Lip Man 1

Define your definition of "very good" please. They are five games over .500, certainly remarkable given the past three seasons but "very good?" I suggest we wait and see on that moniker. Playing in the worst division in baseball also isn't hurting their cause. It's not like they are going to win 90+ games. I've seen a lot of "very good" Sox teams in my time 59, 63, 64, 65, 72, 77, 83, 90, 93, 00, 05, 08, 21. This one hasn't met that standard yet.

Sox Machine with a detailed look at possible starting pitching trade help for the Sox: Building out a White Sox starting pitcher trade market -...Before the White Sox coming to town, Baltimore president of baseball operations Mike Elias said the Orioles would be buyers if the trade deadline were one week away, rather than one month away. “I kno

Those who get the Athletic will find this interesting. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7410468/2026/07/01/mlb-baseball-changes-drag-manufacturing-mistake/?source=athletic_pulsenewsletter&campaign=18731167&userId=602876 The story says baseballs are flying out at a higher rate since 2019. MLB and Rawlings also said an issue with dye for the seams has caused some balls to look 'yellowish.' Players and coaches are saying this could have had an impact on the balls which would explain the rise in home runs.

EIGHT factoids today: July 2, 1909 - The Sox ran wild in an unusual 15-3 romp over St. Louis. In this game the Sox stole eleven bases with three steals of home and three double steals. Sox third baseman Bill Purtell led the way with three swipes. Eight different Sox players stole a base in the game! July 2, 1910 - The Sox won their first game in the original Comiskey Park, besting the St. Louis Browns 3-2. Guy “Doc” White went the distance allowing one earned run on six hits for the win. He was called “Doc” because he graduated from Georgetown University dental school. July 2, 1923 - Future Hall of Famer Ted Lyons made his White Sox, Major League debut. He threw a perfect inning in a 7-2 loss at St. Louis. That season in nine games he’d go 2-1 with a start to his credit. July 2, 1930 - Outfielder Carl Reynolds became the first White Sox player to homer three times in a game when he did it at New York and he did it in spectacular fashion. It came in the second game of a twin bill that the Sox won 15-4. He went 5 for 6 with four runs scored in the game. He also became the first player in team history to drive home eight RBI’s in a game. Reynolds homered in the first three innings of the game and his first and third home runs on the day were both inside the park home runs to left field! The Sox lost the first game 5-1. July 2, 1977 - With first place at stake, the Sox beat the Twins 13-8. Jim Spencer, the Sox Gold Glove winning first baseman, became the first Sox player to ever drive in eight runs, twice in a season. He drove in eight runs the first time on May 14 in an 18-2 slaughter of Cleveland. On this day Spencer went 3 for 5 including a grand slam, a three-run home run and an RBI single. July 2, 1980 - Sox radio announcer Jimmy Piersall attacked Daily Herald sportswriter Rob Galas after Galas wrote a story speculating why Piersall was fired as a part time Sox coach. Spectators including White Sox historian/author Rich Lindberg, had to physically jump in and pull Piersall away. At the time Piersall was choking Galas. Yes, this is the same Rob Galas who later would become the Sox marketing director. Later on, that same day, the Sox Ross Baumgarten would one hit the Angels, winning 1-0. Rod Carew got California’s only hit, on a single leading off the seventh inning. July 2, 2016 – On this day the Sox tied a franchise record that had stood for almost 51 years. When J.B. Shuck pounded a home run in the fourth inning of a game in Houston, it marked the 15th consecutive solo home run hit by the team. That tied the original mark which was set between September 2-25, 1965. The individual breakdown of the home runs saw Brett Lawrie with three, Shuck with three, Tim Anderson and Todd Frazier with two each and Tyler Saladino, Dioner Navarro, Alex Avila, Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera each with one. The Sox would beat the Astros in the game 7-6. July 2, 2021 – It was a nice way to start a Major League career. Gavin Sheets, son of former Major League player Larry Sheets, started off his White Sox career by setting a franchise record. Sheets became the first player ever to have both a hit and an RBI in his first four games with the team. His impressive start came against the Twins at home and the Tigers in Detroit. In his first four games he went 6 for 15, with eight RBI’s and two home runs.

My only comment on this is that I remember going to Soldier Field in the 1970's a few times to watch the Sting and hearing how soccer was going to take off and be the next big thing in the U.S. Never happened and I highly doubt it's going to happen now.

Remember JR is the same guy who told Michael Jordan that paying him, I think it was 23 million his last season with the Bulls was "something I'll regret." (That from the book by Bob Green)

And let's not forget such "sterling" personalities as Tony Phillips, Albert Belle, Will Cordero, Brett Myers and Omar Vizquel. And of course we've got this from my November 2022 story on the state of the Sox: “You know about Mike Reinold right? (Author’s Note: Reinold is the White Sox Senior Medical Advisor) He was fired by the Red Sox because he was injecting players with Toradol.” (Author’s Note: Bleacher Report had a story on this situation published in February 2013. Here is the link to that story: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1530943-ex-red-sox-trainer-mike-reinold-injected-players-with-controversial-substance) No organization is completely innocent or guilt free. Like I told West we're talking about two different issues i.e. on the field and off the field. I'm really only concerned with what happens on the field. I'm not a social justice warrior or a politician.

To me they can't afford any more serious injuries especially to a thin pitching staff and Getz if he's allowed to has got to get reinforcements for it.

False equivalent. We're talking about two different situations. JR may not be the "worst" as I said but that's no different from being one of the worst in my mind. And yes I'm a piece of work I care about the White Sox, the issues with other teams is not my first concern. Nor is it my second concern or my third concern. As a baseball fan of the White Sox yes not having a good organization, a winning club is worse in my mind then Skaggs' unfortunate situation which was partly his own responsibility. You can send me to hell if you wish, don't really care.

