Lip Man 1

And with that Flexen has now set the team record, 20 straight starts without the White Sox winning a game breaking the record of 19 in a row set by Danny Wright.

Actually around the mid-80's after the Sox won the division in 1983 JR was quoted as saying along the lines (paraphrasing) 'I never knew winning would be so expensive...' because after they won players expected raises and renegotiated contracts. That was part of the reason it's been believed he and Bud Selig came up with the collusion tactics of the mid-80's according to former Commissioner Fay Vincent. Those tactics cost MLB millions after it was ruled by an arbitrator three different times that this policy violated terms of the CBA.

At the winter meetings before the 1971 season started Hemond acquired players like second baseman Mike Andrews, shortstop Luis Alvarado, catcher Tom Egan, outfielders Pat Kelly, Jay Johnstone, Ed Stroud and Rick Reichardt and pitchers Tom Bradley and Vicente Romo. Then at the winter meetings before the 1972 season he acquired first baseman Dick Allen and pitcher Stan Bahnsen. Manager Chuck Tanner then took north on the big league roster young pitchers Terry Forster and Rick "Goose" Gossage to go along with another young flame thrower in Bart Johnson. He already had quality players on the roster like Carlos May, Ed Herrmann and Wilbur Wood.

Nice story in Sox Machine looking over both situations: https://soxmachine.com/2024/09/the-1970-white-sox-were-already-getting-better-as-they-bottomed-out/

Flexen going for the club record 20 straight starts without his team winning. It would break the tie he has with Danny Wright.

Thorpe said it showed up on the original MRI so the Sox knew about it, but based on his comments a week or so ago to the media, where he said things were progressing and the strain seemed to be on the mend, tells me that he was indeed throwing with the spur being known. Why all of a sudden now it was decided to shave it down (which by the way doesn't guarantee the issue won't return) I have no idea.

"Luck is the residue of design" --- Branch Rickey

His executor will be his family probably his son who is running the Bulls.

In another two-three years there could be new ownership on board. In that case anything can happen.

The medical, training and conditioning staffs are just as incompetent, dysfunctional and inept as the other departments.

All you can do as a fan is hope to be around for new ownership.

No sir, I've contributed to books on the Sox but have never written one myself.

Brett Ballantini of South Side Sox just sent me this factoid: "I counted up all the 10+ losing streaks ever, I think the total count in MLB history is 102. 98 seasons didn’t even have three 10+ streaks across THE ENTIRE LEAGUE. Only one other team, ever, had done what the White Sox did today, the 1962 Mets, with three 10-game+ losing streaks."

That's a fair point in my opinion.

It is written into his contract that he has complete control over the franchise. For example if all the minority owners wanted to sell and JR said "no" (and he has at least twice) there is no sale. This is what I was told by sources for a story I did in November 2022: “In October 2005 some investors asked JR to sell and get out while the going was good, but he wouldn’t.” “Andrew Berlin, twice tried to buy the Sox around 2008 but wasn’t successful.” (Author’s Note: Berlin, grew up a Sox fan and is now the owner of the Cubs farm team in South Bend, Indiana.) “I heard that JR owns 12% of the team but with some of the original investors passing away that has probably gone up to 18%” (Author’s Note: Even though he only owns a small percentage of the franchise Jerry Reinsdorf has absolute authority to run the team as he sees fit. It is written into his contract. That includes selling or not selling the club despite what the other investors wish. The only way he can be removed from his position is if he has done something illegal, appears to be losing his mental faculties or is being financially irresponsible.)

The latest entry for the This Day In White Sox History folder: September 1, 2024 – It was a record setting day for the White Sox and not in a good way. The Mets shut out the Sox 2-0 at Guaranteed Rate Field and handed the South Siders their 107th loss of the season breaking the franchise record of 106 losses set in 1970. In addition the loss was the 10th straight marking three times the team produced double-digit losing streaks that year. They lost 14 in a row from May 22 through June 6 and they lost 21 straight from July 10 through August 5. They also went 0-10 on the homestand, the first time in franchise history that ever happened.

It actually was lowest one season of the first "rebuild."

If they knew and let him pitch anyway that's as bad as mismanaging Robert to the point he was swinging with one hand.

Don't know if this is related to the dreaded "forearm soreness" or not. If it is, this is actually good news, because it means TJS isn't in the short term forecast. But it is interesting that the MRI's they did, and the Sox publicly stated there was nothing wrong with the UCL, how could they not see a bone spur? And why did it take them weeks to find it? Perhaps the trainers/doctors on the site can explain this.

That would be hard to do according to the terms of his contract and as long as they are making money (and they are) the minority owners wouldn't have a leg to stand on in court and you can bet JR would immediately go to court. When Jerry passes his family will sell the team as per his instructions.

My advice since we are all loyal Sox fans is to stop following THIS team but keep watching those past games from better seasons be it on You Tube or in your own personal collection of VHS tapes and DVD's.

Incidents of the season: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/09/01/chicago-white-sox-record-losses/ Pham by the way was just claimed by the Royals.

August 1, 1982 - With the White Sox up, 3-0, in the top of the sixth at Comiskey Park, Ron LeFlore committed the worst error of his career. Catcher Gary Allenson lofted a soft liner to center field, and the ball struck LeFlore on his forehead as he drifted back to make the catch. A crazy bounce aided Allenson’s romp around the bases for an inside the park home run, to trim starter Jerry Koosman’s lead to 3-1. LeFlore, however, had a great day at the plate, leading off and going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. It was his double in the third inning that game the White Sox a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

It's already been published in the Sun-Times, the Sox are cutting payroll again next year down to around 100 million. You'll get nothing and like it! (But be sure to get that money in for season tickets now!) 😆

Met fans took over the bleachers: