*Official* 9/15 Missed Opportunities Postgamer

[thomas35forever]

How close can you get without winning? Yeesh.

[SOX ADDICT '73]

How close can you get without winning? Yeesh.

Perfect thread title - other than Yaz in the 6th, just ZERO clutch hitting tonight. On the bright side, though Keuchel didn't always look great, he battled his way through six innings. Hope that's another sign he's figured something out.

Regarding Kopech: as I said in an earlier post, pitchers are going to give up runs; the offense just needs to be better than they were tonight, so that one measly late run allowed doesn't mean we lose the game.

[Lipman 1]

Very frustrating loss.

This offense remains very inconsistent, rip a pitcher apart one night, the next night in key situations and they can't do a thing. Last five games for example these are the Sox runs: 4-8-2-9-2

A fly ball ties the game in the 9th inning and they can't get it done.

This is where I was saying about playing a regular lineup every game the rest of the way... to develop....I don't know, pick a word...chemistry, rhythm, consistency...you name it. These guys have missed so much time this year they haven't had a chance to develop it.

This is the lineup I'd like to see at least the last week...every damn day, regardless of what side the pitcher throws from:

Anderson-SS
Moncada-3B
Abreu-1B
Grandal-C
Robert-CF
Jimenez-DH
Engel-RF
Vaughn / Garcia-LF
Hernandez-2B

17 games left and I don't think this has happened, not sure but I don't think the Sox have ever been four games over the .500 mark since the break...they are just meandering their way through mediocrity the last 56 games.

Now three games behind Houston for the #2 position in the A.L. (Really it is four games because Houston holds the tiebreaker.) I don't see them catching them not as long as TLR keeps resting guys.

[thomas35forever]

Very frustrating loss.

This offense remains very inconsistent, rip a pitcher apart one night, the next night in key situations and they can't do a thing. Last five games for example these are the Sox runs: 4-8-2-9-2

A fly ball ties the game in the 9th inning and they can't get it done.

This is where I was saying about playing a regular lineup every game the rest of the way... to develop....I don't know, pick a word...chemistry, rhythm, consistency...you name it. These guys have missed so much time this year they haven't had a chance to develop it.

This is the lineup I'd like to see at least the last week...every damn day, regardless of what side the pitcher throws from:

Anderson-SS
Moncada-3B
Abreu-1B
Grandal-C
Robert-CF
Jimenez-DH
Engel-RF
Vaughn / Garcia-LF
Hernandez-2B

17 games left and I don't think this has happened, not sure but I don't think the Sox have ever been four games over the .500 mark since the break...they are just meandering their way through mediocrity the last 56 games.

Now three games behind Houston for the #2 position in the A.L. (Really it is four games because Houston holds the tiebreaker.) I don't see them catching them not as long as TLR keeps resting guys.

They're only two games behind the Astros. And I'll repeat what I've said regarding home-field advantage. While it would be nice to have, you don't deserve to win it all anyway if you can't win on the road. Champions don't use "We need home-field advantage to win a playoff series" as an excuse. If you're good enough, you'll find a way to win regardless of venue and atmosphere.

[Zakath]

Give the Angels' bullpen credit, as 8 of the final 9 outs for the Sox were strikeouts.

[WSox597]

Yep, Cishek looked much better last night than at any time when he was with the White Sox. It figures.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Lip:

Eloy does not hit well when he’s the DH, and his fielding has improved markedly. He needs to be in LF.

On the other hand, Sheets puts up his best numbers when he is the DH. Seems like he belongs there, at least against RHP.

When he returns from the IL and into the playoffs, Vaughn can become something of a corner/DH supersub, providing TLR multiple options based on matchups. And Leury can be the same, for the up-the-middle positions.

[BigKlu59]

They're only two games behind the Astros. And I'll repeat what I've said regarding home-field advantage. While it would be nice to have, you don't deserve to win it all anyway if you can't win on the road. Champions don't use "We need home-field advantage to win a playoff series" as an excuse. If you're good enough, you'll find a way to win regardless of venue and atmosphere.

Winner’s win anywhere. These guys gotta get squared away the last 10 games and go with what will get them there. Tough loss last night, but once again showed the bright light on why they’re not winning these kind of ballgames. Ya gotta gettem home boys.

BK59

[HomeFish]

Another wasted Dallas Keuchel quality start.

[longtimefan]

Perfect thread title - other than Yaz in the 6th, just ZERO clutch hitting tonight. On the bright side, though Keuchel didn't always look great, he battled his way through six innings. Hope that's another sign he's figured something out.

Regarding Kopech: as I said in an earlier post, pitchers are going to give up runs; the offense just needs to be better than they were tonight, so that one measly late run allowed doesn't mean we lose the game.

Keuchel looked like an adequate #5 starter and that is fine.

[longtimefan]

Lip:

Eloy does not hit well when he’s the DH, and his fielding has improved markedly. He needs to be in LF.

On the other hand, Sheets puts up his best numbers when he is the DH. Seems like he belongs there, at least against RHP.

When he returns from the IL and into the playoffs, Vaughn can become something of a corner/DH supersub, providing TLR multiple options based on matchups. And Leury can be the same, for the up-the-middle positions.

Eloy doesn't need to be in LF. He has to hit whether he's DH or LF. That is what he is paid to do. I don't know what is going on in his head but he needs to perform regardless of where the manager plays him.

[Kobo]

Eloy doesn't need to be in LF. He has to hit whether he's DH or LF. That is what he is paid to do. I don't know what is going on in his head but he needs to perform regardless of where the manager plays him.

That's not reality though. Players have talked about how being DH affects them. There are some players who simply don't perform as well if they just DH. Eloy appears to be one of those players.

[voodoochile]

That's not reality though. Players have talked about how being DH affects them. There are some players who simply don't perform as well if they just DH. Eloy appears to be one of those players.

Exactly. It's not about Must do this or that. Hitting is mental. If your mental side is off for whatever reason you won't be as successful hitting, period.

On the plus side Eloy appears to be waking up from his mini-slump with several singles recently and that monster double last night. Hernandez is starting to get some results also.