Lip Man 1

Didn't see this posted but Scott Merkin has said Dunning's MRI shows a moderate elbow sprain that "presently" will not require surgery. He's out 6-8 weeks and then will begin a throwing routine. Guess it could be worse but from what I've been reading usually the ultimate result is TJ surgery. Sigh... Personally if the end of the road is ultimately going to result in the surgery I'd rather they do it sooner rather than later and waste precious time. Perhaps PTAC can weigh in.

Scott Merkin was asked this question about Girardi at White Sox.com: How long do you see Renteria leading the rebuild? And do you think the White Sox will go after an experienced manager like Joe Girardi? I don't see Renteria being the manager when the team is ready to contend. -- @JH_Santiago21 Renteria has an excellent grasp on what the organization is trying to do through this rebuild, putting his clear imprint on the process, and he has full support of the front office, his staff and the players. I understand Girardi is the big-name free agent with Chicago ties, but look for Renteria to stay at the helm of this team for the immediate and foreseeable future.

Just a few random thoughts on this issue: 1. I've never understood why some folks are upset when a MLB game goes 3:15 but when an NFL game does that it's OK. When I was a kid and would go to Comiskey Park to see a DH, I'd wonder if eight hours or so was going to be enough baseball. (I'd get there two hours or so before first pitch to watch BP and infield practice, they used to open the gates three hours before first pitch). I don't think the game should be radically changed because a particular generation has a five minute attention span. 2. MLB is becoming like the NBA. Realistically only a handful of teams can win a title. The rest are all flotsam and jetsam. Hard to get fans excited when they know even with expanded playoffs they've got no chance. I can tell you right now the 10 teams that will probably be playing in October and I think I'd get eight or nine right. 3. Marketing is a huge issue with MLB, this I agree with. They have to do a better job. 4. The networks are a big player in this as well. It's always Yankees vs. Red Sox or Red Sox vs. Yankees seemingly every week (not literally of course but you get my drift...only select teams are usually shown). I recall the statement, by the ESPN ombudsman at the time, 'ESPN has to realize that Yankees-Red Sox mean very little to fans west of the Allegheny Mountains.' You want fans to get interested again in baseball? Stop promoting and showing just a handful of teams week after week. It used to be every team was required to be on the "Game of the Week" at least once, that is no longer in play. Ed Sherman wrote about this a few years ago when the A's finally were shown on Sunday Night Baseball.

Speaking of the Cubs I read an interesting story at the Awful Announcing web site this morning. Story said that with the AT&T / Time Warner merger approved. It is now expected that company is going to be a player for the Cubs broadcasting rights starting in the 2020 season. Story said the AT&T company already owns three RSN's (Pittsburgh, Rocky Mountain and Southwest) doing Pirate, Rockies and Astros games. They would form a new RSN just for the Cubs if they got their rights and would give them partial ownership. If nothing else, the story said, having AT&T as a player could drive up the price to keep the Cubs on NBC Sports Chicago.

Cuban has publicly said that if he could own any baseball team it would be the Pirates, the team he grew up rooting for as a kid. He did express interest in the Cubs when they became available. It didn't get very far. The last thing MLB wants is him owning a team and potentially having a team payroll of 250-275-300 million.

I wouldn't bet the house on that comment myself.

So the "dumbing down" of baseball continues.

Have heard and maybe someone can confirm this that Farmer and DJ were really ripping on the team on the radio broadcast. Supposedly DJ said "this is more of the clown baseball we've been seeing lately..." And Farmer supposedly said "Anderson has got to learn to catch something over there at short..." Rebuilding or not if this is true I salute the radio guys for calling the team out.

The at-bat that caught my attention was Anderson's in the 8th inning. Sanchez on second, no out, down a run. It looked like Anderson wasn't even trying to go the other way to get the guy to third base. No effort at all. Just swing hard and hope you make contact. Nope. Either RR and the staff are doing a bad job of getting through to these guys regarding fundamentals or the players are letting it go in one ear and out the other. I know Anderson hit a three run home run earlier. Great...not diminisihing that at all, but with the game on the line he looked awful and "baseball-stupid." Very frustrating even in a rebuilding year

Look at the good side to all this...they can't lose tonight!

