Lip Man 1

For what it's worth I got an e-mail from a source dated Monday morning just after midnight that said most of the coaches were told after the loss to San Diego Sunday they were going to be let go. The e-mail specifically named Boston, Hasler, Castro, Johnson "and others". We'll see. I haven't been able to find out anymore info in this regard. I'm guessing we'll all know in the next few days.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/10/1/23898927/white-sox-coaching-staff-changes-pedro-grifol

By the Numbers… If the White Sox are being honest with themselves they’ll find there is not one…single…area where they can say, “We’re OK here, this is something we can build on…” Consider: The offense is terrible. Doesn’t draw walks, doesn’t hit home runs, strikes out far too much The are “baseball-stupid” when it comes to fundamentals The manager is clearly in over his head The front office is new and have to do “deep dives” into all the problems They at best may have two starting pitchers The bullpen is made up of has been’s, retreads, injury-prone guys and cast offs The minor league system is thin at best This has been my 63rd season following this team as a fan and then as a Sox historian. The time period from 1968-1970 was bad…but not this bad. There are so many areas that are crippling starting with ownership that is ossified. Just some numbers that show some of the issues: The 101 losses is tied for the third worst in the history of the franchise. They scored three runs or less in 87 of 162 games played. That’s 53.7% They were 5-10 in extra inning games (lack of fundamentals/bad bullpens). They allowed 10 or more runs in a game 20 times. 19 times they had a lead in the 7th inning or later…and LOST the game! Here is the pitcher breakdown (in some cases it was two pitchers in the inning who lost it): Kelly-5 (7th/5-27); (9th/5-28); (9th/6-10); (8th/7-1); (8th/7-4) Graveman-3 (7th/3-31); (9th/6-11); (9th/7-9); (9th/7-23) Lopez- 2 ½ (7th/4-14); (9th/4-21); (8th/5-4) Santos-2 ½ (7th/7-22); (9th/8-16); (9th/9-5) Crochet-1 (8th/9-22) Diekman-1 (7th/3-31); (7th/4-14) Lynn-1 (7th/4-29) Scholtens-1 (7th/8-12) Shaw-1 (7th/9-18) Banks- ½ (10th/7-23) Middleton- ½ (7th/7-22) With Reinsdorf already publicly setting limits on what Getz is going to be able to do in free agency, and with it being a mediocre free agent class to start with, plus not a lot of valuable trading assets I simply don’t see how this club is going to be significantly better next year, even in a bad division. In the winter of 1970, at least Roland Hemond had some valuable trading assets (Aparicio, Berry) he was able to move to get back multiple pieces and he had some good players (John, May, Melton, Wood) already producing on the roster. That’s how the Sox went from 56 wins to 79 in 1971. That’s not happening here.

Thank god this disaster of a season is over. Next year could be worse. Sell Jerry Sell!

I never said it would do any good. Just said it was something fans cling to, in an effort to hope for change.

He is not going to deliberately destroy the value of his franchise (which is what you wrote) in the hope he can sell it to Montreal, Salt Lake City or Portland. Please...just stop. He's keeping the team until he dies, Period. Full stop. His family will then sell it as per his wishes/instructions.

It's driven by the hope that only through complete and utter embarrassment JR may be impacted enough to actually move the franchise in a positive direction. I don't blame the fans for thinking that way, you have to have something to cling to hope-wise.

Small consolation but at least Cub fans can't gloat given their team choked away an almost sure playoff spot by collapsing the last three weeks.

