Lip Man 1

I appreciate his desire to play the outfield but I suspect this is more ego driven. Bottom line is this. How many times does he have to miss games because of injuries when he is in the outfield before it gets through to him that if he wants a long career, if he wants to make more money and if he wants to help his team, he becomes a DH?

Nellie Fox had a Hall of Fame career and was an M.V.P. The only way Madrigal gets into the Hall is if he buys a ticket. Laughable that you seem to discount everything Fox did because it doesn't fit today's mold of what a player should do/be. Personally I wish the Sox had two or three Fox's in the lineup, guys who could get on base, run, do little things to drive in runs. In other words figure out ways to score runs when you aren't hitting home runs. The word is balance.

Again this is what I was told about this situation from one of my multiple sources in the "State of the Sox" story: “Jason Benetti’s deal with the Sox is up, the Sox hold the option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He went to Fox to negotiate that deal with them after he was told to do it and then come back to the Sox and they’d work something out. Jason wanted to get the deal done with the Sox first and then go to Fox or ESPN or whoever. Turns out when he came back to the Sox and said that he needs 40 days off so he can do the Fox work he was told, ‘no, that’s not happening.’ So I don’t know what’s going to happen to him or Steve Stone.”

January 22, 1960 - The White Sox introduced the first Major League baseball jersey that had a player’s name on the back. It was the brain child of owner Bill Veeck. At first the name was only on the road jersey but starting in 1961 names were also on the backs of the home jerseys. The White Sox then removed the player names in 1971 before bringing them back in 1976. Names were removed again from 1987 to 1990, but were added only on the road uniform midway through 1990. Their alternate black uniform would have player names when first introduced in 1991. Player names would return to the home uniform in 1997. January 22, 1996 - The Sox dealt two minor leaguers to Oakland for slugger Danny Tartabull. The enigmatic Tartabull who had as much talent as anyone, but often didn’t show it, put together a very good season on the South Side, with 27 home runs and 101 RBI’s. The two minor leaguers sent to the A’s were never heard from again. Danny then signed a free agent deal with the Phillies the following year. His best game for the White Sox came in Boston on September 14 that season when he drove in six runs in a 13-5 win at Fenway Park. He went 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Four of his RBI’s came on an eighth inning grand slam.

The Sox won't do anything.

January 20, 1965 - Another big deal pulled off by Sox G.M. Ed Short which kept the franchise’s streak of winning seasons going. The Sox were part of a three-team trade with the Indians and Athletics. When all was said and done, the Sox parted with outfielders Jim Landis and Mike Hershberger, pitcher Fred Talbot and catcher Cam Carreon. In return they got back power hitting catcher John “Honey” Romano, pitcher Tommy John and outfielder Tommie Agee. Agee would be named Rookie of the Year in 1966 becoming the first Sox player ever with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season. John would be part of the Sox brilliant starting rotation, making the All-Star team for the first time in 1968. He’d win 82 games in seven years, three times posting an ERA of under three. His trade to the Dodgers at the winter meetings in 1971 netted the Sox Dick Allen. Romano wasn’t a slouch either in his second stint with the club, banging out 33 home runs in two seasons before being traded. Romano originally came up in the White Sox system and played in 53 games during the 1959 pennant winning season. January 20, 1984 - Once again Sox G.M. Roland Hemond used the free agent compensation rule to the White Sox advantage, plucking future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver from the Mets. The Sox were entitled to compensation after losing Dennis Lamp to the Blue Jays. In his two full years with the Sox, Seaver would win 31 games, including his 300th one overall on August 4, 1985 against the Yankees. Earlier that same season he started his 14th opening day on the mound, a big-league record. In both full seasons he’d also throw over 236 innings, averaging 132 strikeouts and have an ERA both times under four. In 1985 his ERA was 3.17. Tom had to be convinced to join the Sox. It took co-owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf going to his hotel room at the winter meetings after they selected him to talk with him face to face before he agreed…. but, before Seaver let them in, he asked to see their ID’s since he had never met them before!

I just hope to outlive current ownership and hope for better things down the road.

