Random Thoughts 2.1

[idseer]

I do understand. You're an asshole. What comes out of an asshole? There's not much to discuss with a person who has no self awareness.

holy shit! apparently hit a nerve there when i mentioned the word racist! you don't really believe i was calling you a racist do you? and so now you've lowered yourself to name calling? and why? because you think you're better than a cub fan?
maybe YOU should work on some self-awareness.

 

[Mingo]

holy shit! apparently hit a nerve there when i mentioned the word racist! you don't really believe i was calling you a racist do you? and so now you've lowered yourself to name calling? and why? because you think you're better than a cub fan?
maybe YOU should work on some self-awareness.

There's only one of us who places himself in conflict with everyone else here. You have reductionist arguments why should i explain the subtleties of what I said - it all goes back to you being an asshole.

 

[idseer]

There's only one of us who places himself in conflict with everyone else here. You have reductionist arguments why should i explain the subtleties of what I said - it all goes back to you being an asshole.

sorry, but the conflict didn't start with me. you make irresponsible comments, i will sometimes respond.
and calling someone an asshole means nothing other than you don't know what else to say. instead of taking me on about an issue you choose to just wipe it away with a meaningless word. you made a defenseless comment and now you're pissed at me because i called you on it .... and blew this up into something much larger than it should have been. i thought you were more mature that that.

 

[Mingo]

sorry, but the conflict didn't start with me. you make irresponsible comments, i will sometimes respond.
and calling someone an asshole means nothing other than you don't know what else to say. instead of taking me on about an issue you choose to just wipe it away with a meaningless word. you made a defenseless comment and now you're pissed at me because i called you on it .... and blew this up into something much larger than it should have been. i thought you were more mature that that.

I pity you. Yes, you are a sorry individual.

 

[idseer]

I pity you. Yes, you are a sorry individual.

each of your replies make you sound more childish. so i used a euphemism you didn't like. big fucking deal!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

really? 'cub fans' came in as a comparison. where did you state sox fans are smarter? ummm when you said " Sox fans were the most knowledgeable in the game". or were you really saying you didn't agree with the article? i get that you didn't write it. but you weren't surprised ... suggesting you agreed with the 'findings'.

Wow buddy, you're really backed yourself into a corner on this. Please read back to when I first jumped in. All I did was respond to your post insulting Reinsdorf and his claim that Sox fans are more knowledgeable than other teams fans. I merely pointed out that I read somewhere that backed up the opinion that Sox fans are smarter than other teams fans. And of course that in and of itself is a very generalized statement, so obviously there are many exceptions. I never brought up Cub fans comparisons, I never said that it's a fact about our fans intelligence - pretty hard to prove an opinion, wouldn't it be? And so what if I believe that again in general, Sox fans are more knowledgeable on average. Why get into such a twist over this?

 

[Mingo]

each of your replies make you sound more childish. so i used a euphemism you didn't like. big fucking deal!

Shouldn't you be rubbing your negative vibes together somewhere?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Sooooooooooo, back to baseball.................is there a hotter team out there than the Cardinals???? Wow, talk about en fuego!!!!

 

[idseer]

Wow buddy, you're really backed yourself into a corner on this. Please read back to when I first jumped in. All I did was respond to your post insulting Reinsdorf and his claim that Sox fans are more knowledgeable than other teams fans. I merely pointed out that I read somewhere that backed up the opinion that Sox fans are smarter than other teams fans. And of course that in and of itself is a very generalized statement, so obviously there are many exceptions. I never brought up Cub fans comparisons, I never said that it's a fact about our fans intelligence - pretty hard to prove an opinion, wouldn't it be? And so what if I believe that again in general, Sox fans are more knowledgeable on average. Why get into such a twist over this?

i'm in no corner and no twist. knowledgeable / intelligent? i see little difference. i just thought it was silly to bring up a 'poll' showing sox fans were so 'knowledgeable' and every other fan base was 'less knowledgeable' (is that a better way to put it?"). surely you don't believe such a thing?!? yet you pass it on as if there was something to it.