October 1, 1950 - Luke Appling got his final hit with the White Sox in 4-3 win over St. Louis. The future Hall of Famer spent 20 years and 2,422 games in a Sox uniform. He’d later come back as a coach for the club in 1970 and 1971. Appling had 2,749 hits, all with the Sox in his career and won two batting titles. October 1, 1959 - After 40 years, the wait was over and the Sox were back in the World Series facing the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Sox reacted in game #1 like they were trying to win the title in a single afternoon, burying L.A. 11-0. Ted Kluszewski slammed a pair of home runs and tied a series record with five RBI’s. The Sox assaulted Dodger starter Roger Craig early and often to give Cy Young award winner Early Wynn a lot of breathing room. October 1, 1970 - It was the end of the worst season in Sox history and as it turned out the final game ever called by longtime Sox announcer Bob Elson. “The Commander” began his White Sox career in 1930 and for the next 40 years called games in good times and bad. His style simply no longer fit the environment and with the Sox needing to make drastic changes everywhere, he was let go. The Sox closed out a 106-loss season in Anaheim losing to the Angels 5-4 in 15 innings. They lost their last seven straight to end the year. Elson found work for 1971 calling the Oakland Athletics while the A’s announcer, Harry Caray took over for Elson with the Sox! October 1, 1975 – Sox owner John Allyn appeared on Johnny Morris’ sports show on WBBM-TV. While talking about the pending sale of the club he said if he did own the team in 1976, Harry Caray wouldn’t be back as lead announcer. Allyn was tired of Caray and wanted to fire him which he actually did later on. The next day Caray had this retort, "I can’t believe any man can own a ball club and be as dumb as John Allyn. Did he make enough to own it or did he inherit it?" As it turned out neither man had to worry, Allyn sold to Bill Veeck and Veeck immediately rehired Caray who continued in his broadcasting role for the rest of Veeck’s ownership. October 1, 2015 – In the seventh inning of a game at U.S. Cellular Field, Jose Abreu’s two run single gave him 100 RBI’s for the season, the night before he collected his 30th home run of the year. Both milestones came off Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar. Abreu thus became only the second player in Major League history with at least 30 home runs and at least 100 RBI’s in their first two seasons. He joined Albert Pujois in that exclusive club.

Together, it’s an odd dynamic in which solemn pledges to improve are matched by vague details on how it all will be repaired after some of the worst baseball seen in this ballpark. ‘‘Wherever we end up, we end up,’’ Grifol said. ‘‘That’s not where we’re going to be next year, so I don’t get too caught up.’’--Grifol ?

Please...just stop

I'll have more on this in the next few days i.e. By the Numbers but seriously there isn't one single area that I can find where the Sox can say, "OK...at least we are in good shape here..." The offense is a joke (more than half their games this year they scored three runs or less), the pitching is a disaster with few starters and a bullpen made up almost entirely of cast off's, retreads and has been's, terrible fundamentals from "baseball-stupid" players, an incompetent, dysfunctional and inept front office who is new to the carnage, an ossified owner who has already put limits on the free agent situation publicly and a poor minor league system. What could possibly go wrong in 2024? ?

Congrats to the White Sox for accomplishing something at least this season! ?

That's up to the individua. As for me being born and raised on the South Side that is not an option.

