Lip Man 1

Garfein and McGuffy released their latest podcast tonight. Just watched it on You Tube. The theme was “what will the next Sox rebuild look like?” They went over a lot of ground in 45 minutes but both guys thought at least SOME sort of rebuild is coming. They differed on how big of a rebuild though. McGuffy (who towards the end of the podcast really let everyone know how frustrated and tired he was of the Sox failure in the rebuild) felt it has to be torn down to the studs again BUT it had to start with the selling of the team. He said the organization “half assed” (direct quote) the rebuild because they wouldn’t go out and get the superstar, the game changer, the guy who could make other talented players want to come to the Sox. He blamed JR for handcuffing his front office. Garfein wouldn’t go that far but he did say something interesting in that he commented that “We don’t know who’ll be doing the next rebuild. Will it be Rick, Kenny and Chris Getz or someone else?” (Does he know something?) He figured 80 million will be paired from the payroll after trades this July and then when the season ended so he thought especially in this division a smart retooling could put things on the right course again. He also said at his age, JR is not interested in another complete rebuild. He said the money will be there if the organization wants to spend it from the purging of this year's team/payroll. He also talked about how he wants a team that will reflect the fan base. A team that plays the game hard, runs everything out, plays defense and can do the little things. (Sounds like he just got through watching The Last Comiskey documentary!) Both guys talked about getting real leaders into the clubhouse moving forward, guys who have enough respect that they can tell the other players what they are doing wrong and hold them accountable. McGuffy said those guys don’t necessarily have nine figure contracts either. (A lot of what they were talking about was told to me by sources in my State of the Sox story that was published in November. That the clubhouse is fractured, guys doing their own thing, not a lot of chemistry, guys got their money so they just don’t care et al) They also talked about how bad the farm system is with three of the top prospects Montgomery, Schultz and Ramos haven't played at all this year. Both thought TA would be shopped either at the deadline or next off season. Garfein hoped the Dodgers and Braves would get into a bidding war for him. Garfein hoped that the Sox could get something for Eloy and said he was “perfectly fine” with Burger being the DH moving forward. He also said pretty strongly that Moncada will only be on the club through the 24 season. Both thought Giolito is gone come July…maybe Lynn, Kelly and Clevinger. Cease’s name was brought up as well since he could offer a decent return. Robert could also be traded according to McGuffy because he’s the only guy that would really bring back a big haul. Garfein wants to keep him and rebuild (retool) around him. Both opened the podcast by talking about how unbelievable it was that they had to be talking about this in the first place after so much was promised. Pretty frank assessment in my opinion. I recommend listening to it. (or watching it on You Tube)

Gonzo has taken a full time position in the media department at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. He starts on May 22. He'll be missed, excellent baseball writer for a long time.

That's all Merkin writes

Once Giolito leaves he very well may be fired.

May 16, 1953 - White Sox pitcher Tommy Byrne, who was knocked out of the game in an eventual win against the Yankees two days earlier, was sent up to pinch hit for Vern Stephens in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and the Sox trailing 3-1. Byrne then slammed a 2-2 pitch from relief pitcher/sidewinder Ewell “The Whip” Blackwell into the lower deck in right field at Yankee Stadium for the only pinch-hit grand slam by a pitcher in team history! The Sox would win the game 5-3, scoring all their runs in the ninth inning. That was the only home run Byrne hit that year for the White Sox although he’d had 14 of them in his big-league career. May 16, 1978 - With the Sox record a dismal 9-20 and knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to re-sign him, Sox owner Bill Veeck traded slugger Bobby Bonds to the Rangers for Claudell Washington and Rosendo “Rusty” Torres. Bonds would only play in 26 games for the Sox, with two home runs and eight RBI’s. Making matters worse was that to get Bonds the previous December, Veeck traded three players including future All-Star Brian Downing to get him. Washington would become the target of fan displeasure because of his tendency to take it easy on the field while with the team. One fan made up a banner, hung over the right field wall, which expressed that sentiment “Washington slept here.” Torres’s claim to fame (and this is a great trivia question) was that he was on the field for all of the forfeited games in baseball during the 1970’s. Torres was with the Yankees when the final game in Washington was forfeited when fans rushed the field in 1971; he was in Cleveland for the nickel beer night fiasco in 1974 and was with the Sox during the “Disco Demolition” forfeit in 1979. May 16, 1984 - Carlton Fisk had one of his finest games as he became the third player in franchise history to hit for the cycle in a game. It came against the Royals at Comiskey Park. Despite Fisk’s efforts the Sox would lose it 7-6. Carlton went 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBI’s in the game. The triple, by the way, was the only one he’d hit that season.

That three day event is one of the highlights of my professional life. Dick was gracious, genuinely touched by the reception and the crowd who came out for the dinner...he even asked for the mic to sing along with Nancy Faust when she played "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the seventh inning stretch as part of the program. When everything was done we were all back at the Drake Hotel having a last get together/drink at the bar. I was in the corner talking pitching with Gossage and Bradley (I pitched myself growing up) when someone came up behind me and gave me a bear hug. Almost crushed my ribs...it was Dick with a big smile on his face thanking me for my help in the event. Just a very special moment.

