tray

"Anyone who can't acknowledge that the Cubs own at least 65% of baseball fans in this city just has their head in the sand. " The Sox have more fans "in the city" where the demographics are quite different than most suburbs. The concept of "owning fans" is kind or weird. No one owns you. Most people are not consumed by sports or baseball fandom. Those who watch infrequently do so for the entertainment value rather than based on fan allegiance to any sports franchise. Most are fair weather fans that sway back and forth based on whichever way the wind is blowing at the time. I sense a renewed interest in the up and coming White Sox.

I agree but I am afraid that Ricketts/Theo will offer the moon to get him...maybe 5/100 or something. When Ricketts wants something, he usually gets it because he is flush with Ameritrade money and is willing to spend whatever it takes. You don't want to get into a bidding war with someone that has more money than brains.

If the Sox sign Grandal Collins becomes trade bait or maybe he will have a spot on the 25 man roster but only on a very short leash. That leash gets shorter if he is primarily used as a DH and is still hitting around .200 even with occasional home runs. IMO Zack (who will be 25 before next season) is not going to resign himself into becoming a platoon LH DH and seldom used third option as catcher. If that is how the Sox want to use him he may ask for a trade to a team where he at least has a chance to become a back-up catcher. In any event I am sure he is waiting to see whether or not the Sox sign Grandal.

If the Sox sign Grandal that could further impede Collins development as a mlb catcher given how few starts he will get . That , in turn, could lessen his trade value as well. Then if the Sox sign LH hitting DH, or they eventually let Vaughn DH even against RH pitchers, Collins will have little use on the 25 man roster. I am OK with all of that and possibly packaging up Collins in a trade package during the off-season *if * Grandal is signed. Then Draft Patrick Bailey , a switch hitting catcher, at number 11 in the first round. HIndsight is 20/20 but I think the Sox wasted valuable time in the 2019 season by allowing Castillo to take starts at catcher away from Collins. These decisions including whether or not to pursue Grandal would be a lot easier if they saw Collins catch several more games and get more ABs last season.

Sox and Cub fans seem to have a different opinion about Castellanos and the degree that they would like to see him play RF in 2020 for their respective team. . I'd be happy with Castellanos on the South side . Admittedly, I don't care that much about getting a LH hitter for RF. I'd rather have a good RH hitter than a shiddy LH hitter as long as the defense was not that much of a liability.

This is almost a moot point for a couple of reasons that everyone knows - Abreu has stated he wants to play here in a more sincere way than many free agents do. He appears to really mean it. Jerry Reinsdorf has indicated he would like him to remain on the WS and he looks like he means it. Abreu is admired by players and most fans for his humble, business-like approach. He can hit and maybe will see better pitches in an improved 2020 line-up. I predict that re-signing Abreu will be one of the first major things the Sox do in the off-season.

For the money, I would prefer Castellanos.

Stone might consider returning to the Cubs where he loved playing and announcing for many years. That would be a great move by Ricketts. It would leave the Sox with having to hunt for a replacement for Stone (which they eventually will have to do anyway). AJ would never do it and I doubt any former major league player would. Benetti started out rather humble and in short order he became too full of himself. The only guy who might consider tolerating Bennetti for a full season would be Chuck Garfein.... LOL.

I watched the most recent videos of the Micker and read the reports of his AFL at bats. Unfortunately the Micker looks like he has boxed out physically. He isn't Courtney Hawkins but he does look like he has the speed/athleticism to play outfield. I admit I may be wrong because my impressions are only from available video.

I was there as well, upper tank Left field The biggest mistake was by Sox security who allowed fans to enter the park with 33 rpm projectiles. That threatened the players and caused Detroit to take them off the field. Hindsight is 20/20, but no one got shot which is something happens every day in every major city these days. Well that was the 70's and it is understandable that for most of you on this forum it may be hard to understand what things were like back then. We would park on the streets and walk to the park after drinking at Shinnicks or Sheehans or Schaller's pump. Admission was cheap and attracted a lot of teenagers moreso than families. The park was considered as the biggest outdoor tavern in the City. Harry Carey seldom gets blame for anything, but he was the sloppy drunk who helped to promote the event and the atmosphere at games. The more I think about this, maybe it would be a good idea to put Disco Demolition Night in a lighter perspective, A controlled rap demo night might could be a nice promotion. Maybe that pop music genre is still too popular though..

I'd love to have Tsutsogoh and Castellanos. platoon in RF/DH and sign Grandal. Tsutsugohs youtube video has me interested in this player.

Things are heading in a positive direction for our team and for the organization. The fan base is solid. Who gets credit for all that ?

My post about a Rap Demolition Night was intended as light-hearted sarcasm, but yea, I almost forgot this is soxtalk so, I agree who gives a fuk about it.

Young Sox fans on that day were eager to follow Dahl's lead in protesting dance club music. Classic rock music was being replaced with Disco and guys who wanted to listen to serious music (n/k/a "classic rock) did not want to go to clubs, dress and dance like Travolta. In hindsight, Disco Demolition was a heroic effort to call out Disco and to seek its demise. Maybe Sox fans can once again stage a pop music revolt , but this time , protest the stale, redundant, mind-numbing cacophony called "rap," Enough already. So this time, no cheap/ free admission to 50,000 hooligans. Instead free "Rap Sucks" T-shirts for the first 20,000 to enter the park and a more symbolic form of demolition than exploding vinyl albums in a wooden box. OK, maybe it's too soon for "Rap Demolition Night" but not as far as I'm concerned.

If it was about the Byrds I'd watch it.

Fans seldom acknowledge the role that luck plays in every aspect of the sport, including with player drafts, trades. personnel decisions and player contracts. Meanwhile, Monday morning quarterbacking by fans is such an easy pastime. At the end of the day baseball is a game with a lot of luck involved as the Ricketts found out this year. Cubs tanked like 10 games in a row at the end of the year. Who woulda thunk it?

Watched a couple of Tsutsugoh's YouTube videos, I like that quick short swing. He could be better than anticipated.

If Stone flies North who would be a compatible with Benetti as a color announcer?

Schwarber as DH would not be bad but Theo would want too much back, so forget it.

True that,but Theo signed him even though they don't have a DH in the NL.. and I will bet the Cubs will try to sign him. Time will tell. He was a monster for the Cubs... 21 Doubles and 16 HR in 212 ABs.

Castellanos please. Outbidding the Ricketts might be tough but I would try. Signing Castellanos may well be one of Theo's priorities, especially if they trade Schwarber and do not get an OF in return.

You are right about that but no doubt, most Cub fans seem to want Castellanos back because of how he energized the team in the last two months of the season. Also, Castellanos did not cost the team with key errors and he was a monster at the plate with numerous key hits and HRs. The Cubs may be afraid not to sign him.

Perhaps signing Moose makes sense, since he could play third and second in a pinch and could be a LH DH. With Leury as infield back-up maybe Moose would take Yolmer's spot on the roster. I sense the Cubs really want Castellanos back and given that, I would love to see Jerry outbid Joe Rickett, even if it is a slight over pay...but I would not go longer than a 3 year deal.

Maddon's best days are behind him but if some organization is foolish enough to offer him a guaranteed 3 year guaranteed worth 25 Million, he'll take it. This guy will will be what...66 years old next season so maybe time for old Joe to retire and enjoy all the Ameritrade day trader money Ricketts gave him.

Coop is awesome. I hope he stays with it at least one more year.