Lip Man 1

SEVEN factoids today: July 6, 1933 - The first ever All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park. The Sox won a coin flip with the Cubs for the right to host the game that was the idea of Chicago Tribune sports editor Archie “Arch” Ward. It was played in connection with the Chicago World’s Fair which started in May along the lakefront. The A.L. won the game 4-2 thanks to a home run by “Babe” Ruth in the third inning off of Bill Hallahan. The Sox representatives in that first game were Jimmy Dykes (3B) and Al Simmons (OF). Dykes who’d later go on to manger the team, scored the first ever All-Star run. July 6, 1954 - Virgil “Fire” Trucks threw a one-hitter at Detroit beating the Tigers 4-0. It would be the second one-hitter thrown by Trucks in a little over two months. On May 1 he beat Boston at Fenway Park, 3-0 with a one-hitter. In this game the only hit he allowed came in the third inning when Harvey Kuenn singled to center. He’d strike out eight in the game. For the season Trucks would go 19-12 with an ERA of 2.79 and he’d save the All-Star game in Cleveland for the American League. July 6, 1983 - The Golden Anniversary All-Star Game was held at Comiskey Park which hosted for the third time. The A.L. mangled the N.L.13-3 stopping their 11-game losing streak. Chicago native Fred Lynn, of the Angels, got the game’s first ever grand slam, off the Giants Atlee Hammaker who’d later go on to pitch for the Sox. Ron Kittle (OF), who’d go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award, got an infield single in the game in the seventh inning and scored a run. He was the Sox lone representative. July 6, 1999 - Chris Singleton became the first Sox rookie to ever hit for the cycle when he turned the trick against Kansas City. The Sox would lose the game however, 8-7 in 10 innings. Chris went 5 for 6 with three runs scored and four RBI’s. Singleton would later go on to be a Sox broadcaster for a short period of time. July 6, 2007 - The Minnesota Twins scored 32 runs and hammered eight home runs in a day/night twin bill at U.S. Cellular Field winning 20-14 and 12-0. It was a low point for a franchise that was World Series champions less than two years earlier. Jon Garland and Gavin Floyd took the losses. July 6, 2021 - The unbelievable injury run continued to plague the White Sox. Catcher Yasmani Grandal became the 15th different player and fourth key starter to go on the disabled list for the club with only a little more than half the season played. He was diagnosed with a torn tendon in his left knee suffered the night before in Minnesota on a checked swing. A few days earlier in Detroit he took himself out of the game with a tight calf muscle in the same leg. At the time he was among the club leaders in home runs, on-base percentage and among the league leaders in walks. After a stint on the IL he came back to put up impressive numbers finishing the season with 23 home runs and 62 RBI’s. In a game against the Cubs on August 27 he’d tie the team record driving in eight runs in the Sox 17-13 win. July 6, 2021 – Later that same night with the Sox needing something positive, pitcher Carlos Rodon, having an All-Star season, gave it to them. The left hander kept the Twins in check for six innings allowing one run, striking out eight as the Sox got a badly needed win 4-1. With the eight strikeouts Rodon tied a club record first set by Juan Pizarro back in 1961, with eight or more strikeouts in nine straight starts.

That would be some get to be sure. MLB Network was speculating last week that if San Diego decided to trade him the Yankees would probably be the best fit.

Webb would cost a ton in prospects/players and I thought I read recently where the Giants said they would not be dealing him. He'd be terrific to have however.

I gave up concerning or worrying about the all-popularity contest game decades ago. It's a total farce. Let the Sox players get four days off, that's more important than a meaningless exhibition game that if you go by the TV ratings very few people care about anyway.

Given the state of the pitching staff and the lousy weather this weekend for them to come back and gain a split is tremendous and says something about their toughness. A well deserved off day to give the pitchers a rest should help before the home stand leading into the break. You have to tip your hat to them the way they responded.

Game is in a delay, Sun-Times said grounds crew uncovered the tarp and as soon as they did, it started raining heavily again so they had to recover the infield.

Great point. Have that game in my radio library: September 22, 1959 - The White Sox clinched the American League pennant beating the Indians 4-2 in Cleveland. Al Smith and “Jungle” Jim Rivera hit back-to-back home runs in the game. Smith also threw out former Sox star “Minnie” Minoso trying to score a run. A crowd estimated by the Chicago Sun-Times at 125,000 was at Midway Airport to greet the Sox when they returned home. All this on a night when Chicago fire commissioner Robert Quinn ordered the air raid sirens turned on to celebrate the title, causing fear and panic in a number of non-baseball fans who thought the Russians were attacking. The Sox would wind up winning the 1959 pennant by five games over the Tribe with a mark of 94-60. While they were near the bottom in most offensive categories the pitching was stellar and the defense had three Gold Glove winners in Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and Sherm Lollar. The Sox also won 35 games that season by one run with 15 losses.