With a second "forearm soreness" issue for Martin since October (he hasn't pitched this year since April 11) you can't count on him for anything next year.

Well he was working at second taking ground balls in practice last year. Don't know who's idea it was.

In 2012 Richard Roeper and I co-hosted the 40th anniversary celebration for Dick and the 1972 White Sox. I can tell you having spoken with Dick's teammates ("Goose" Gossage, Bart Johnson, Hank Allen, Bill Melton, Carlos May, Ed Spiezio, Tom Bradley) for three days and interviewed a number of others NOT ONE MAN said anything negative about Dick. All praised his ability, his drive, his will to win. Like Chuck Tanner told me before he died (paraphrasing) 'You tell anybody who says that Dick wasn't a leader is full of s%*#.' Here is my obit story when Dick passed quoting his teammates: https://www.southsidesox.com/2020/12/9/22164784/white-sox-dick-allen-remembered

You are probably correct as long as it is a combination of underperformance from said player and current ownership remaining.

Keeping this group together and expecting a different result also makes no sense. I'm not saying anything would really change either...what I am saying is since you are going to lose these guys anyway for various reasons, you get what you can for them and ":hope" for a different result with a different group. Yes...that is all that's left for this organization (at least until new ownership arrives) 'hope' things get better and hope really isn't a strategy.

Grifol has already said this hasn't been discussed and by his quotes it sounds like it won't be a consideration.

Given the injury history for many of them, the poor performances, the seemingly lack of "baseball-smarts" by and large...that may not be a bad idea. Granted that won't solve the issues of ownership and the front office but keeping the status quo on the field makes little sense. There is enough of a track record to show this group simply can't be successful.

May 15, 1929 - Sox outfielder Art “The Great” Shires (Shires by the way gave himself that nickname) and manager Lena Blackburne got into a fistfight during a game at Comiskey Park won by the Sox 8-4 over Boston. Before the game Blackburne had suspended and fined Shires for wearing a red felt hat during batting practice and for not taking the game seriously. Shires left the park but later returned and confronted Blackburne where the two men exchanged blows. The two men would get into another fist fight later that season in September in a Philadelphia hotel room. May 15, 1941 - In a game in New York, Sox pitcher Edgar Smith allowed a hit to Yankee great Joe DiMaggio in the first inning. It would be the first hit in his record setting 56 game hitting streak. The Sox won the game though 13-1 with outfielder Taft “Taffy” Wright driving in four runs. That year he’d hit .322 and knock in 97 RBI’s. May 15, 1951 – It was a testament to the managerial genius of Sox skipper Paul Richards. It had been 30 years since the league saw a move like this. In the ninth inning of a game in Boston where the White Sox were winning 7-6, relief pitcher Harry Dorish was removed in favor of Billy Pierce to face the left-handed hitting Ted Williams, only Dorish wasn’t removed from the game, he was moved to third base! Pierce retired Williams on a pop up, then was taken out of the game and Dorish put back on the mound. Boston eventually tied the game but the White Sox would have the last laugh, winning 9-7 in 11 innings. The victory marked the start of a 14-game win streak, with 11 of the wins on the road. On May 30 after sweeping the St. Louis Browns, the Sox record stood at 26-9. May 15, 1954 – With a 7-6 come from behind win over the Philadelphia Athletics at Comiskey Park, the White Sox secured the franchises 4,000th win. It was catcher Carl Sawatski’s single with two out in the ninth inning that won the game. That year the Sox went 94-60-1…and still finished 17 games back of the pennant winning Indians! May 15, 1988 – It is an obscure record and one that probably will never be broken. Outfielder Dave Gallagher was picked up over the winter by the Sox after he was released by the Mariners and was called up to the club the day before. Playing in only his second game in a White Sox uniform he hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to beat the Blue Jays 6-5 at Comiskey Park. The hit came off Toronto’s sidewinder Mark Eichhorn. It is the team record for fewest games played before hitting a walk-off home run. May 15, 1990 - Bobby Thigpen became the White Sox all-time saves leader in a 3-2 win over Baltimore at Comiskey Park. Thigpen pitched a scoreless ninth inning in nailing down his 100th career save, surpassing Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm on the White Sox all-time list. The save was Thigpen’s ninth of the year… before the remarkable season was over Bobby would nail down 57 saves which set the Major League record and be named Relief Pitcher of the Year. May 15, 1996 - The Sox scored 20 runs in a game. They easily handled the Brewers in Milwaukee 20-8. The Sox scored 20, yet only hit two home runs. Frank Thomas had one of them and knocked in six runs on the night. Harold Baines and Robin Ventura had three RBI’s each as well.

