Lip Man 1

Cleveland has now been in the playoffs eight of the last 11 years. They, Milwaukee and Tampa bay have found a formula that works for them and they do it very well.

Interviewed Ken and got to know him. he also authored books for kids and did a novel combining science fiction and baseball.

Good luck, fingers crossed.

Six factoids today: September 26, 1905 - In a double header at Boston, Sox pitcher “Big” Ed Walsh relieved starter Guy “Doc” White in the first inning of the first game and got the win 10-5. He then started and won the nightcap game 3-1. White didn’t retire a batter so Walsh got credit for a pair of complete games. September 26, 1943 - The Sox set the franchise record for the most runs ever scored in the fourth inning of a game when they put 13 on the board against the Senators at Washington. They’d win the game 15-3. Future Sox star pitcher Early Wynn was the victim of the Sox uprising. Also, of note in the 13-run inning, was the Sox triple-steal on one play, as Thurman Tucker, Guy Curtright and Luke Appling all swiped bases, with Tucker stealing home. The 13 runs are also the most the Sox have ever scored in any single inning. September 26, 1984 - Despite a disastrous season on the field, the Sox drew 2,136,988 fans to Comiskey Park becoming the first Chicago franchise to draw two million or more fans in consecutive seasons. September 26, 1998 - Sox outfielder Brian Simmons became the third player in franchise history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game. Simmons connected off the Royals Brian Barber in the fourth inning and Allen McDill in the seventh. He drove in five runs in the Sox 13-5 win going 3 for 5 along with two runs scored. In January 2001 he’d be traded to Toronto as part of the David Wells deal that became known as “Shouldergate” September 26, 2011 – He was considered the face of the franchise for eight seasons but on this night after a 4-3 win over Toronto, manager Ozzie Guillen announced he was leaving after owner Jerry Reinsdorf agreed to let him out of the final year of his contract. Guillen, who was the 1985 A.L. Rookie of the Year with the White Sox, won the World Series in 2005 and also got the club into the playoffs in 2008. He had five winning seasons in the eight years as manager and was named Manager of the Year for his work in 2005. In that magical season of 2005, “Ozzie Ball” resulted in the Sox getting off to the best start in their history and with a perfect blend of pitching, speed, power and the ability to execute the fundamentals the Sox were in first place from wire to wire. Then they blitzed through the post season putting together an 11-1 record that was the third best post season record in baseball history. Guillen’s passion and enthusiasm for the franchise was unparalleled but at times he was his own worst enemy. Over his final years in Chicago, he became increasingly thin-skinned and defensive when criticism was directed his way and he lashed out at Sox fans on more than one occasion. Among his famous rants against the fans were one where he said that they could ‘‘Turn off their TVs and stop watching the game if they don’t like the [bleep]ing lineup’’ and another in May 2011 where he claimed Sox fans would not remember him, “As soon as you leave the ballpark, they don’t care about you. They don’t. The monuments, the statues…they pee on them when they get drunk.” On the afternoon of the day he left the team Guillen told reporters that he would not want to return to fulfill his 2012 contract unless he got an extension and more money. Ozzie’s relationship with G.M. Kenny Williams also deteriorated over the final few years because the two men appeared to have different viewpoints over how the roster should be constructed and the style to which the Sox should play. The Jim Thome/DH controversy was an example of the different ideas. Guillen’s family didn’t help the situation with social media comments derogatory to Williams. Many felt when Ozzie was hired in November 2003 that he was the right man for the right team at the right time and for a few years he was. Unfortunately, the manager with the longest tenure since Al Lopez let some personal foibles override a good situation and it was best for all that a parting of the ways took place. September 26, 2020 – In a most bizarre season, a most bizarre stat. The White Sox beat the Cubs Jon Lester winning an important pennant race game 9-5 at Guaranteed Rate Field but it also wrote the team’s name into the record books. For the first time in the modern era a club went an entire season without losing a game to a left-handed starter. The Sox went 14-0 against lefties. Yes, the season was only 60 games long due to COVID-19 but the record stands and was entered as such into the history books.

That may turn out to be true in the end. Cleveland refuses to lose and they keep finding ways in the late innings.

As well as the smile on his face like he knows something and you don't.

Maybe Frank Thomas?

Well look who they are playing against! 😄 Seriously the Cubs pitching staff isn't as good as Cleveland's in my opinion.

Cleveland is 21-10 in their last 31 games. Pitching wins pennants. They've won two games 1-0 just in the last week.

