some of the reasons for his success. Besides, no one expects Grandal to catch all the games. Why not take advantage of the occasional resting to both give McCann some needed playing time and pairing him up with a pitcher who obviously likes having him behind the plate as well? I see it as win/win.

FWIW, I agree with your other two paragraphs.
 

richig07

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I highlighted the middle paragraph, as I don't think Ricky is caving into anything. Giolito said it many times last year that he worked very well with McCann, and often credited his gamecalling and pitch handling as some of the reasons for his success. Besides, no one expects Grandal to catch all the games. Why not take advantage of the occasional resting to both give McCann some needed playing time and pairing him up with a pitcher who obviously likes having him behind the plate as well? I see it as win/win.

FWIW, I agree with your other two paragraphs.

Well, I say "caving" because he initially had Grandal catching McCann.

And this is back-to-back games now that he has not caught. With a day off in between. So, clearly, this is a personal catcher thing. Which Ricky wasn't going to do.

That's all I mean. He's conceded to McCann being Giolito's catcher, regardless.
 

richig07

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Jeez. Abreu just hit a 340 foot major league pop-up to the wall in left. lol
 
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