NWINFan

How did this thread begin with speculation on the 2021 White Sox season to picking on poor Greg? A little civility does go a long way, however.

I am looking forward to this season, too, but I do think this young team will try our patience at times. It will be interesting to see what will happen at the trading deadline if the club looks like it is a true World Series contender.

From the beginning the pandemic has been made political and that has only led to more problems. Yes, the political situation in the country is scary, and it hasn't helped that so much misinformation has been out there. It has only led to more loss of life. Tragic.

This team should have a good season, but 105 wins isn't likely since the franchise has never won more than 100 in over 120 years. Some pieces still have to develop. If the team wins 90, that would be great. The Sox haven't won 90 in a while.

Yes, expectations are high, but I don't know what that has to do with LaRussa. As I have said in other posts, LaRussa may work out. But if there was a sense of urgency, the front office would have interviewed at least a handful of candidates before making a decision. This bar has been set at the top - by fans. We now want and expect winning. I don't know where the organization sets the bar.

The Paul Richards hire was a disaster. Richards stopped taking the lineup cards to home plate, and one time a player noticed he had no third baseman in the lineup. The 1976 team was not good, but it also lost 15 out of its last 16, and looked like a bunch of guys who had plainly given up. Paul Richards wasn' t the only one going to sleep. Later, the Veecks said RIchards was nothing but a caretaking manager, and it showed. Bill Veeck lashed out at a Sun-Times reporter who wrote the truth about the situation, but that didn't change how bad the team looked. Last place was last place. This doesn' t mean that LaRussa will be anywhere this bad. Maybe, as one poster said, he won't put up with an undisciplined team or quitters. But here is the main question: The White Sox are a young team with raw talent and great potential. Can LaRussa and his staff help these players turn into smart ball players who do the professional things that turn them into real winners?

These are very good observations, and they are reflective of why fans feel anxious about this hire. Yes, LaRussa has his track record, but he is 75 years-old, really has nothing left to prove, and from a logical viewpoint, should not want the hassles of being a major league baseball manager at this point of his life. Considering all of this, LaRussa should have been the last consideration; instead he was the only one. Jerry Reinsdorf is known as person who doesn't like to fire people. As a professional who held a mid-management position, and as one who never fired someone even though on one occasion, I should have, I understand how he feels. But LaRussa more than landed on his feet, and baseball men know that a manager's job is far from long-lasting. There are ways that Reinsdorf could have made amends without doing this. In an earlier post, I asked why anyone would think that LaRussa would be the right man to manage this particular team at this time. I haven't received an answer.

He does look amazing for his age. I just can't stand looking at him.

What LaRussa has done in the past has no credence. Neither does his inclusion to the Hall of Fame. This is the real question: Is he the right man to manage this club in its current stage of development? Since his hiring, I haven't heard this question answered. I've heard how JR had regrets over allowing Hawk to fire him. And I have heard so many other things. Can anyone tell me why he is the right man for the job at the present time? Or really why he isn't?

During his first turn with the Sox, Tony was not a popular guy. That didn't make him a bad manager,; he just wasn't all that popular. Fans didn't like the way the firing was handled, but I didn't hear too many people call for his return. Maybe things will turn out this time around, but I don't expect a love-fest between LaRussa and the fans. Maybe not a love fest with anyone else either. If the team wins, it won't matter. If the team doesn't win, that will be a different story.

I think 70 is young. I never wasted time wishing ill will on this man, but I will not miss his spewing out his hatred. Will not miss it one bit.

This is clearly the case and why some fans were upset about the process. This was an important decision and was done in the wrong way. Let's hope it works out.

Arthur Allyn protested the placing of the Sox in the AL West in 1969. They didn't like being in the same division with two expansion teams, and they had three teams on the West Coast. The Sox had less games against the Tigers, Yankees, and Red Sox, and they already had enough attendance problems as it was. Sadly, in 1969, the Sox finished behind the expansion Royals. Things worsened and they lost 106 games a year later.

I think that there are enough playoff spots that there are enough teams contending till the last of the season. In 1990, the White Sox won 94 games, had the third best record in the Majors and went nowhere. That is not likely to happen again with the way things are now. There is plenty of interest for fans. Secondly, because of expanded playoffs, regular season games are being played in the cold of late March, and the World Series is almost pushing into November. Baseball is a warm weather sport, and fans and players shouldn't have to put up with those conditions. I've been a fan a long time and have already have put with some real miserable conditions. I am not willing to do that so some rich guys can make more money. Finally, if more teams make the playoffs, why should an owner like Jerry Reinsdorf invest in putting a real solid team together? Second place is good, right? How about third? One last thing: I lost real interest in the NHL a long time ago. Seasons are way too long; playoffs are way too long.

One of the great memories of the 2005 season was the Sox holding off the Indians to get into playoffs. Nerve wracking but a great memory. There is no reason to take something like that from the fans. But leave it to the owners to screw up something that works by giving us fake playoff teams.

I can live with 7-inning double-headers although I am not crazy about it. I am against further expansion of the playoffs. Teams should get into the post-season as a reward for an excellent regular season. I am not one for an 84-win team getting into the post-season and then "hope to get hot." If the regular season becomes so meaningless, why bother to watch? Just wait for some diluted post-season for fake enthusiasm. Then wait for the dumb ass owners to come up with some other rule changes to ruin a great game and make a ton of money while doing it.

I realize how many are in love with Kopech's arm, but he hasn't pitched in two years. He also has next to no major league experience. Serviceable? Perhaps. But right now he is a huge question mark. It would be nice to have another starter.

GradMc is right. The lower expectations for Chicago teams came from continued losing. From 1946-2004, there was only one Chicago team in the World Series coming from a two-team market. So, any time a Chicago team finally made it to the post-season, fans were expected to kiss the feet of ownership. Now that each team has won a Series in this century, I guess that is it for the expectations game. The rebuild has turned a corner. We will now see how serious this team is about real winning.

The team was bought in 1981. By 1983, there was the first division title and the first ever 2,000,000 attendance season. Then the team spent almost all of the remainder of the decade under .500. Won the division in 1993, had a good shot at the World Series in 1994. Then the strike came, and the team spent the almost the rest of the decade under .500. Had a nice stretch from 2000-08 with three division titles and a World Series championship. Then from 09-19, had only two winning seasons and didn't come close to the division title. Makes you wonder.

You're right. A coach can only do so much. I don't have many expectations for Rodon. If he can give you any number of quality innings, you're ahead.

This rebuild will be a large part of Reinsdorf's legacy. How long will the winning last? Will he make one big move if needed? Right now the team has great potential. We will see if the FO closes the deal.

I hope this is the case. One thing the Sox have is an offense. Signing an old guy like Cruz is nothing but a waste of resources. Better off to do nothing right now than sign this guy. Perhaps the FO will be able to do something else later.

I am glad that Shilling isn't in and probably never will be. He advocates violence and hatred. He is not being persecuted for anything. Right now congressmen and their families are getting death threats. The political atmosphere is poisonous and we had a president who tried to stage a coup. There are plenty of conservatives out there and I am sure many play major league sports. I am sure many are in the Hall of Fame. Regardless, shouting fire in a crowded theatre is not a right.

The Indians had the Sox on the ropes and let them off. For some reason, Cleveland totally went south after the Sizemore play, If any team choked in 2005, it was the Indians. 11 years they had a bigger choke against the Cubs. I hope that team never sees the World Series again.