It all starts with ownership. ?

It is when the organization has a self-imposed payroll limit and is more concerned with fiscal responsibility than winning.

January 19, 1909 - Sox owner Charles Comiskey purchased a piece of land on the corner of 35th and Shields from Roxanna Bowen. The site would be used to build the original Comiskey Park on, starting in March 1910. In only four months the steel and concrete stadium would be opened and ready for use. January 19, 1972 - Early Wynn, who helped the White Sox to the 1959 pennant, was elected to the Hall of Fame with 76 per cent of the vote. Wynn made it on his fourth ballot, slowly working his way up the vote count before crossing the 75 per cent threshold. He’d win exactly 300 games in his long career and in 1959 the year the White Sox won the pennant, he captured the Cy Young Award on the basis of 22 wins, an ERA of 3.17 and over 255 innings pitched. He played five years with the club winning 64 games.

Based on the grip and the radar gun total it looked to me like he was throwing a circle change-up.

Historically remember JR doesn't believe much in the minor league system and has gone on record as saying he doesn't believe in paying for "potential." With that being said there are only a limited number of ways to procure talent, since he doesn't seem to think developing it is the right way, maybe he should start signing quality free agents... Oh wait...guess that's not the right way either! ?

I'll take the 4$ option

MLB broadcasters do work under contract and teams/agents do announce when they are or have signed new contracts.

Once again it seems that all the talk by Hahn about trades and working to improve the team are all pure BS. The bottom line with this team under this ownership was, is and always will be fiscal responsibility and no accountability over winning.

His dad played professionally with the Montreal Maroons, the forerunner to the Canadians. When I visited Pete in his home in the Portland suburbs he had both of his dad's team M.V.P. trophies from the 1930's.

Tommy John was also a passenger in the car which was rear ended leaving the Chicago Stadium lot after a playoff game vs. Montreal.

January 17, 2002 - After one injury plagued, controversial season with the Sox, pitcher David Wells signed a contract with the Yankees. Wells won only five games in 2001 for the team with 16 starts. Naturally he then turned around and won 61 games over the next four years with New York, San Diego and Boston. The White Sox did get some revenge against him in the 2005 A.L.D.S. as they beat him in game #2 of that series 5-4 when he was pitching for the Red Sox. The big blow was a three-run home run by Tadahito Iguchi.

I've had issues too.

January 15, 2003 – It was another bold stab by G.M. Kenny Williams as he acquired starter Bartolo Colon as part of a three-way deal with Montreal and the Yankees. Colon had a good season for the Sox… 15 wins, 242 innings pitched and 173 strikeouts before inking a large deal with Anaheim where he’d win the Cy Young Award. Williams brought him back in 2009 hoping for the same but got little for his troubles. In fact, Colon got hurt, was overweight and when assigned to a minor league rehab stint never reported! It was rumored that Colon was distraught over the death of entertainer Michael Jackson, and when manager Ozzie Guillen heard such, he emptied out Colon’s locker and dumped the possessions in the hallway outside of the White Sox clubhouse! January 15, 2021 – The White Sox continued to make strong moves to get back into serious contention for a championship. On this date they announced the signing to a free agent contract of Liam Hendriks, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball to a multi-year deal. The contract would net the Australian right hander 54 million dollars over three, possibly four years. Since taking over as the A’s closer on June 21, 2019, Hendriks had recorded a 1.99 ERA over 68 innings pitched, with 39 saves, 111 strikeouts and a 0.79 WHIP in 65 appearances. His contract had an unusual twist, perhaps the first of its kind in baseball. The fourth year of the deal had an option year, worth 15 million but included a 15-million-dollar buyout. If the White Sox declined the option, the buyout would be paid in 10 equal installments between 2024 and 2033. The paying of money down the road, something NFL teams often do, could help with the ‘luxury tax’ threshold should the Sox be in that position where it becomes an issue. Hendriks wouldn’t disappoint posting 38 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 113 strikeouts against only seven walks in his first year on the South Side winning A.L. Relief Pitcher of the Year honors. He followed it up in 2022 with 37 saves an ERA of 2.81 and 85 strikeouts vs. 18 walks.

