Lip Man 1

Every game matters. This race won't be decided until the final week. Detroit won't be selling and are still in it. Four teams in the running.

Four factoids today: July 19, 1946 - In a strange game at Boston, umpires “Red” Jones and Bill Summers ejected or sent to the clubhouse 12 White Sox players, a coach and the batting practice pitcher due to bench jockeying and criticizing calls. In the third inning a high and tight pitch to Ted Williams resulted in a warning from umpire Jones to Sox pitcher Joe Haynes. Someone in the dugout yelled out, “Hey, meathead, what kind of call is that?” resulting in ejections to Ralph Hodgin, Dario Lodigiani, Eddie Smith, Leo Wells and coach Ed “Bing” Miller. The next inning after more comments, Jones ordered the nine remaining bench players to the clubhouse but they were eligible to be recalled to the field if needed. Players in the bullpen weren’t sent to the clubhouse. The nine people who were sent off were Johnny Rigney, Mike Tresh, Hal Trosky, Guy Curtwright, Eddie Lopat, Frank Whitman, Earl Caldwell, Mizel “Whitey” Platt, Wally Moses and the batting practice pitcher (Liebhart) . Naturally Boston would go on to win the game 9-2. July 19, 1960 - In a game at Comiskey Park, Luis Aparicio got an inside the park home run in the fourth inning off Boston’s Frank Sullivan. The play drove in three runs. It was Aparicio’s third inside the park home run in four years (1956-1960). The Sox won the game 6-0. Aparicio’s first regular home run came on May 28, 1956 off the Athletics Tommy Lasorda! July 19, 1970 - Luis Aparicio Day was staged at Comiskey Park. The future Hall of Famer was praised for his many years of service in a pre-game ceremony. With the Sox in the middle of the worst season in franchise history to that time, only 18,587 showed up on a rainy day for the double header with Baltimore. Aparicio would go 4 for 9 on the day as the Sox split the twin bill. July 19, 2022 – White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson was the starter at that position for the American League at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. He became the first Sox player to start at that position in the game since Luis Aparicio did it in the 1970 contest in Cincinnati. Anderson was involved in some plays in the field and also recorded a single as the A.L. won 3-2 running their winning streak to nine in a row. His teammate, Liam Hendriks, who saved the 2021 game in Denver for the A.L. came on in the eighth inning recording an out and being credited with a hold.

Maybe he figures it out in time but I don't think the Sox should be counting on him.

That's really the million dollar question driving everything I think.

Would love to see the Sox get both Lugo and Wacha from the Royals. Plug them both into the rotation. Fedde goes to the bullpen, Schultz goes back to Charlotte.

Just to clarify the writer has nothing to do with headlines, that's the editors and page paginators. And the point A to B to C is the play on JR's comments when he fired Larry Himes as G.M. in September 1990 for those that don't know. That was what he said to the media.

12 straight and 18 of 21.

Offense this month seems to be running hot and cold. Today was the sixth time they've scored one run or nothing in a game in July.

What exactly is wrong with it? It perfectly outlines the situation the Sox are in, do they go for it given the upcoming labor impasse and the cost of some of their better young players in the minors or do they stay the course? Hell that's being debated here in a lot of the themes. I'll be curious to see what they do and remember JR still runs the show and has the last word on everything.

Given Bieber still hasn't really gotten back into what he was before his injuries this was a bad loss. Just like against the Royals when they scored 22 runs, then one the next game, you get 12 Friday, then shut out the next day. Always seems to happen. Still can't get to seven over.

Six factoids today: July 18, 1921 - The trial for eight White Sox players known as the “Black Sox” began in Chicago. The players were accused of trying to defraud the public by throwing the World Series. A jury found the players innocent; however, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned them for life and destroyed one of the finest teams on paper in baseball history and perhaps the only team that could have stopped the emerging Yankee dynasty. July 18, 1936 - Sox outfielder Ray “Rip” Radcliffe became the first player in franchise history to ever collect six hits in a game. He went 6 for 7 with four RBI’s and four runs scored in the Sox 21-14 win over the Athletics in Philadelphia. July 18, 1948 - In the first game of a double header in Philadelphia, Sox outfielder Pat Seerey hit four home runs in a game against the A’s. The Sox would win the slugfest 12-11 in 11 innings. He’s the only Sox player to ever hit that many in a single contest. He went 4 for 6, with seven RBI’s and four runs scored. The seven RBI’s is one off the franchise record for a single game. His home runs came in the fourth, sixth, seventh and 11th innings and his blow in the 11th was the game winner. July 18, 1984 - A dud of a deal because of the long-term implications. The Sox traded Chicago native, relief pitcher Kevin Hickey and prospect Doug Drabek (the player to be named later) to the Yankees for Roy Smalley. Smalley did nothing on the South Side...eventually Drabek would wind up as the ace of the great Pirate teams of the early 1990's winning the Cy Young Award. He finally pitched for the Sox in 1997 going 12-11 but his ERA was 5.74. July 18, 2008 – The White Sox brought their hitting shoes to the park for their game with the Royals. The first eight batters for the Sox reached base safely as part of a six run first inning. They’d wind up winning the game 9-5. Orlando Cabrera led off with a single, A.J. Pierzynski singled, Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch, Jermaine Dye singled, Jim Thome singled, Paul Konerko singled, Nick Swisher singled and Joe Crede singled. The hits all came off Zach Greinke. July 18, 2021 – In the Sox 4-0 win over the Astros in Chicago a couple of franchise records were set. Shortstop Tim Anderson became the first player to have a hit and score a run in 11 straight games breaking the tie he had with several other players. The record came when he had a solo home run in the fifth inning. Also, that afternoon Carlos Rodon set the team mark by striking out at least eight hitters in 10 straight starts. He was tied with Juan Pizarro for that record. Rodon struck out 10 batters only allowing one-hit in seven innings of work.

