OT: Other Sports 76

[HeisenBaez]

It’s definitely very negative. The Bulls aren’t close to sniffing the juggernauts at the top of the East. So basically depends on your expectations. If you’re wanting to just make the playoffs vs actually trying to win a championship.

Making the playoffs is a must with this roster. Bulls can and probably will be able to compete (not necessarily win but be that difficult out in a playoffs) with said juggernauts.

That Tony Bradley is a vastly underrated signing. I remember him kicking Wendall Carter, Jr's butt during that stretch in which everybody that WCJ was defending was putting up career numbers.

 

[madgoat33]

Making the playoffs is a must with this roster. Bulls can and probably will be able to compete (not necessarily win but be that difficult out in a playoffs) with said juggernauts.

That Tony Bradley is a vastly underrated signing. I remember him kicking Wendall Carter, Jr's butt during that stretch in which everybody that WCJ was defending was putting up career numbers.

Wcj was absolutely brutal, also not a fan of white at all, well see what happens this season i guess.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

2022 MLB schedules are out.

Most would probably circle the early July Red Sox series as the one to highlight for a game at Wrigley, but truth be told I'd probably say that the mid-July Baltimore series looks more up my alley, even as a weekday series.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Ending year vs SD

That is odd

 

[clydesdale line]

Who would've thought after the season he had that Giolito would be the 4th best pitcher this season (and he would've been 5th if Kopech was in the rotation for Keuchel).

 

[madgoat33]

He was pitching better the past month until today iirc

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Who would've thought after the season he had that Giolito would be the 4th best pitcher this season (and he would've been 5th if Kopech was in the rotation for Keuchel).

I'm more concerned that the Sox have zero regulars with an OPS over .800

 

[SimpleJack]

Sox offense is definitely good. Probably top 10 in the league if not higher. But for multiple reasons it’s not as good as it was in 2020.

When you factor in Abreu’s regression, and the fact that Eloy and Robert are coming off long term injuries(and Grandal also coming back from surgery)…I just don’t see how we’re going to hit/drive in runs in the post season facing the best pitching from the other contenders. The offense just isn’t enough, more specifically there isn’t enough top-end talent.

We don’t have an Altuve/Bregman/Correa kind of trio…or Devers/Martinez/Bogaertz, or Betts/Turner/Muncy…or Machado/Frazier/Tatis….not this season anyways. I think Eloy and Robert definitely will eventually become that caliber of player but aren’t there this season. Vaughn also has a high ceiling but is just a rookie. TA, Grandal, and Moncada are very solid but they aren’t elite. 2021 Abreu also falls into that category.

…Its going to be next to impossible to score runs against the guys we’re gonna see in the playoffs. Sox will need to pitch out of their minds to advance.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Sox offense is definitely good. Probably top 10 in the league if not higher. But for multiple reasons it’s not as good as it was in 2020.

When you factor in Abreu’s regression, and the fact that Eloy and Robert are coming off long term injuries(and Grandal also coming back from surgery)…I just don’t see how we’re going to hit/drive in runs in the post season facing the best pitching from the other contenders. The offense just isn’t enough, more specifically there isn’t enough top-end talent.

We don’t have an Altuve/Bregman/Correa kind of trio…or Devers/Martinez/Bogaertz, or Betts/Turner/Muncy…or Machado/Frazier/Tatis….not this season anyways. I think Eloy and Robert definitely will eventually become that caliber of player but aren’t there this season. Vaughn also has a high ceiling but is just a rookie. TA, Grandal, and Moncada are very solid but they aren’t elite. 2021 Abreu also falls into that category.

…Its going to be next to impossible to score runs against the guys we’re gonna see in the playoffs. Sox will need to pitch out of their minds to advance.

Nailed it. I could totally see them getting swept out of the playoffs scoring 5 runs or fewer during the 3 games.

I don't think it's fair to expect Robert and Jimenez to come off of serious injuries and carry the offense like they're going to have to to win anything. The Sox pitching is great but you can't win if you don't score.

 

[madgoat33]

Yoancada needs to have some sort of epiphany at the plate.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Yoancada needs to have some sort of epiphany at the plate.

He was great from mid-April through the end of May but has been terrible since. At least he was still walking in June and now those have disappeared too.