As a side note I don't know if anyone has noticed that Rick hasn't shown his face or spoken with the media yet on this homestand. But remember Kenny claims "accountability around here isn't a problem..." ?

Unless new ownership arrives or significant changes are made to the folks in the baseball side of the operation the next rebuild WILL go on in to infinity.

"True" Sox fans (what is that definition again?) are also realistic. 14-28. That's factual not an interpretation. Since the start of 2007 only five winning seasons, that's factual. Since Rick Hahn has been the GM, two winning seasons in 10 completed years...that's factual. "Unquestioned" loyalty to anything... a political bent, a religion, a sports team, a government in my opinion is a very dangerous thing.

How many millions of dollars is he getting for that "work situation" again? I get it, the Sox organization from top to bottom is horseshit, no argument there, but as long as these guys are getting paid ungodly sums they have an obligation regardless if the team is 30 games over or 30 games under, no excuse. If he doesn't care for the situation (and I don't blame him there) have his agent make a formal request for a trade. Again his history with suspensions, flipping off fans, the off field situation, his arrogant talk means he isn't going to get the benefit of the doubt. That's a situation he created, not JR...not Rick Hahn or anybody else.

That's some "professional" there isn't it? ? And by the way, he's going to be asking for a LOT more than 70 million (which is another reason why he won't be with the Sox)

Only when the team he plays for is a complete mess, the rebuild is right down the toilet, guys can't stay healthy for a week at a time let alone for most of the season and the front office is incompetent. To say nothing of the player in question's history on and off the field.

There is no substitute for talent agreed. However it only takes one of two guys who for whatever reason or reasons conduct themselves like an ass, to disrupt said talent. The fact that with the Sox the inmates seem to be running the asylum doesn't help things. Put him on a team like the Dodgers or the Yankees, the Braves...teams who have strong leaders and I'm guessing Anderson will shape up very quickly. He's got a ton of talent, he also seems to have some real issues.

Apologize for this being late in the day! My fault!!! May 14, 1963 - Sox pitcher Ray Herbert fired his fourth consecutive shutout beating the Tigers 3-0 at Comiskey Park. Herbert allowed six hits and struck out seven. His shutout streak began on May 1 when he blanked the Orioles. That was followed by shutouts over the Senators and the Yankees. In the shutout stretch he only allowed 15 hits in 36 innings with 22 strike outs. The previous season Ray won 20 games and was the winning pitcher for the American League in the second All-Star Game played that year. It took place at Wrigley Field. May 14, 1967 - Sox pitching great Gary Peters authored his second career one-hitter beating the Angels 3-1 at Comiskey Park. It was the second game in a double header sweep. Peters allowed only a second inning home run to former Sox first baseman Bill “Moose” Skowron and struck out 10. Peters would make the All-Star team for the second time in his career that season going 16-11 with a 2.28 ERA throwing 260 innings. May 14, 1977 - The Sox hammered the Indians 18-2 in a game that started at 10:30 in the morning in connection with a promotion for McDonald’s restaurants Egg McMuffin sandwich. Sox first baseman Jim Spencer would tie the franchise mark with eight RBI’s on the day. Spencer went 3 for 3 with two home runs including a grand slam along with a two-run shot and a two RBI single. Spencer would drive in eight runs in a game again later that season versus Minnesota in a 13-8 win on July 2. May 14, 1998 - The Sox Greg Norton became one of only a handful of players to hit two home runs in the same game off Randy Johnson. Norton homered in the third and fifth innings of the Sox 5-3 win at Comiskey Park. He’d go 2 for 3 in the game with three RBI’s. May 14, 2005 - Sox speedster Scott Podsednik swiped four bases in a game against the Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field. Just a week earlier he grabbed four bases versus Toronto. He’s the only player in franchise history to steal four bases in a game twice. In 2005 Podsednik swiped 59 bases. May 14, 2017 – As part of an eight run, eighth inning against the Padres, Sox third baseman Todd Frazier scored from third on an infield pop-up! Tyler Saladino popped up a bunt attempt which was caught by San Diego’s Wil Myers near first base. Myers though then turned his back and hesitated and when Frazier saw that he broke for the plate. The return throw was off line and high and Frazier scored sliding in. It delighted the Sox home crowd as part of a 9-3 win. 15 Sox players batted in the big inning, getting four hits, five walks, a hit batsman and an error.

Why not...all discards seem to find a home with this organization.

Maybe he didn't but again, just my opinion, the entire body of work, the history...the guy doesn't seem like a good teammate. And the fact that he can't stay healthy isn't helping his situation or giving him the benefit of the doubt. It may be very unfair but if you are the "face of the franchise" then you are expected to play and conduct yourself to a higher standard. I think he needs to go and I've felt that way for a few years now. Not just him but a number of these other underachievers who seem to be babied.

That's a very valid point and as someone else posted, the reaction of his teammates to the All-Star selection video from last year is telling what they may think of his "leadership." And no he's not the only problem with this incompetent, dysfunctional and inept organization...but he is a piece of everything that is wrong.