Lip Man 1

If I remember right this was being done in the early 90's and then those teams that were in warm weather and or dome sites started complaining about all these April home games while school was still in session so MLB stopped it. My response was "that's too bad" pay those teams x millions of dollars for the "inconvenience." It's better for the game, the athletes and most of all the fans who are paying the freight. Baseball shouldn't be played in 30-40 degree weather. That's insane.

I think JR actually does appreciate it. The problem is that appreciation is focused only on the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Awful AnnouncingJohn Schriffen reportedly in trouble with White Sox over...Embattled White Sox announcer John Schriffen did not please his bosses with his nickname for Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami.

April 3, 1991 – The White Sox signed former two-sport All-Star Vincent “Bo” Jackson to an incentive-loaded contract, with a 700,000-dollar base salary. Division rival Kansas City had released Jackson two weeks earlier, citing a hip injury suffered playing in the NFL with the Raiders that was likely to end his career in both sports. Jackson would have hip replacement surgery and not make a real impact until 1993, when he hit 16 home runs, but the move was a masterful stroke from a public relations standpoint. “Bo” was the first pro athlete to have the type of surgery he did and come back to play at the highest level. April 3, 2000 - The unexpected Central Divisional Championship season didn’t start off promising. The Sox were buried in Texas 10-4. They’d lose the next day as well 12-8. In the two games the Sox would allow 23 hits and commit five errors. But by the end of the month the Sox set the Major League record for the most runs ever scored in April and ‘‘The Kids Can Play,’’ were on their way to a league leading 95 wins and a post season appearance. April 3, 2021 - After going 5 for 5 in his first game of the year (April 2), Yermin Mercedes started his day against the Angels by going 3 for 3, including his first career homer. His eight straight hits to start a season set a modern record (dating back to at least 1900), besting Chris Stynes’ 7-7 start in 1997. Finally, in the eighth inning of the April 3 game, Mercedes was retired, snapping his incredible start. April 3, 2023 – It was the home opener and it turned into a disaster for the White Sox who were hammered by the Giants 12-3 on a cool afternoon before almost 35-thousand fans. San Francisco blasted seven home runs in the game, one short of the all-time record against the White Sox set by the Yankees on July 31, 2007. Michael Kopech became only the third Sox pitcher to ever allow five home runs in a game with four of them coming in the fifth inning. The other Sox pitchers to allow five home runs were Eddie Lopat at Detroit on April 23, 1947 and Reynaldo Lopez on July 27, 2018 against the Blue Jays.

The service time still begins is my point and eventually that translates to free agency. Especially if JR is still walking around.

It always comes down to ownership and money. That's been the bane of this franchise going back to Comiskey.

There could be truth in this. He couldn't possibly ask for what someone with experience or who was coming from another MLB broadcasting team would be able to ask for regarding salary.

I've been thinking about this myself and I'd keep those guys in the minors through the rest of the season. Why start their service clock for another lost season? And what really are they going to learn being in an environment where losing is the norm and the team is basically composed of a number of has-been's, stiffs and retreads? Anything can happen over the winter, you never know Ishbia may be taking over, but over and above this, with the distinct probability of a lockout/shutdown extending into the regular season in 2027, again why bring these guys up, only have them have to sit out part or all of next year? They need experience and the minor leagues at least can keep giving them that in the event a portion or large portion of 2027 is lost. If they play some next year you can bring them up then. Until then, play it safe, keep then in the minor leagues.

Schriffen just wasn't meant for this position. I honestly would like to know what Brooks and JR saw in him when they offered him the job. I spoke with a person in the front office who was involved in these areas and was told a number of more qualified candidates were very interested in the Sox opening. Yet they gave the job to a guy with little to no baseball experience. The decisions these folks make sometimes makes you stop and ask 'what were they possibly thinking?'

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-prospects-team-assignments-to-start-2026-season?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

Here is what every team has available to spend this year on draft picks. Three teams have spent more than they were alloted every season. One of which was the Cubs if I read this properly: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/mlb-draft-2026-bonus-pool-pick-values?t=mlb-draft-coverage

