Random Thoughts

[Jiddy]

@Jiddy

Here's where I will quibble in response - I said "fun playing the game of baseball" the pure fun of being involved in the sport. Your examples - actually prove the opposite of my reference - your examples show a boredom with the game of baseball - and not guys playing to win.

I think we agree to a large extent. The difference being is I see having fun playing the game as a force multiplier and you see satisfaction solely through the lens of Ws and Ls.

0% chance that a player would place a kick me sign on another player's back during a game if the team is sucking ass compared to w/l expectations at that point in time...Winning/Losing plays a much larger part in the atmosphere of the dugout and the team's overall cohesion than you are implying here. There could be some chicken and egg going on...but once the ball gets rolling either positively or negatively, rarely will you see outward evidence of the opposite.

The Detroit Lions are the most egregious team example of this. That team is consistently having players doing dumb sh*t, management being called out and stadium atmosphere being complete dogsh*t as the losing just continues on forever...and ever...and ever. 100 Yastangibles couldn't save that disaster. And by the time such an overall atmosphere got done with them, they would no longer be Yastangibles. They'd be bitter, beaten, despondent retirees. Poor Barry Sanders.

 

[Jiddy]

in other words ... loving what you're supposed to be doing.

No player "just plays for the paycheck." They all played for the love of the game for many, many years as-with very few exceptions-most played many years of their youth. You can take the most upstanding, positive attitude athlete there is...He could be the intangible Jesus. Hard worker, great attitude, teammates want to bear his children...He spends his weekends in entirety sleeping, eating, playing/practicing the sport and visiting Children's hospitals and absolutely nothing more....and then put him on a team that has been sucking ass for multiple seasons and continues to suck ass, and he will be a different guy as time progresses.

Winning/Losing matters.

 

[Jiddy]

0% chance that a player would place a kick me sign on another player's back during a game if the team is sucking ass compared to w/l expectations at that point in time...Winning/Losing plays a much larger part in the atmosphere of the dugout and the team's overall cohesion than you are implying here. There could be some chicken and egg going on...but once the ball gets rolling either positively or negatively, rarely will you see outward evidence of the opposite.

The Detroit Lions are the most egregious team example of this. That team is consistently having players doing dumb sh*t, management being called out and stadium atmosphere being complete dogsh*t as the losing just continues on forever...and ever...and ever. 100 Yastangibles couldn't save that disaster. And by the time such an overall atmosphere got done with them, they would no longer be Yastangibles. They'd be bitter, beaten, despondent retirees. Poor Barry Sanders.

For the record, I do not believe this is the White Sox nor even close. Historically, we have a great clubhouse and have just had some extremely poor results in recent years...and yes, I do hope the young guys can brush off the recent losing in their youthful arrogance (ignorance lol). However, the pressure has been applied for 2020 in a stupid way from the media, fans and even our own management/clubhouse...and not in just that coach/playerspeak kind of way. This team is not going to get a mulligan from the fanbase this season even though they deserve it based on what the roster truly is. If they come out sucking ass, it could turn hard and present REAL intangible issues for our progress and result in possibly rash moves this upcoming offseason. If they come out guns-a-blazin rarin' hot, that would be ideal. They're going to be streaky this season. A good April would allow them the benefit of the doubt from the circling buzzards that are just waiting in the weeds.

That's the intangibles I worry about...

 

[Mingo]

0% chance that a player would place a kick me sign on another player's back during a game if the team is sucking ass compared to w/l expectations at that point in time...Winning/Losing plays a much larger part in the atmosphere of the dugout and the team's overall cohesion than you are implying here. There could be some chicken and egg going on...but once the ball gets rolling either positively or negatively, rarely will you see outward evidence of the opposite.

The Detroit Lions are the most egregious team example of this. That team is consistently having players doing dumb sh*t, management being called out and stadium atmosphere being complete dogsh*t as the losing just continues on forever...and ever...and ever. 100 Yastangibles couldn't save that disaster. And by the time such an overall atmosphere got done with them, they would no longer be Yastangibles. They'd be bitter, beaten, despondent retirees. Poor Barry Sanders.

