White Sox 2023 Playoff Thread

[Texsox]

People have so many more choices than when they wore fedoras to the game and listened on the radio. So much more than even the games in lively black and white, over the air, television. People are still entertaining themselves. Want to watch a movie? Stream it. Want to learn how to build a backyard pizza oven? Go on line and start gathering materials. 

When there were six stations to watch, that baseball game may have been the best option. Now, with literally millions of things to look at, it might not be to the casual fan. 

It's a crowded marketplace with business all fighting for your attention and time. Keep doing the same old stuff from fifty years ago and every time an octogenarian dies, so too does your business. 

 

[South Side Hit Men]

Funny, NFL airs their games on free television, has 100 million Super Bowl viewers, with any regular game curbstomping the World Series. NBA surpassed MLB as well both nationally and globally, despite baseball having a much stronger head start. Funny, I also don't remember fedoras at games in the 1970s, 1980s or pre strike 1990s.

Jerry had far less an influence in owner circles within the NBA, nobody would put up with his bullshit like they did during the strike and before. MLB is dying, largely because of the weak ass stewardship of the game, not the game or players who continue to entertain.

[Milkman delivers]

2 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

I dropped cable shortly after the last Larry Sanders show, so about 25 years ago. Many people are cutting it now. When sports shifted to cable, including baseball, you lower viewership now, which the owners were fine with because they were making more now short term leeching off subscription cable carriage costs from the majority of people who don't even consume the product.

However, over time, this shift from widely available to a shrinking fanbase and shrinking general interest grows exponentially, which is why the World Series has lost 2/3 of it's viewership over a few decades despite the fact there are 40M more people. Abysmal to criminal oversight over the game has pressed the pedal to the metal (1994, steroids, watered down playoffs, interleague garbage which destroyed any interest in the ASG, etc.).

If my wife didn’t insist on having cable and 30 different streaming services, I would cut down to probably two or three streaming services and be happy. It would probably mean no more Sox games, but that’s fine.

2 hours ago, Texsox said:

People have so many more choices than when they wore fedoras to the game and listened on the radio. So much more than even the games in lively black and white, over the air, television. People are still entertaining themselves. Want to watch a movie? Stream it. Want to learn how to build a backyard pizza oven? Go on line and start gathering materials. 

When there were six stations to watch, that baseball game may have been the best option. Now, with literally millions of things to look at, it might not be to the casual fan. 

It's a crowded marketplace with business all fighting for your attention and time. Keep doing the same old stuff from fifty years ago and every time an octogenarian dies, so too does your business. 

 

I still wear my straw boater hat to every game. I didn’t realize it went out of style.

[South Side Hit Men]

Joe Kelly entered his first game of the playoffs, and is lone former White Sox to play Monday.

Monday Stats

• Joe Kelly Dodgers 1 2/3 IP. 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 K

Nice to see both American League Division Games will be broadcast on OTA television today. Go Pito!

Cumulative Division Series Stats:

Hitters

1. Marcus Semien Texas 2-10, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 K
2. Jose Abreu Houston 1-7, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Pitchers

1. Craig Kimbrel Phillies 1 IP, 1 Save
2. Joe Kelly Dodgers 1 2/3 IP. 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 K
3. Dane Dunning Texas  2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 K, 1 Win

Did Not Play: James McCann Baltimore; Lance Lynn Dodgers

Edited October 10, 2023 by South Side Hit Men

[Pants Rowland]

21 hours ago, Milkman delivers said:

I still wear my straw boater hat to every game. 

I think we have the makings of a soxtalk meet-up theme at the ol' ballgame next year. Can we also tie an onion to our belts? 

[South Side Hit Men]

Pito is money each October! Suck It Twins!!

 

[South Side Hit Men]

And he does it again!!

Pito MVP!!

 

[South Side Hit Men]

He’s just a Sk8ter boi, Hahn said “See you later boy”….

MVP once again.

 

 

[South Side Hit Men]

Craig Kimbrel is the last player who can add to his Divisional Series record below, as the other three series have closed out.

Tuesday Division Series Performances:

1. Jose Abreu Houston 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
2. Marcus Semien Texas 1-4, 1 R

Did Not Play: Dane Dunning Texas; James McCann Baltimore;

 

Wednesday Division Series Performances:

1. Jose Abreu Houston 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
2. Lance Lynn Los Angeles 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 HR, 1 K Loss

Did Not Play: Joe Kelly Los Angeles; Craig Kimbrel Philadelphia

 

Cumulative Division Series Stats:

Hitters

1. Jose Abreu Houston 5-16, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2. Marcus Semien Texas 3-14, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 K

Pitchers

1. Craig Kimbrel Philadelphia 1 IP, 1 Save
2. Joe Kelly Los Angeles 1 2/3 IP. 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 K
3. Dane Dunning Texas  2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 K, 1 Win
4. Lance Lynn Los Angeles 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 HR, 1 K, 1 Loss

Did Not Play: James McCann Baltimore

[kitekrazy]

On 10/9/2023 at 6:54 AM, South Side Hit Men said:

Funny, NFL airs their games on free television, has 100 million Super Bowl viewers, with any regular game curbstomping the World Series. NBA surpassed MLB as well both nationally and globally, despite baseball having a much stronger head start. Funny, I also don't remember fedoras at games in the 1970s, 1980s or pre strike 1990s.

