Lip Man 1

Fair point which makes Friday's game a little more important in my opinion.

Because of the pitching shortcomings it is hard to see them have a stretch where they can win say seven in a row or 12 of 14. The pitching just doesn't seem to be good enough to allow them to do that.

My guess is they'll be in the playoffs with 90 or so wins in part because they'll do whatever they have to do and take on whatever salary they have to do at the deadline to correct their issues.

Not taking a position one way or the other just stating what the record shows. Personally I think that difficult stretch took a little something out of them and with the pitching shortcomings it is adding up. And their road record speaks for itself.

This is where closing series out and getting sweeps would have been important. And getting swept by Detroit didn't help matters.

Venable said last week to the papers that Siranthony was told he was going to be used in less stressful situations.

Sox are 7-9 in their last 16 games.

Just bad. Wow. Couldn't come at a worse time momentum-wise Pitching simply isn't up to par and it's becoming more of a factor as the season rolls on. 6th time this year the Sox had a lead in the 7th inning or later and lost the game. We'll see how they respond Friday with a pitching match up that is not in their favor.

Tonight on paper has the Sox with the edge in starting pitching. Let's hope they can take advantage of it.

Very true.

I'd also add if Getz can get the pitching help they badly need at the deadline.

They still play more games against teams in the A.L. Central than any others. That still will go a long way to decide things.

The schedule is in their favor but time will tell.

Can't remember when a series like this had such major implications for a season, granted it's early July and it won't automatically proclaim a divisional winner, but it's important. On paper, Sox appear to have some favorable pitching match-up's. We'll see what happens: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/guardians-vs-white-sox-second-series-2026-preview

Define your definition of "very good" please. They are five games over .500, certainly remarkable given the past three seasons but "very good?" I suggest we wait and see on that moniker. Playing in the worst division in baseball also isn't hurting their cause. It's not like they are going to win 90+ games. I've seen a lot of "very good" Sox teams in my time 59, 63, 64, 65, 72, 77, 83, 90, 93, 00, 05, 08, 21. This one hasn't met that standard yet.

Sox Machine with a detailed look at possible starting pitching trade help for the Sox: Building out a White Sox starting pitcher trade market -...Before the White Sox coming to town, Baltimore president of baseball operations Mike Elias said the Orioles would be buyers if the trade deadline were one week away, rather than one month away. “I kno

Those who get the Athletic will find this interesting. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7410468/2026/07/01/mlb-baseball-changes-drag-manufacturing-mistake/?source=athletic_pulsenewsletter&campaign=18731167&userId=602876 The story says baseballs are flying out at a higher rate since 2019. MLB and Rawlings also said an issue with dye for the seams has caused some balls to look 'yellowish.' Players and coaches are saying this could have had an impact on the balls which would explain the rise in home runs.

EIGHT factoids today: July 2, 1909 - The Sox ran wild in an unusual 15-3 romp over St. Louis. In this game the Sox stole eleven bases with three steals of home and three double steals. Sox third baseman Bill Purtell led the way with three swipes. Eight different Sox players stole a base in the game! July 2, 1910 - The Sox won their first game in the original Comiskey Park, besting the St. Louis Browns 3-2. Guy “Doc” White went the distance allowing one earned run on six hits for the win. He was called “Doc” because he graduated from Georgetown University dental school. July 2, 1923 - Future Hall of Famer Ted Lyons made his White Sox, Major League debut. He threw a perfect inning in a 7-2 loss at St. Louis. That season in nine games he’d go 2-1 with a start to his credit. July 2, 1930 - Outfielder Carl Reynolds became the first White Sox player to homer three times in a game when he did it at New York and he did it in spectacular fashion. It came in the second game of a twin bill that the Sox won 15-4. He went 5 for 6 with four runs scored in the game. He also became the first player in team history to drive home eight RBI’s in a game. Reynolds homered in the first three innings of the game and his first and third home runs on the day were both inside the park home runs to left field! The Sox lost the first game 5-1. July 2, 1977 - With first place at stake, the Sox beat the Twins 13-8. Jim Spencer, the Sox Gold Glove winning first baseman, became the first Sox player to ever drive in eight runs, twice in a season. He drove in eight runs the first time on May 14 in an 18-2 slaughter of Cleveland. On this day Spencer went 3 for 5 including a grand slam, a three-run home run and an RBI single. July 2, 1980 - Sox radio announcer Jimmy Piersall attacked Daily Herald sportswriter Rob Galas after Galas wrote a story speculating why Piersall was fired as a part time Sox coach. Spectators including White Sox historian/author Rich Lindberg, had to physically jump in and pull Piersall away. At the time Piersall was choking Galas. Yes, this is the same Rob Galas who later would become the Sox marketing director. Later on, that same day, the Sox Ross Baumgarten would one hit the Angels, winning 1-0. Rod Carew got California’s only hit, on a single leading off the seventh inning. July 2, 2016 – On this day the Sox tied a franchise record that had stood for almost 51 years. When J.B. Shuck pounded a home run in the fourth inning of a game in Houston, it marked the 15th consecutive solo home run hit by the team. That tied the original mark which was set between September 2-25, 1965. The individual breakdown of the home runs saw Brett Lawrie with three, Shuck with three, Tim Anderson and Todd Frazier with two each and Tyler Saladino, Dioner Navarro, Alex Avila, Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera each with one. The Sox would beat the Astros in the game 7-6. July 2, 2021 – It was a nice way to start a Major League career. Gavin Sheets, son of former Major League player Larry Sheets, started off his White Sox career by setting a franchise record. Sheets became the first player ever to have both a hit and an RBI in his first four games with the team. His impressive start came against the Twins at home and the Tigers in Detroit. In his first four games he went 6 for 15, with eight RBI’s and two home runs.

My only comment on this is that I remember going to Soldier Field in the 1970's a few times to watch the Sting and hearing how soccer was going to take off and be the next big thing in the U.S. Never happened and I highly doubt it's going to happen now.

Remember JR is the same guy who told Michael Jordan that paying him, I think it was 23 million his last season with the Bulls was "something I'll regret." (That from the book by Bob Green)

And let's not forget such "sterling" personalities as Tony Phillips, Albert Belle, Will Cordero, Brett Myers and Omar Vizquel. And of course we've got this from my November 2022 story on the state of the Sox: “You know about Mike Reinold right? (Author’s Note: Reinold is the White Sox Senior Medical Advisor) He was fired by the Red Sox because he was injecting players with Toradol.” (Author’s Note: Bleacher Report had a story on this situation published in February 2013. Here is the link to that story: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1530943-ex-red-sox-trainer-mike-reinold-injected-players-with-controversial-substance) No organization is completely innocent or guilt free. Like I told West we're talking about two different issues i.e. on the field and off the field. I'm really only concerned with what happens on the field. I'm not a social justice warrior or a politician.

To me they can't afford any more serious injuries especially to a thin pitching staff and Getz if he's allowed to has got to get reinforcements for it.

False equivalent. We're talking about two different situations. JR may not be the "worst" as I said but that's no different from being one of the worst in my mind. And yes I'm a piece of work I care about the White Sox, the issues with other teams is not my first concern. Nor is it my second concern or my third concern. As a baseball fan of the White Sox yes not having a good organization, a winning club is worse in my mind then Skaggs' unfortunate situation which was partly his own responsibility. You can send me to hell if you wish, don't really care.

Yes...he most certainly is. The record speaks for itself. Seven playoff appearances in 46 years of ownership, in the third biggest market in the country.

MLBPA responds with some interesting ideas regarding pitchers: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/01/mlb-negotiations-mlbpa-minors-pitchers/