LOL - yes winning is fun!

 

[Jiddy]

LOL - yes winning is fun!

We could get into a "what has society come to" discussion when delving into why it hurts so much more to lose than it feels good when you win...

Our 2005 season was really special because it just...didn't happen for Chicago baseball. Nothing will ever quite match that joy for me.

I'll never forget how petrified I was of the Bulls dropping game 7 to the Pacers in the 1998 playoffs in our last run. That game 7 was WAY more relief than it was enjoyment. I felt zero enjoyment...just..."Oh man...We made it...Thank God...I would have never heard the end of it from (insert Bulls hater here...There were a LOT of them...lol)..."

Funny how that is...

 

[Mingo]

Yermin Mercedes - may hit his way into to being the 26th man. I like the guy - hope he makes it.

I saw a Madrigal at bat - two pitches - two strikes against him - one swinging. So I thought 0-2 - maybe I will get to see one of his rare strikeouts. Instead he reaches for a ball on the outside of the plate and low - and hits it to the short stop as a lazy ground ball. But Madrigal shoots down the baseline towards 1st base like a rocket - and almost beat the throw. As a baseball fan - I found all that interesting.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Yermin Mercedes - may hit his way into to being the 26th man. I like the guy - hope he makes it.

I saw a Madrigal at bat - two pitches - two strikes against him - one swinging. So I thought 0-2 - maybe I will get to see one of his rare strikeouts. Instead he reaches for a ball on the outside of the plate and low - and hits it to the short stop as a lazy ground ball. But Madrigal shoots down the baseline towards 1st base like a rocket - and almost beat the throw. As a baseball fan - I found all that interesting.

Wow, I was just getting ready to create a thread about Mercedes trying to snag that 26th spot of the roster when I was notified of your post. He's already kind of an underdog hero to some of the local beat writers. Then today he crushes that grand salami to further cement his newfound legend.

And I think it makes sense to take him north when camp breaks vs Collins. The Sox have a lot more invested in the latter and the thinking might be why waste him as the #3 catcher/1b/DH where he will only play sporadically. Have him start the season in AAA by giving him some steady bats & playing time.

 

[Mingo]

Wow, I was just getting ready to create a thread about Mercedes trying to snag that 26th spot of the roster when I was notified of your post. He's already kind of an underdog hero to some of the local beat writers. Then today he crushes that grand salami to further cement his newfound legend.

And I think it makes sense to take him north when camp breaks vs Collins. The Sox have a lot more invested in the latter and the thinking might be why waste him as the #3 catcher/1b/DH where he will only play sporadically. Have him start the season in AAA by giving him some steady bats & playing time.

Left handed bat Nicky Delmonico - may be the other choice - he is also off to a great ST start and I like him too.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Left handed bat Nicky Delmonico - may be the other choice - he is also off to a great ST start and I like him too.

Yeah, both are having a good Spring so far. And Delmonico might carry that extra advantage as well of having a left handed bat sitting on the bench. Assuming Madrigal starts the season in AAA, which I think grows more likely by the day, here are the expected three pine brothers to begin the season:

Mendick - IF
McCann - C/DH
Engel - OF

That leaves one more spot for the bench. Of course we can't rule out Collins, but again I see the Sox sending him down to get consistent playing time. So it depends on what Mercedes and Delmonico respectively offer to lock down that final spot. Since neither is going to see a lot of playing time and more likely will perform mostly pinch hit duties, I think Mercedes normally might carry the slight edge here. But again that lefty bat Delmonico offers could be the decisive advantage.

 

[Mingo]

Yeah, both are having a good Spring so far. And Delmonico might carry that extra advantage as well of having a left handed bat sitting on the bench. Assuming Madrigal starts the season in AAA, which I think grows more likely by the day, here are the expected three pine brothers to begin the season:

Mendick - IF
McCann - C/DH
Engel - OF

That leaves one more spot for the bench. Of course we can't rule out Collins, but again I see the Sox sending him down to get consistent playing time. So it depends on what Mercedes and Delmonico respectively offer to lock down that final spot. Since neither is going to see a lot of playing time and more likely will perform mostly pinch hit duties, I think Mercedes normally might carry the slight edge here. But again that lefty bat Delmonico offers could be the decisive advantage.

