Lip Man 1

The person who started the post made a specific comment "Really the key thing is fielding a competitive team year after year. The Sox have never been able to do that." My reply was "I assume you mean since JR took over" because saying the Sox have never done that is factually incorrect. That was the only point I was making. Are we good now????????????????????????

I assume you mean specifically under JR because from 1951-1967 they had 17 straight winning seasons and outdrew the Cubs in 16 of those 17 years.

Don't forget the Ernie Banks fiasco as well as Fernando coming down to the Dodgers or White Sox and the Dodgers got him because they offered 20,000 (twenty thousand) dollars more.

True, but you can go back a lot farther than that.

Hit: No matter how you phrase it, it still comes down to a decision by each team as to whether they want to pay the going rate for a "superstar" or not. Those that won't or can't do so? Well the answer to me is pretty simple, if you can't afford to compete, get out and sell to someone who can. If a team claims or suggests they can't afford to keep top talent, again, simple solution...open the books to an independent economist or forensic accountant and prove it. Forgive me if I don't believe for a second teams can't afford to do so. As was shown in the 94-95 labor impasse when for the only time owners agreed to open their books, they were shown to be manipulating things to make it look like they were losing money. My "solutions" may not be good ones but at least they are something. Let's put it this way if anyone thinks a salary cap is going to be agreed upon I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. That's not happening...not yesterday, not today and not tomorrow.

Part of this is because seemingly half the teams in the NBA and NHL qualify for the playoffs...and the NFL is going in that direction too. And those sports have their share of teams that consistently are terrible Buffalo, Ottawa, Charlotte, Washington, New Orleans, the Raiders, Arizona, the Jets, the Bears, Cleveland, Jacksonville, the Saints. The NFL, NBA and NHL all have salary caps yet that doesn't make much difference does it? It is a choice by teams if they want to pay the going rate for "superstars", they can if they want to, they decide not to. That's not on the league, that's on them.

And there's no reason for you to, you are simply a fan and that doesn't count for much in this type of negotiation. If something actually takes place you'll hear about it.

I live a few hours north of SLC and just my opinion they could not in any way, shape or form support a MLB team for 81 dates. Not a big enough population to draw from. Have been to Portland many times (Portland State is in the conference) and I'd say the same thing not enough people for 81 games. Basically you are scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to jam a MLB team in there. Charlotte and Montreal are much better options in my opinion.

And some house members are putting together a proposal to make into law that college athletics will start to negotiate broadcast deals as a unit and not as conferences. Much like the NFL, and that all money will be shared equally. As part of the proposal colleges will no longer be allowed to "stream" games but will have to use cable systems and over the air stations in order to reach the most fans (in theory this will increase rights fees and provide more money to make sure women's sports and Olympic sports don't go under in smaller leagues). Interesting concept although I don't think it will go anywhere but who knows. You're seeing that big Texas Tech donor buying spots during broadcasts arguing for the same thing and apparently some politicians have noticed.

Time will tell how it will be received. They are taking a dangerous gamble in my opinion given that MLB wants expansion money above all. And it's clear how the state/local politicians feel given the cool reception JR got. Again we'll see what happens.

I grew up in Chicago and have been a fan for 65 years, my earliest memories of the Sox start in 1960 when I was five years old. I find it hilarious and infuriating that this organization has been incompetent, dysfunctional and inept for so long that the possibility of moving is even being brought up. This isn't the mid 1970's remember when John Allyn was flat broke. I don't want them to move at all but given the situation if they try to extort another stadium and given the disastrous results on the field especially since 2007 then piss on them. With the garbage they have been putting out and the profits that JR has been making for a long time they don't deserve s^&* in my opinion.

You're joking right?

Then their options are going to be very limited it would seem.

True... but all we know (for now) is that Nashville is a much smaller market, that the Mayor and others have already said public funds for a new stadium will not be available and MLB wants an expansion team there because they could get about 2 billion dollars in expansion fees (according to Sports Illustrated) and would not favor relocating a team. Based on the above I don't see how that would qualify as being in Ishbia's best interest or a better opportunity. Time will tell.

Is moving the team to Nashville a "better opportunity"? Guess it depends on your point of view.

Anything is possible but as pointed out it makes little sense financially or from a business perspective. Also MLB, again, wants the expansion money as opposed to relocating a team.

When no one wants him Getz will gladly take him back. That's the White Sox way. 😄

Then he must know something that others don't since Nashville has gone on record as saying there is zero money available for a new stadium and MLB wants an expansion team there rather than a relocated one because they'll get more money that way. But if he wants to go then don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. After almost 20 years of incompetence, dysfunction and ineptness it won't bother me one bit (and I never thought I'd say that)

“This isn’t a ‘study,’ it’s purchased propaganda,” Kennesaw State University professor of economics J.C. Bradbury said in an email to the Tribune. “It does not use established economic methods for analyzing economic outcomes, and thus its conclusions are not credible … This is a fantasy document.”

Just FYI since the start of the 2007 season (when I contend the rot in the organization first really started to come into play) the Sox overall record is 1,354-1,622. That's a .454 win percentage.

For years Sox managers have been told they have to keep certain members of previous staffs on their own. As far as taking the job with little autonomy, a big check and the chance to get that position trumps all. I mean look at Rick Hahn and Chris Getz.

Have no idea.

"The Chicago White Sox also saw substantial year-over-year decline amid another dismal season and a switch from NBC Sports Chicago to Chicago Sports Network, the latter of which was subject to a lengthy carriage dispute with Comcast that kept the network dark for two-thirds of the season. The Sox saw viewership slip by 42% versus last season as a result." https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/tigers-double-viewership-as-largest-decline.html

Heard from a source this morning on the firings. Didn't reach out to them on this so I was a little surprised. They provided some insight into the situation to help clarify. Take it for what you think it is worth: "For all my criticism of the White Sox, I applaud the firing of their coaches today. Good riddance to Ethan Katz. One of my Giants sources referred to him three years ago as “High School Harry,” said he milked his distinction as HS pitching coach for Flaherty, Giolito and Fried. Was told by a Sox source in the middle of 2023 that Grifol wanted his own pitching coach but was denied. My sense is that the hiring of Brian Bannister, who worked with Katz in KC, saved his bacon for a while. Katz was viewed as the anti-Don Cooper, so he got a long runway from James Fegan, the Comcast/CHSN groupies and radio clowns. After the firings of Grifol and his buddy Mike Tosar, Mike Gellinger was promoted to his spot. After the season when Venable came on board, Thames felt somewhat threatened by Gellinger’s presence, so Gelly went back to his former role as minor league hitting coach. Gellinger was Konerko’s guy. Last winter Cleveland asked and was granted permission to talk to Gelly, but they found out Gelly makes a lot of money. Never understood the love for Katz, now they need to get rid of Gene Watson. Losing 511 games in five years is no reason to be employed. Here’s his losses over the last five years: Year Team Losses 2021 Angels 85 2022 KC 97 2023 KC 106 2024 CWS 121 2025 CWS 102 “Has one of the worst reputations in baseball.” - Former MLB executive"

He's out right now with elbow issues.