*OFFICIAL* 4-29 DH Game 2 Kittens Cease Scoring SOX 11 DET 0 Postgamer

[voodoochile]

Heck of a game. Dylan had it all working. Great command and so much movement. This is the guy so many of us were hoping to see after a strong ST. Hope he keeps it going.

Nice to see Garcia collect a couple more hits. Madrigal 3/4 and a walk. OPS now pushing .800 as his OBP climbs to .375.

Vaughn is heating up too.

and then there's some guy name Yermin... 4...4...9... without a leg kick SO STRONG!

[Lipman 1]

I'll be honest, given the lineup TLR trotted out there for game #1 and the fact that Cease was pitching in game #2, the fact that the Sox got a sweep just is mind blowing. Yea it was the Tigers but still that was impressive pitching today by the Sox. Pitching will keep you in games and more often than not win them. So far 5-1 on the homestand, game and a half out of first.

Keep it going against Cleveland please.

[TDog]

I'll be honest, given the lineup TLR trotted out there for game #1 and the fact that Cease was pitching in game #2, the fact that the Sox got a sweep just is mind blowing. Yea it was the Tigers but still that was impressive pitching today by the Sox. Pitching will keep you in games and more often than not win them. So far 5-1 on the homestand, game and a half out of first.

Keep it going against Cleveland please.

I don't know, looking at the game after the fact, I don't think it was such a bad lineup for Game 1. I would have thought Lamb and Collins were the keys in getting to Mize. It looks like Collins led off the third with double but was left on third after getting there with one out. In a seven-inning game, Rodon giving up a run in the next half inning could have lost it, but apparently Mize couldn't find the plate after Lamb singled on a 1-2 pitch to lead off the fifth. There is something to be said for getting a young pitcher into his stretch. Watching the video highlights on the MLB site, it looks like the key to the win was Cabrera failing to handle the bases-loaded grounder cleanly and scrambling to get Hamilton at first instead of the out at home. Garcia jumped on the next pitch for the margin. Garcia actually had a pretty good day-night after missing the chance to give the Sox a 1-0 lead in Game 1. With thhe Cabrera missed defensive opportunity Game 1 was not unlike a few White Sox losses set up this year by missed opportunities on defense, but it wasn't the only 2021 Sox win that could be so described.

It also looks like Cease was throwing more strikes in Game 2 than in his previous starts. That would be huge. The Sox took some of the pressure off of him. Maybe he can take some of the confidence into his next start, probably in Kansas City. The Royals might not be as easy to attack, but he walked three in less than five inning in his first start against the Royals, which had more to do with him coming out with two outs in the fifth than the than the one run that he gave up.

I still don't believe seven-inning games should count, although Game 2 wasn't inning-aided. In some leagues, the mercy rule would have kicked in. Still, seven-inning games, properly executed, can save your bullpen.

[spanishsox]

Hey all, I haven´t been on in months. I have been devastated by personal news as my mom has terminal lung cancer but I am dealing with it. I will fly to Chicago late this month to be with her. What a sweep of the kittens!! Rodon and Cease with back to back sterling games. Rodon is going to surprise this season methinks. He has that 4 seamer buzzing up to 98 and it has movement. If he balls out then we have a great problem to have the option to extend him at proper value. The injury to Eloy hurts but hopefully he is back in September in time for the playoff chase. They are exciting and I am excited and it helps me not think about the months ahead for me personally. GO SOX!!!!

[LITTLE NELL]

Hey all, I haven´t been on in months. I have been devastated by personal news as my mom has terminal lung cancer but I am dealing with it. I will fly to Chicago late this month to be with her. What a sweep of the kittens!! Rodon and Cease with back to back sterling games. Rodon is going to surprise this methinks. He has that 4 seamer buzzing up to 98 and it has movement. If he balls out then we have a great problem to have the option to extend him at proper value. The injury to Eloy hurts but hopefully he is back in September in time for the playoff chase. They are exciting and I am excited and it helps me not think about the months ahead for me personally. GO SOX!!!!

So sorry about your mothers illness, I lost my father to Cancer, we need to find a cure for that dreaded disease.

[LITTLE NELL]

These 7 inning DH games are working out pretty good, the Sox are now 4-0 in them.

[Zakath]

Sox now leading the majors in BA at .267 and OBP at .347. Only .001 behind the Reds for lead in OPS (.759). Really doing this without the benefit of a lot of extra-base hits (213 hits, with 38 doubles, 4 triples, and 23 HR's). 9th in the majors and 3rd in the AL in ERA (3.57).

Plate discipline is helping this team out a ton. Drawn 89 walks, which is 7th in the majors, while striking out 198 times (also 7th best). Compare this to the crosstown team, which has almost the same number of AB's (797 for Sox, 798 for Cubs), has drawn 3 more walks, but has struck out 55 more times.