Jerry had far less an influence in owner circles within the NBA, nobody would put up with his bullshit like they did during the strike and before. MLB is dying, largely because of the weak ass stewardship of the game, not the game or players who continue to entertain.

Only local.  Evening games are usually on ESPN.   I remember when MTV was in every household you got to watch the Braves, USA would have a Thursday night game, and of course there was Monday Night Baseball.  The major 3 networks gave way to the cable networks.  Now WGN only does Cub games locally.

Edited October 12, 2023 by kitekrazy

[kitekrazy]

On 10/9/2023 at 7:12 AM, Milkman delivers said:

If my wife didn’t insist on having cable and 30 different streaming services, I would cut down to probably two or three streaming services and be happy. It would probably mean no more Sox games, but that’s fine.

I still wear my straw boater hat to every game. I didn’t realize it went out of style.

Basic cable is actually my highest utility.  People confuse cutting cable but if one were to do that it means your cable company is no longer your ISP.  I don't get ESPN or the news networks and it's $150 a month.  My light bill doesn't even go that high running the air everyday in the desert. 

I remember subscribing once to watch the NHL online and 90% of the games were blackouts.  Talk about a needed class action lawsuit.

[South Side Hit Men]

3 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

Only local.  Evening games are usually on ESPN.   I remember when MTV was in every household you got to watch the Braves, USA would have a Thursday night game, and of course there was Monday Night Baseball.  The major 3 networks gave way to the cable networks.  Now WGN only does Cub games locally.

WGN stopped airing all sports a few years ago beyond perhaps the Chicago Fire (not sure which station carried them). However, the entire MLS league went to I believe Apple TV IIRC. Select high school and "Chicago" (Rosemont Wolves Minor League) games are still televised here over the air on a UHF station, in addition to the national English / Spanish television national network sport broadcasts.

Obviously not every out of market NFL is broadcast locally, including cable TV games, without a pay package. However, in Chicago, and perhaps elsewhere, local games broadcast on cable stations are simultaneously carried via on an over the air TV station. I believe WLS Channel 7 or perhaps others cover Bears games based on conference or cable tv broadcast partner. 

That's what I meant when I said WGN or one of the two Spanish Networks do not have to recreate an entire broadcast team (beyond Spanish announcers), as they can broadcast the dual broadcasts and pay CSN/Stadium/Jerry TV. The Yankees broadcast their Saturday afternoon games over the air via WPIX through 2022, which used their YES network staff. The Sox can do the same here. Sadly I believe Yankees sold those broadcasts to Amazon or another outlet in 2023.

What makes sense is the entire 162 game schedule (less the handful of games they pimp out to ESPN/FOX) should be available via a dedicated cable station, and also streamed online available everywhere including local via MLB.com for a paid subscription. They can broadcast a small subset (10-15%) of games OTA, more as a marketing gesture to keep fan interest alive across the broad community. In 10-20 years, there will be a growing segment of the community with no access to these games, resulting in lost generations of fans because they can never watch a game beyond mlb.com highlights.

[Milkman delivers]

11 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

Basic cable is actually my highest utility.  People confuse cutting cable but if one were to do that it means your cable company is no longer your ISP.  I don't get ESPN or the news networks and it's $150 a month.  My light bill doesn't even go that high running the air everyday in the desert. 

I remember subscribing once to watch the NHL online and 90% of the games were blackouts.  Talk about a needed class action lawsuit.

Our cable is actually not even our ISP, because the internet they can provide is insanely slow for being in the city. So we have two separate providers for cable and internet. It’s ridiculous.

[South Side Hit Men]

On 10/12/2023 at 11:22 AM, Milkman delivers said:

Our cable is actually not even our ISP, because the internet they can provide is insanely slow for being in the city. So we have two separate providers for cable and internet. It’s ridiculous.

Well, several NBA and NHL teams have did what I said the Sox should do and have transitioned from primarily or solely broadcasting games via cable / PPV subscriptions to free over the air broadcasts to, wait for it, increase community exposure and interest and expand advertising revenue by making games available to as many people as possible.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-10-11/why-sports-are-returning-to-free-broadcast-tv

Individual Teams Transitioning to both Over The Air Broadcasts:

• NHL: Teams include the Stanley Cup Champion Las Vegas Golden Knights and Phoenix
•  NBA: Teams include Phoenix and Utah

Leagues Transitioning to Over The Air Networks:

• CW: LIV Golf, ACC Football & 2025 Entire NASCAR Xfinity Series (Busch)
• Ion: WNBA

Los Angeles teams returning partial schedule to Over The Air Broadcasts the past two years include the Dodgers, Kings and Clippers.

