Lip Man 1

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Oct 12, 2015 -> 01:03 PM) Zobrist is far from a "stiff". From reading you posts the past few months, I often wonder if you have any idea what you're talking about. I think this seals it. 59: One definition of insanity is doing the same failing thing over and over again and expecting it to work. You bring in vets to fill holes when you are ready to contend. The Sox in my opinion are not ready to contend, there are still far to many major black holes in this lineup and on the team. Let me ask one simple question, why would you want the Sox to get into the same position again that Hahn was trying to dig them out of in 2013? Signing expensive guys (even assuming someone like Zobrist would even WANT to play for the Sox - which is a mighty big assumption) to deals when they are in their 30's is another recipe for disaster. What you are suggesting is a "Kenny Williams special" and history shows that has worked out SO WELL for this franchise since the start of the 2007 season hasn't it? They need young talent (which is hard to get granted) not going back to the same philosophy that hasn't worked. I repeat, I'd rather lose with kids who maybe...just maybe have an upside then lose with guys who simply are not going to get better and don't solve the major issues on this club. Like Mark Gonzales told me one time, the absolute worst position a team can be in is to have a bunch of declining guys on the roster with big deals who are unmotivated. I'd rather not have the Sox go back to that place...no thank you. But then again obviously as a Sox historian I have no idea what I'm talking about. LOL! Mark

QUOTE (brett05 @ Oct 12, 2015 -> 11:12 AM) Hawk has always pulled for Carmen DeFalco. He subbed in once or twice a couple years back. I'd also love a return of Dave Wills. Dave is very happy in Tampa and I can't see him leaving. Never say never but the odds are pretty slim. Mark

Impossible to say or think anything right now. No trades have been made, no free agent or rule 5 signings. Some of the guys you mentioned might not be with the club in two months, who can tell right now? Let's wait and see after the winter meetings... than if the reports are true that the Sox think they are close and will basically stand pat, something can be 'predicted.' Mark

A little something from the 1993 A.L.C.S.: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...ck-sox-scandal/ Mark

For those who may not understand the context please allow me to explain. The time period from 2007 through 2015 has netted the Sox six losing seasons in nine years. From that historical standpoint it is the worst stretch of baseball for the franchise since 1968 through 1980. That time period resulted in two winning seasons, one .500 season and nine losing seasons. I trust this will clear up the confusion. The late 80's and the late 90's have nothing on right now as far as sustained poor baseball results. The late 80's had four losing seasons in a row, that's all. The late 90's had four losing seasons in five years, that's all. Both of those stretches also had the Sox then going on some very good periods...something very hard to imagine at this point in time. Mark

QUOTE (AlSoxfan @ Oct 11, 2015 -> 03:01 PM) Yes, I heard both Robin and Hahn say we just got off to a bad start, just after the AS break. I think they believe they're close. Personally I think even if we had started the year 10-0 we would of never been close. I really don't expect much this off yr. because of this line of thinking. We'll see what happens but given the realistic chance season ticket sales are going to drop perhaps dramatically the Sox probably won't have as much money to throw away on guys in their 30's heading downhill. Honestly I don't see how they can go about getting the talent they need other than trying to sign some guys and hope and maybe swing a deal. They still don't have enough young major league ready talent in the minors to either replace the guys they deal or somehow get younger talent who may be ready to play. I think they are between a rock and a hard place and don't really know yet what the plan is, despite Kenny assuring everyone he has one. The proof is in the pudding, we'll see, but the bottom line is the same folks who got the Sox into this mess are supposedly the ones going to get them out of it. Hate being so negative but that's what you get when the franchise is going through their worst period of baseball record wise since 1968-1980. Win games (a lot of them) and everything is solved from attendance to fan reaction to advertising and such. Right now the record shows the Sox seem incapable of doing this. Mark

Saw an interesting quote today from Tony LaRussa and how much impact a manager has on a game / season. Just wanted to share it for discussion purposes and you can apply it or not to Ventura: "To be really good you have to be a solid decision maker but if your team doesn't play with effort, though, you're a total failure." Mark

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Oct 9, 2015 -> 09:56 PM) I'm going to come out and say it, but if you claim to be a true Sox fan and are cheering for the Cubs this postseason then you are a f***ing idiot. Our beloved franchise has always been the ugly step-child of the Chicago sports scene and a Cubs World Series victory would make us even more irreverent. Go ahead and come up with some lame excuse on why it's ok to cheer for them, but you are literally rooting against the well-being of your own franchise. There is no good that comes to the Sox from the Cubs winning the World Series, none whatsoever. It's absolutely disgusting how many "Sox fans" I know are jumping on this bandwagon and it's even worse how many members on this site, a forum that is home to some of the most die-hard Sox fans in the world, are pro-Cubs right now. Very well said in my opinion. Mark

I did find this headline at the White Sox web site for their latest story interesting: "Sox to rely on improvement of core in 2016 Club unlikely to make drastic changes, believes pieces are in place to compete." Who knows if this means anything for sure, but I will say if they do very little and actually believe this, another bad April start and U.S. Cellular Field will be a ghost town by June 2016. Mark

No thank you to both Ramirez and Zobrist. Both over 30, heading downhill, the Sox don't need more stiffs who are unmotivated with big expensice contracts. If the Sox are going to continue to suck (and they probably will) I'd rather see a bunch of kids who at least care. MMark