September 30, 1904 – Guy “Doc” White fired his fifth straight complete game shutout running his scoreless streak to 45 innings in a 4-0 win over the New York Highlanders (Yankees) at South Side Park. The streak started on September 12 with a win over the Cleveland Naps (Indians). During his shutout run he won two games by the score of 1-0, one of those was a one-hitter on September 16 against the Browns. In 45 innings White allowed only 17 hits. His shutout streak ended in his next start, two days later, against the same New York team when they got a run in the first inning although White went on to win that game 7-1. September 30, 1921 - Sox catcher Ray “Cracker” Schalk tied a Major League record with three assists in one inning. It happened in a 3-2 loss to Cleveland at Comiskey Park. It happened in the eighth inning. Schalk fielded three ground balls, throwing to first to record an out, to tie the mark. September 30, 1949 - Sox G.M. Frank Lane started the connection between the franchise and Venezuela when he dealt two minor leaguers and $35,000 dollars to the Dodgers for shortstop Alfonso “Chico” Carrasquel. “Chico” would be named to three All-Star teams and would become the first Venezuelan to appear in the midseason classic. He’d then be traded before the start of the 1956 season, to the Indians for Larry Doby and to open up the position for another countryman of his, Luis Aparicio. September 30, 1956 - In the season ending game at Kansas City, Sox pitcher Jim Derrington became the youngest person to ever appear in a game wearing a Sox uniform. Derrington was 16 years old when he started against the A’s. He went six innings allowing six runs (five earned) in a 7-6 loss. The teenaged lefty didn’t last long in the big leagues. He pitched a total of 43 innings in the majors, appearing in 21 games, and had a career record of 0-2. He was signed as a bonus baby by the Sox only 18 days before making his big-league debut! September 30, 1966 - The Sox defeated the New York Yankees 6-5 in 11 innings on a single to left by Johnny Romano. It scored Wayne Causey. Why was that important? The loss guaranteed the Yankees a last place finish. It was their first since 1912. They went 70-89-1. September 30, 1971 - When Bill Melton smashed a home run on the last day of the season off the Brewers Bill Parsons in the third inning, he became the first Sox player to ever win a home run championship. Melton hit three home runs in the final two games to pass former Sox player Norm Cash and Reggie Jackson for the title. Typically, White Sox, he only had 33, the lowest total for a champ since 1965. In an effort to give Melton an additional at bat or two, manager Chuck Tanner had the power hitter leading off in the Sox final two games. His homer was the difference in a 2-1 win. September 30, 1980 - For all of his contributions to baseball and to the White Sox organization, owner Bill Veeck was honored with his own night. The ceremonies took place before the Sox would drop a 5-1 decision to Oakland. September 30, 1990 - 80 years of baseball history ended as the original Comiskey Park closed with a 2-1 win over the Mariners. An emotional and capacity crowd, including politicians, musicians, sports and Hollywood figures were in attendance. Among the celebrities in the park were Governor Jim Thompson, Major Richard M. Daley, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Ron Howard, George Wendt, John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, Billy Cunningham and Maureen O’ Hara. The Oak Ridge Boys sang the National Anthem and the rock group Styx sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning. Bobby Thigpen got his 57th save in the game. The Sox would close out a miraculous 1990 season with 94 wins. September 30, 1997 - After controversies on and off the field (calling for a relief pitcher with no one warming up, a fistfight with umpire Richie Garcia at a steakhouse, a brawl near third base with Brewer’s manager Phil Garner) manager Terry Bevington was fired. No flowers were sent and no Sox fan (or player) shed any tears. September 30, 2000 - Sox infielder Jose Valentin became the fourth player in franchise history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game. Valentin connected off the Royals Blake Stein and Scott Mullen. He drove in three runs in the Sox 9-1 win. This had only happened six times in franchise history and Valentin did it three times himself! Also, three times this feat happened against the Kansas City Royals. September 30, 2008 - For the first time the White Sox played an extra game to get into the post season. They hosted the Twins in the 163rd contest of the year known as the “Blackout Game” and won 1-0 clinching the Central Division title. John Danks threw eight shutout innings, Jim Thome belted what turned out to be the game winning home run and Ken Griffey Jr. threw out a Minnesota runner at home. The Sox won the division with a record of 89-74. The 1-0 score was the lowest tiebreaker playoff game in Major League history. September 30, 2016 – Sox left hander Carlos Rodon tied the franchise and the American League record by striking out the first seven Twins hitter in a game at U.S. Cellular Field. The original record was set by the Sox Joe Cowley back in 1986 at Texas. Unlike Cowley though, Rodon actually won his game 7-3. Rodon struck out 11 on the night pitching eight innings. September 30, 2023 – It was the final embarrassment to an embarrassing season on and off the field. The White Sox loss to the Padres 6-1, on the next to last day of the season, was number 100 on the year. It was the fifth time in franchise history the team lost at least 100 games. In two years’ time, in the middle of a supposed window of contention, after a three year rebuild, the Sox went from 93 wins to triple digit losses. A number of players were traded at the deadline and then a few weeks after it both Executive Vice President Kenny Williams and General Manager Rick Hahn were fired by owner Jerry Reinsdorf who called the season embarrassing and said that if he were a fan he’d be “pissed off.”

Watson also said this in Fegan's story: But an early show of Watson’s connection to the new Sox leadership was his ability to adhere closely to Getz’s expression of confidence that his team has contention-caliber pieces in place, while also specifying that “we are not going to put a timetable on it.” Tell that to JR.

There is no easy straight forward answer to the cesspool they created. They have zero credibility with the fan base who (rightly) think anything said by the front office is spin and CYA. If they call it a rebuild they publicly admit the initial attempt was a failure and they also alienate what fan base they have left who won't believe the folks in charge will do any better than the previous staff. But that same fan base will see (likely) a half-ass off season trying to patch numerous holes with retreads, has-been's, injury prone players and mediocre free agents. They are between a rock and a hard place. There is only one way out and I'm not being facetious. Fans need to take care of themselves and hope to outlive JR and see what new ownership can bring. Until then it's going to be a lot of misery. Keep those VHS tapes of DVD's of past Sox games from good seasons around...your going to want to watch them.

I was sent an e-mail tonight by a longtime former member of the Chicago media who covered the Sox. They said (quote) "Getz and Gene Watson are disaster hires. I wonder if pro scouts will depart and if Mike Shirley will be promoted."