One factoid today: July 5, 1987 - The Sox tied the franchise mark for the most lopsided win at the time, when they beat the Indians 17-0 at Cleveland. Kenny Williams and Harold Baines each drove in four RBI’s in the rout with Ozzie Guillen and Greg Walker knocking in three each. Future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro was saddled with the loss.

Burke pitched one hell of a game. It's a shame he wasn't able to get the win but he kept the team in it. They won't get swept and the worst they'll be is a game out heading into a much needed off day. Just a gutsy performance tonight breaking that nine game losing streak in Cleveland.

Thanks although I wouldn't mind a rain out and I suspect the Sox wouldn't either.

Berroa's set back must have been a bad one.

What's the weather situation? Game start on time?

With the recent arm issues with MacDougal I'm guessing they are going to be very, VERY careful with him and I don't blame them. Forearm soreness in a lot of cases directly leads to TJS and that's the last thing this organization needs.

I'm guessing the station was WWWE radio. Saw this a few days ago, didn't believe it so I looked it up and it is true. Cleveland has made the playoffs seven of the last 10 years. Like Tampa and Milwaukee they have an organizational system and it works for them. Seems to be predicated on pitching, fundamental play and good defense. I'm envious. The only 'story' I can remember about that place was this item: June 2, 1995 - With the Sox having blown four straight games to the Indians, and off to an 11-20 start, manager Gene Lamont was fired and replaced by abrasive, taciturn third base coach Terry Bevington. Bevington would turn out to be a disaster on the field and in the clubhouse and the long-term effects of the way Lamont was dismissed would cause his mentor and former Sox coach Jim Leyland to turn down overtures by owner Jerry Reinsdorf to take over after Bevington was removed before the start of the 1998 season. He’d be replaced by first time manager Jerry Manuel.

Agreed. Maybe the ball will bounce their way tonight.

Did not know this. Very interesting that a young player would turn down some stability.

Having Luis Robert flashbacks.

That's a valid point which makes the situation the Sox find themselves in even more difficult. As usual they find themselves between a rock and a hard place. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't be trying to get help as soon as possible again assuming JR allows him to do so.

Read this morning where Cleveland had only a single walk-off win all year before doing it the past two nights.

Weren't happy with the grounds crew or the umpires: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/07/04/white-sox-accuse-guardians-grounds-crew-walk-off-loss-anthony-kay-will-venable-seranthony-dominguez

Well there does come a point where if you are seriously trying to contend you simply can't keep losing games because of him.

As has been pointed out all the TJS pitchers weren't expected to be back until the second half of the season, Getz knew that ahead of time. As others have also pointed out you can never have enough pitching. The Sox are woefully short in it. But OK, here's the bottom line, if they want to stay in this Getz has to get help sooner rather than later. If he doesn't or can't that's on him (and JR) so we'll see how it plays out.