A few things. PTATC is correct, the other owners would never allow Cuban in. He himself has said that if he were going to buy a team it would be the Pirates a team he grew up rooting for. He did have interest at one time in the Cubs but his first choice would be Pittsburgh. Regarding JR and selling. JR himself has said many times publicly, that he is going to own the team until he dies and part of that reason is because if he were to sell the club before then, taxes on the profit would be significant. He is a tax guy, he knows the in's and out's. After he were to pass on if his family / investors sold the team they would not be as high.

Given how they played the last month of last season and in the spring I expected better at least fundamentally. Not saying they were going to contend, or come close to a winning record, I just thought they would be progressing better overall. They aren't...and now you've got one of their own (Lopez) questioning their attitude and intensity. That reflects back on the manager and coaching staff if it is in fact true.

Another error this afternoon, nine or 10 now if I remember right.

Hard to argue with the points that were brought up.

This is pretty embarrassing no matter how you slice it.

Can't see it happening. "Loyalty"

If a deal is made I hope A.J. Reed is part of it.

Which is why if that were to happen, you'd have to question the ability of the Sox system to develop top rated kids into solid, good, major league players. Given the past 15 years or so, the jury is out on that important point.

It was time for a change. Happens to all of us in the business. Given the circumstances the Sox needed a dynamic new approach. Actually both Roland Hemond and Chuck Tanner wanted a young announcer named Al Michaels (yep...the same guy) who was doing the Triple A games in Hawaii. They pushed for him when they got the Sox job but owner John Allyn didn't think the fan base would go for such a young guy without a reputation. When Harry became available, he was the choice and history shows it was the right one for that time although Michaels would go on to get the Reds TV job and the rest is history.

I know Dave and I can tell you as much as he still loves the Sox and his roots, that ship has sailed. The Sox had their chance with him, some in the organization were pushing for him but from what I've been told, they could never get JR to say, "yes." Dave got tired of waiting and I can't say that I blame him.

Not fair to compare the two, it was a much different time and announcers then had a dramatically different approach.

If you go back and listen to the games where he worked with John Rooney, Ed was one of the sharpest and most insightful color analysts around. I can't tell you how many times he predicted something that was going to happen a pitch or two before it did. That's where his experience as a player and a scout really came into play. That was his strength. But as someone who does play by play for a living at a lower level I can tell you he's not a PBP guy, that's just not his strong point. D.J. is one of the nicest guys around, spent 20 minutes talking with him after a game. A real gentleman and he's gotten better but again he's not the best at what he does. Oddly enough, if you listen to the games he worked for Fox on the Game of the Week (like with Thom Brennermann) he was very good...a lot better. The two just don't have a real chemistry unfortunately. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Don't look for any changes though, JR has a say in the announcers from what I've been told, he's actually interviewed some of them, and he likes them both. You know the story.

If the Tigers played the Sox enough times they'd win the pennant. This is like a few years ago where Cleveland won something like 15 of 18 from the Sox. Embarrassing. Nick Castellanos, the latest in a very, very long and seemingly endless line of White Sox killers.

For what its worth to you I was told by one of the Sox announcers a few years ago when Alexei was playing the he was (direct quote) "the dumbest shortstop in baseball." The comment was made not because of the physical errors which are part of the game but because of all the mental mistakes in the field (example his issues with the double play, touching the actual base for an example) and his base running misjudgements. He was in the league a long time, those didn't seem to improve. I seem to recall an incident between A.J. and him for another example on his positioning when receiving throws from the catcher. A.J. wasn't happy about it. I'd have to agree with a previous poster, the Sox for the last decade or so really make you wonder if the organization stresses anything regarding fundamentals. It seems simple things, baseball situations are screwed up a lot. One way for the rebuild to increase the chances of succeeding is for these kids in the minor leagues to actually learn their trade / craft and master the "little things."

I see where Fulmer again walked six more guys last night.