January 14, 1963 - It was the move that re-energized the franchise and led directly to back-to-back-to- back 90 or more-win seasons in 1963, 1964 and 1965. Sox G. M. Ed Short traded shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder Al Smith to the Orioles for third baseman Pete Ward, outfielder Dave Nicholson, shortstop Ron Hansen and relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm. Trading Aparicio was a shock but contractual differences between him and the team and the bad feelings it produced made a deal necessary. Ward would be named Co-Rookie of the Year (with teammate Gary Peters) and would supply power for the next few seasons. In 1963 and 1964 Ward averaged 22 home runs, 89 RBI’s and hit .290 before an accident where he was a passenger in a car leaving Chicago Stadium after a hockey game severely impacted his career. He suffered whiplash and never felt comfortable at the plate ever again. Nicholson, who struck out far too much, still had 22 home runs and 70 RBI’s in 1963. Hansen would be one of the best defensive shortstops in the league and hit as many as 20 home runs in a season, at a time when shortstops simply didn’t do that. Wilhelm became the top relief pitcher of the 1960's. In his six years with the Sox, he’d win 41 games and save 99 others while producing some astonishingly low ERA’s considering he threw the knuckleball. His highest ERA between 1963 and 1968 was 2.64, every other season it was below two. He’d be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985. January 14, 2001 - The Sox acquired pitcher David Wells from Toronto basically for pitcher Mike Sirotka. Over the coming weeks and months, Sirotka and the Blue Jays claimed the Sox knew that Sirotka had a bad arm and couldn’t pitch. Sox G.M. Ken Williams defended himself by saying that he told the Jays he thought Sirotka might be hurt and offered pitcher Jim Parque instead. Commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig ruled in late March that the trade would stand. The whole episode became known as “Shouldergate.” Wells meanwhile had few good moments with the Sox. He’d beat the Indians opening day in Cleveland after he said fans got him angry by talking about his mother and how he was raised but after that, because of a bad back he barely pitched, winning only five games in total with only 16 starts on the year. He then caused a major controversy when he went on the radio and said that he didn’t think first baseman Frank Thomas was as badly hurt as he claimed. Thomas would only wind up playing 20 games that year after he tore a triceps muscle diving for a ground ball along the first base line.

I was told in Jake Peavy's case for example when he missed 1/6th of the season after that lat tear the Sox got back money based on insurance coverage but I was also told that teams keep insurance deals very close to the vest and the actual terms/ conditions are really only known to the team and insurance company. I was also told coverage on athletes contracts is very expensive.

White Sox attendance issues started in the mid 1960's when social unrest created the myth that Comiskey Park was a "dangerous" place because of its location. Nothing the Sox could do about that but they have shot themselves in the foot over the years with decisions like leaving WGN-TV, creating SportsVision and saying "We are Chicago's American League team..." instead of taking on the Cubs full-on. From 1951-1967 the Sox outdrew the Cubs in 16 of those 17 years sometimes by a wide margin. Part of the issue is the Sox have not been able to consistently put a winning competitive streak like that together since then. Often they come out of the blue (like in 2005) and have an excellent season but they...can't...keep...it...going. I don't mean winning World Series after World series but how about making the playoffs say four times in six years or five times in seven? Sox have never done that. They'll have a nice stretch (1981-1983, 1990-1994, 2000-2006...) and then it's back to mediocrity. To say nothing even about all the controversies...Sox are moving...stadium controversy, JR and 1994 labor impasse, White Flag Trade, cancelling Sox fest, bizarre new ticket policy among others. That's no way to build a fan base in my opinion.

Anything is possible that's why they play the games on the field but with so many issues, holes, controversies (I was told last week that the Sox new bizarre ticket approach was created without the knowledge or input of a few of the high levels front office staff) it's a long shot. White Sox fans should heed the motto: "Hope for the best, expect the worst..."

Remember Hahn arrogantly talking about "multiple championships" and "talk to me after the parade". LOL