Lip Man 1

It's unfortunate that the only real recourse for Sox fans is to hope to outlive JR and see what new ownership brings.

If I may suggest you need to write or e-mail your season ticket rep or folks in the Sox front office. Rick Hahn said on the Sox web site (I believe) just last month that if anyone sends him a letter that is polite and signs their full name with a return address he reads them.

I can't claim to know Tony, I've interviewed him multiple times starting in April 1983 but he's always struck me as very self confident and doesn't second guess himself. He told me in an interview one time that former Sox manager Paul Richards told him, "Trust your gut...don't cover your ass." (direct quote) That's a philosophy he's always believed in. I honestly don't think he cares what the fans or the media think, he really never has. Remember he toughed it out in the middle of the 1982 season when rumors were rife that he was going to be fired and had to wear a flak jacket under his uniform in a series vs. Boston because of death threats. Same thing in 1983 when JR and EE brought in Bobby Winkles to evaluate the Sox bad start and if anything could be done. Winkles told them to not worry things would turn around...and they did. But EE said, if Winkles said TLR needed to go they would have fired him then. This guy has had a Hall of Fame career, is supremely self confident and is (or at least was) extremely smart since he passed the Florida bar exam. Again I don't think he cares what others think.

With respect since around 2016 the White Sox medical, conditioning and training staffs have been unable to keep anybody especially the core players healthy. Anderson, Moncada, Jimenez, Robert has missed time every...single...season. Think about that one. And there are others. This from an organization that took great pride, deservedly so, in keeping players healthy. Something has gone badly off the rails. What it is, we don't know. The Sox never publicly released the findings from their injury study this past off season. I know from sources that Alan Thomas resigned (or was fired depending on who you talk to) because he disagreed with the conclusions. This season the disconnect between what TLR has been telling the media and guys playing or not playing has been comical. Robert being the latest example. TLR just this past week three times told the media Robert may play the next day. Yet he isn't. The bizarreness as well over his "lightheadedness" also raised questions about what was going on, about the secrecy and why no one in the organization could give a clear answer to his situation. Bummer's injury wasn't considered serious...he's been out for what? Two and a half months. Grandal's injury supposedly wasn't a problem...he was out over a month. It's just one thing after another. A White Sox senior medical advisor who was hired a few years ago and is still in that position today, was fired by the Red Sox (I posted the link in another thread) because of giving players controversial injections. It's not a good situation. If I was in charge I would completely fire the entire medical, conditioning and training staffs and start fresh with new hires, new input, new ways of looking at these issues because clearly what is taking place right now is not working.

They are in year six after the rebuild started and year three of the "contention window"...how long do growing pains lasts? Compare where the White Sox are at this stage to where the Astros and Cubs were in their rebuilds. I'm sorry I can't buy that opinion.

That's true but remember Kenny's quote (paraphrasing) 'We couldn't go the additional years because we needed to be sure we had money to pay our own players.'

I was told by a long time friend who is a member of the mainstream Chicago media that Hahn is "furious" over the Cubs remarking to others and other teams about how often Eloy gets hurt. Almost like they knew something when they traded him. Remember Hahn lost his cool earlier this year when at a press conference a writer wrote that he was "injury prone." To me he seems overly heavy just huge.

Another Sox front office quote that will live in infamy.

I'd have to disagree. The most ridiculous thing this year has been the incompetence, dysfunction of this organization from top to bottom. They don't even seem to have a competent medical/training staff that can give proper information and know when guys should go on the IL.

Again I think there is some truth to your comment however, if Hahn had any personal pride, any stones he should have immediately resigned when JR forced TLR down his throat. He didn't...that says a lot about his character and I think his knowledge that while he'd find a very good job somewhere it wouldn't be as a G.M. He's 'content' for wont of a better word being a flunky for JR and Kenny and getting a very nice salary.

I agree! Three times this past week TLR said Robert may play the next day and we've seen how that worked out. Seriously I wish TLR wouldn't say anything regarding medical issues. To me the information he's getting from the training staff is usually wrong as the results show. Better to say nothing.