April 2, 1900 - The White Sox played their first ever game. It would be an exhibition win over the University of Illinois baseball team. The final score was 10-9. That season the American League wasn’t considered a part of Major League Baseball. That would happen the following year. However the Sox would take the pennant on September 12 when they beat the Cleveland Blues 12-4 and 9-1. April 2, 2021 – Now this is how you make a debut! Sox catcher/DH Yermin Mercedes had over two thousand minor league at-bats before finally making the team’s opening day roster. On this night in Anaheim, he had a sensational debut going 5 for 5, with four RBI’s in the 12-8 win. Mercedes had four singles and a double in the game. The last time a rookie had five hits in their first game in the big leagues was in 1933 when Cecil Travis of the Senators did it. Mercedes would go on to have 12 hits in his first four games setting the modern Major League record and be named the American League Player of the Week. April 2, 2023 – As the White Sox were splitting an opening four game series in Houston, the starting pitchers each struck out at least six Astro batters. That was the first time in franchise history that took place. The individual breakdown saw Dylan Cease with 10, Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito with six each and Mike Clevinger fanned eight. April 2, 2024 – Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet wrote his name in the team record book after throwing seven innings allowing one run and striking out eight in beating Atlanta 3-2 on a raw night at Guaranteed Rate Field. This came off his start against Detroit on opening day where he allowed a single run in six innings striking out eight. It was his first two Major League starts and the 16 total strikeouts were the most ever for a Sox pitcher in the first two starts of his career. He also joined Jack McDowell (1991) and Juan Pizarro (1963) as throwing at least six innings with one or fewer runs and at least six strikeouts in their first two starts of the season.

Even worse I'm guessing JR honestly believes that what he's doing is still the correct way to operate the franchise.

You mean when he wasn't asleep in the dugout?

From the Sun-Times recap. Venable taking the blame: "But with few exceptions, Venable hasn’t gotten much else out of his squad in an abysmal first week that has exposed deficiencies in all facets. The Sox have been outscored 52-21, with a team batting average of .192 sitting fifth-worst in baseball and an MLB-high .319 batting average against their pitchers. They’ve also been charged with six fielding errors. “Really, that’s on me,” Venable said. “Some of these things that we talked about that are important for us, we’re just not executing. Whether it’s my messaging or whatever, I need to change."

Just saw the score and the box score breakdown, taking a quick break from home improvement work. At this point and I know it's early this franchise looks no closer to respectability and Getz is starting his third full season in charge. The pitching staff is in shambles and that impacts so much as to whether or not there is real improvement in the standings. To me the jury is out on Smith, it's possible last year was a fluke nothing more. He was a rule 5 guy for a reason and the Brewers don't make too many of those mistakes. With Toronto coming in they could very well start 1-8 or 2-7.

April 1, 1975 - It was an indication of how bad off the Sox were financially. On this day Ed Herrmann, one of the top catchers in baseball and an All-Star, was traded to the Yankees for four minor league players and cash. The reason? According to Herrmann it was because he wanted a two-thousand dollar raise! In six full years with the team Herrmann averaged a little over 11 home runs and there were few, if any, better at blocking home plate, thus earning him the nickname of “Fort” Herrmann. The four minor league players acquired never played a single day in a White Sox Major League game. The cash was used to settle the team’s spring training hotel bill in Sarasota, Florida. April 1, 2011 – The White Sox started the season with a torrent of runs in blistering the Indians 15-10 in Cleveland. It was the second highest total of runs scored on opening day in franchise history. The record is 17 runs on opening day beating the Browns 17-3 to start the 1951 year. The Sox led 14-0 after the first five innings. Carlos Quentin drove in five runs and newcomer Adam Dunn knocked in four. April 1, 2022 – In a sort of salary dump self-inflicted by G.M. Rick Hahn’s decision to pick up failed reliever Craig Kimbrel’s hefty, 16-million-dollar option, the White Sox acquired outfielder A.J. Pollock from the Dodgers in a one for one trade. Kimbrel stabilized the downward slide of his career to a degree in Los Angeles, pitching to a 3.75 ERA and 22 saves. Meanwhile Pollock hated playing for the White Sox so much, and wanted so desperately to return to the West Coast where he’d played his entire career, he was willing to pay a million dollars to escape (he declined 13 million from the White Sox for 2023, took a five million dollar buy out then signed in Seattle for seven million). In his one year in Chicago he hit .245 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI’s.

Absolutely true. The closest I ever came to baseball was doing Idaho State and Big Sky softball. I reached out to Dave Wills (rest his soul) and Pat Hughes and both told me baseball is not like any other sport because of the amount of 'dead time.' Softball was the same way, I had to know the team and the opponent and get into what I called the 'news, notes, facts and factoids' in order to keep the broadcast going.

