Lip Man 1

Unless Ishbia is taking a bigger role than anyone realizes in the hear and now it's hard to imagine JR agreeing to this. That's why I think that report is a tad unreliable.

And the Sox have lost games to shitty teams too, maybe they aren't as good as some think. I'm simply saying the Sox have a difficult two week stretch, on paper Detroit has an opportunity to gain ground and become a serious threat. It all depends on how they play and how the Sox play. Why that seems to irritate you is beyond me.

From my interview with Mike: ML: Talk to me about “Disco Demolition.” How did the idea first get started and how did you develop it? MV: “The idea actually started two years earlier in 1977. Jeff Swartz, a guy who worked for United Artists, suggested it to me. In 1978 in connection with Coke, we had a dance contest at Comiskey Park. There were 25,000 kids dancing on plywood stages that we had on the field. We thought it might be an idea to have a night for people who hate disco.” “Anyway I get a call one day in 1979, from Swartz who says to turn on my radio to WLUP, that there is a guy named Steve Dahl who is going to blow up disco records at a shopping mall. I listened, then called him at 10:05 AM, as soon as he got off the air, and offered him the chance to do that at Comiskey Park. He was going to do it in front of 3,000 kids. It didn’t take long to convince him he could do it in front of 40 thousand kids.” ML: Let’s talk about that night, what went wrong, and what would you have done differently? MV: “My mistake was thinking that we’d get about 35,000 for the promotion. It turned out there were 60,000 inside the park and another 30-40 thousand on the streets around the park. Traffic was backed up all the way out to O’Hare Airport! Who had any idea that many kids would come out? WLUP was a 5,000 watt station; it wasn’t a giant like WLS or WCFL from when I was a kid.” “The other thing that happened was that we moved some of the police off the field. We had an adequate security force for 35,000 fans but not for 60,000. Outside of the park there were some temporary ticket booths staffed by older people. The kids were starting to get out of hand and started rocking those booths. We moved some of the police off the field outside to help. What happened next was the worst thing that could possible happen, the crowd began thinking as one and they realized there were only 35-40 police on the field. When a crowd begins thinking as one there is no such thing as crowd control. They said ‘let’s go on the field!’ ML: Some Sox fans feel DJ Steve Dahl could have done more to help calm the situation; instead he left the park with the riot in full force. Could he have done more to help? MV: “He could have made an effort. I, my dad and Harry Caray were all down on the field trying to regain control and he wasn’t... but the responsibility was mine. It was a bad decision.” “It was also a slow news day and that generated a tremendous amount of publicity, it was also an election year and Jayne Byrne used the situation as an election photo-op. What I most remember is newspaper guys like Bill Gleason saying what a tragedy it was. I know what a tragedy is, my daughter is losing her sight... this wasn’t a tragedy. The sun came up the next day; the Sox played another baseball game a few days later. It was the fourth forfeit in baseball history but how many take the same umbrage at 30,000 Dodger fans throwing baseballs on the field causing the fifth forfeit in baseball?” (Author’s Note: That took place on August 11, 1995 when Dodgers fans threw baseballs by the thousands on to the field with one out in the 9th inning in a game against the Cardinals. St. Louis was awarded a forfeit win.)

It all depends on where the Sox are in 10 days given their schedule and what the cost would be. And I'd also include where Detroit is in 10 days. Their schedule for the next two weeks on paper is easy compared to the Sox. I think they are the threat, not Cleveland or Minnesota.

