nrockway

Good one. I like CJR (Columbia Journalism Review) for similar reasons. Unfortunately it's not profitable to do this kind of journalism (or at least it isn't profitable if the medium is PPC advertising) anymore. All that space on the page where there's words could be filled with advertisements instead so all journalists really have to do is write something moderately polarizing and their job is done. People will click on it because they're outraged or because it supports their worldview I want something like this for sports though and that was supposed to be The Athletic. Oh well.

"the numbers show that andrew vaughn is a good hitter" - espn no they don't

I have an Athletic subscription because I subscribe to the NY Times and it's a really really bad publication. It used to be heralded as 'smart', longform investigative sports journalism, but it's fallen into the same trap as as pretty much every other 'journalistic outlet' on the internet: repost things you read on twitter, repeat the things your 'sources' (agents with ulterior motives) tell you, focus exclusively on spectacle and drama because storylines are more important than the sport itself. I don't think that described Fegan so he had to go. Either that or having a White Sox specific page wasn't profitable enough and his $60k a year salary was too much to stomach. Maybe he can go work for the Reinsdorf propaganda outlet Stadium, some Bulls guy (Rob Schaefer) was recently fired by NBCSN and now works for the Bulls...kinda sad, he was really good, now he has to be a yesman.

Of course fans can say and do what they want (within reason) and it shouldn't be any other way, but it creates bad vibes for other fans and it's usually alcohol fueled. And Reinsdorf clearly doesn't give a s%*#. Should be more like Europe, use that energy and go beat up the other team's fans instead.

I can't be the only one thinking he should be pitching longer stretches in AAA. Maybe his body can't handle it.

spoke too soon...

Tonight's showing actually improved Lynn's ERA ?

I don't know how they've won so many games.

I'm watching the Dodgers stream so I dunno if they showed the slow mo replay on the White Sox feed, but holy s%*# it was so blatant. If he got out there...

Whether or not they 'deserve' it, I don't know why somebody would take the time to show up to a game just to belittle the players. Seems like a waste of time, money and energy. I told some guy to knock it off because he's shouting profanity at Cease in the first inning and there's kids around and Cease can obviously hear him because we're right above the dugout. Completely uncalled for and I would think has an impact on the game. I think fans can play a role in their teams' success, a homefield advantage isn't strictly 'these guys are familiar with the field and can sleep in their own beds' there's energy to be absorbed from the atmosphere. Obviously you and me are not the reason the Sox suck but it's also not the players as individuals, its the summation of decisions made by the front office and ownership. We obviously expect more out of 'proven' players like Tim Anderson or Lynn but good teams can deal with down years to one or two players. Of course, pretty much everyone is having a down year which leads me to think it's something to do with coaching or otherwise how the organization is run. I don't think showing up just to trash the players is productive. Bring a 'sell the team' sign or 'fire hahn' sign IMO.

I wouldn't be so dismissive about the impact fans have on a game. I've been to two home games this season and it's a sea of boos for the home team. Cease, Bummer, Robert, doesn't matter who. Maybe they're professionals and are supposed to ignore it but I don't think I could. Sox Park is a depressing place this year.

I'm going with the New York Knicks as an even worse franchise. Bigger market (can't understate the low appeal of the midwest for millionaire 20-somethings), worse record, fewer championships, easier sport to win.

are you kidding me

Both times the Sox scored afterward. Bold strategy, Marlins.

The logic checks out, but there's that unquantifiable thing about baseball where the star player is obviously going to be offended and do exactly what he needs to do to win the game. When he came up to the plate, I'm saying to myself, "this dude cannot let them disrespect him like this." And he didn't. Great win and a special shout out to Robert for getting it done when it mattered.

Imagine intentionally walking Benintendi so you can face Luis Robert. This reminds me of the World Series when the Phillies brought in Alvarado to pitch against Yordan Alvarez because "the match up" and he crushed a 450 foot home run.

Excited to watch Eury Perez finally. Less excited to watch his first CGSO...

Burger at 1B seems like a good idea, but that would involve the front office admitting it was a mistake to draft Vaughn.

As soon as I liked this comment, the Yankees broadcasters remarked on how great YoYo's defensive positioning is ? Maybe I don't know anything about baseball (I'm new to this board because I'm sick of the Bulls...I learned quickly the Sox are hardly different however), but wouldn't this team be a lot better if you just moved every infielder over a position and put Burger at 3B? If Moncada is such a great defender, why not play him at a premium defensive position like shortstop? Similarly, don't you hide TA's mediocre defense a bit by putting him at 2B? Rather see Burger every day than some combination of Alberto/Gonzalez/Andrus.

Twins at 10 strikes me as way too high. I get that their pitching is electric right now, but I see it as unsustainable, especially Ober and Duran (getting "lucky" with very low BABIP). Same thing with the Mariners, but who cares about the AL West. Tough schedule this month, I think if we can win the majority of series and go something like 14-8 the rest of the way, being ranked 21st by July 1 seems about right. That's a big ask though, to expect the Sox to beat teams they ought to beat (Miami, Seattle, Boston, Anaheim). Team performance this month should make it clear what the team needs to do with the roster; maybe we should've punted on the season starting a month ago, but if we play .500 ball or worse the rest of the month, there really is no hope for this season.

Peregrine falcons tend to come around in Spring and seem to like tall buildings in absence of actual cliffs. Maybe they're nesting lower this year for some reason. I wonder if they're more prevalent this year in general, the Field Museum monitors them and their reintroduction program has been very successful. I'm a big fan of the guys that live atop University Hall at UIC. Part of me thinks it would be really cool if they're nesting at the ballpark, but I also worry about their safety if Zac Gallen ever pitches here.

Thanks for posting this, I've been very conspiratorially-minded after learning about Bally's bankruptcy considering that Reinsdorf had this partnership with them and that it's based out of the United Center. I assumed he lost money and that it would negatively impact the team. I guess we'll see what happens, the other thing I find very odd (and unethical) is that NBA reporter Shams Charania is part of this enterprise. How can you be considered a "journalist" and literally be on the payroll of one of the owners you're supposed to report on? This whole thing seems very shady to me.

It's probably the green screen advertisement on the backstop. There was a Mets game last week where balls were disappearing when they crossed the plate. Advertising gone too far.

robert is about the only guy i would keep. cease is great, but you imagine he warrants a great return and who knows if he can pitch like he did last season over the life over whatever huge contract he earns. robert is an incredibly special player if he can "put it all together". remains to be seen, but it's about the only aspect of this season i'm looking forward to, his development.

first to home in about two seconds. this guy has every tool to be AL mvp and even give a really good mike trout impression.