7/26 - Cubs (Stroman) vs White Sox (Lynn): 7:10pm, Marquee

[Brock Beauchamp]

Another game against the White Sox, another prime opportunity for a win. Lance Lynn has been truly awful this year and I'm pretty sure he's leading the world in home runs allowed (though admittedly, I don't care enough to look it up).

[Derwood]

Should be a day game, dammit

[PackLandVA]

Lynn has given up 28 dingers in 115 innings, Next highest is 24.

[CubinNY]

10 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

Lynn has given up 28 dingers in 115 innings, Next highest is 24.

confirmation!

[Tryptamine]

Another game that is kind of a must win if they want to be buyers.

[bukie]

Had the Sox broadcast on last night (we don't get Marquee and I'm in no hurry to order it a la carte), and Steve Stone was billing this matchup as "two of the league's premier pitchers"....which, in itself, is effectively a slider low and away.

In fairness, during the 8th inning he was also discussing how the Cubs were out of the race and almost certainly sellers, while the Sox were one good week away from turning this thing around and getting right back into the race.

[s2obed]

Sox and Rays are discussing a Lynn trade. We might not see him pitch tonight. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

3 minutes ago, bukie said:

Had the Sox broadcast on last night (we don't get Marquee and I'm in no hurry to order it a la carte), and Steve Stone was billing this matchup as "two of the league's premier pitchers"....which, in itself, is effectively a slider low and away.

In fairness, during the 8th inning he was also discussing how the Cubs were out of the race and almost certainly sellers, while the Sox were one good week away from turning this thing around and getting right back into the race.

Yikes.  The AL Central is really bad, but not THAT bad.  The White Sox have to play .667 baseball over the next 60 games just to get back to .500

[Tryptamine]

10 minutes ago, bukie said:

Had the Sox broadcast on last night (we don't get Marquee and I'm in no hurry to order it a la carte), and Steve Stone was billing this matchup as "two of the league's premier pitchers"....which, in itself, is effectively a slider low and away.

In fairness, during the 8th inning he was also discussing how the Cubs were out of the race and almost certainly sellers, while the Sox were one good week away from turning this thing around and getting right back into the race.

They also spent most of the game gushing over Jake Burger who has a .766 OPS and .9 fWAR this season. 

[bukie]

Fun fact: If Cleveland wins today, there will be just 4 teams under .500 in the AL.

Now, you may think that's because the AL is dominating the NL this year, but that isn't the case. The AL is 225-241 in interleague play this year. So, in fact, the NL is dominating the AL this year.

So why are there so many AL teams over .500? Because 3 of the 4 AL teams below .500 are so far below .500 they're propping up the rest of the league. The Royals, A's and White Sox are a combined 112 games under .500. The AL plays those teams a lot more than the NL, so everyone in the AL looks good.

Edited July 26, 2023 by bukie

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm just posting this creepy-ass throwback because it's my 1000th post.

[bukie]

24 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

They also spent most of the game gushing over Jake Burger who has a .766 OPS and .9 fWAR this season. 

In fairness, that makes him the White Sox second best position player. Only Luis Robert has a higher fWAR.

[Nolansomebody]

1 hour ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm just posting this creepy-ass throwback because it's my 1000th post.

Please don't tell me Ally McBeal's coming back...

[Cubs420psd]

2 hours ago, bukie said:

Had the Sox broadcast on last night (we don't get Marquee and I'm in no hurry to order it a la carte), and Steve Stone was billing this matchup as "two of the league's premier pitchers"....which, in itself, is effectively a slider low and away.

In fairness, during the 8th inning he was also discussing how the Cubs were out of the race and almost certainly sellers, while the Sox were one good week away from turning this thing around and getting right back into the race.

I love listening to Steve Stone talk baseball, I think he's one of the best in the business. But he's so bitter when it comes to the Cubs and it's so obvious.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Cubs420psd

[Eeyore]

I hope that the front office is smart enough to realize that beating up on the Sox and cardinals is not a sign of accomplishment.

This is fools gold. The Cubs are not a good team. It's fun to watch them win but we shouldn't be so delusional that we think that they're going to beat the braves and dodgers to get to the world series and win it with this team.

It would be fun to see though.

[ILMindState]

13 minutes ago, Eeyore said:

I hope that the front office is smart enough to realize that beating up on the Sox and cardinals is not a sign of accomplishment.

This is fools gold. The Cubs are not a good team. It's fun to watch them win but we shouldn't be so delusional that we think that they're going to beat the braves and dodgers to get to the world series and win it with this team.

It would be fun to see though.

The White Sox just beat the Braves 2/3 2 weeks ago.  I'm not saying it's a likely outcome the Cubs would beat the Braves or Dodgers but anything could happen in a short series.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

52 minutes ago, Cubs420psd said:

I love listening to Steve Stone talk baseball, I think he's one of the best in the business. But he's so bitter when it comes to the Cubs and it's so obvious.

 

 

I don't mind baseball players telling baseball stories, but Steve Stone is terrible at calling a game.

[UMFan83]

3 hours ago, bukie said:

Had the Sox broadcast on last night (we don't get Marquee and I'm in no hurry to order it a la carte), and Steve Stone was billing this matchup as "two of the league's premier pitchers"....which, in itself, is effectively a slider low and away.

In fairness, during the 8th inning he was also discussing how the Cubs were out of the race and almost certainly sellers, while the Sox were one good week away from turning this thing around and getting right back into the race.

Funny, I watched some of the CSN rebroadcast while I was playing TOTK last night and earlier in the game Benetti was talking about how the Cubs have everything to play for still this season while the Sox do not.

[UMFan83]

FWIW I've read multiple reports that the Sox are close to trading Lynn and have already gotten as far as exchanging names with the Rays.  There's certainly a chance he does not end up starting tonight.

[Brock Beauchamp]

6 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

FWIW I've read multiple reports that the Sox are close to trading Lynn and have already gotten as far as exchanging names with the Rays.  There's certainly a chance he does not end up starting tonight.

That's a real bummer for the Cubs.

[bukie]

47 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Funny, I watched some of the CSN rebroadcast while I was playing TOTK last night and earlier in the game Benetti was talking about how the Cubs have everything to play for still this season while the Sox do not.

Benetti is the best broadcaster the Sox have had since TV came out.

[Tryptamine]

Looks like it's pretty unlikely Lynn goes tonight if The WSox and Rays are close to a deal.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

7 minutes ago, bukie said:

Benetti is the best broadcaster the Sox have had since TV came out.

Oh God, I can’t stand Benetti. He’s so annoying.

 

ETA: that goes for college hoops too. When him and Dakich were paired together a few years ago I couldn’t stand to watch the Illinois games they called.

Edited July 26, 2023 by Bobson Dugnutt

[Tryptamine]

I liked Len and Deshaies the most and Boog is growing on me, but there's a special place in my heart for Boog and Girardi. I just absolutely love how openly he dislikes Girardi. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

2 hours ago, Eeyore said:

This is fools gold. The Cubs are not a good team.

They aren't a bad team either. If in fact they continue to beat up on weak teams over the next few weeks, you can't hold it against them that they had a front-loaded schedule and are now talking advantage of a softer spot.  They are pretty much what a lot of us thought they were going into the season, a borderline playoff contender in today's expanded MLB playoff system.