Plus players aren't sucking as much. Jabreu was a complete dumpster fire, both offensively and defensively. .
You post this kind of stuff all the time. There is mountains of evidence that close games outcomes are random. That is because bullpen leverage effectiveness game to game (everyone knows it is impossible to predict year to year) and hit sequencing luck are independent of team ability on the whole. The idea that the manager has anything to do with it is laughable. Espada didn't become a good manager in the last two months and wasn't a terrible one in the first two when it comes to close games and their outcomes.
2022 was the first year of a new format. 2020 doesn't count since everyone had to play an opening round. And we haven't played a wild card game since 2015. Blaming the bye is just an excuse for the chokers. ALCS while not having to play a wild card game or series: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
I remember Clemens waiting until half way through the season to pitch for us and was fresh for the playoffs.
In other news... The White Sox just dropped their season ticket prices for 2025. We all need to jump on this deal!
At one point not too long ago, both Meyers and Dubon were really good bottom 3rd of the lineup hitters. Both have gone awol. Hopefully the big hit tonight gets Dubon going. The bigger problem might be this revolving door at first base. We can't go into the playoffs like this. Settle on someone.
I'm still not getting why we sent Martinez down. The move for Ferguson was ridiculous. He's the one that effectively pushed Martinez out of the way. No way that made our bullpen better. And it cost us a prospect and international pool money. Sigh......
We "need" a lefty that is not the closer. What I don't get is why Dubin stays as the multi-inning arm. Question is who gets pushed out at Verlander's activation, which would be roughly Aug. 21... ~10 days before getting 2 more roster spots.
Lol you guys will find this funny… Just got in a long argument with a Ms fan on Reddit that claimed Julio would be having a Juan Soto year if he was developed by another team. I said no chance and he started to argue he thought “Juan Soto’s plate disciplined could be taught”. I told him well since the Astros clearly are good at “developing hitters” why haven’t they been able to fix Altuve’s and Yainers chase rate if it was that simple? Dude responded by telling me “my assessment of cheating ass players doesn’t mean s*** and that it’s easy to be a great hitter when you know what’s coming”. I kid you not, in the same paragraph as the Astros cheating rant, the dude goes on to talk about a change Sammy Sosa made to his approach in 1998 that led to improved patience and 66 homers.