and btw, you think i insulted reinsdork? well ... of course i did! i insult everyone who insults me and that's what he was doing. blowing smoke up our collective asses! have you even known anyone in a similar position who hasn't made this kind of claim? "my viewers are the most informed", "our fans are the best and smartest fans". etc. absolutely insult-worthy. and i'm sure you agree, if not here, to yourself.

and let me add one more thing .... the season is over ... tlr doesn't seem to care if we win any more games until the playoffs. we all know where the sox stand. until the playoffs begin i think a little extraneous discussion doesn't hurt. so, it's not a twist. it's an attempt to get into things a bit. talk a little shit and about shit.

 

[idseer]

Sooooooooooo, back to baseball.................is there a hotter team out there than the Cardinals???? Wow, talk about en fuego!!!!

baseball ... yes. i believe kimbrel just did a 3 up 3 down in the bottom of the 8th (all k's no less) unless i'm mistaken ... that's a first!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here's our final 8 games according to the ESPN schedule:

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	TV	PITCHER	OPP	TICKETS
Sat, Sep 25	@Cleveland	4:15 PM		Lynn	Morgan	Tickets as low as $21
Sun, Sep 26	@Cleveland	10:10 AM		Giolito	McKenzie	Tickets as low as $78
Mon, Sep 27	@Detroit	10:10 AM		Keuchel	Manning	Tickets as low as $8
Tue, Sep 28	vsCincinnati	5:10 PM		Lopez	Castillo	Tickets as low as $7
Wed, Sep 29	vsCincinnati	5:10 PM		Rodon	Gray	Tickets as low as $5
Fri, Oct 1	vsDetroit	5:10 PM		Cease	Peralta	Tickets as low as $9
Sat, Oct 2	vsDetroit	4:10 PM		Lynn	Manning	Tickets as low as $12
Sun, Oct 3	vsDetroit	12:10 PM		Giolito	Alexander	Tickets as low as $8

That rainout makeup game at Detroit is a waste of time & travel, but I suppose it has to be played. Intriguing that they have Rodon listed to pitch on Sept 29th. I was wondering if we were going to see him at all for the remainder of the season. Does anyone here think TLR will rearrange the rotation, especially if he plans to go with Lynn & Giolito as his first two starters? I might have thought so, but if the playoff dates are correct and there are no postponements, our first game won't be until Oct 7th. I doubt any of our starters in their last regular season outings are going to pitch more than 4 or 5 innings tops, so if Lynn is scheduled to pitch against the Tigs on Oct 2nd, the 7th fits in perfectly with respect to time off between starts.

I'm sticking with this rotation for the initial round:

Lynn
Giolito
Rodon
Cease

If Rodon can't make it, then we'll have to go with Keuchel, altho I'd hope TLR would slot him 4th.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

More projecting for the playoffs (you can tell I'm bored). Here's my opening game lineup, but only the first 6:

1. Anderson, SS
2. Robert, CF
3. Abreu, 1B
4. Grandal, C
5. Jimenez, LF
6. Moncada, 3B

It's possible that if we face a righty, then Moncada and Jimenez might switch spots. In any event, this is a pretty solid 1-thru-6.


As to the 7-9 spots, there could be some variables here:

7. Goodwin/Engel, RF
8. Vaughn/Sheets, DH
9. Hernandez/Garcia, 2B

All but certain one of these combos start the game, but it may depend on who takes the mound for the opposing team as to the player and position in the order we see. If a righty starts, we may see Goodwin out in RF, altho I could also see TLR saying to hell with this and put his best defensive OFer in Engel out there. Hernandez is probably the better defensive player, but Garcia brings a more dependable bat. Both are switch hitters, so that variable is cancelled out. Vaughn has the experience over fellow rookie Sheets, and might get the nod regardless of which side of the mound the opening day pitcher throws from, but I wouldn't rule out Sheets getting the nod if it is a righty. BTW, will Sheets even make the roster? I hope so.

