Riverbrian

We know that Rocco is capable of distributing catching playing time at a 2 to 1 ratio because that is how it started in 2023. Vazquez played two games to every game that Jeffers played. Of course at the time... it made sense. Jeffers was a young catcher coming off a not very good season offensively and Vazquez was the 30 million dollar dude signed to sing lead vocal behind the plate. As the season progressed... it was pretty clear that Jeffers was hitting as well as any catcher in the game and Vazquez was struggling offensively extendedly. Rocco was able to adjust that Vazquez 2 to 1 ratio to a 50/50 split between Vazquez and Jeffers. Never giving Jeffers that 2 to 1 that Vazquez got. It should have shifted all the way to 2 to 1 in favor of Jeffers and it should remain 2 to 1 in favor of Jeffers today and forward. Instead 50/50 is the rotation that remains. If the amazing defense of Vazquez is the reason it needs to be a 50/50 division of labor. I will counter that with... Yeah but... Jeffers played every single game in the playoffs. Defense obviously took a back seat when it was the win or die situation of the playoffs. Chips are down... It's Jeffers 100% Rest... Ok... agreed Catcher's certainly need it. However I'll repeat that Rocco started out 2023 with Vazquez getting a 2 to 1 ratio and Jeffers has never reached that ratio but we know 2 to 1 can be handled. Right now Jeffers extra AB's have come from the DH position. Sensible because he's been one of our best hitters... if not our best hitter. He needs to be the lineup. But, I'd rather they 2 to 1 the catching ratio in Jeffers favor and let others rotate through the DH position including Jeffers of course.

That's a good thing because Jeffers has been one of our best hitters... if not our best hitter. We should find him more AB's than what typical catchers end up with. However, when I read the article. Instead of how can you play Jeffers more... my mind went to how do you play Vazquez less. 😁

All good. I just like W's with due respect.

Reading your responses in this thread. You seem to be saying that you don't think Larnach is that good but his situation with the Twins has been horribly mismanaged. Beyond that... I'm not sure what you are saying.

OK Darth Vader. I honestly can't tell if we are arguing or not.

3 things need to happen. Health, Opportunity and Performance. The odds are long for all but a select few.

Agreed... Hat tip to Shewmake. He created a run out of thin air. Ryan and Miranda were both not focused. It's the only way he can swipe third without a throw to the plate. Two players were asleep. If Miranda is at the bag. He's probably still out. If Ryan is focused... it's a run down. The double steal of home? That works like a charm at the little league level. It should be properly defended by the time players reach the high school level. At the major league level. With the arm strength and talent... it just shouldn't happen.

There was but the rest wasn't as funny.

We agree it's highly unlikely that this incredibly bad pace continues. And I agree the White Sox have been ****ing terrible. So when do they start winning so they can climb from this .125 winning percentage to the 2003 Tigers worst team in the modern era .265 percentage? The 2003 Tigers started the year 3-25. Then they won 6 out of the next 9. Game 28 was the end of a real bad stretch. Game 29 was the start of a good stretch. I can't predict these things so I don't care if they are ****ing terrible right now... just looking at the MLB records indicates a real rough stretch of baseball for the pale hose. I'm not sure why you want me to double the games against Houston, Texas and Seattle. If it's because you are pointing out that they play twice as many games against the AL Central. I've already listed that the Twins were 29-23 against the AL Central and 20-12 Against the AL West last year. 52 games against 4 teams compared to 32 games against 5 opponents in the AL West is roughly double. I have acknowledged that by listing the records against divisions. Here's the deal I don't have the power to stop anyone from dismissing and diminishing. I think we all understand that winning 4 out of 10 is classified as a bad baseball team and I think we all understand that winning 6 out of 10 is classified as a good baseball team. I simply deny anybody's implication that 6 out of 10 is OMG how are we going to beat the best team in baseball and 4 out of 10 doesn't mean losing to them is a crime beyond the pale. This type of implication is rampant.

All this talk about Veal, Shell Fish and Milk is making me hungry.

I'm not being difficult... but I need to see what you are saying. Opening day roster - use the 13 Players chosen. Line them up... who plays against right handers and who plays against left handers. Don't worry about the catcher position... but I want to see the other 8 spots in the lineup. If you don't mind.

So the calf gets more than half?

I really don't know. I also don't know what happened to the other 98 of 2% milk.

A friend of mine has a gambling problem. He stopped going to the casino for two weeks and he noticed that his bank account was in better shape. So... he did the obvious thing with the extra money... he went back to the casino. I think Rocco noticed. I also don't think it matters.