Taking a break from bathroom remodeling work and came across this. I don't know how reliable the metrics are but I found it interesting: https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/article/mlb-pitching-injury-risk-rankings-109645

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/john-schriffen-enters-year-3-in-white-sox-broadcast-booth

March 31, 1996 – Michael Jordan, after his first spring training, was assigned to the Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League where he would play in 127 games. He only hit .202 but he had 30 stolen bases, drove in 51 RBI’s and had 17 doubles. He then moved to the Arizona Fall League, where he had a more impressive season hitting .252. Without the 1994-95 labor stalemate, Jordan would have reported to Charlotte in 1995, with an outside shot at seeing the majors that year. March 31, 1996 - Because of a quirk in the calendar the Sox had a March opening day for the first time in franchise history when they started the 1996 season in Seattle on the final day of the month. Frank Thomas hit a home run off Randy Johnson in the first inning but the Sox lost the game 3-2 in 12 innings striking out 21 times in the process. Johnson struck out 14 hitters himself in seven innings. The Sox have since opened in March a few times since then but 1996 was the first time it happened. March 31, 2025 – Baseball can surprise you. A White Sox club rebuilding for the second time since 2016 got a much-needed boost in a 9-0 win over the Twins at Rate Field. Martin Perez, the only name player signed in the off-season, threw six innings of no-hit ball with nine strikeouts to get the win. In doing so he helped tie two records. He became only the second pitcher since 1901, joining Hideo Nomo of the Red Sox, to throw at least six hitless innings with nine or more strikeouts in his first game with a new team. And he continued a stellar stretch of pitching as the White Sox became the fourth team in baseball to have a starting pitcher go five-plus innings and not allow an earned run in the first four games to start a season. They joined the 2019 Blue Jays, 2013 Giants and 1976 Brewers in that category. Unfortunately that excellence didn’t last for much longer.

Checking the box score tonight it looks like they played well for a change. They should be able to take the series from Miami, I don't think they are that good.

It's going to be a long, cold winter next off season. Simply can't see under any circumstances the MLBPA agreeing to a salary cap.

March 30, 1971 - Another good deal pulled off by the Sox and G.M. Roland Hemond. He sent catcher Duane Josephson and pitcher Danny Murphy to the Red Sox for relief pitcher Vicente Romo and first baseman Tony Muser. Muser was one of the best defensive first baseman in baseball and was tremendous as a late inning replacement for Dick Allen. He was an earlier version of Mike Squires if you will. Romo helped stabilize a young White Sox bullpen with an ERA of 3.33 and six saves in his two years with the team primarily as a middle relief man. March 30, 1981 - Shortly before the start of the regular season, the White Sox purchased the contract of Chicago area slugger Greg Luzinski from the Phillies. The Phillies originally wanted either pitcher Steve Trout or pitcher Rich Dotson in return but when the Sox wouldn’t budge settled for cash considerations. The imposing strongman would become a two-time American League Designated Hitter of the Year and provide solid power to the middle of the batting order. In his three and a half seasons he pounded out 84 home runs and drove in 317 RBI’s. “Bull” would also become the first man to hit three rooftop home runs in a single season at the original Comiskey Park when he did it in 1983. The blasts came against the Twins, Yankees and Red Sox. March 30, 1982 - Needing outfield help, Sox G.M. Roland Hemond sent two prospects to the Dodgers for the speedy Rudy Law. Law would smash the team’s stolen base record in 1983, swiping 77 bases. He added 20 doubles, seven triples and hit .283. His career on the South Side wasn’t long, as he was released by the Sox in spring training 1986, but it was memorable, as he supplied speed and defense to the 1983 Western Division champions. In his four years with the Sox, Rudy stole 171 bases. March 30, 1992 - Seeking another power bat to hit behind Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura and not being able to close a deal with free agent Mark McGwire, Sox G. M. Ron Schueler dealt outfielder Sammy Sosa and pitcher Ken Patterson to the Cubs for outfielder/DH George Bell. Bell would have 112 RBI’s in 1992 and have a solid but limited 1993. However outbursts during the A.L.C.S. over playing time with manager Gene Lamont, sealed his fate and he was gone from the organization. Part of the reason Sosa was traded was because he had issues with White Sox hitting coach Walt Hriniak who wanted him to hit to all fields and stop trying to just hit home runs. Hriniak wanted the 1990 version of Sosa who was the only player in baseball that season with double figures in doubles, triples, home runs, stolen bases and outfield assists…and he drove in 70 RBI’s to boot! Sosa would become the face of the Cubs and challenge the all-time home run marks in the late 1990's. However, in the wake of the steroid scandal and his potential involvement with it, he left baseball with a cloud over him, his future Hall of Fame chances in real jeopardy. March 30, 2024 – He never had much of a Major League career but Braden Shewmake did have a moment in the sun. He became one of the few players with a homer for his first career hit, with Shewmake connecting off the first pitch he saw from Detroit’s Kenta Maeda. It was his first at-bat in the big leagues and came in the second inning.

Sorry for giving credit to the wrong person. It was not intentional, I simply didn't remember. This bullpen though appears to be far from average.