White Sox @ Astros

[Mingo]

As frustrating (and similar to 2022) as much of that game was offensively. It was great to see some timely hitting from Vaughn/Grandal and Bummer/Reylo do a solid job. Cannot complain about beating the defending champs on an opening day banner night. I definitely thought we were dead and buried after squandering all of those opportunities prior to Grandal shooting a blast out of nowhere to tie it.

Not sure how much I like us to take another night, but maybe Lynn gives us a chance? Yordan Alvarez is a monster, though, that much is certain. Him against any right hander could be big trouble.

Lynn has lost 7 straight to the Stros, but the Sox are up 1-0 after 1.5.

 

[podsox]

Can’t get over graveman throwing a breaking ball behind in the count 2-0 to Maldonado with a lead. He’s a 190 9 hitter. Eventually walks him and opens up the door to the top of the order. Just brutal. Grifol putting in diekman to face Alvarez (Alvarez owns him) made no sense either

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Shit, there goes our undefeated season.

 

[Jiddy]

Jose Abreu is an over appreciated middling to above average MLB first baseman. Who once spent a grand total of 60 days being "really good" and won an "MVP"... if you want to call it that.

Nice error.

Wait...We're throwing shade at Jose Abreu now? Et tu Rich'e?

Shit, there goes our undefeated season.

We win 1 out of the next 2 and I'm just fine leaving Houston with a split. I expected less so here's hoping we can get at least 1 of them.

Jury's still out on Lynn but I'd say he had a reasonable outing considering our opponent...and Cease pitched terrific...so I'll go half full on the hope factor.

 

[ThereIsNoPlace]

Wait...We're throwing shade at Jose Abreu now? Et tu Rich'e?



We win 1 out of the next 2 and I'm just fine leaving Houston with a split. I expected less so here's hoping we can get at least 1 of them.

Jury's still out on Lynn but I'd say he had a reasonable outing considering our opponent...and Cease pitched terrific...so I'll go half full on the hope factor.

I think Lynn had a much better than reasonable outing and pitched well enough to get a win. The coaching decisions regarding relief pitchers was what affected the loss more than anything. Lynn was maybe left in one batter too long and Diekman / Graveman were not the men for the job.

 

[Jiddy]

I think Lynn had a much better than reasonable outing and pitched well enough to get a win. The coaching decisions regarding relief pitchers was what affected the loss more than anything. Lynn was maybe left in one batter too long and Diekman / Graveman were not the men for the job.

Our bullpen is a sh*tshow. Front office left Grifol with a pile of crap and the one piece we could count on got cancer (Ok...Fine...Lopez has been really good...but he's our de facto closer now). Not really sure I'm good with holding Grifol that accountable for bullpen failures...That's all on Hahn (and Reinsdorf to placate iddy).

I see some are upset about Diekman vs. Alvarez because Alvarez is good vs lefties too, but whatever. Let's not act like somebody else in the bullpen is that much better of an option. Sometimes you just get beat because the other guy is better. If this team shows signs of life very probable we make a move for bullpen help. It's been an obvious glaring weakness coming into the season so to see it play out that way isn't that surprising.

Edit: Oh, and yeah, Lynn was good but his fatass owes me more after last season so I will reserve any extended praise for now.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

We're quickly learning two things:
1. Our bullpen so far is looking like the team's Achille's Heel
2. As already figured, if we expect to win, it won't be due to us scoring a ton of runs.

 

[richig07]

Wait...We're throwing shade at Jose Abreu now? Et tu Rich'e?



We win 1 out of the next 2 and I'm just fine leaving Houston with a split. I expected less so here's hoping we can get at least 1 of them.

Jury's still out on Lynn but I'd say he had a reasonable outing considering our opponent...and Cease pitched terrific...so I'll go half full on the hope factor.

Just sick of hearing White Sox fans talk about losing an aging Abreu as if we're losing a HOF'er in his prime.

Abreu is just... fine. He's "good" (and aging). He's never been great (besides first half of his rookie season and 2 months in a very odd 2020 covid season) and I get annoyed when hometown fans over value a player because he's like able.

It's sort of like when I listen to Bears fans talk about David Montgomery. He runs hard, he plays hard... he's easy to root for. Sure. He's not very "good", though. Now, of course, Abreu has easily been a better MLB player than Monty an NFL player. Monty never had stretches of great play like Abreu did. It's just the closest analogy I could think of.

 

[idseer]

Just sick of hearing White Sox fans talk about losing an aging Abreu as if we're losing a HOF'er in his prime.

Abreu is just... fine. He's "good" (and aging). He's never been great (besides first half of his rookie season and 2 months in a very odd 2020 covid season) and I get annoyed when hometown fans over value a player because he's like able.

It's sort of like when I listen to Bears fans talk about David Montgomery. He runs hard, he plays hard... he's easy to root for. Sure. He's not very "good", though. Now, of course, Abreu has easily been a better MLB player than Monty an NFL player. Monty never had stretches of great play like Abreu did. It's just the closest analogy I could think of.

over-rated? let’s see … 9 seasons, voted 7 times mvp winning once. rookie of the year, 3 silver slugger awards, career .860 ops. how many players fit this description?

hasn’t played enough certainly to show hof numbers because half of his prime was spent in cuba! yes, he’s past his prime now, but had the sox been able to put a team behind him instead of the piss-poor crap we’ve all seen for so many years he’d have been considered a “great” player. he’s had a great half a career in mlb. and to compare abreu to the likes of montgomery is just … well, ignorant.

 

[idseer]

bases loaded no outs and cannot score. so typical white sox.

 

[idseer]

i am not the biggest robert fan as i believe he's very over-rated as a fielder, but he made a catch in the 9th inning that is absolutely play of the year material. WOW!\

and lopez in the ninth was excruciating to watch. what. a. dumb. ass!

still, we come out 2 and 2.

 

[Mingo]

A 2-2 split with the WS champs in their ballpark to start the season is a pretty good season start.

 

[idseer]

starters with a combined era of 2.

 

[Mingo]

Luis Robert was La Pantera for at least this series with the Astros. He made 4-5 great catches over the 4 games and was a factor at the plate. With
Benintendi and Colas in the OF - defense out there is very good.

Nice start on the season for Yoan Moncada - fingers crossed for the rest of the season.

Sox starters did very well - the bullpen needs to get better - but it was just one 4 game set.

Another noticeably good start goes to Grandal.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

A 2-2 split with the WS champs in their ballpark to start the season is a pretty good season start.

Not just the split, but also not being blown out at any time. Yeah, we kinda gagged on that 3-0 lead, but the boys did play pretty tough the entire series. It definitely was no picnic for the Astros.