Lip Man 1

Says three more years before they are contenders but likes the direction right now: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/darrin-jackson-considers-white-sox-chances-of-contention

From The Athletic today, I think this story has been unlocked: “There’s opportunities for all 30 teams to be excellent. Some are investing in that excellence, some aren’t. “The issues that we see in the system we know can be addressed without (a salary cap).”-Tony Clark MLBPA Director https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6748385/2025/10/24/dodgers-world-series-spending-salary-cap-tony-clark/?source=athletic_thewindup_newsletter&campaign=15401221&userId=602876

True, he may acquire that with enough time and experience but right now he is definitely a work in progress. We'll see over time if he learns from his mistakes and doesn't keep making them. Again right now the jury is out on that concept as well. They still have on paper, winnable games coming up before they get hit with more divisional games, we'll see what happens and if they can take advantage of them.

2023: It's OK my friend. As Kenny Williams once said, "It is what it is..." Some folks are satisfied with mediocrity. Given what the Sox have done over the past 19 years I can understand I guess why they try to inflate the limited success they have had. Don't get me wrong in 2020 and 2021 they did some really good things, but in both cases it ended badly in part because of self inflicted wounds. That's hard to take.

Westy: It looks like you're going off the deep end again my friend. 😆 Easy there. As a Sox historian I absolutely know about the successes this franchise has had but i also know this: Since 2007 the Sox are one of the worst franchises in baseball, putrid in fact. 13 losing years, five winning ones and a season at .500 The playoff record in that time? Three appearances, three first round exits and an overall record of 3-8. So given that context if the Sox did what the Cubs have done in the last 10 years, five playoff appearances and a World series title, you're damn right, I'd give a lot for the Sox to do the same thing.

Sox Machine looks back at the 2025 season with a deep dive into some brutal losses: https://soxmachine.com/2025/10/the-signature-white-sox-losses-of-2025

I think they have made the playoffs now five times in the past 10 years. As a Sox fan I'd give a lot for that.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/10/26/bears-doomed-by-problems-coach-ben-johnson-was-hired-to-solve-as-they-lose-30-16-to-ravens https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/10/26/chicago-bears-brutal-baltimore-ravens-nfl-lamar-jackson-caleb-williams-ben-johnson

Maybe when he's in another organization? (The McCaskey effect remember...LOL)

Bears offense is still poor. A lot of it falls on Williams but don't forget Loveland's utter stupidity on the first drive with the false start penalty inside the Baltimore five yard line. Instead of (maybe) an opening drive touchdown they settle yet again for a field goal.

Short answer: No.

Interesting speculation. To me the difference was the White Sox pitching. The starters: Jack McDowell, Alex Fernandez, Wilson Alvarez, Jason Bere, Scott Sanderson. The bullpen: Roberto Hernandez, Paul Assenmacher, Dennis Cook, Jose DeLeon, Kirk McCaskill That's pretty hard to beat.

I would be shocked if the entire 2027 season was wiped out myself. The owners will cave long before it gets to that point. They have always done so in the past and I don't foresee that changing now.

There's a lot of truth in this post, I've thought the same thing myself. Winning the title convinced JR his way was the right way and there was no need to change things. Very glad the Sox finally won the series but the ramifications of winning it may have shaped how things were going to be done moving forward.

If they fired everyone who criticized the organization based on my conversations they'd have no one left working. The detailed story I did in November 2022 quoting six sources brought out how completely dysfunctional this organization was at the time and it doesn't appear to have changed much. FYI, these are the comments told to me at that time about the organization: “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) “Here’s a story about scouting/development. Nick Hostetler was ‘promoted’ to the Special Assistant to the Vice-President/General Manager. He was ‘promoted’ because he was overheard complaining about a scout in Arizona, Ken Williams Junior. Someone got their revenge. I liked Nick, he was independent, he was his own guy.” “People wonder why Dennis Gilbert (Author’s Note: Special Assistant to the Chairman) is around.” “Mike Shirley is the darling of amateur scouts right now. (Author’s Note: Shirley is the Director of Amateur Scouting) He’s the power broker. I heard him saying that he’s been in baseball a long time, I looked up his career and it was only a couple of years maybe a half season of at-bats.” “I think Chris Getz (Author’s Note: Getz is an Assistant General Manager and in charge of Player Development) is getting to much power to soon but I like him, he’s got some interesting ideas.” “There are department heads in the organization who don’t know what they are doing, worse, all they care about is getting ahead themselves, some of them are real snakes.”

My guess is that the MLBPA has been warning the players about what is coming and that they need to start saving their money. The MLPA also probably has a reserve fund (they have in the past) where they'll be able to pay the players something to get them by. The owners also probably will have a strike insurance fund (they have in the past) that will pay them a certain amount of money in the event games aren't being played. But under no circumstances can I see the MLBPA agreeing to a salary cap.

A lot of the players from that 83 club have told me the same thing that if they got to game #5 with Hoyt, they win it.

I posted the exact comment I was told by an individual connected to the organization for decades. It was not changed or altered in any way, shape or form. My profession doesn't allow me to name sources without their approval. I have no idea if the comment about Katz was malicious, or if said person who originated it was jealous or what. Which is why I always say "for what it's worth." You can dismiss it, accept it, do whatever you wish. I just assumed Sox fans would be interested to know what I was told.

Dayn Perry of CBS Sports (who I think is a big-time Cub fan) has a story this morning saying the Dodgers are going to go after Kyle Tucker this off season to take the place of Conforto in the outfield.

From Sox Machine: https://soxmachine.com/2025/10/arizona-fall-league-update-hagen-smith-still-the-same-for-better-or-worse

Doesn't mean Getz won't try to bring him back again though.

Literally every MLB national reporter/media member and many front office individuals have stated a lockout of the players by the owners is coming shortly after the 2026 season has ended. Manfred has gone on record promoting the salary cap idea and the owners of the Orioles and Yankees have done the same. Once again owners are going to try to get a salary cap like they have fruitless tried before, multiple times, which is why the 2027 season is in jeopardy. We'll see how far they are willing to go to try to get this implemented. From a White Sox fan perspective at least we'll have the satisfaction of knowing that unlike in 1981 and 1994 the team won't be good so postseason chances won't be impacted by a shortened season or no season at all.

There is some truth to this but what is also very true is getting new ownership on hand to flush everything the old ownership did right down the toilet and create a new identity among fans, media, players and agents.

Interesting and detailed story on the salary cap argument for MLB: https://www.southsidesox.com/chicago-white-sox-commentary-and-analysis/117449/a-rebuttal-to-salary-cap-enthusiasts-money-cant-buy-everything

Good point, he's still around