I don't think this should be a reward for season long production. It should be a snapshot of who is going best right now combined with analytical analysis of optimal matches. My rotation would be as follows:

Giolito- he's rolling right now and pitched great in his previous playoff appearance. He is the guy out of anyone on the staff who could give you seven and hand it off to Kimbrel and Hendriks. I think he has decent numbers against the astros and he's the healthiest pitcher to turn around and pitch a game 5.
Rodon- if he isn't fatigued, he's been their best pitcher this year. Let him give you what he has and have Kopech at the ready for a two inning effort
Cease (lynn if down 0-2)- probably the most consistent pitcher this season and been really good lately. He pitches particularly well at home, so you have to hold him for a home start.
Lynn- if down 0-2, I want him going in game 3 as a firewall. If not, he is great both at home and on long rest. This provides both and I think you can bank on a strong performance from him in a critical game

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Your rotation makes sense but I'm guessing LaRussa goes with Lynn in the first game.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I dont see any way in the world that Lynn is not game 1 starter. Dude is a warrior and you want him securing game 1.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Except that he's obviously not 100%. I don't want to be reading a story about how tough he is to gut out a bad back and a gimpy knee after the Sox are down 0-1.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

If he is too injured to pitch game 1, then he probably shouldn't be pitching at all in a series. I would want him going game 1 if he is even close to ready.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Being a fat guy is all fun & games til you develop a bad back and knee issues.

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The thing is, a guy like that will never tell you he can't take the ball. And then it's 4-0 in the third inning and after the game LaRussa is mumbling excuses like "At this time of the year a lot of guys are beat up. Lance gave us all he had."

He isn't too hurt too pitch. But I think a bunch of extra time will help him. He may not pitch again in the regular season. So that's something.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

He isn't their best pitcher right now. He hasn't fared well in houston. He is fantastic on longer rest and terrible on short rest (not that short rest will come into play).

I want Lynn optimized and Game 1 is not optimal for him. Game 3 may be just as critical as Game 1.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Lynn and Giolito give you the best chance of winning games 1 and 2. You really shouldn't be planning your rotation on the possibility of being down 0-2

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I'm not. Giolito puts them in the best chance to win Game 1. Rodon has been better than Lynn as well, as long as he is healthy.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I would be more worried about Rodon's health than Lynn.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Rodon's stuff was awful last outing.

I agree.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Was it though? Wasn't that the game where he got a lot of weak contact and they kept dropping the ball?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Lynn has been there before. He is a beast. He goes game 1 unless health says he misses the DS

Giolito game 2

Cease pitches at home in game 3

Rodon/Lopez with Kopech ready to come in at a moment's notice for game 4.

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Giolito- is pitching well and I'm not sure if he's mentally tough enough to be reliable if the Sox are down 0-1
Lynn- Has been the best pitcher most of the year and he's the guy that you want having the ball on the road in any must win game.
Cease- you want the kid to be comfortable. Pitching at home is the best spot for him.
Rodon- More rest to be right

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Giolito
Lynn
Rodon if healthy
Cease

If Rodon isn't healthy, Cease goes game 3 and then Lopez/Keuchel/bullpen in game 4

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That's how I'd do it. It will probably be that but with Lynn and Giolito switched. Game 4 is a home game, right?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I'd go lynn, giolito,rodon, cease.. keuchel wouldn't make the roster.

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Yeah I'm pretty sure it is.

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Rodon was screwed by the defense last time out. He still struck out six in three innings. He has the best stuff on the staff. If you can get 100 pitches out of him it would be great. He was the only one to look good at Houston this year. Giolito has had success there in the past though.

They can't go down 0-2. And I think they have to win the first game or it will spiral. They play better as front-runners.

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Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Yes.
2@HOU
2@CWS
1@HOU

No scheduled off days for the ALDS, and obviously Houston will not have any rain out

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No. Game 4 will be a road game to open the ALCS.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

after reading Larussa's latest assessment, I'm not sure Rodon will even be available for the playoffs.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

There are rumors that Boras is insisting he not pitch.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Assuming all healthy...
My rotation.
1. Gio
2. Rodon
3. Lynn.

Tony's likely rotation
1. Lynn
2. Rodon
3. Gio.

If the wheels fall off Cease is the guy that has to be ready. He's earned a starting spot, but I just don't see Tony starting Cease in games 1-3. They're going to need him...one of the 3 starters is likely to struggle.

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Risky. If Rodon is not healthy that is one thing. But if he is healthy and goes out and has great games in the playoffs, his contract could easily go up by 10 or 20 million every start he takes in October.

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Really? That is BS

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

If he has to sit for the playoffs how much is he worth? He had to be babied all season to make it to September. If they were in an actual playoff race he would have been a liability. Lopez was such a luxury and a pleasant surprise. He bailed them out repeatedly throughout the second half.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

I don't believe that for a second. The only way Boras would have Rodon not pitch is if there was something wrong with him.

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