NINE factoids today: July 4, 1939 - In the category of great feats by players you’ve never heard of, this one ranks near the top. White Sox infielder Eric McNair finished the best run of at least 10 plate appearances in club history: 12-of-13 (.923) with a home run and five RBIs. McNair started the run in an 8-3 win over the Browns on July 3, going 5-for-5 with five singles. The win kicked off a five-game winning streak and pushed the club back over .500, at 33-32. In the opener of the July 4 doubleheader, McNair led off the third inning with a solo homer (a blast to left that curved around the foul pole and caused St. Louis to protest the game, feeling the third-sacker’s blast was a foul ball) and then singled three more times. Not only did that run McNair’s streak to 9-for-9, he drove in three runs in Chicago’s 7-3 win. The nightcap dispensed with any tension over McNair’s streak, as he was retired in his first at-bat. From there, however, the righty slapped another three singles, including an RBI single as part of a five-run flurry in the top of the ninth that flipped the game from a 3-2 deficit to 7-3 margin. July 4, 1960 - Bill Veeck’s exploding scoreboard was featured in a night shot on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The caption read, “Fireworks at Comiskey Park.” July 4-5, 1964 - During the 1960's the White Sox were synonymous with outstanding pitching...pitching that was the envy of most of Major League baseball excluding only perhaps, the Dodgers. The best example of this were these two days in Chicago over the Fourth of July holiday in 1964. In a time span of roughly 28 hours, the White Sox threw three straight complete game shutouts against the Indians. On the Fourth of July itself, Gary Peters blanked the Tribe on three hits, winning 4-0. In the Sunday doubleheader it was Juan Pizarro in game one, tossing a seven hitter, winning 2-0. Then in the nightcap it was Joe Horlen with a 5-0 blanking on four hits. In 27 innings, Cleveland managed no runs on 14 hits with seven walks. Now that’s pitching!!! July 4, 1972 - Sox catcher Ed Herrmann was involved in three double plays which tied the record for most involving a catcher in a single game. He tied former teammate J.C. Martin for the honor. The three included Herrmann in the middle of a pitcher-catcher-first base one, a strike out-throw out stealing twin killing and a thrown out at home, thrown out at second base one. The Sox turned five double plays against Baltimore at Comiskey Park… but lost 2-1! July 4, 1978 - At the urging of then manager Larry Doby, the White Sox brought up Tony LaRussa to become the club’s new first base coach. LaRussa cut his teeth managing with success in the minor leagues at Knoxville and was deemed ready by Doby and others to take the next step. LaRussa would go on to lead the Sox to the 1983 Western Division title and then win numerous pennants and championships as a manager with the A’s and Cardinals. He’d be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014 with 2,728 wins over 33 seasons. He’d come out of retirement in 2021 to lead the White Sox and move into second place all-time on the managerial wins list in addition to winning the division and making the playoffs. July 4, 2000 - Ray Durham and Jose Valentin led off the Sox half of the first inning in Kansas City with back-to-back home runs. It was the second time in team history a game started that way and the first time since 1937. The game also marked the Major League debut for Jon Garland who only lasted three innings in the 10-7 loss. It was the end of the Sox 12 game road winning streak. The last 10 of those 12 road wins came against teams with records of at least .500, making the Sox the only team since 1900 to accomplish that. July 4, 2022 – Fundamentals win (or lose) games and for years the White Sox have suffered because they don’t execute the things very well that often mean the difference between winning and losing. On this night though what they did made the record book. In the seventh inning of a tie game against the Twins A.J. Pollock hit a long drive to right center field that was caught on the warning track by Byron Buxton who immediately threw the ball back to the infield. What happened next had never happened before in the history of baseball. Pinch runner Adam Engel and Yoan Moncada both lost track of the ball and assumed it hit the wall and was in play. Engel was at third base but had never tagged up, Moncada was right behind him. As Buxton’s throw bounced in to the infield, Twins third baseman Gio Urshela was in perfect position to tag Moncada for the second out, then ran and touched second base which meant Engel was also out. It was an 8-5 scored triple-play the first in baseball history. The White Sox would lose a key game 6-2 in 10 innings with the triple-play caused by errant baserunning probably costing them an important win. July 4, 2025 – Colson Montgomery was one of the White Sox top prospects and his Major League debut in Colorado was one for the record books. In his first plate appearance, which came in the second inning, he was awarded first base because of catcher’s interference. That made him the first player in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to do so in his first MLB plate appearance, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Then in the last of the second, he made a full-out, with his back to home plate, diving catch of a flair off the bat of Ryan Ritter that saved a run. After making the incredible catch, Montgomery -- a 6-foot-3, 230-pound shortstop -- turned from his face-down position in the outfield grass and showed that he had the baseball. Quite a first game from the youngster. July 4, 2025 – He closed out the White Sox first World Series title in 88 years, then went on to save 173 games in a six-year South Side career. But on this day he became the first member of the 2005 club to pass away. Bobby Jenks, a larger-than-life figure with a triple-digit fastball died at the age of 44 from a form of stomach cancer. Jenks was called up from Double A in July of that 2005 season and stabilized the Sox bullpen down the stretch. He became an All-Star in both the 2006 and 2007 years and at one point retired 41 consecutive batters which tied the Major League record at that time. He posted a 3.40 ERA across 329 relief appearances and those 173 saves are the second-most in franchise history behind Bobby Thigpen (201).

The way things have been going I'd be happy with a single win and 3-4 on the road trip.

By no means do I think this is a competent bullpen but to be fair I saw recently a stat that said they have either thrown the most innings or made the most appearances (maybe both) in MLB. That is a direct result of the Sox having a starting pitching staff that can't go deep into games and basically doesn't scare anybody. Hell they don't even have a fifth starter they can use regularly. This is a bad pitching staff from top to bottom. We'll never know what Getz has been allowed to do by JR but he has to bear some responsibility for putting this staff together, or maybe to the point not putting together at least a decent one for the year. (And if the Sox were flailing away in the standings again they could be used a trade fodder.)