Yes...he most certainly is. The record speaks for itself. Seven playoff appearances in 46 years of ownership, in the third biggest market in the country.

MLBPA responds with some interesting ideas regarding pitchers: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/01/mlb-negotiations-mlbpa-minors-pitchers/

JR not being "the worst" owner instead being "one of" the worst owners is little consolation don't you think? The on-field record since the start of the 2007 season is one of the worst in MLB and it's clear for whatever reason JR doesn't seem to mind that fact.

The season itself hasn't been frustrating. It's been an unexpected joy a la 1977 and 1990. But it is frustrating to me anyway, that the Sox had kill shot chances three times and weren't able to close the door. They need to do what the Cubs have been able to do, put together a long win streak and start to put some distance on Cleveland. Maybe they can start that this weekend, we'll see.

The money stays deposited in the White Sox bank drawing interest and ticket holders are told they can automatically have tickets for the 2028 season.

They very well could...assuming JR lets Getz get the pitching they badly need.

That's a good question, I don't know about that one.

MLB-TV a few days ago was speculating he could go to the Yankees. (Why are we not surprised?)

I think a lot will depend on what happens the next four games in Cleveland. If the Sox do well they can afford to give him more time. If they crap the bed, I'm guessing his status will at least be discussed by the front office.

Ron needs to go to New York and ask if Yankee fans root for the Mets? Or go to the Los Angeles area and ask if Dodger fans root for the Angels. Please. You pick a side, Period. Full stop. End of story. And here's an example of how the Cub organization feels about the White Sox. For years, decades, the scoreboard at Wrigley when listing American League games would have White Sox on it versus whomever they were playing. Now and this has been the case I think since the Tribune Company bought the team, although I can't say that for sure, they list the Sox as "Chicago" versus whomever they are playing on the scoreboard. And we're supposed to root for them? 😆

You have to take all those with a grain of salt though. It all depends on what a team is willing to pay for his services.

I've never seen a season like the Cubs are having. A pair of 10 game win streaks, then lose 18 of 24, now about to win 11 of 13. With everybody and his brother on the injured list. How the hell are they doing it????????????????????????????

Sorry, that's not happening at least with this individual. Screw them all.

Well the fact that they are in a race where every game could matter even more significantly over time...they may want to rethink that philosophy. Third straight series they had a chance for the sweep and could not close it out. Very frustrating.

SEVEN factoids today: July 1, 1905 - Sox pitcher Frank Owen won both games of a double header at St. Louis. The scores were 3-2 and 2-0. In both games he went the distance and only allowed the Browns seven total hits for the afternoon. He is one of only 47 pitchers in baseball history to accomplish this feat, (i.e. two complete game wins in a single day) which generally happened in the early part of the 20th century. July 1, 1910 - The Sox opened the original Comiskey Park and lost 2-0 to the St. Louis Browns. Within three days of the first game, three Sox players were sidelined with injuries thus beginning, in the minds of some, a “Curse of the Comiskey’s” or “White Sox Curse.” Sox owner Charles Comiskey felt he had cursed his club because he broke a traditional Irish belief of 'never on Friday' which was the day of the week the stadium opened. Infielder Lena Blackburne stroked the first two Sox hits in their new stadium; both were singles off of Barney Pelty. July 1, 1920 - Future Hall of Fame catcher Ray “Cracker” Schalk was honored with his own day. The ceremony took place before a double header with the St. Louis Browns. The Sox split the two games winning the opener 3-2 in 11 innings, losing the second 4-1. Schalk officially went 1 for 4 in the twin bill with an RBI. July 1, 1962 - The Sox set the A.L. record for sacrifice flies in an inning as they got three in the fifth inning as part of a 7-6 win over the Indians at Comiskey Park. It was the second game of a double header with the Sox winning both contests. Juan Pizarro, Nellie Fox and Al Smith did the honors. The Sox were able to accomplish this feat because Indian’s outfielder Gene Green committed errors on two of the fly balls. They took the first game 5-4. July 1, 1990 - On the 80th anniversary of the opening of Comiskey Park, the Yankees Andy Hawkins threw a no-hitter. Except for one small problem....he LOST the game 4-0! The Sox got all their runs thanks to back-to-back fly ball errors courtesy of Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield in the eighth inning. Leyritz’s error was the back breaker as it came on a fly ball off the bat of Robin Ventura with the bases loaded with two out enabling three runs to come home. The Sox Greg Hibbard matched Hawkins pitch for pitch in the early going as he also had a no-hitter through the first five and a third innings. July 1, 1991 – Thanks to a Carlton Fisk home run in the 10th inning the Sox beat Minnesota at the Metrodome 5-4. It was the franchises 7,000th win. Bobby Thigpen, the fifth Sox pitcher of the game picked up the win. July 1, 2006 – Just six weeks after Cub catcher Michael Barrett sucker punched him at home plate in a White Sox dominant win, A.J. Pierzynski struck again. With the White Sox trailing, 6-5, with two runners on and down to their last out, Pierzynski clubbed a home run onto Sheffield Avenue to put the White Sox up, 8-6. It came off of Ryan Dempster. Bobby Jenks closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 25th save. Immediately after the home run Cub fans in the outfield bleachers delayed the game by tossing garbage onto the field which caused numerous members of the grounds crew to have to come out and clean the warning track area up.

When the bottom two hitters in your lineup drive in six runs, you're having a good night!