Lip Man 1

Heard from a source this morning who spoke with Hawk before he went on the podcast. Hawk told them he was going to talk about the state of the Sox and how Brooks has ruined the organization and JR. This individual then spoke with Hawk afterwards and Hawk told them he actually wanted to say more but is saving it for his next book. This person told me Hawk is really pissed off at Brooks, JR and the organization. I've always been treated well by Brooks myself but something has obviously changed since I've been told by multiple sources that he is causing a lot of problems and issues right now. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hawk-harrelson-reveals-he-got-fired-not-retired-ryan/id1674957140?i=1000606353148

The Padres, Mets and Phillies are certainly trying too though.

Dick: I can tell you a number of folks inside and outside the organization are wondering what is going on with Brooks. Just some extracts from my November story "State of the Sox" : “People, his friends… have tried to tell him (JR) what has been going on, “Hawk” Harrelson, the late Ed Farmer… God rest his soul, Darrin Jackson, Scott Reifert (Author’s Note: Scott is the Senior Vice-President for Communications) , Bob Grim and others but it’s just not registering for some reason.” “JR has become oblivious to things and what he’s allowed to happen is sad. He’s probably the most successful owner in Chicago sports history given the Bulls titles and the White Sox one which is dear to his heart, but what has happened the last two years is just sad. He is out-of-touch. And even worse he’s inaccessible. He’s either afraid of having to answer questions or he’s incapable of doing so.” “Things started to change when Howard Pizer (Author’s Note: Pizer is the Senior Executive Vice-President) was told that he’d no longer be in charge of everyone, that some folks would no longer have to answer to him. That opened the door and some people are trying to get themselves into position to become a team president. Folks aren’t telling JR everything; in some cases they are lying to him.” “Howard Pizer was the only guy who could tell JR ‘no’ and stop something. If people are angling to try to become a vice-president or president that’s just embarrassing.” “I know the friction in the front office just wore Bob Grim down.” (Author’s Note: Grim retired after 30 years with the organization. He was the Senior Director of Business Development and Broadcasting) And remember the comments Jason Benetti made about his latest contract situation which comes under Brooks' authority.

Kopech five hits allowed, five runs, three walks in basically four innings. Not good. Beginning to have doubts about him given the injuries and missed time and even worse the Sox have nothing reliable to take his place. Given how often pitchers get hurt today, it's bordering on criminal the Sox did not go out and sign some starting pitching depth. You need six starters to make it through the season given injuries and DH's. Sox finish the spring season at 12-15-3 with one rain out. They go 1-1-2 against the Cubs.

I agree especially since games will no longer be going 17 innings.

Did he rush back? I mean he missed six weeks or so to open the season didn't he?

Based on things I was told from people inside and outside of the organization Hawk does have a point with marketing / pricing issues.

The usual issue though with Moncada is that it never really seems to be "a game" but multiple games, sometimes lasting weeks.

March 28, 1940 - During a 10-1 preseason loss at Wrigley Field to the Cubs, White Sox second baseman Jackie Hayes was hit by a drifting speck of cinder in his eye. Hayes’ eye became infected, and by the end of the season had lost full sight in the eye, and retired from the game. By 1943, Hayes was blind in both eyes. At the time, Hayes speculated that it was the cinder during the game, or soap, that had irritated his eye, leading to his eventual blindness. But in truth, as he later acknowledged, Hayes was afflicted with glaucoma, robbing him of his sight. Hayes played as a part-timer in 1940 for the White Sox, getting into 18 games and hitting .195. The second baseman though was a stellar defender, and over nine years with the White Sox was a positive player. Interestingly, on August 23 of his final season, with a rash of beaning’s plaguing the game, Hayes became the first Major League player to wear a modified batting helmet basically a hard leather ear flap. March 28, 1981 - The Sox dealt pitcher Ken Kravec to the Cubs for pitcher Dennis Lamp. Over the next three seasons Lamp would do everything for the club... start, pitch long relief as well as close games. He’d toss a one-hitter against Milwaukee on August 25 of that same year losing his no-hitter in the ninth inning when Robin Yount blooped a double. Lamp would then lead the “Winnin’ Ugly” 1983 Western Division champion White Sox with 15 saves. He was also the winning pitcher the night of September 17 of that same season when the Sox beat Seattle 4-3 to clinch that divisional crown, their first title in 24 years. In three seasons with the Sox Lamp won 25 games, saved 20 and had an ERA of under four every year.

The Sox say they will officially announce the Opening Day roster on Wednesday.

DVS of the Sun-Times with a Moncada-status story: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/3/27/23658737/white-sox-third-baseman-yoan-moncadas-status-uncertain-for-opening-day Grifol's comment was interesting: Grifol suggested Moncada’s soreness stems from being on long flights in recent weeks. He and Luis Robert played for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, flying to Taiwan from Phoenix, then to Miami and back to Phoenix. “They got a lot of miles on them this spring,” Grifol said. “That could be a residual of that.”

Sports Illustrated this month has a story on robot umpires that are coming soon. Things like what Rosenberg did make me wish it was coming into play Thursday.

Got my print edition of Sports Illustrated this afternoon in the mail. It is the baseball preview. They aren't high on the Sox giving them 76 wins and calling out everything they didn't do this past off season. In the same issue there is a long feature story on the Padres explaining how they are able to spend the money they are for a "small market" team and asking the question with baseball making so much money, why won't other teams do the same.

It's actually his second spring injury. He's only had six at-bats all spring.

A decent start would go a long way to helping the fan base think this season will be different and it is possible although 10 of the first 13 are on the road. Personally I don't think they'll be playing all those road games because of weather in Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Just put yourself in a position where games in August/September mean something, have a winning record at the very least. Anything over that is gravy.

I was told it was none of the individuals/organizations you listed but a person in the front office. I'm not at liberty to disclose the name.

Did you see the diagram they put out where multiple ticket prices were listed for individual rows? Talk about confusing...I saw a comment from a fan where they said it looked like something a kid in kindergarten drew up. As others have posted the best way to maximize revenue is to win. Although (and this is another discussion topic I realize) with MLB a 10 billion dollar industry I don't think any team is hurting financially what with the multiple income streams both domestically and internationally.

The other thing may be, the very bizarre and convoluted new ticket pricing system. I was told that was rammed though without a lot of input from people in the front office.

Supposedly this is a minor injury and more than likely it is, but as DVS of the Sun-Times pointed out in his story tonight on this, last year when Moncada got hurt the last week of spring training, the Sox said that was "minor" as well. He was out until May.

That's just recently, if you go back to the start of his tenure (say Keppinger for example) he's wasted a lot more than that. Although to be fair Hahn doesn't make these decisions in a vacuum. Kenny's still involved and the Sox talent evaluation people make recommendations at both the major and minor league level. They need to be held accountable too.

It is an unusual contract though and the Sox have a clause in it that can space out payments. Don't know all the details, simply saying there are no guarantees, although if he is back by May/June (as many are speculating) that could end the uncertainties one way or the other: "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." The ability to space out the payments could be a factor in the decision making process depending on what JR says the team payroll will be in 2024. Hard to say anything for sure right now, just that the option could come into play because of the way the contract is written. And that's assuming JR is still running the club in 2024.

Very good question. Although they have two or three guys who will probably be leaving (Giolito? Lynn? Hendriks?)

Yet the owner who throws nickels around like they are manhole covers, hasn't fired Hahn for his incompetence.

Surprised but very happy the Sox cut this stiff.

Why are we not surprised? LOL. ?