EIGHT factoids today: July 25, 1925 - Sox catcher and future Hall of Famer Ray “Cracker” Schalk played in his 1,576th game behind the plate…at that time it was the Major League record. He played his entire career except for five games with the Sox between 1912 and 1928. July 25, 1954 - In the first game of a twin bill at Boston, Sox pitcher Jack Harshman set the franchise record, later tied, by striking out 16 Red Sox. Harshman, a converted first baseman, was taught a slip pitch, a variation of a palm ball by manager Paul Richards. He’d get the win 5-2. At the time it was two off the Major League record. 13 of his strikeouts were swinging on the day. The Sox would then sweep the double header taking the second game, 4-2. July 25, 1955 – As part of the class of 1955 White Sox pitcher Ted Lyons entered the Hall of Fame on this day. Lyons spent his entire 21-year career with the White Sox winning a total of 260 games. 17 times he won at least 10 games in a season and in three of those years he won over 20. He saved 25 games and had a staggering 356 complete games! July 25, 1955 –On the same day former White Sox pitcher Ted Lyons entered the Hall of Fame, former White Sox catcher Ray Schalk garnered the same honor. The two were actually teammates for a little over five seasons on the South Side. Schalk caught over 17-hundred games in his career which was the Major League record at the time. He led the league in fielding, putouts, assists and chances for a single season and caught four no-hitters including a perfect game with the team thrown by Charlie Robertson. He was the best defensive catcher in baseball in the early part of the 20th century. July 25, 1959 - Marathon game #2 of the 1959 season took place again against the Orioles and again at Comiskey Park. This one was another 17-inning affair that saw the Sox tie the game in the ninth and then win it thanks to Harry “Suitcase” Simpson’s single, scoring Sammy Esposito. The final was 3-2. Bob Shaw started and went 11 innings, Omar “Turk” Lown then went the last six innings and got the win. July 25, 1967 – Only one time in franchise history have the White Sox had two walk-off home runs on the same day. It was a twi-night double-header at Comiskey Park against the Indians both won in dramatic fashion. In the first game the Sox rallied from down a run in the eighth inning then got the game winner when J.C. Martin slugged a two-run shot off of “Sudden” Sam McDowell scoring Tommie Agee ahead of him and winning the game 3-1. The nightcap went into the 16th inning after the Sox again rallied with two runs in the eighth inning and then trailed 5-4 before Ken Berry stepped up in the last half of that frame and belted a two-run blast, off of Steve Bailey scoring Kenny Boyer ahead of him to win it 6-5. July 25, 2003 – In the fifth inning of an eventual 7-2 Sox win over Tampa Bay at U.S. Cellular Field, “The Big Hurt” Frank Thomas blasted his 400th career home run. It was a solo shot off Jorge Sosa. Thomas would finish his Sox career with 448 home runs. July 25, 2020 – Some afternoons you just can’t miss. Such was the case for Sox utility player Leury Garcia. In a game against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, Leury homered from both sides of the plate in a 10-3 pasting of Minnesota. His first home run came hitting left-handed off of Zach Littell. The other long ball came hitting right-handed off of Devin Smeltzer. On the day he’d go 3 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBI’s. He became the eighth White Sox player to pull off this feat.

Don't forget Moncada and Robert.

Merkin suggests the Sox go and get Miller in his story at the Sox web site today. I think that would be a big mistake but whatever. https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-could-make-big-splash-at-trade-deadline Here's another story on potential trade candidates: https://www.mlb.com/news/trade-deadline-candidates-who-might-be-better-than-2026-stats

This is another test, Houston, Yankees, Tampa, Boston, Cleveland. 162 games is a very long season. Let's hope they can finish it over .500 again. Tonight was not a good way to start.

Just a very bad loss and not the way you want to start what is going to be a difficult stretch of games the next two weeks. Saturday becomes a little more important to see how they respond.

The next 16 games will tell a lot. The Yankees series will have all their best pitchers lined up in order, that will be a real test.