It's wild right now...Cleveland, Minnesota can't lose and Detroit is still in the hunt.

They won't demote Braden.

Nice way to start a road trip that's for sure.

Hammering Tampa in the first game of a DH today in Boston so that will make it 10 straight and I think 14 of 16.

Remember Kenny famous quote where he said the first person JR calls is him not Rick Hahn on Sox matters.

Three factoids today: July 17, 1959 - It was a pitcher’s duel for the ages and one of the key games in the 1959 season. The Sox were in New York and before over 42,000 fans, Ralph Terry and Early Wynn hooked up in a classic. After eight innings Terry had no-hit the Sox...Wynn allowed the Yankees one hit, that an infield single in the sixth inning to his mound opponent. In the top of the ninth Jim McAnany broke up the no-hitter with a single to center leading off the inning. The Sox would eventually score two runs thanks to Jim Landis’ bases loaded hit. Wynn closed down New York in the last of the frame and the Sox had a 2-0 win. It was Landis who also had the defensive play of the game, maybe of the regular season, when he robbed Mickey Mantle of an inside-the-park home run with a sensational catch out by the monuments in center field 460 feet away from home plate in the fourth inning. July 17, 1989 - In a game at Comiskey Park against the Yankees, Carlton Fisk notched his 2,000th career hit. It came in the first inning on a single to center off of former teammate Dave LaPoint. He’d have three for the evening in the Sox 7-3 win along with an RBI and a run scored. At the time he was the 173rd player ever to reach the 2,000 hits mark. July 17, 2022 – He came over from the Cubs in the Jose Quintana deal and it was showing to be one of the best trades made by the Sox in recent memory. Pitcher Dylan Cease was dominant against the Twins in the last game before the All-Star break going seven innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight in the 11-0 win. With the eight strikeouts he passed Chris Sale as the fastest White Sox pitcher ever to record 500 of them. He did it just short of 400 innings of work. Sale’s record was recorded in a little over 472 innings pitched. Cease and two relief pitchers only allowed Minnesota that one hit, a single by Alex Kirilloff in the fifth inning.

The 2005 club could beat you with a blast a bloop or a bunt. They were top five in the league if I remember right in home runs, sacrifice flies, sacrifice bunts, infield hits and stolen bases. They were very well rounded offensively.

During the 94/95 labor impasse players weren't paid but it was negotiated as part of the final settlement that they would be credited with service time for the games missed. That's how the Sox lost Alex Fernandez. The organization didn't think he'd be a free agent for another year but with the service time given for the games missed he qualified went to Florida and helped them win a World series.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/07/16/white-sox-open-next-season-march-25-in-detroit-home-opener-april-1-vs-brewers

I think I saw as well where Fox Sports is picking up the Cleveland/Sox game on August 8.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/07/16/chicago-white-sox-chris-getz-will-venable-mlb-trade-deadline-blue-jays

Interesting story in the Athletic today. MLB sent out a memo warning teams against using A.I. to make in-game decisions as far as substitutions and game strategy. Apparently clubs have started doing this instead of humans making the decisions and MLB doesn't like it.

Absolutely correct. As soon as Disney bought ESPN it stopped being about sports and shifted towards "entertainment" and trying to draw in non-sports fans.

Three factoids today: July 16, 1980 - Bill Veeck’s ownership syndicate accepted offers to buy the White Sox. Sox broadcaster Harry Caray was one of those expressing interest along with millionaire Edward DeBartolo Sr. DeBartolo would eventually be turned away from getting the club after he had a deal with Veeck by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and the other owners and Veeck eventually sold the club to Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn in January 1981. July 16, 1990 – It was one of the funniest moments in Sox history, as Sox utility player Steve “Psycho” Lyons made a mistake that wound up on every highlight show in the nation. In the fifth inning at Detroit, Lyons bunted his way on, sliding head first the final few feet to beat the throw. He then called time and completely blanked out as he started to drop his pants to get the dirt out of them. Fortunately, he was wearing sliding shorts. When he realized what he was doing he quickly yanked his pants back up while turning beet red in the process. After he was forced at second base later in the inning and ran back to the dugout, female fans in the first few rows behind the Sox bench began waving dollar bills at him. July 16, 2013 – The White Sox Chris Sale got the win as the A.L. beat the N.L. 3-0 at the All-Star Game from Citi Field in New York. Sale pitched two innings facing the minimum six batters and recording two strikeouts which came during the second and third innings. His strikeouts victims were Carlos Gonzales and Troy Tulowitzki. He got credit for the win when the A.L. scored the lead and eventual winning run in the top of the fourth inning when he was still the pitcher of record.