***OFFICIAL WHITE SOX 2020 SEASON THREAD***

[TAM]

Guess one walk-off wasn't enough. As Stone has said multiple times, a sweep here would be highly undesirable... Yeah, there in the playoffs, but they're awfully listless. Let's hit the brakes on all that World Series chatter.... Next year will be better, more on schedule. Plus, they really need some new arms - flush Rodon and move on. Not sure Kopech will be together enough to come back, we'll see. And... well, I wouldn't complain if they shopped for a new manager along the way...

Another gut punch... Fun quotient has faded quite a bit.

 

[Leomaz]

I know someone has asked but what the hell is going on with this team?

 

[TAM]

This isn't their year, they need a lot more time - World Series talk was always laughable. For a while it seemed too good to be true, and as it turns out, it was. They'll be better next year. Right now they're being schooled by their peers in the Central - in this case a team with very good pitching, but also remarkable for delivering one of the biggest chokes in professional sports history when they let our furry friends to the north win their World Series... and they don't even have their manager active. They'll learn - hopefully - but it's that familiar 3rd place finish that is indeed looming. I'm expecting a nice field trip into the post-season, a little reward for their hot streak.... before they have a fairly quick exit. Rick needs to get more pitching! And maybe a manager?

I loved that Zep tour - I DO remember laughter!

 

[Leomaz]

This isn't their year, they need a lot more time - World Series talk was always laughable. For a while it seemed too good to be true, and as it turns out, it was. They'll be better next year. Right now they're being schooled by their peers in the Central - in this case a team with very good pitching, but also remarkable for delivering one of the biggest chokes in professional sports history when they let our furry friends to the north win their World Series... and they don't even have their manager active. They'll learn - hopefully - but it's that familiar 3rd place finish that is indeed looming. I'm expecting a nice field trip into the post-season, a little reward for their hot streak.... before they have a fairly quick exit. Rick needs to get more pitching! And maybe a manager?

I loved that Zep tour - I DO remember laughter!

I thought the pitching had come around. It’s a good season to learn from but it sucks having to wait another year to see the full potential of this team. Sometimes I wonder if Ricky is the answer but then I don’t want to start over with another coach
Never got to see Zep in the original state. Did get to go to the “reunion” concert in London.

 

[zack54attack]

Not the best time to be in a slump...

 

[dennehy]

Renteria is fucking Special person.

 

[TAM]

Renteria has no apparent feel for the situation at hand. He makes it too complicated. Any over-thinking at this point is superfluous, they need a win. Good old-fashioned win.
They were ahead of their moment all year... had a good month... and now they're showing they need more seasoning, more reliable pitching... and a new manager. They'll have a nominal appearance in the post-season and launch themselves pretty quickly into a more normal 2021. I'm hoping that there's not much to the comment from Abreu that the team let down some after they clinched - for as much as they've sucked - intentionally or not - over the past umpteen years, you hope that they're not really doing that. They'll enter the playoffs in 3rd place. Scraping... Just glad to be there.

 

[zack54attack]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1309597488505122817

 

[dennehy]

Maybe better to be the 7 seed than the 4 seed at this point.

Don't think you can run Cease out there in the playoffs at this rate.

 

[TAM]

Haha - yeah, they're sinking to the point where they're happy to be any seed.

Oh, that old familiar song... four innings in and the game is over. I've seen enough of this for a lifetime over the past 5 years, so I'm out. Since I've moved to the West Coast, I've got a couple of hours to spare on a Friday night, and anything is more fun than this. I'll check the damage in the morning.
Thanks, Ricky, they're hitting the post-season in a kick-ass frame of mind!
2021 will be here before you know it!

 

[zack54attack]

Not good..

 

[dennehy]

Renteria basically took this team's heart and confidence away.

 

[Team Chicago]

Mazara has been super disappointing. The team in general has now forgotten how to hit.

 

[Raskolnikov]

This is becoming frustrating - this isn't the Sox's year, it's still coming. It's all asterisked anyway - they're going to give up the Central at this rate, but at least it's seasoning for 2021. I'll go with Stone - this isn't the year... they're falling apart in front of our eyes.

Well, they made the playoffs. None of this matters much in a crazy year with wild logistics, no fans, possibly weird playoff locations...short early series, long layoffs for the high seeds...etc etc.

We got in...

Its really up to Giolito and Keuchel now. We can worry about Dunning as an opener in game 3's if and when we get there. What matters most in the playoffs is how hot your 2 aces and bullpen are. Almost every great hitting team goes cold against the onslaught of aces in the playoffs.

Can we manufacture a run or two with Anderson at the top, Madrigal at the bottom, and power through the middle?

Yes we can. The White Sox are a dangerous team I doubt anyone wants to face. They had a stretch where they were the best offense in baseball. Robert is so young...skipped the minors mostly, and big...actually they say big guys in sports take longer to mature and coordinate their bodies...he is way ahead of the curve.

I'm bullish on the team still, think Gio and Keuch will give it their best and we will see where we are. Get Kopech back or be able to trade for a third starter, Cease/Lopez developing, and others have comfortable places to step-up and surprise you like Dunning this year when the core of the team is polished and professional around you.

Should have a good chance to parlay this into a 5 year positive stretch. Thanks Gods.

 

[dennehy]

Of the many positives this year, just how good Madrigal is as a hitter at this stage might be the most surprising. As his eye matures and he develops a little more pop he's going to be really really good. He's always going to have that amazing two strike ability.

I saw him play a few times in A ball and I wasn't convinced he was going to be a plus major league hitter. I was wrong.

 

[JimAKABlkhwks918]

Hope it's finally apparent that Renteria is a lifetime "rebuilding team" manager. He'll never be the guy that takes a team to the top. Most of the pieces of a contending team are there now, time to get a closer type manager.

 

[zack54attack]

Yoan needed that HR. He needs to get hot.

 

[dennehy]

Anderson now scuffling worse than at any point this year. He's such a grinder though, I don't see him with these same kind of at bats next weeks.

 

[playthrough2001]

The bullpen is set to be nasty in the playoffs. They hit a rough patch but it all re-sets on Tuesday.

And nice win tonight...

 

[Raskolnikov]

Well...it could be worse. Its a pitchers park, but its not October in Chicago for a bunch of Cubans.

While its a pitchers park, they don't have any $200,000,000 aces either, and the formula that has worked in their successes has been big power bats that can blast it out of there, and role players capable of manufacturing runs.

One of their big power studs is out. We have Anderson to be Ricky Henderson, and all type of big fly power that don't care what stadium they are in.

I thought we would get screwed with a 1 game wild card or something, but this is nice and everyone gets the same. The seeding almost doesn't mean anything, I think the Coliseum really favors our structure.

What I would do in the play-offs is pitch Cease and Lopez one time through the order. That gets you to about the 4th or 5th inning to bullpen things. Don't give these guys a second look at young limited pitchers and taylor just one pitching sequence per matchup, unless of course one of them looks hot, you let them carry you as far as they can with a short hook.

The A's have had problems with a third pitcher all year as well.

I think our guys will be happy to get out there with some warmth, sunshine, and get after it. A young team should mentally bounce back forcefully for an opportunity like this. Put the last 2 weeks behind you and play ball.

go sox!