Ceaseless

[Vulture]

[Tragg]

Today should also result in Detwilerless. Good thing he was exposed today v. next week.

[Mohoney]

If Lopez gets a playoff start over Cease, I want everyone responsible to be fired.

[MrX]

Fangraphs had an interesting look at Cease this season last week.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/dylan-cease-is-having-a-strange-season/

[Mohoney]

So you're going to throw a guy out there who just walked twelve guys in his last eight innings in a playoff game? That's borderline Ankielian.

Yes.

Walking people is not as bad as giving up nearly 2 100+mph rockets per inning.

[Mohoney]

He literally walked the game today against a team with like a .220 batting average. It practically took divine intervention to save him against the twins. If he walks 1.5 an inning in the playoffs the Sox will be practically giving the game away. Put this into a playoff situation and it points to an implosion of epic proportions IMO.

This is a problem that should have been addressed in January. No use worrying about it now.

[HomeFish]

Lopez has been good his last two starts. He definitely deserves to make the playoff roster more than Cease does.

[voodoochile]

Cease got such a live arm but simply cannot throw strikes consistently. Needs to figure it out real fast.

[HomeFish]

Most teams without a solid #4 starter these days go with a bullpen game in the playoffs. I'm not sure the Sox have that option, given that Keuchel and Dunning both cannot go long into a game.

[vegandork]

Cease has been extremely lucky and today was inevitable. But he's still way more talented than other options (like Lopez), so no he has to be your #4 in the playoffs. Dunning has definitely earned the #3 spot.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

Were you the one who posted the top comment about the Sox mothballing Cease's curveball? I've been questioning this myself. Lopez is even more head scratching in this regard. When he first came up he had a plus fastball and curve, along with average at best secondary pitches, and the Sox have gradually eliminated it in favor of a mediocre slider as his performance has declined in proportion. Instead of progressing he has only devolved from his starting point. Obviously this has worked in Giolito's case, although I suspect he too would be doing better with more curveball usage, but any idea why they have been eliminating the curve from these young pitchers repertoires? In Lopez's case in particular it makes zero sense to me. It was literally his best pitch when the Sox acquired him.

Cease has a really good curveball and also a good slider when he can command it. I think with younger pitchers, they want them to master one or the other because it's usually hard to have both a slider and curve going in an individual game. Interesting point about Lopez's curveball, as I don't remember him having one when the Sox first acquired him. His slider sucks, so I would be intrigued to see if that would be better for him at this point.

Regarding Lopez or Cease for a game 4, I think you go Cease and let him know he's in until he walks 3 guys. Have a Foster or Heuer ready to come in early mid inning to clean up a mess, then go to a Fry/Marshall/Cordero combo to get to the later innings. I still don't trust Lopez currently when his velocity is down like this.

[guillensdisciple]

I think Ricky needs to get creative with Cease's roster spot come the playoffs and use him as an opener with ReyLo and GioGo as the follow up after 2 or 3 innings of work. You have some pitcher depth there. There is room now to get creative. To finish the season, if his next start is of significance because of the division race, use the same strategy.

[The WalL]

He basically spent one season at A, half-a-season at AA, and half-a-season at AAA before being called up to the majors last year. I still think its too early to give up on him. In the postseason, you dont get off days this year. You need starters that can go deeper into games or if RR has a short hook, the bullpen needs to be deep and work long everyday. I would keep him on the playoff roster just for that.

[berwyn]

For all we know, if Cease got the strike 3 call he deserved at 3-2 on the second walk of the 3rd inning, McCann's throw to 2B ends the inning, Cease rights the ship in a 0-0 game and he gets through 6 innings with the no hitter intact. For all we know. That's why the home plate ump is the most important man on the field and don't anyone forget it. But Dunning is still a better bet going forward.