 

[Mingo]

All of a sudden the Astros are only 3 games out of the number 1 seed, but the odds are the Sox will go to Houston for the first two games.

I'd say the rotation will be Lynn followed by Giolito. Lynn gets first up because of his pitching staff leadership and season. His 2nd half fell off slightly from the 1st half, but not by much. Giolito also seems to get too amped to be the guy to start off a series. Cease will get the home start for game 3 - his home splits are twice as good as his road splits - so that makes sense to me. Game 4 - will be Rodon - if well - or Kopech who TLR indicated will be stretched out for the playoffs. There's a possibility that Lynn would be ready for game 4, but going with TLR's pattern - I figure he will opt for more rest for Lynn.

One question for the Sox to resolve would be if they go with a 13/13 split on pitchers and regulars, or opt for a 12 pitcher staff and have 14 players ready to start in the field. I think the Sox will go with 12 pitchers and take the extra fielder/hitter.

I don't think Keuchel should make the roster - but I suspect TLR will take him for his experience and bring him in from the bullpen. That would be bad news for Jose Ruiz - IMO. Rey Lopez brings the same tools to the game as Ruiz, but can go more innings - so Ruiz unfairly falls off the playoff roster. Jace Frye and Matt Foster got their walking papers in the locker room on clincher night (eat your pizza - have a beer and get some tickets to Charlotte).

Starters:

Lynn
Giolito
Cease
Rodon - if no arm problems

Long Relief:
Lopez
Kopech
Crochett

Short Relief
Burr
Tepera
Bummer
Kimbrel
Hendriks

Outfielders
Robert
Jimenez
Vaughn
Engel
Hamilton

Infielders
Abreu
Hernandez
Anderson
Moncada

Positional subs
L. Garcia
G. Sheets
D.Mendick

Catchers
Grandal
Zavala and or Collins Sox might go with three catchers

If the Sox go with two catchers and 14 non-pitchers - I expect Goodwin will make the playoff roster. Mendick last on the roster - first off.

 

[Mingo]

Just a thought about Andrew Vaughn - he got a start at 3rd base in the 2nd game of the Cleveland double header - and made a spectacular play on a drive down the line - got up from his snag and threw perfectly to first. He didn't get the out, but what a marvelous, versatile player he is. In that game he also came through with 2 RBIs on a line drive single - putting the Sox up 3-1. I'm very excited about Vaughn's future with the Sox.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Good stuff Mingo. Found little fault in your projected roster, with perhaps the exception of Keuchel avoiding the cut. The logical move then would be Keuchel in and Burr packs his bags. And of course if it's a 13/13 split, as you stated Mendick is the man out. But aside from this, I like the roster you projected. I can see the Sox going 12/14 in any AL playoff scenario, then switching to 13/13 if by chance we make it to the big show.

 

[Mingo]

Good stuff Mingo. Found little fault in your projected roster, with perhaps the exception of Keuchel avoiding the cut. The logical move then would be Keuchel in and Burr packs his bags. And of course if it's a 13/13 split, as you stated Mendick is the man out. But aside from this, I like the roster you projected. I can see the Sox going 12/14 in any AL playoff scenario, then switching to 13/13 if by chance we make it to the big show.

I do think Keuchel makes the cut, but will come out of the pen. I missed that one.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Just finished watching the Cards make history by winning their 15th straight game, a franchise record. And to do it against their historic arch rivals, the Cubs.....and at Wrigley Field no less.....gotta be sweet for Cards fans everywhere. Oh, and their magic number for clinching a playoff spot is now 3.

 

[Jiddy]

Now I know what Malcolm in the Middle’s parents felt like when they came back from a getaway weekend.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Answer: Marcus Semien
Question:

 

[idseer]

Answer: Marcus Semien
Question:

who did we trade way too fast?