Do you send both Collins and Mercedes to Charlotte to catch? I agree with your point though - Delmonico's lefty stance makes it his to lose. Plus he is a corner outfielder. Engle is a must - he is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

Another example of the depth I see in talent on this white sox team.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Do you send both Collins and Mercedes to Charlotte to catch? I agree with your point though - Delmonico's lefty stance makes it his to lose. Plus he is a corner outfielder. Engle is a must - he is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

Another example of the depth I see in talent on this white sox team.

This may be one of the deepest squads we've had in more than a decade, at least on the positional side of the equation, with respect to who we have and will have coming off the bench this season. And I also see our pen as a strength as well. The trouble is our rotation is still at best average to sub-average. But all in all, this should be a fun team to watch.

 

[Jiddy]

Tickets in hand to see the Sox play in June...My body is ready.

 

[Mingo]

First - let me thank everyone! It is so friggen nice to be in a forum where you can just say Sox and everyone knows you are talking about the White Sox. Pet peeve with national media - mentioning Sox and always referring to the Red Sox.

I've never really had any sympathy for the Cubs, but it got worse when I went to see a game at Wrigley and was astonished to find the men's room to be one common urinal - the birds in the rafters dropping crap on me and everyone in our section and the women in front of me was wearing a tee shirt that basically referred to White Sox fans as drug dealers and the children of drug dealers (out of deference to the home team I didn't wear any White Sox gear and they didn't play the White Sox). On top of everything else their fans are there to be seen more than there to watch a baseball game.

I notice the White Sox are actually playing these pre=season games to win this spring.

 

[Jiddy]

First - let me thank everyone! It is so friggen nice to be in a forum where you can just say Sox and everyone knows you are talking about the White Sox. Pet peeve with national media - mentioning Sox and always referring to the Red Sox.

I've never really had any sympathy for the Cubs, but it got worse when I went to see a game at Wrigley and was astonished to find the men's room to be one common urinal - the birds in the rafters dropping crap on me and everyone in our section and the women in front of me was wearing a tee shirt that basically referred to White Sox fans as drug dealers and the children of drug dealers (out of deference to the home team I didn't wear any White Sox gear and they didn't play the White Sox). On top of everything else their fans are there to be seen more than there to watch a baseball game.

I notice the White Sox are actually playing these pre=season games to win this spring.

I have two white sox tees that are in the regular rotation of clothes worn...both with the 80s logo with the batter. One has the batter and the "SOX" underneath...The other has the batter.

Constantly, they are both mistook for Red Sox down here in Florida. (the former more often because of the actual SOX word...but both get the treatment)

F*cking kills me every time.

 

[Mingo]

Since it is political season @Jiddy I can say "I feel your pain."

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The national media has always referred to the Red Sox as 'The Sox', whereas we've always been the whiteheaded stepchild of the league. Hopefully that changes somewhat this decade. This team is built for a long run, at least for the first 5-6 years. Guess time will tell.

 

[Jiddy]

That Vaughn kid has a nice baseball ass. One of those asses that say "Lotta hum dingers comin' your way Comiskey outfield."

 

[Mingo]

That Vaughn kid has a nice baseball ass. One of those asses that say "Lotta hum dingers comin' your way Comiskey outfield."

There we have @Jiddy's analytics - expurgated version.

 

[Jiddy]

They're actually considering putting Moncada in the 1 spot...You guys weren't bullsh*ttin...Oh well...It'll work itself out on its own. But I'm not excited about that...at all.

 

[richig07]

They're actually considering putting Moncada in the 1 spot...You guys weren't bullsh*ttin...Oh well...It'll work itself out on its own. But I'm not excited about that...at all.

Well, when the best lead-off hitters in this day and age are regarded as being guys like Francisco Lindor and George Springer. It makes a good deal of sense.