Lip Man 1

I remember that Ventura was insisting / demanding additional practices before games (like big league teams used to do EVERY DAMN DAY back in the day) and it payed off they started playing better fundamentally. I remember Mark Gonzales reporting on it as the Sox beat writer (when the Tribune actually had a Sox beat writer) Then he stopped doing it and I don't recall it happening much since then. Why Ventura stopped it I don't know, maybe the players b****ed about it?

Not that the Sox were going to win this game but the bullpen was total crap again and yet another error to start the year by Anderson.

I personally feel there is enough blame to go around from the players themselves being "baseball-stupid" to the organization teaching them from the minor league level on up to the big club.

True...they just lose. Because it’s Opening Day, even if you have a bad team you hope they play well on Day 1. Just because, like I said, it’s Opening Day, the start of a new season where anything can happen (although it usually doesn’t for a bad team…) With that in mind today was a big disappointment. Disappointing weather and a very disappointing performance on the field. Offense was basically non-existent until it was to late and the defense was up to the usual White Sox standards….bad. Fundamentally bad. Oh well.

Just want the club to start to show some measurable improvement, not just in the win column but among the key rebuild pieces. Oh and for God's sake, PLEASE stop with the fucking injuries! "It's Time" (to trot out an old Sox marketing phrase) for this franchise to become relevant again in their own home market and in MLB in general. Happy Opening Day folks!

I want what he's drinking!

That's what happens when you try to play baseball in March / early April in the Midwest / North. MLB never seems to learn.

69 wins.

I did find it interesting reading his comments in the story that even back in October after he had rested and rehabbed he said the soreness was still there, not as bad but still in place.

As I've suggested in the past, "pay them" from the MLB Central Fund for the "trouble" of having to sacrifice to make things better for fans. Fans shouldn't have to sit through 38 degree weather to watch a game and you have a higher injury risk with really cold weather (hamstrings etc...) The better solution would be to cut the season down and start playing actual DH's again but that of course makes to much sense and owners love their $$$$$

No surprise...another one bites the dust.

The Sox always seem to be reactive instead of proactive. That's part of what happens when you have people in their front office jobs for years (decades) and a group mindset of security without accountability for results sets in.

He can't be any worse than some of the stiffs they are running out there right now, that's for sure.

Jones looks awful as bad as Minaya, hell as bad as most of the pitching staff this spring.

Or...he's just not very good...period.

Very true and that's where not being willing to spend money and having a bad farm system (again because JR admittedly refused to pay for potential) really killed them in years when injuries hit. 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010 immediately come to mind.

OK.... Whatever you say sir. ?

I can't speak for everyone but I was damn excited during the two time periods I listed. 1977 and 2005 were one year wonders. To do something sustained is the mark of excellence and the two runs I mentioned while not Yankee or brave like were still worth mentioning. As I said they aren't chopped liver to be dismissed out of hand or tossed in the garbage. That's plain nuts.

Well they had a nice run overall from 1981-1985 and from 1990-1996. 81-85, four winning seasons, lots of excitement and a division title. 90-96, six winning seasons, a division title, opening of a new ballpark and the rise of some very good young players. That's not exactly chopped liver.

Until the White Sox prove they can develop their young kids AND actually keep them healthy, I'd say they haven't hit rock bottom yet.

MLB.com now has a story quoting Harper as saying he's going to start "recruiting" Trout for the Phillies in 2020.

Giolito kind of "meh" today, Minaya looked brutal yet again. How many chances is this stiff going to keep getting from this organization?

Between 1963 and 1967 the Sox led the league in ERA four times and missed leading it the 5th season by a very slim margin to the Orioles as I remember. They produced pitchers like Detroit produced cars back then.

Eddie Stanky at times also batted Peters 6th or 7th in the lineup on the day he was pitching!

If (maybe) winning 70 games passes as "enjoyment" for you then I admire your definition of the word. Not trying to be sarcastic but when you've had the past 12 years like the Sox have which by and large have been awful, its hard to find enjoyment in the game...maybe in some individual performances, but the object is to win, that's why they keep score and the Sox have been brutally bad at winning. Doesn't mean I'm going to give up on them before anybody spits that nonsense out, I was born and raised in Chicago, I'm a Sox fan and I'll stay a Sox fan but this season is going to be pretty rough once again and we shouldn't delude ourselves otherwise.