Lip Man 1

This is a really interesting story: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/9/1/23856073/white-sox-shooting-stray-bullet-history-of-other-ballpark-shootings

Saw a video as well where the 15 thousand fans (on a holiday Friday night LOL) booed the team off the field at the end.

The White Sox have now guaranteed themselves their 8th losing season in the past 11 years...and their 11th losing season in the past 17 years. "Mired in Mediocrity..."

Said some interesting things, sounded better than at his press conference yesterday:

Even if economically and business-wise it makes sense he absolutely will not because he simply doesn't believe any player is worth the type of money it is going to take to land him. Remember this is the guy who told Jordan when he gave him his last contract that he would "regret" handing out this much money. To Michael Jordan...

"But there’s no way anyone listened to his introductory press conference, which included a rare public address by chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, and feels more confident about the team’s future. At least not in the near term." - Jon Greenberg The Athletic.

September 1, 1970 - With the Sox about to end their worst season in franchise history, G.M. Ed Short was fired after nine years on the job. Short would make brilliant off season deals in the mid-1960’s to net the club players like Hoyt Wilhelm, Pete Ward, Ron Hansen, Tommy John, Wilbur Wood and Tommy Agee but starting in 1968 his moves backfired and lost the club players like Agee, Tommy McCraw, Don Buford and Bob Locker without getting anything back of substance in return. Sox owner John Allyn, who bought the team from his brother the year before, also fired field manager Don Gutteridge, scouts and other front office personnel in a massive house cleaning. Short actually began his White Sox career in 1950 when he was hired to serve as publicity director and then later as traveling secretary. September 1, 1998 - Albert Belle hit his 42nd home run of the season in Baltimore. In the same game he got his 337th total base of the season. Both milestones set the franchise record in their respective categories in the Sox 9-5 win. Belle ended the year with 49 home runs, 152 RBI’s, a .328 batting average, 42 doubles, 200 hits and 399 total bases. Later he’d say, with some truth, that he had a better year than the much-publicized duo of Mark McGwire and former Sox outfielder Sammy Sosa.

Jim Margalus nails it again: https://soxmachine.com/2023/09/with-chris-getz-white-sox-promise-change-while-staying-the-same/

Summary of podcast comments from around baseball shows. Sox Talk with Garfien and McGuffey: McGuff: “This is a fail-up situation. Part of me is frustrated, part of me is curious because he is a new voice. If you are a Sox fan you either live with it or shop elsewhere. (meaning find a new team)” Gar: “They didn’t do a massive search; it was a wasted opportunity.” McGuff: “I agree. Why wouldn’t you want to talk to other people… to get a better idea of your team? It was malpractice not to do this to take the opportunity to examine themselves.” “A big problem was the message was different from the minor leagues to the major leagues.” Gar: “I can promise you Getz will not be Kenny/Rick version 2.0.” “He was facing an uphill battle because of the dysfunction between Kenny and Rick,” “It wasn’t Chris’ fault guys were rushed to the big leagues.” McGuff: “The comment in the press release about wanting one voice was very important. That came from JR. He was tired of different people telling him different things.” “Getz wants more voices in the discussion but he also wants them to line up with his vision.” “Getz can relate to people; he played in the big leagues and that matters.” Gar: “Getz sees the problems with this roster, I’ve had conversations with him. He knows what needs to change.” McGuff: “The question is will he have the ability to tell JR, ‘we need to eat x amount of dollars and get rid of some guys. You can’t show up at spring training with the same guys on this roster, you just can’t.” “You have got to move on from some of these players.” Gar: “You have to eat Moncada’s money. I can’t watch him anymore. Sign a guy for a million dollars to play third base, he won’t have as much potential but if he’s a good clubhouse guy it will be better.” McGuff: “Next year is a bridge year to 2025, they aren’t going to win next year.” “There’s a strong likelihood that some of these guys will be gone under Getz but would still be around under Kenny/Hahn.” Gar: “He knows how to make a good team. He’s an excellent communicator. There’s talent at Birmingham and maybe some of these guys will turn into good players.” McGuff: “You need a strong Major League coaching staff and the Sox don’t have it right now.” “If they start next year 7-21 again in April changes need to be made right then.” “Salvy Perez will be the Sox opening day catcher next year.” “The Sox need to end this Royals connection.” “Fans don’t trust this organization.” Gar: “Chris was not put in a position to succeed but her has some big decisions to make now.” McGuff: “Chris needs to explain why things will be different and he knows it.” “Moncada and Jiminez can’t be back next year they have got to go.” Foul Territory with A.J. Pierzynski “I know Chris, I played with him, He’s a good guy.” “But they don’t have one player they developed from rookie ball right on up in seven years he’s been in charge of the minor leagues.” “I played with Omar Vizquel; I know Wes Helms. Those were awful and Getz knew about it but nothing happened until public outcry.” “They didn’t talk to anybody; Rizzo wasn’t coming and that’s on JR.” “I never heard any other organization say, ‘we need to get Getz for our organization.” “This is typical JR, a comfortable hire.” “Getz went to JR concerning issues with Kenny Williams Junior and JR took care of it.” “I need to see kids develop in the minor leagues.” “On these decisions there’s Jerry and Jerry.” “JR only listens to Tony LaRussa and Jim Thome.” “I watch every White Sox game; I want them to do well.” Adam Jones was part of the discussion and he said this: “It’s a s%*# show over there. He’s got an uphill battle.” Tom Verducci then joined the show: “I don’t love the scenario, why not give yourself a chance to see if there’s others out there. There was no hurry, this could have waited till the end of the year.” “No one has developed. I don’t see players getter better.” “I wasn’t high on this team unlike others. They were to right-handed, hit to many ground balls and chased to many bad pitches.” “Something needs to change.”

