Lip Man 1

That was the 2007 season, they all threw hard, got behind in the count, fired a 98 MPH straight fastball and it usually got wacked.

Considering the number of significant injuries it was a miracle they won 93 games.

Martin suffered the dreaded "forearm soreness" in his last start, the Sox haven't said one word about his condition...until we see him on the mound pitching who knows what to expect from him.

Apparently in the Athletic today Keith Law isn't particularly fond of the Sox signing him. Says he won't hit home runs.

DVS with the story in the Sun-Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2022/12/16/23513332/white-sox-land-free-agent-outfielder-andrew-benintendi

At least not under this ownership...in the future? Who knows.

Kaplan has sources true but he's also been wrong...a lot. Remember him saying the Cubs were going to sign Pujois? Or that they would not be outbid for Tanaka? Or that Joe Girardi will be the Cubs next manager?

True...but loyalty without accountability (in other words blind loyalty) is usually counter productive and sometime dangerous.

This actually has been floated from time to time. The last time I remember was when the Expos were ready to move.

JR had an interesting comment along these lines. His "philosophy" hasn't changed has it? “Would you ever not be able to honor a contract like that? (i.e. a multi-year, big money deal) If people stopped coming to the games. If the television money went away. That’s why I don’t like to sign long term contracts with pitchers. It’s one thing to pay a pitcher five million dollars a year, but what if the guy can’t play?”–Jerry Reinsdorf, March 1994, to Bob Greene. From the book ‘Rebound, The Odyssey of Michael Jordan’ by Bob Greene. Pg. 65. Published 1995.

Speaking of selling, didn't see this posted. Yesterday some Sox fans started a Go Fund Me page wanting to put up a billboard near U.S. Cellular Field telling JR to sell the Sox. They hoped to raise enough money to have the billboard up for two months. In six hours not only did they raise enough for the billboard but now they are thinking about either having a second billboard put up or extending the original billboard from two months to four months. Full disclosure: I gave five dollars. Highest contribution so far is 100 dollars from a Sox fan.

Cuban has said that if he were to buy a baseball team it would be the Pirates, that's the team he said he grew up rooting for.

JR has the authority to keep the team or sell it as he chooses. The minority owners have no say in the matter it is part of his contract. After the Sox won the World series, some of the minority owners wanted him to sell but he refused. In 2008, Andrew Berlin, who grew up a Sox fan twice made offers for the team. JR turned him down twice. Berlin now owns the Cubs South Bend affiliate. And as I wrote in this story, because of the tax hit that would come into play if he sold the club while he was alive, it doesn't make sense financially for him to do so. https://www.southsidesox.com/2022/8/29/23325369/jerry-reinsdorf-selling-chicago-white-sox-not-on-his-life

With the White Sox luck Velasquez will actually stay healthy and have a good season.

True anyone in theory can be a closer but MLB is also littered with guys who tried it and failed.

Walter Payton had the best philosophy after scoring a touchdown, hand the ball to the ref...act like you've been there before.

Players having negative comments about this organization goes back farther in time, Carlton Fisk, Robin Ventura and Jack McDowell immediately come to mind.

Rosenthal is also reporting Houston is still in on Brantley and Conforto and may sign TWO outfielders.

Folks the idea of a minimum payroll has been floated for years. The rub is the owners insistence that the only way they would consider a "floor" is with a salary cap. The MLBPA will NEVER agree to a cap...not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow. That is simply non-negotiable. I agree it's very unfair for fans of the Pirates, A's, Marlins to see their owners collect millions and millions of dollars every year in revenue sharing money then claim hardship and not field competitive clubs. Perhaps a better solution instead of talking about floors and ceilings would be for MLB to order those owners/teams to start being competitive or force them to sell to an owner or group who will spend the money.

He's doing what the owner wants in order to stay employed. And given the amount of money the Sox are making they have no reason to change. Remember with JR fiscal responsibility matters more than winning. Until he goes, nothing will really change. That's the sad truth.

Paul Sullivan has a column on this in today's Tribune with the exact quote.

Paul Sullivan in the Tribune today has a column discussing this as well as JR's shall we say, "unfortunate" comment about the Sox not winning many games.

All you can do is laugh.

That's also not counting the money made from concessions as well as advertising/marketing deals/sponsorships.

Jerry will never sell while he is alive because of the tax hit: https://www.southsidesox.com/2022/8/29/23325369/jerry-reinsdorf-selling-chicago-white-sox-not-on-his-life