Five factoids today: July 24, 1960 - In the first game of a double header at New York, future Hall of Famer Nellie Fox banged out his 2,000th career hit. On the afternoon he’d have a pair in the 6-3 Sox victory. The hit came in the first inning on a single to left field off of Jim Coates. The Sox would split the double header for the day. July 24, 1968 - Sox relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm appeared in both ends of a double header versus the Athletics at Comiskey Park and in doing so set the record for most appearances by a pitcher. The future Hall of Famer broke Cy Young’s record of 906 games. “Old Tilt” would appear in a staggering 1,070 games before he retired. Wilhelm became the top relief pitcher of the 1960's. In his six years with the Sox, he’d win 41 games and save 99 others while producing some astonishingly low ERA’s considering he threw the knuckleball. His highest ERA between 1963 and 1968 was 2.64, every other season it was below two. July 24, 2020 – Because of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic the regular season started four months later than normal. A bizarre, bastardized 60 game season was ordered by Commissioner Rob Manfred after the owners and players union could not agree on a longer schedule. There were also new bizarre rules put in place, while many people questioned the wisdom of sports being playing while thousands were getting infected and many were dying. For the White Sox, hoping to build on three years of rebuilding and a terrific off season, they hosted the Twins who beat them up 10-5 putting a damper immediately on things. July 24, 2022 – After many years of waiting and coming close, White Sox great Orestes “Minnie” Minoso was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The “Cuban Comet” was the first Latin player to excel in the Major Leagues and opened the door, much like Jackie Robinson did for Negros, to the wealth of talent in Mexico and Central America. Minoso was a six-time All-Star representing the White Sox, was named the American League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News in 1951, won two Gold Gloves with the White Sox and led the league at various times in triples, stolen bases and hit by pitches. He batted over .300 seven times with the Sox, scored 100 or more runs four times and drove in at least 100 RBI’s four times. His combination of speed and power were unique for the time period. He ranks among the franchise all-time leaders in triples, at bats, walks, runs scored, RBI’s, hit by pitches, hits, total bases, on-base percentage, doubles, extra base hits and OPS. July 24, 2022 – Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease was masterful in beating Cleveland at Guaranteed Rate Field. Cease went six innings allowing no runs on seven hits, striking out four in the 6-3 win. That marked his 11th consecutive start allowing one run or fewer which tied the modern era record for pitchers. It had only happened twice before. Bob Gibson of the Cardinals did it in 1968 and the Mets Jacob deGrom turned the trick in the 2021 season.

https://www.mlb.com/news/predicting-players-to-be-moved-2026-mlb-trade-deadline

They have a tough decision to make with him.

Good they need help there badly.

Saw a story at MLB.com yesterday that said he is actually drawing interest from teams.

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-players-embracing-unexpected-2026-success

I think Cleveland led the Sox by two games or three games at one point. Sox only need 28 more wins for a winning season.

Didn't realize that. That...really bad.

Hey asswipe, why did you make the comment about me not being happy if the Sox went to the playoffs multiple times yet didn't win anything? I bolded the part for you remember? You brought my name in to something and made an assumption about me. Reading is a skill.

So you know who my sources were for the story in November 2022? Interesting.

Once again you are absolutely out of your mind, making asinine assumptions about what I'd do. This is at least the third time you've done this and you even apologized once for it in a personal DM. Let me repeat for the last f$%^&*( time, I'd LOVE for the Sox to make the playoffs, three, four, five years in a row. I be THRILLED even if they didn't win s%*# because to me having a winning season and potentially making the post season makes that season a good one. Are we clear now doofus? I'm really getting tired of your nonsense.

