Frayed Knot

ChiSox are 7th in MLB in scoring (RS/G) though tops in the AL (trailing WAS, CHC, PIT, LAD, MIL, and COL) and 3rd overall in HRs. Are right in the middle of the pack in giving up runs (just behind the Mets).. They're coming off losing two of three to the Cubs (both losses by walk-off) before getting shutout today (and no-hit thru six) in an afternoon makeup game vs the Braves. Looks like we'll see Sean Burke [RH; 3.15 ERA; 1.11 WHIP] on Friday night (7:40 EDT for whoever asked earlier), ex-Mariner Luis Castillo [RH; 4.99; 1.37 combined SEA/CHW] on Saturday (7:10), and ... somebody on Sunday (2:10). Bryan Hudson (opener) then Erick Fedde followed Castillo in the rotation last time but they don't seem like a strict rotation kind of club. A couple of familiar names out of the pen: Sean Newcomb (a one-time starter for the Braves), hard-throwing Jordan Hicks (a brief sensation for StL) and his walktastic ways (4.9 BB/9 career, 5.9 this season), and Erick Fedde who came up w/the Nats and pitched there 2017 - 2022 before tours of Korea, CHW, StL ATL, MIL, and now back to the Sox. ex-NYM factor: Luisangel Acuna [.237/.269/.269 in 199 PA] and one-time 1st round draft pick and (via War Melville HS and U of Conn) Anthony Kay. Now 31 y/o, he sports a [4.01 ERA / 1.34 WHIP in his first year in the States following two seasons in Japan. And their entire offensive lineup, with the exception of their DH pair [Andrew Benintendi (L) and Randal Grichuk (R)] are under 30.

Ambler knew who the better Bobby Jones was just from a spring training outing. He was wrong, of course, but he always was a bit of a 'not always right but never in doubt' kind of guy.

Machado wasn't a hustler when he was young(er). This isn't an age thing with him.

Yeah, but it's also barely two weeks worth of suck.

And I assume the even if the new CBA imposes restrictions on the length of deals (doubtful, but it is one thing being proposed) that deals like these (and Soto's) would be grandfathered in and remain unaffected by any new rules.

And see my comments about Torrens running faster to 1st than Machado despite being both a slower runner to begin with and being temporarily crippled.

And right on cue: in the booth discussion earlier about today being Ron's 66th birthday, Ron pretty much said that he usually opts to not work on his b-day because he doesn't like the attention it brings.

I was thinking of these two during this series, but rather than pollute the IGT with my thoughts I'll break it off. Bogaerts, for the nine-plus seasons he was in Boston, had an OPS/OPS+ of 814/117. This is now his (not quite complete) fourth season with SD where he's regressed to an overall 718/100 pace. The bigger issue, besides that downward trend, is that he turns 34 on October 1st AND is signed to a big bucks contract through 2033 meaning he'll be turning 41 y/o just as the deal is due to end. Machado, already 34 y/o (in July, so three months older than Bogaerts) hasn't had the fall-off that Bogaerts has showed, at least not until this season where he's in the midst of his first sub-100 OPS+ season [718/98]. Now maybe we can write off this season as a small sample size/one-off, but he also has a deal thru 2033 when he'll turn 41 at the AS break. Having either of those contracts on the books seems reckless. Having two running simultaneously is practically malpractice. Be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Dueling no-hitters!! Although at least the Padres have had baserunners.

A crippled Torrens (foul ball off his knee two pitches earlier) hits a softie to SS and runs down the line faster than Machado.

Me either. Ron has a definite loner vibe to him. Not like totally anti-social but more comfortable off by himself unless you're in his inner circle.

Pitches through two innings: King = 20; Stock = 48

That was a hard-working top of the 1st for Stock (near 30 pitches) especially considering that the only contact was a 45 foot dribbler.

It would shock me if he's not done for the year -- Me

Sure. In fact one schmoe just did!

OF assists R us

0h-fer-11 w/RiSP, 9 LOB

Soto has a serious Brillo pad on his head going on.

That one is twelve rows deep in the Bronx.

One they had to measure how much it missed with a yardstick.

It's just too easy to speculate that Edwin's Diaz's latest injury, 'neck inflammation', came as a result of turning to watch the shots he just gave up. So I won't do it.

Does Ty France refer to the Gold Glove he won last year as his 'Maginot Line'?

I don't know how Thornton expects to get major league hitters out with that mustache.

Which is why it would be really cool if they pull it off.

The first send against Benge was just plain stupidity. Would have had the bases loaded, one out, with the hot Merrill and Campusano due up. Plus he was out by the length of a stretch limo. The second send against Benge was a closer call for send/no-send. There were two outs and at least the play itself was semi-close. Keith backed it immediately. And the one against Ewing wasn't a major crime either. If either throw #2 or #3 was off by a bit then the results are probably different. But that all three went wrong and all came within an eight AB stretch is why the above responses become more understandable. Also Padres fans, after the 2nd inning your guys managed two singles for the rest of the game all off a rookie pitcher and three no-name bullpen guys ... so pipe down a bit, eh?