In the 8th inning on a swinging strike he appeared to twist his right leg/knee/ankle and limped around. He never finished the at-bat.

There is some truth to what you say absolutely...however, Hahn has been in change since the start of the 2013 season, the win/lost record goes on his slate. It's very possible he's about to have his eighth losing season in 10 years. The vast majority of his signings/acquisitions has put up negative WAR rankings when they were with the Sox. And remember the Sox weren't always "rebuilding" in those years, some years they were trying to compete and he couldn't even produce a team that would finish with a winning record. He's a lawyer/contract negotiator pretending to be a G.M. He was very good at that before he was given the G.M. role but he clearly isn't fit for this current job and I can't think of to many organizations that would keep him given the results as long as the Sox have.

8th time this year the Sox had a lead in the 7th inning or later and lost. They have now scored three runs or less in 60 out of 120 games played...50%. I have no idea how that compares to other teams but on the surface that seems pretty bad to me. The 'baseball gods' have a strange sense of humor don't they? TLR in the pregame saying why he decided to play Grandal (paraphrasing 'he's getting hot') and what happens? They have a chance to really blow the game open in the first inning, really put McKenzie on the ropes...and he hits into a DP. What can you do? Like I tried to explain in another thread, the rot and dysfunction in this organization goes a lot deeper than an overmatched manager. And with Eloy getting hurt yet again, will the Sox wait a week before putting him on the IL? Will Rick Hahn get visible upset the next time a media person says or writes that he's "injury prone?" like what happened earlier this season?

I've been saying for the last few years the medical, training and conditioning staffs need to be totally replaced. Not just one of two guys, the entire departments. Regarding Robert specifically, remember all the confusion and misinformation over the "lightheadedness"?

That appears to be the case. Nothing will get Sox fans to turn against a player more quickly than if they think he's dogging it. And the organization isn't helping matters by apparently "babying" guys....at least that can be the perception.

If you think this is "odd"...get a load of whom the White Sox hired to be a Senior Medical Advisor a few years ago (and he still has that position): https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1530943-ex-red-sox-trainer-mike-reinold-injected-players-with-controversial-substance

JR being "fiscally responsible" again I see.

Have to agree with you. Simply no excuse for this incompetence.

I appreciate the fact that unlike past years Garfien has been a little more "honest" and willing to question what is going on. Regarding Robert, we shouldn't be surprised the Sox medical, training and conditioning staffs have apparently messed things up again, it has been going on for the past several years. Also if it should be obvious by now to everyone TLR has no idea what is going on when he talks to the media about player injuries so you don't believe anything he says in that regard. I'm reminded what a long time Sox fan said a few years ago after the Sox/Rodon "what is going on" medical situation. "Until I see the guy out on the field, I always assume the worst when it comes to injuries, regardless of what the team says..."

Well I will say this, it only takes one team to think they can turn someone around and be willing to take a financial chance.

Maybe, maybe not. No guarantees what the G.M. may do in the off season, he may ignore Sosa or Gonzales completely and get another mediocre veteran player. The Sox still have a chance to make the post season (I don't think they'll be around long if they do but that's for another time), shortstop is a key position. The Sox defensively are challenged the way it is, putting a guy at that spot who has shown to be able to play the position is pretty important right now in my opinion.

I agree another bad signing by the G.M. Three or four million more dollars wasted on a guy who career-wise was mediocre at best. I don't understand the Sox philosophy in signing these type guys, it's like they are always hoping to catch lightening in a bottle. That doesn't happen very often. Esteban Loaiza and Johnny Cueto don't come around very often where the Sox hit the jackpot.

It's certainly possible but the only thing consistent about the 2022 White Sox is their inconsistency. They can lose all three badly...they can also somehow win all three (although I wouldn't bet on that happening)

There absolutely was a lot of optimism and deservedly so but there were also a lot of fans who voiced concern when the Sox failed to make impactful off season moves that really moved the championship needle forward. Else why would Rick Hahn on the radio chastise them? (I think that was in December).