That 2003 tigers... the worst team of the modern era. Still won around 3 out of every 10 games. The real bad bad teams win 1 and lose 2 every 3 games on average. Just your normal run of the mill bad team wins 4 out of 10. The really good teams win 6 out of 10... They lose 4 out of 10. The Oakland A's were a real real bad team last year. They won 50 games. How can you dismiss any team that wins 50 games a year? How can you diminish any victory against a team that wins 1 out of 3. How can you paint any team as unbeatable that loses 60 games a year. The Rockies were 41 games behind the Dodgers... That's a lot for sure... but now do the math on 41 games back over a 162 games to get a glimpse of the margins. The Twins were 29-23 last year against the weak sisters of the AL Central. They were 20-12 against the AL West. They were 10-16 against the AL East despite a 4-3 winning record against the Yankees. They were 25-21 against the National League. The Twins were 5-2 against the World Series champions and 5-8 against the Tigers. They were 4-2 against the Astros that knocked us out of the playoff which wasn't as good as the Royals who beat the Astros 5 games to 1 last year. I don't care who they are playing... they better strap it on. A win is always an accomplishment.

I love it when things time out perfectly like that.

CASTRO!!!

How do you think someone named Dastardly was able to date her?

I'm shocked anyone is shocked by this lineup. Garrett Crochet is left handed. The players not in the lineup are left handed hitters. Rocco does this consistently. He's doing what he always does. Garrett Crochet currently has .500 OPS difference between lefties and righties.

Carte Blanche can't be stolen!!! She always says "whatever you want".

I'm not looking to blame anyone. I'll criticize but not blame. But If we must blame. It's Ownership and that's the end of the list. The players answer to the coaching staff The Coaching Staff answers to the Front Office The front office answers to the owners. It's always the people who hire the people.

I don't historical precedents are necessary but major league average should let him keep his major league job. If Larnach doesn't tank... I believe Wallner will have to wait until an injury to try again. Even if the club believes Wallner is better than Larnach (They Might) it doesn't have to be an either or situation. There is room for both on the club next year. Meaning... even if the club believes Wallner is better than Larnach (They Might) it doesn't mean that they have to just throw Larnach away. Is Kepler coming back next year? The situation is much more pressing for Larnach because if he goes back down to the minors this year. He is out of options and next year the minors are no longer an option. Wallner still has another option. This is a big year for Larnach and it may be his last chance.

Yep you gotta play them all and the ball is still going to do random things at random times and when you play them... is going to be a consideration because hot streaks and cold streaks stop and start on a dime. 3 and 20 doesn't necessarily mean that they won't go 10 and 6 over the next 16. I don't expect the White Sox to play at .130 clip all year that would be incredible. The worst record of all time is around a .300 clip. A great team still loses 4 out of 10 and most teams are going to crowd around the middle with a .500 winning percentage. The margins are thin. The White Sox will beat a 100 win team at some point this season. The National just took a series from the Dodgers at Dodger stadium. With the margins that thin over a 162 game schedule. It really doesn't make much sense to look at the weak sisters expect an easy pushover. Gotta strap it on every day and compete.

All solid considerations. Personally I'd rather not lose the DH if you don't have to lose it because extras can stretch out and bring that spot in the order around and we were burning bench. He had a few ways to play that hand. These decisions are made in real time and there are times when I would have made a different decision with more time to consider everything so I'm not attempting to be overly critical. Just having fun thinking about what could have been done. There were options. With that... Here's what I would have done after thinking about all the possibilities. 1. After the Buxton homer... the worst outcome of the inning was we were going to play a 10th. After Castro was retired with one out and nobody on and the bottom or the order (that hasn't been hitting) due up. I would have been thinking about the 10th inning and thinking about Martin pinch running to start the 10th because the last out of the inning was going to be made by either Farmer or Vazquez and you'll want a pinch runner for those guys. I'm not prioritizing the 10th over the 9th as much as saving bullets for the 10th because hanging a zero on offense in the 10th is not a good thing and again the worst outcome in the 9th is that we go to the 10th. The runner on 2nd base to start the inning in extras increases the pressure by quite a bit so it's OK to think about the 10th in that situation. 2. Once Santana draws the walk with one out... the odds of scoring increase dramatically. Now I am pinch running Martin and I am pinch hitting Jeffers. I still have Margot to pinch run in the 10th if needed. The choice is do you pinch hit Jeffers for Farmer or Vazquez. Vazquez is a clean defensive switch. So... I probably leave Farmer in to hit so I don't have to turn the world upside down defensively in the 10th. I may attempt a hit and run with Farmer to stay out of the double play and at least advance the runner in the case of an out. 3. Of course... Rocco pinch hit Jeffers for Farmer... So once Farmer is pinch hit for and Santana is left to run and Jeffers hits a chip shot double. Creating 2nd and 3rd with one out. I leave Santana running at 3B and I go to contact at the plate. Martin is the guy I'm sending to the plate to pinch hit for Vazquez because he has our best strike out percentage and I have Jeffers in the game to cover the catcher spot. Rocco's move worked out... we won. What I would have done doesn't matter. 😉