Respectfully I disagree. “Alan Thomas (Author’s Note: Thomas was the Director of Strength and Conditioning) was let go because his son was draft eligible and he was told the Sox no longer wanted to draft sons of members of the organization. Turns out his kid is playing center field for the Diamondbacks. I’m not saying he’d be playing center field for us but he’s good enough to be in the Major Leagues. I don’t know the new guy they brought in, but guys are getting hurt left and right.” (Author’s Note: I had heard Thomas disagreed with the results of the Sox injury study conducted last winter which was never released to the media or public. I was told he felt the Sox issues were only caused by the COVID restrictions. “The Sox play checkers where others teams play chess” when it comes to injury prevention, conditioning, nutrition, sleep schedules is a phrase I had heard mentioned.) “The White Sox playing shorthanded started in 2007 when Jermaine Dye got hurt and Kenny Williams refused to call up Brian Anderson or Ryan Sweeney. Maybe they were cheap, maybe they wanted to protect Herm’s record of keeping guys off the DL.” (Author’s Note: Herm Schneider was the Sox longtime head trainer and for years the Sox were among the league leaders in keeping players healthy.) “Jake Peavy made the comment one time, ‘They have no reservations about playing shorthanded.” “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) “Given the inordinate amount of soft-tissue injuries they have had you’d think that they would do a complete change in the training, conditioning and nutritional areas.” Over time if things change regarding this issue with the organization, I'll be happy to change my opinion. That evidence of change in my opinion hasn't happened yet.

I'm a student of White Sox history as you know. I can only react to what has taken place. If that changes and I'm still alive to see, say when Ishbia takes over, then maybe I'll have to change my beliefs. Many seasons sometimes many decades it's torture just to be a White Sox fan.

Four factoids today: July 23, 1986 – It was one of, if not the worst, deal made by G.M. Ken “Hawk” Harrelson as he sent Bobby Bonilla to the Pirates for pitcher Jose DeLeon. Bonilla, selected by the Sox in the Major League draft in December 1985, showed flashes of brilliance in his half season on the South Side. He’d eventually turn into a complete, dominating, five tool type player with the Pirates during their divisional title runs in the early 90’s, although he was a handful because of his attitude. July 23, 2007 – All-time great White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce was honored with a statue at Sox Park, becoming the sixth White Sox legend so honored. Beyond being a wonderful person and lifetime ambassador (both unofficially, and officially) for the team, he was an amazing pitcher, as good as anyone in baseball in the 1950s. In fact Billy was one of the leaders by WAR in the Major Leagues during that decade. Pierce ranks first all-time in White Sox strikeouts (1,796), third in shutouts (35), fourth in wins (186) and innings (2,931), third in starts (391) and fifth in games pitched (456), tied for fifth in complete games (183), sixth in pitching WAR (49.2) second among southpaws, 10th in adjusted ERA+ (123), 20th in hits per nine innings (8.116), tied for 25th in FIP (3.42) and 27th in ERA (3.19). He represented the White Sox in seven All-Star games, starting for the American League in three of them, the only Sox pitcher to ever do so and he threw four one-hitters losing a perfect game with two out in the ninth inning against the Senators on June 27, 1958 at Comiskey Park. July 23, 2009 - It had only happened 17 times before. On this date the Sox Mark Buehrle became the 18th pitcher to ever throw a perfect game when he shut down Tampa 5-0. Buehrle was helped in the top of the ninth inning when Dewayne Wise, an otherwise mediocre player, made the catch of his career, leaping above the wall in left center to snare a ball hit by Gabe Kapler with one out. On the way down he started to lose the ball then snatched it out of the air with his other hand. Buehrle completed the task in 2:03, the exact same amount of time as his no-hitter in 2007. He became only the fourth pitcher to ever throw a perfect game and a no-hitter joining Cy Young, Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson. July 23, 2016 - It was certainly a strange and bizarre situation for the Sox. Chris Sale, arguably the best pitcher in the American League and one of the best in baseball went on a pregame rampage before his scheduled start against the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field. Sale was upset that he had to wear a throwback Sox pajama style jersey as part of a promotion for the game. Sale reportedly said it was uncomfortable. With the heat index over one hundred degrees wearing a dark blue/black jersey probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do either. Sale decided to take matters into his own hands, as during batting practice, he destroyed all of the game jerseys the team was supposed to wear by cutting them up with scissors. He also said publicly the White Sox were more concerned with public relations and uniforms than winning games. He would be suspended for five games for the incident.

Houston is three games out of first in the division. They aren't selling.