One to go for 100!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I'll say this for the Padres, they didn't have the year they were expecting but when all is said and done they could still finish with a winning record. Instead of throwing in the towel, they finished strong and Preller can build on that for next year. The Sox traded all their supposed malcontents and trouble makers....did they get any better? They got even worse. And I don't mean the Sox shouldn't have traded those guys, but the Sox indicated they were the reason the team was awful. Reality check: That wasn't the reason.

From Merkin's newsletter: He’s shut down right now,” general manager Chris Getz said. “It’s a flexor strain. There is a level of optimism. Because of where his soreness is, it is going to take a little bit of time to get a better read on his return to play. Right now, it’s rest and recover, and we’ll see where he is.” My take: Uh-oh...hello Dane Dunning, hello Carlos Rodon...hello Davis Martin. The carnage continues...

September 29, 1908 - Sox starting pitcher Ed Walsh fired two complete games in a double header against the Red Sox. He won both by the scores of 5-1 and 2-0 allowing only seven total hits. That season Walsh would have arguably the greatest pitching year in the history of the game, winning 40 times with an ERA of 1.42. He appeared in 66 games, started 49, with 42 complete games, 11 shutouts and a mind-boggling 464 innings pitched. He also would have received credit for six saves had that been a statistic used during the season. September 29, 1917 - With a 3-1 win in the second game of a double header in New York, the Sox won their 100th game of the season. It is still the most wins in a single season in franchise history. Ed Cicotte picked up the win, his 28th of the year. September 29, 1920 - With the Sox trailing the Indians by only a half game with 10 days left in the season, pitcher Eddie Cicotte and outfielder Joe Jackson confessed (without an attorney present) that they helped throw the 1919 World Series. Charles Comiskey suspended eight players; the Sox collapsed down the stretch losing two of the final three games to the St. Louis Browns and blew a possible pennant, losing out to the Indians by two games ending up at 96-58. The losses to the Browns were 8-6 and 16-7. September 29, 1921 - One of the ‘clean’ Sox, pitcher Dickie Kerr was honored with a day at Comiskey Park. Kerr then went out and fired one of his best games blanking Cleveland on six hits winning 5-0 for his 19th win. He was given a 52-piece silverware set in a mahogany chest. September 29, 1967 - The Sox still had a chance for the pennant before they lost 1-0 to the Senators. The only run was set up when first baseman Tommy McCraw wasn’t able to catch a pop up off the bat of Washington’s Fred Valentine in the first inning. NBC-TV had erected a barrier for their field level cameras in case the World Series came to Comiskey Park and Valentine’s pop fell into that enclosed area near the visitor’s dugout. Valentine then singled driving in the only run. Two errors by the Sox in that first inning led to the unearned run. That season marked the 17th straight year that the Sox finished better than .500 at 89-73. September 29, 1990 - The last night game ever played at the original Comiskey Park was won by the Sox 5-2. Frank Thomas slapped a two-run single up the middle with two out, off Mariners starter Matt Young to drive in the go ahead runs in the seventh inning. September 29, 2005 - The Sox beat the Tigers in Detroit 4-2 clinching the Central Division title. Carl Everett’s two run triple in the first inning gave the Sox a lead they never relinquished. Paul Konerko also hit his 40th home run of the season later in the game. The Sox won 99 regular season games and led the division every day of the season. They were one of the few teams to go wire to wire in baseball history. The Sox then blitzed through the post season going 11-1 on their way to the World Championship. They swept Houston in four games to get it. September 29, 2008 - Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez set the Major League rookie record (since tied) when he hit his fourth grand slam of the season in an 8-2 win over the Tigers. The home run would also set the franchise record for most grand slams in a year with 12. This was the middle game of a three game ‘must win’ set against three different opponents that propelled the Sox into the playoffs. They had to beat Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota on consecutive days to get in which they did behind Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd and John Danks respectively. September 29, 2019 – Despite going 0-2 in his final game of the season Sox shortstop Tim Anderson won the American League batting title with a .335 average. That average not only was the best in the league but the best in all of baseball. Anderson joined Luke Appling and Frank Thomas as the only franchise players to win the crown. In the same game Sox first baseman/DH Jose Abreu took the American League RBI title as he drove in 123 runs on the year. He also had a .284 batting average and 33 home runs. He joined Dick Allen as the only Sox players to lead the league in that category. Abreu would win the RBI title again in 2020 during the 60-game pandemic season. September 29, 2020 – The White Sox played in their first postseason game since 2008, facing the Athletics in the Oakland Coliseum and it was a memorable afternoon for Lucas Giolito. The Sox All-Star right hander who had already thrown a no-hitter on August 25 was perfect for the first six innings as the Sox won the first game of the Wild Card series 4-1. Giolito allowed only two hits striking out eight in seven innings. He got support from three Sox home runs hit by Adam Engel, Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal. Unfortunately, this would be the highlight of the series as the Sox would lose the next two games including a 3-0 lead in the deciding game three, to be knocked out by a team that had lost nine consecutive elimination games going back to 1973.