I remember reading over the summer where Shark to the Yankees at some point (or the Dodgers or Cardinals) was a possibility. Wouldn't surprise me in the least. Nor would it surprise me if he rebounded to have a good year as soon as he got out of town. Has happened going all the way back to David Wells. That's the "White Sox way." Mark

QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ Oct 9, 2015 -> 06:58 AM) I think it's kind of funny, but it reinforces the idea that Sox fans are more concerned with the Cubs than their own team. I'd be against any Cub-centric marketing campaign by the Sox. Just get better. Obviously you don't remember the hate spewing from Cub fans in 2005...LOL. Supposedly they don't care about the Sox, let's put it this way they sure had a funny way of showing they didn't care. What DOES bother me is that the Cubs, the butt of late night jokes for decades have made the post season eight times since 1981. The Sox only five under JR/EE. I understand the A.L. for years saw the Yankees and Red Sox lock up two of the four playoffs spots on a regular basis but still that's a piss poor record for success. Mark

Ten years ago Wednesday, Chris Berman (die hard Red Sox fan) was not pleased...LOL: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...s-the-carmines/ Mark

I did find it interesting that at the upcoming organizational meetings including some of the folks who run the minor leagues that Ventura won't be around for it. You'd think the manager of the major league team who could eventually be working with these guys would be present to get a better understanding of what's down on the farm. Seems strange to me. I know if I was in that position I'd certainly be there. Mark

Don't know if the Dodgers or anybody would want Danks without the Sox paying a major portion of his final year's salary. Don't know if they'd do that. Mark

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 7, 2015 -> 12:57 PM) Nieto not a surprise, no one would claim him or Rule V him (again). Guerra is a loss though, I thought he could be a potential 2016 bullpen piece. Given Guerra if I remember right missed most of last year (can't remember if it was an injury of drug related), I don't think its much of a loss. Mark

Two more items... For October 5th LaMarr Hoyt pitches a playoff gem: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/l...ws-an-alcs-gem/ For October 6th One of the greatest World Series catches ever: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...ss-him-goodybe/ Mark

Good analysis in my opinion. It starts and ends with ownership / management as in most businesses. The Sox ownership / management is stale, set in their ways, have a collective 'group-think' at problems because so many people have been together for so long. It's not working and yet they refuse to make the important changes that are desperately needed. It's not change for changes sake now in my opinion. With the Cubs 'success'' (notice I put that in quotes) and the probability of them starting their own network in 2020, it's now change for survival with the White Sox. But given the ages and net worth of the Board of Directors, it's hard to see them or JR wanting to rock the boat. The Sox are in a bad, bad place right now. Mark

Sox are in serious, serious trouble right now but I also agree they aren't going anywhere. Mark

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Oct 5, 2015 -> 04:47 PM) There's gotta be big moves on the horizon. Sox can't roll out Avi,Trayce,Saladino, Sanchez, Flowers, Alexei next year. Big expensive upgrades are coming. Maybe we'll see. Depends a lot on how season ticket sales go and I wouldn't think that's going to go over well. Mark

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Oct 5, 2015 -> 01:11 PM) 2008 also had the likely AL MVP hurt himself at the beginning of September. If Quentin doesn't throw his bat down in frustration we likely win the division without the need for Game 163 and we could have set-up our rotation for the playoffs. At that point anything could have happened, because the playoffs in baseball are a crapshoot. Just to correct a point, he didn't throw the bat down. After missing a pitch from Cliff Lee he tried swinging the bat into his other cupped hand out of frustration (he was supposed to catch it or cup it in that hand). He missed and the bat struck bone towards the bottom of the hand / wrist breaking it. One of the dumber things a baseball player ever did to himself. Mark

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Oct 5, 2015 -> 10:16 AM) Well the Dodgers' TV deal has turned out to be a big fiasco with all the people that can't even watch them in LA. Very true. Of course the Dodgers already have that TV money in the bank. LOL. A lot will depend on how the Cubs do the next few years and if they can keep this going. If they can and (God forbid) get to or win a World Series, they'll probably get a maximum amount of dollars available regardless of what happens outside the Chicago market. No question they are in a much better position right now than the Sox. If you believe Fan Graphs stories over the summer the Sox are the least watched team in MLB. That doesn't give them a lot of negotiating area in their next deal unless that drastically changes. Mark

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 5, 2015 -> 10:43 AM) Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 6m6 minutes ago Chicago, IL Breaking news Hawk Harrelson to cut back to 81 broadcasts in 2016 . 78 road -home opening day and two Cub home games . ( industry sources ) This is really bizarre that at his age he'd want to do basically only road games. Scully for example basically only does home games and some short road trips out of L.A. Strange. Guess we should all get ready to usher in the Chuck Swirsky era. (I hope not though...) Mark

Saw this on another web site and it's absolutely perfect. "The White Sox lost 6-0 and collected only three hits in their home opener. The White Sox lost 6-0 and collected only three hits in their home finale. Fitting bookends." Mark

Daniel was able to bring up to date for the past week the This Date in Sox History section at Sox Net. There are eight new additional historic audio cuts for the following days there: September 27 http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...eam-to-victory/ (Bo Jackson's division clinching home run / audio of final out) September 29 http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...o-wire-to-wire/ (Final out as Sox clinch divisional title) September 30 http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...-blackout-game/ (Final out at original Comiskey Park / Thome's blackout game home run / audio of final out) October 1 http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2015/10/t...ld-series-lead/ (Big Klu's 2nd home run in game #1 World Series / Bob Elson's last words as Sox announcer) Enjoy! Mark