‘‘I’ve been reading that I’ve been threatening to move to Nashville,’’ he said. ‘‘That article didn’t come from me. But it’s obvious if we have six years left [on the lease], we’ve got to decide what the future is going to be. But I never threatened to move out. We haven’t even begun to have discussions with the [Illinois] Sports [Facilities] Authority, which we’ll have to do soon.’’

‘Friends of mine have said: ‘Why don’t you sell? Why don’t you get out?’ ’’ Reinsdorf said. ‘‘My answer has always been: ‘I like what I’m doing, as bad as it is, and what else would I do? I’m a boring guy. I don’t play golf. I don’t play bridge. And I want to make it better before I go.’ ’’

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-chris-getz-jerry-reinsdorf-20230831-2ix2s26w6bfgzgxjbn4zbfhpre-story.html

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/8/31/23854819/breaking-news-white-sox-chairman-jerry-reinsdorf-speaks

I'd take Giolito...you can have Lopez.

Here you go sports fans: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/jerry-reinsdorf-on-chris-getz-white-sox-future “Look, we’re not going to be in the [Shohei] Ohtani race, I’ll tell you that right now. And we’re not going to sign pitchers to 10-year deals. But we’re going to try to get better, and that means trades, it potentially means signing free agents, it means playing smarter baseball. It’s a lot of things. I don’t have a lot of time left. I don’t want to go through a long rebuild. I only expect to be here another 10 years.

https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/8/31/23854520/press-conference-chris-getz-named-white-sox-general-manager-chicago-jerry-reinsdorf

It's called being arrogant and tone-deaf.

He works relatively cheap and is willing to kiss JR's ass?

From DVS story this afternoon in the Sun-Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/2023/8/31/23854558/white-sox-shooting-jerry-reinsdorf-makes-first-public-comments-on-ballpark-incident-chicago-mlb

Didn't know that...thank you.

You know things reached a critical mass when JR actually forced himself to talk with the media. (I thought the comments about the gun incident were interesting). Getz, didn't disappoint in the sense you can tell he's completely green with this assignment but I will say his opening remarks at least acknowledged the areas Sox fans have been screaming about for years. Now whether anything is done about them is a totally different matter.

The Sox will continue to sign/acquire has been's, broken down injury prone stiffs and retreads. They they'll wonder why they can't win. ?

When you are 87 one year is a big deal.

Smart move by Cleveland since I assume if they make a qualifying offer to Gio and he refuses they get a draft pick.

What's next for Sox fans? Simple. Take care of yourself, eat right, exercise, see your doctor and hope to outlive current ownership. Other than that write the Sox (e-mails are easy to figure out) and let them know how you feel.