Still a lot to play for so they have to be ready.

Remember Ishbia at some point takes over, perhaps sooner rather than later, anything can happen.

Awful AnnouncingKey details emerge for future of MLB media rights during...Should MLB miss over 60 games next season during a lockout, its national media rights contracts would automatically extend by a year.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7627090/2026/09/25/mlb-lockout-league-union-60-game-television/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=602876&source=dailyemail "But there’s a silver lining for the owners even if no pitches are thrown in 2027: They still get paid. Most of the current national contracts — which total more than $2 billion annually with Fox, TNT Sports and other platforms — call for the league’s partners to pay MLB in 2027 even if no games are played, the people briefed on the agreements said. This means the owners would still be guaranteed to collect around 17 percent of their overall $12 billion-plus in revenues."

Two factoids today: September 25, 1965 - The Sox set the franchise record by hitting their 15th consecutive solo home run. The streak started at Baltimore on September 2 in the second game of a double header when Johnny Romano homered. The run continued until a game on this date was played in New York. Pitcher Tommy John hit the last home run in the streak. The breakdown saw Ken Berry with five solo home runs, Don Buford, Romano and Pete Ward with a pair each and John, Floyd Robinson, Bill “Moose” Skowron and Bill Voss with one solo home run. The Sox would tie this rather odd record in 2016. September 25, 2015 – The White Sox beat the Yankees in New York 5-2 for the franchises 9,000th win. Carlos Rodon of the Sox went six innings allowing two runs to get the win with David Robertson closing it out for his 32nd save. Mike Olt and Gordon Beckham hit solo home runs for the Sox.

You can say the same about 1981 and certainly 1994. Maybe they start catching breaks when Ishbia takes over?

I wasn't intending to just thought it was significant and tied it in with the broadcasting comments. I'll remove it if you wish but frankly it should make everyone appreciate what is transpiring all the more in the next few weeks.

It's not done but frankly given what the government has already given to Amtrak financially and the exemptions, the local neighborhood and county board have nothing to say in the matter. They have no leverage. And no...the Sox aren't moving to Nashville.

Television dictates things. When you have four games going on the same day there's no choice but to play some in the afternoon. It sucks the Sox are probably going to be stuck in the afternoon since NBC has already announced they are putting Red Sox/Yankees in prime time with Benetti doing the play by play and it also probably sucks the Sox are going to be stuck having to play on Peacock the pay streaming service but it is what it is.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/09/24/white-sox-clinch-first-playoff-berth-since-2021-with-9-1-blowout-win-over-royals

Fine with me. Like I said they have a winning season, they are in the playoffs. Anything over and above this is gravy, even if it means just winning a single post season game.

Again this comes under the heading of for what its worth. Yesterday when I was speaking with my friend who has been connected to the organization for a long time they told me they recently saw JR and had a long conversation. Among the things I was told was that JR said that "there will NOT be any baseball played next year in the big leagues." I assume JR knows what the feeling of the other owners is like and they are dead set on a salary cap even if it means sacrificing a season. And JR is one of the six owners on the committee advising Manfred on labor matters. The subject of the broadcasters also came up. JR said he realizes Schriffen is not a baseball guy. He asked my friend what they thought and my friend said to JR, "I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but he just isn't very good." JR acknowledged this. With his deal up my friend asked JR if the Sox would do anything but JR said because of the labor uncertainty he isn't going to do anything. JR told my friend, "You know me, I never do anything during a year when there is a labor issue." Sounds to me like when (if) the labor situation is resolved they just won't renew his deal and let him go. Others have speculated based on what they are hearing, I think Jimmy was one of them and maybe Jeff Agrest of the Sun-Times that he won't be asked back. We'll see how it turns out.

Unfortunately ALL three games (if needed) will be played in Texas. That's why winning the division is so very important, you get almost a week off and will host three of the possible five games in the divisional series.

Just got back from having my car serviced and saw the good news. Checked the box score to find the happy result. Congratulations to the organization on the field and off the field for a pretty unexpected season. It was wonderful to play meaningful games in September again. First time ever in MLB history a team had three straight seasons with 100+ losses then made the playoffs. Anything from here on out is icing on the cake. The Sox aren't a national laughingstock anymore. Last Friday my 1972 Dick Allen road jersey came in to add to my collection...looks like I'll be wearing it tonight!

I don't think that's happening. 😄

Baltimore is off Thursday I think.