Lip Man 1

I wrote Jeff back saying that I recall either in 2005 or 2006, NBC Sports Chicago televised almost every Sox spring training game

February 13, 1970 - Tragedy struck the White Sox as promising young pitcher Paul Edmondson and his girlfriend were killed in an accident on US-101 near Santa Barbara, California. On a rain slicked highway, Edmondson’s car skidded into on-coming traffic and was struck by another vehicle. In his Major League debut in Anaheim on June 20, 1969, Edmondson fired a complete game two-hitter beating California 9-1. It would be his only Major League win. He also had two hits, scored two runs and drove in a run in it. He would appear in 14 games that season starting 13 of them. In six contests he’d pitch at least seven innings giving up three runs or less.

I asked jeff Agrest of the Sun-Times about why the Sox aren't televising all spring training games. He is the sports media reporter. Here is his answer: "I've asked others about that. The answer is money. There isn't much, if any, to be made on spring-training games. The ad dollars aren't there to support it. Marquee came out like gangbusters when it launched, airing almost every spring game. Now it's down to 11. I actually give CHSN credit for airing nine. NBC Sports Chicago never came close to that many."

#4 makes a lot of sense, which is why I've always advocated that teams who draft pitchers with conditions that are going to eventually blow out should get the surgery to correct things immediately since it is going to happen sooner or later.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/chicago-white-sox-chris-getz-luisangel-acuna/

https://dickallen15film.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP7NVRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXMnlsdG54NzNKdUxtYlYzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhle1NpPVjqPwqNXg1w-ntneD_Ln5OSQ_h0ApBkdbnU2HeAGKMfM6TMTfWGP_aem_No2WwArEWdrrm4ryfLNegg This is going to be special.

Very true and until the area became an upscale place for trendy young adults they were closing off the upper deck due to lack of attendance. Happened in 1983 for example.

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/white-sox-gm-chris-getz-switch-hitter-acuna.html The jokes seem to write themselves don't they?

I was glad to be able to play at part in both of those documentaries. Matt Flesch is already working on his next one, "The Stadium" dealing with the old Chicago Stadium. he's already had interviews with a number of former Blackhawks and some Bulls players. I've sent him some Bulls and Hawks games from the 70's and 80's so he can use some game footage to show what it looked like back then.

Nor should they, not with the injuries limiting them last year. No reason to rush them at all.

https://soxmachine.com/2026/02/pecota-nicer-to-white-sox-erick-fedde-is-in-the-fold

Happy Opening Day of Spring Training to all White Sox fans. Sox Machine reports on Getz's opening comments: https://soxmachine.com/2026/02/chris-getz-white-sox-open-spring-training-with-open-ended-mindset

Getz speaks: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/02/09/white-sox-100-losses-spring-training-rebuild

https://www.mlb.com/news/munetaka-murakami-jokes-about-misspelled-locker-nameplate

Said it was the COVID shot that ruined his career: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/02/09/white-sox-covid-19-lawsuit-vaccine

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/02/06/its-time-for-white-sox-active-offseason-to-show-improved-results-on-the-field

February 9, 1988 - Another one of the smaller moves completed by Sox G.M. Larry Himes that paid off in a major way. Himes shipped pitcher Jose DeLeon to the Cardinals for pitcher Ricky Horton and outfielder Lance “One Dog” Johnson. Johnson, would blossom into one of the better defensive center fielders in the American League, become a solid hitter and steal 226 bases in his eight years on the South Side. He led the American League in triples four straight seasons between 1991 and 1994. Johnson would have a 25-game hitting streak in 1992, batting .439 during that stretch and would also collect six hits in six at-bats in a game at Minnesota on September 23, 1995. Three of his six hits were triples. His most significant defensive play came as part of Wilson Alvarez’s no-hitter in Baltimore on August 11, 1991. In the eighth inning, Johnson sprinted to his left and dove full out catching a low line drive off the bat of Chris Hoiles to save it. He would sign a free agent contract with the Mets after the 1995 season.

Why should we expect anything else?

There's also a chance that pigs will fly, that the Bulls will win an NBA title this year and that zombies will attack humanity. But I wouldn't bet your life on it. Everything indication including based on his own comments says ishbia ownership will be 180 degrees different from JR when it comes to spending and acquiring talent.

February 7, 2005 - After one of the more acrimonious disputes in team history, four-time All-Star Magglio Ordonez signed a free agent deal with Detroit. Ordonez engaged Sox management in a war of words over how he was treated, the contract offered to him and his health status. Magglio’s agent, Scott Boras, refused to turn over medical information, which infuriated G.M. Kenny Williams and basically sealed Ordonez’s fate. Then manager Ozzie Guillen publicly called out Ordonez in no uncertain terms as well over the contract situation. Considering the severity of his knee injury, which required a secret trip to Austria for experimental surgery, it was hard to blame the Sox for their stance. Ordonez, who was almost traded to the Red Sox at the winter meetings in 2003 for Nomar Garciaparra, played with the team for six full seasons and parts of two others with 187 home runs and 702 RBI’s. In his full seasons he never hit less than .282 and in five of those years he was over .300.

MLB says this kid could crack the opening day roster: Braden Montgomery, OF (MLB No. 36) Part of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox at the 2024 Winter Meetings, Montgomery could shore up what might be MLB's worst outfield contingent. A switch-hitting right-fielder with well-above-average raw power and arm strength, he slashed .270/.360/.444 with 12 homers and 14 steals in 121 games while advancing from Single-A to Double-A in his pro debut.

Keep having a few more beers friend. The Sox aren't coming anywhere until Ishbia takes over. Until then not losing 100 games and keeping their players actually healthy should be the reasonable goal.

The Sox aren't going to be contending for a playoff spot in 2027 so the labor impasse won't be the same as in 1981 or 1994.

I wouldn't take that bet. The owners seem determined to have a salary cap which the union will never agree to.

https://soxmachine.com/2026/02/wrangling-2026-white-sox-prospects-when-injuries-interfered