https://soxmachine.com/2023/09/more-details-about-ballpark-shooting-more-questions-about-white-soxs-reponse/

Too bad, it helps the Cubs. Oh well...maybe they'll lose again tonight.

https://soxmachine.com/2023/09/chris-getz-might-need-a-year-to-assess-white-sox-after-all/

September 28, 1902- For the second game of a doubleheader at Sportsman’s Park, the Browns and White Sox used the last day of the season to throw all non-pitchers in their game. White Sox left fielder Sam Mertes got the 10-4 win, beating St. Louis left fielder Jesse Burkett. First baseman Frank Isbell was the ‘opener’ for the game, pitching one inning of three-hit, two-run ball. Then Mertes took over for the next seven plus innings! With just one earned run allowed, Mertes finished the year with a 1.17 ERA; it was the only pitching performance of his career. Both teams also had unorthodox lineups. St. Louis went bananas, with some players manning four different positions during the course of the game. The White Sox didn’t swap positions in-game, but there were some uncustomary assignments: White Sox two-way player Jimmy Callahan, normally a left fielder/pitcher, started at shortstop. Pitcher (and manager) Clark Griffith played left field. And Mertes himself started at catcher, then moved to the mound after one inning. Oh, the game ended one out early, with St. Louis fans rushing the field, apparently tiring of the unique exhibition. October 28, 1920 - Eight members of the 1919 White Sox Charles “Swede” Risberg, Arnold “Chick” Gandil, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, George “Buck” Weaver, Eddie Cicotte, Claude “Lefty” Williams, Oscar “Happy” Felsch and Fred McMullin — were indicted for throwing the World Series, which the White Sox lost, five games to three to the Cincinnati Reds. The grand jury returned five counts of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretenses and/or via a confidence game against these eight “Black Sox.” The group was exonerated by a Chicago jury the next summer but were nonetheless banned for life by the baseball commissioner, Kenesaw “Mountain” Landis who ironically was a White Sox fan. September 28, 1932 - J. Louis Comiskey, the new owner and son of Charles Comiskey tried to rebuild his franchise. He paid an unheard-of-sum (in those days) of $150,000 to the Philadelphia A’s for infielder Jimmy Dykes, outfielder Al Simmons and utility man George “Mule” Haas. Simmons would become a member of the Hall of Fame in 1953 and in three seasons with the Sox twice drove in over 100 RBI’s. Dykes played for the Sox for four full seasons and parts of three others while also managing the club starting in 1934! He’d manage the team for 12 full seasons and a part of a 13th. He’d have five winning years and one season at .500 in that time. He also had the distinction of scoring the first ever run in the All-Star Game going 2 for 3 in the 1933 contest. September 28, 1959 - The White Sox team photo appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The caption read, “Chicago’s New Champions Sit For Their Portrait.” September 28, 1997 - Frank Thomas won the batting championship with a .347 average. He joined Luke Appling as the only Sox players to do this at that time. Tim Anderson would also win the batting title in 2019. Thomas was one of only a handful of players in Major League history with a batting title and at least 450 home runs to their credit. Thomas was also the largest player (both in height and weight) to ever win a batting crown. Thomas had 184 hits in 530 at bats at year. September 28, 2003 - Sox starter Esteban Loaiza recorded his 21st win of the season, beating the Royals 5-1. The 21 wins tied the Major League record for the most wins in a season by a pitcher born in Mexico. Loaiza tied the mark set by Fernando Valenzuela in 1986. He went 21-9 with a 2.90 ERA. He’d finish second in the Cy Young voting that season. Two 1-0 losses to a last place Tigers team probably cost him winning it.