All of the core players with significant playing time (Abreu, Anderson, Moncada, Vaughn) outside of Grandal have an OPS around .775 entering today which is slightly above average. Grandal is the only regular on the team with an OPS over .800

Everyone is having a "down year" offensively in one way or another. It's getting close to time to ask if they're having down years or just aren't that good anymore.

I can't think of one position player on the team that has met expectations this year offensively. Maybe Vaughn.

Lynn, Rodon, and Hendriks are carrying this team.

 

[madgoat33]

He was great from mid-April through the end of May but has been terrible since. At least he was still walking in June and now those have disappeared too.

All of the core players with significant playing time (Abreu, Anderson, Moncada, Vaughn) outside of Grandal have an OPS around .775 entering today which is slightly above average. Grandal is the only regular on the team with an OPS over .800

Everyone is having a "down year" offensively in one way or another. It's getting close to time to ask if they're having down years or just aren't that good anymore.

I can't think of one position player on the team that has met expectations this year offensively. Maybe Vaughn.

Lynn, Rodon, and Hendriks are carrying this team.

I think teams stopped being careful with yoan because they realized he was looking to walk and wasnt really punishing teams with his bat

 

[SimpleJack]

He was great from mid-April through the end of May but has been terrible since. At least he was still walking in June and now those have disappeared too.

All of the core players with significant playing time (Abreu, Anderson, Moncada, Vaughn) outside of Grandal have an OPS around .775 entering today which is slightly above average. Grandal is the only regular on the team with an OPS over .800

Everyone is having a "down year" offensively in one way or another. It's getting close to time to ask if they're having down years or just aren't that good anymore.

I can't think of one position player on the team that has met expectations this year offensively. Maybe Vaughn.

Lynn, Rodon, and Hendriks are carrying this team.

Vaughn has been outstanding for a rookie. He’s exceeded my expectations.

But everyone else that was an opening day starter has been underwhelming/shown regression.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Vaughn has been outstanding for a rookie. He’s exceeded my expectations.

But everyone else that was an opening day starter has been underwhelming/shown regression.

Bingo. I'm not sure the Sox can compete offensively with the rest of the AL. There's a metric shit ton of pressure on the pitching staff. There has been all season, and they're starting to show cracks from carrying the load.

Some of the position players have to bounce back soon or in 2022 otherwise there will be no window.

 

[SimpleJack]

Bingo. I'm not sure the Sox can compete offensively with the rest of the AL. There's a metric shit ton of pressure on the pitching staff. There has been all season, and they're starting to show cracks from carrying the load.

Some of the position players have to bounce back soon or in 2022 otherwise there will be no window.

We definitely don’t have the same amount of top-end firepower as Houston, Boston, NYY, or Toronto.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

We definitely don’t have the same amount of top-end firepower as Houston, Boston, NYY, or Toronto.

I'm not sure they're as good offensively as Oakland or Tampa either.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

None of this means anything until Robert is back and Eloy gets his timing down, IMO.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Yoancada needs to have some sort of epiphany at the plate.

How dare you expect an "Elite" talent to produce

Moncada's falling #'s are no concern ,, No concern at all

 

[Sarava]

How dare you expect an "Elite" talent to produce

Moncada's falling #'s are no concern ,, No concern at all

I know Moncada was talking about having to work through injuries a few weeks ago. Well now that Hernandez is here, why not sit him for 2 or 3 weeks and see if it helps him? Because he's become next to useless. He feels like a guaranteed out every at bat.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

How dare you expect an "Elite" talent to produce

Moncada's falling #'s are no concern ,, No concern at all

It's not just Moncada though. It's the entire lineup outside of Vaughn. Vaughn is the only hitter I have any sort of confidence in.

If you're ripping Moncada, you should be ripping Anderson and Abreu as well.

 

[SimpleJack]

I'm not sure they're as good offensively as Oakland or Tampa either.

Probably yeah when fully healthy. But definitely not those other 4 I mentioned, or LAD/SD for that matter.

 

[SimpleJack]

None of this means anything until Robert is back and Eloy gets his timing down, IMO.

I doubt we’ll see those 2 performing at a high level(or anywhere close to what other contenders will be getting from their elite hitters) until next season and beyond unfortunately.

 

[Cowch]

God I hate this thread

 

[SimpleJack]

God I hate this thread

Give in to your hate. Join the dark side, where nothing ever goes right and everything sucks. You’re always welcome.

 

[clydesdale line]