35thstreetswarm

Looks like we will go down as the first true and total failure of the SuperTank era. It looked like the Phillies were headed that way but they seemed to have pulled out of their dive and salvaged a respectable run, albeit with some major FA spending we'd never dream of.

Dammit, would really prefer for the Stros to go up against the Rangers and the Twins to get dispatched by the O's.

Seriously, screw them. I'd kill to have a team to root for in the playoffs. Look at the show our fans put on in our tiny little playoff window back in 2021 -- pure electricity. We deserve so much better.

Never thought I'd say that about any MLB team, but I agree.

I fully accept my admitted Cub hatred makes me a biased source...but am I the only one who has felt like he's on crazy pills throughout this oddly celebrated Cubs season? They went out and signed a bunch of free agents; I figured they'd be around .500. They ended up a couple games over in a shitty division and fell apart down the stretch, not unlike last season for the Sox. In other words, who cares? But there's this exuberant feeling around the team -- even after the choke. I just don't get it. It reminds me of the Bears offseason. It was conventional wisdom that things were "going really well" even though an unbiased outsider would have a hard time finding an objective basis for optimism. The cool thing to say was "the White Sox should just let Ryan Poles run the team" ...like the architect of the 3-14 Bears was this proven winner. Probably the same set of fans driving each phenomenon, now that I think about it -- I am hit hard every Fall by the realization that I'm now sharing a team with Cub fans. OK, rant over.

This is the first year in my lifetime that I completely stopped watching. I cut down dramatically after they followed that promising Yankees series by losing to the Marlins. Then i think it was the Twins sweep after the ASB that made me realize the cavalry wasn't coming...maybe ever

This race has pulled me back in to an otherwise miserable season. This is why you need a secondary rooting interest. My Cub hatred has brought me considerable joy over my lifetime ?

Yeah I don't buy this for a minute. The Sox were playing "meaningful baseball" last September followed by a choke job too -- nobody around here was all carpe diem. The Cubs' greatest triumph is a fanbase that somehow bought and sold the fiction that a mediocre few months bumping between second and third in a shitty division was a storybook season.

I'm still stuck on this. This is absolutely laughable and insulting- this is an argument against hiring outside the organization in *literally every situation* (I mean, what organization would be crazy enough to "lose a whole year"?) Of course this is not true, teams hire from the outside all the time: it's the norm, in fact. Does he think he's talking to three-year-olds?

It's official. I believe this has reached the level of trolling, at least on some level. He hears the fan revolt, he is stubborn and resentful about it, and he is sticking this in our face to show who's boss. I think the cancellation of Soxfest was at least partially a "punishment" along the same lines.

I also believe Hahn was the victim of a lot of dysfunction and likely had multiple positive baseball decisions overruled. BUT. At some point, if you believe you are being forced to attach your good name to a bad product/situation you have to find your way out or you deserve the scorn that's coming your way. He was in the middle of the process that led to these disastrous results to the bitter end so he deserves the blame, period. More extreme situation of course, but it reminds me of the legal framework behind conspiracy - at some point a member of the conspiracy needs to make an affirmative effort to withdraw or they're liable for the conspiracy's acts; if they don't withdraw, it doesn't mean a thing that they "didn't like what was going on."

One of my least favorite things about the hellscape our FO has forced us into is all these pitying, "concerned" texts from Cub fan friends asking what I think of the changes, if I'm "doing OK," etc. Like I don't want to talk about any of this s%*# with them at all. F you, Jerry, for putting me in this position.

Sox hive mind says “be the Mets, no, the Padres!” No thanks, we’re far dumber than Hahn

So you're telling me that in a mere 40 years my team could be sittin' pretty in a market just pulling up on 7 million people shy of the Chicago area? AND drag shows are illegal? That's it, pack up the truck

Another sellout I assume?

Yes, once people stop showing up to Guaranteed Rate in huge numbers everything will change

Yes, it's interesting -- the seasons were really miserable in unique ways; I'm not sure which was worse. Last season was when I came to the realization that the rebuild was a failure and the core's talent wasn't inevitably going to shine through and save the team. So in that sense it was worse than 2023 because the drop in expectations was more severe, but they did have a winning record much of the season and were worth following. This season was uniquely embarrassing because the quality of play was so low and the team continued to outdo itself in humiliating and abusing its fans, (all while the hated Cubs ascended) but as you say, it was easier to just tune the team out because they were out of it so early. You have to hand it to the White Sox -- their ability to harm their fans emotionally is almost artistic. Where some masters work in oils, watercolors or clay the Sox work in failure.

It really does sometimes feel like the organization is actively trolling its fans.

I tend to agree, though I'll note that abandoning Oakland is no small deal, and not like abandoning a place like Tampa. The Bay Area is a top 10 tv market, and the ease with which it was abandoned gives me a little angst.

I'll just add to the chorus to note that of all the things that never happened, the things you described never happened the most.

The crime rate is the worst it's ever been since I've lived here -- except for the many years I've lived here when the crime rate was higher. It's also worse than any city I've ever been to -- except for the many cities where it's worse.

Seriously? What are you, 150?

It is hoped by some that he still will. It is hoped by others, including supposed Sox fans, that he crashes and burns. It is hoped by me that this is the last passive voice sentence I write today

Seeing people in this board race to line up behind our rival’s player in a fight is really something

I'm not gonna read all that, thanks. But you said what exactly? You're in here in 2023 dunking on people for saying they liked the direction of the rebuild *in 2017.* What exactly did you say in 2017 that was so prescient? Did you predict the TLR debacle? The parade of injuries in 2020-2022? The disastrous relief pitcher trades and signings? What was it? And by the way, being generally pessimistic, and popping up and suggesting "bad things will happen" in general from time to time, is not exactly a bold take. It's the classic fan hedge, the conventional wisdom of this and every fan message board, and guaranteed to be "right" at some point in the future.