[voodoochile]

I don't know, looking at the game after the fact, I don't think it was such a bad lineup for Game 1. I would have thought Lamb and Collins were the keys in getting to Mize. It looks like Collins led off the third with double but was left on third after getting there with one out. In a seven-inning game, Rodon giving up a run in the next half inning could have lost it, but apparently Mize couldn't find the plate after Lamb singled on a 1-2 pitch to lead off the fifth. There is something to be said for getting a young pitcher into his stretch. Watching the video highlights on the MLB site, it looks like the key to the win was Cabrera failing to handle the bases-loaded grounder cleanly and scrambling to get Hamilton at first instead of the out at home. Garcia jumped on the next pitch for the margin. Garcia actually had a pretty good day-night after missing the chance to give the Sox a 1-0 lead in Game 1. With thhe Cabrera missed defensive opportunity Game 1 was not unlike a few White Sox losses set up this year by missed opportunities on defense, but it wasn't the only 2021 Sox win that could be so described.

It also looks like Cease was throwing more strikes in Game 2 than in his previous starts. That would be huge. The Sox took some of the pressure off of him. Maybe he can take some of the confidence into his next start, probably in Kansas City. The Royals might not be as easy to attack, but he walked three in less than five inning in his first start against the Royals, which had more to do with him coming out with two outs in the fifth than the than the one run that he gave up.

I still don't believe seven-inning games should count, although Game 2 wasn't inning-aided. In some leagues, the mercy rule would have kicked in. Still, seven-inning games, properly executed, can save your bullpen.

Cease definitely had his best command of the season. He had it all working and the breaking balls were staying around the zone better forcing swings. He was sharp. if he can pitch like that going forward the Sox will have the best rotation in the AL and possibly the majors this season.

The 7-inning rule is specifically designed for that reason this season and last. With teams needing to be careful with player health and the chance of an outbreak limiting options they wanted to be sure teams didn't have to stress players and specifically pitchers - their most fragile and valuable commodity too much.

[voodoochile]

Hey all, I haven´t been on in months. I have been devastated by personal news as my mom has terminal lung cancer but I am dealing with it. I will fly to Chicago late this month to be with her. What a sweep of the kittens!! Rodon and Cease with back to back sterling games. Rodon is going to surprise this season methinks. He has that 4 seamer buzzing up to 98 and it has movement. If he balls out then we have a great problem to have the option to extend him at proper value. The injury to Eloy hurts but hopefully he is back in September in time for the playoff chase. They are exciting and I am excited and it helps me not think about the months ahead for me personally. GO SOX!!!!

So sorry to read about your Mom. Was wondering where you'd been. Welcome back and thinking good thoughts for you and yours.

[voodoochile]

Sox now leading the majors in BA at .267 and OBP at .347. Only .001 behind the Reds for lead in OPS (.759). Really doing this without the benefit of a lot of extra-base hits (213 hits, with 38 doubles, 4 triples, and 23 HR's). 9th in the majors and 3rd in the AL in ERA (3.57).

AL ranks:
1st in RS
4th in RA
1st in Diff (+0.3 RPG over #2)

[Harwar]

Just watched the replay of the 2nd game, since i missed everything after the 4th inning . Cease was outstanding . Madrigal and Vaughn with 3 hits . scary to think how dangerous Vaughn is going to be . becoming a huge fan of Madrigal . nice to see Moncada light it up . Mercedes is just insane . what if he turns into the DH that we need so bad, for the whole season . the future looking very bright right now.

[Harwar]

Hey all, I haven´t been on in months. I have been devastated by personal news as my mom has terminal lung cancer but I am dealing with it. I will fly to Chicago late this month to be with her.

Sorry to hear about this . i feel you . i'm the only one still alive from my immediate family . two of them taken by cancer . it's devastating at first, but believe it or not, it does get easier.

[HomeFish]

Last night's double-header was probably the only Sox game I would be able to attend in 2021 and for a while it looked like I was not going to be able to see a Yermin Mercedes hit in-person. Then at the last possible moment I got to see one hell of a Yermin Mercedes hit. It will be a tight race for AL Player of the Month between him and Rodon, who I also got to see.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

It's pretty exciting that there is genuine reason for confidence or optimism for 6 starters currently (counting Kopech). Rodon looks absolutely legit. Cease was excellent last night, throwing plus offerings 95% of his pitches it seems. It looked like he and Katz have made an in season adjustment that was pretty obviously on display.

They are probably going to need another pitcher to be able to pitch maybe 15 games this year I think with Kopech, Rodon and Keuchel having innings limits or not having made 30 starts ever or in a few years (Keuchel). Not sure if it's going to be Lopez, Stiever, someone else internally, someone externally, or a combo of all of those options.

[Foulke You]

AL ranks:
1st in RS
4th in RA
1st in Diff (+0.3 RPG over #2)

The other incredible stat for the Sox this year is they are 2nd in the AL in taking walks and 7th overall in MLB. This is an incredible improvement for the team and bodes well for the offense when the weather gets warm and some of those warning track shots carry into the seats. In recent years, the Sox usually are the bottom 5 in this category.