Quote

“If you’re able to get yourself in every TV home, the value of your advertising, your on-camera signage in the arena and if you’re a hockey team, virtual signage on the ice and dashboards, goes up substantially,” said Lee Berke, president of LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, who has consulted on a number of deals for teams moving to broadcast. “You want to be seen by as many fans as possible.”

Meanwhile, The MLB clings to their multi-team MLB.com subscription blackouts, exclusive cable broadcast schedule, and declining national broadcast season and playoff / World Series interest across the country.

Out of sight, out of mind. Enjoy the continued declining attendance and TV ratings Jerry, you’ve earned it.

Edited October 14, 2023 by South Side Hit Men

[Texsox]

That over the air market is going to be huge. When people discover they can install antennas on their houses no one will be using the Internet. It truly is a fad. Bring back rabbit ears. 

Have some games in color and some in lively black and white. 

[South Side Hit Men]

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

That over the air market is going to be huge. When people discover they can install antennas on their houses no one will be using the Internet. It truly is a fad. Bring back rabbit ears. 

Have some games in color and some in lively black and white. 

So your response indicates you believe the various teams and sports leagues currently on or gradually returning to broadcast television are ignorant compared to The MLB, which blackout out games even for customers willing to pay hundreds of dollars directly to the league, including blackouts for up to six teams in Vegas and much of Nevada and all of Iowa.

You must have heard the news by now cable and satellite TV subscribers are dwindling each and every year, with over 1/3 of Americans gone and never returning.

 

Also, allowing multiple methods (over the air, people who wish to stream via MLB, people who still have cable) maximizes exposure. This is what progressive owners from a financial perspective have studied and have come to the conclusion is the best method to maximize long term growth and revenue.

I mean, what sports team or league would want that? Certainly not Cro-Magnon Era owners such as Bill Wirtz and his OG Partner Jerry Reinsdorf. Add in Eddie Einhorn who destroyed White Sox TV viewership to twenty one thousand households per season, and lost up to $300,000 a month with his genius SportsVision scheme, while simultaneously shifting a 50/50 Chicago fan interest split to 60/40 + Cubs over a generation. Brilliant.

The Cubs sold for $1M less than the Sox within the same calendar year two generations ago. Not surprisingly, the current valuation also reflects a similar split as the current respective fan bases, as today the Cubs are worth $4.1B, or double the $2.05B Forbes pegs the White Sox.

Jerry and Eddie did that, all for the privilege of shaking down Sox fans for a few bucks a month, because as they have stated since the day they arrived they are clearly the smartest men in any room.

Edited October 14, 2023 by South Side Hit Men

[Texsox]

No I think it's 2023 and ota is a shrinking market. 

[South Side Hit Men]

6 minutes ago, Texsox said:

No I think it's 2023 and ota is a shrinking market. 

You don’t get it. It’s not about limiting exposure to any one platform, be it OTA or PPV. It’s also not about maximizing short term income today at the expense of long term income and growth (where MLB is the past 30 years).

It’s about maximizing exposure today and beyond. That’s what the NFL knew for decades, and other teams and leagues are slowly coming to realize in 2023. The market will continue to become fragmented across cable, streaming and OTA. Meet all of it, not dwindling slivers of it.

MLB had the future handed to them with a bow on top with the collapse of Bally’s, but their owners once again failed to make the right moves to shift to the 21st century. Hope they enjoy their 2-3% of America’s World Series interest.

[wegner]

4 hours ago, Texsox said:

That over the air market is going to be huge. When people discover they can install antennas on their houses no one will be using the Internet. It truly is a fad. Bring back rabbit ears. 

Have some games in color and some in lively black and white. 

I want my Sox games back on WSNS damnit 

[nrockway]

On 10/9/2023 at 7:07 AM, Texsox said:

People have so many more choices than when they wore fedoras to the game and listened on the radio. So much more than even the games in lively black and white, over the air, television. People are still entertaining themselves. Want to watch a movie? Stream it. Want to learn how to build a backyard pizza oven? Go on line and start gathering materials. 

When there were six stations to watch, that baseball game may have been the best option. Now, with literally millions of things to look at, it might not be to the casual fan. 

It's a crowded marketplace with business all fighting for your attention and time. Keep doing the same old stuff from fifty years ago and every time an octogenarian dies, so too does your business. 

 

more choices and every one of them is worse. maybe doing the same thing for 50 years is how it becomes a tradition and part of everyday life instead of a trend. maybe that's good for business, ask the catholic church. 

[South Side Hit Men]

The American League Championship Series rosters have been released.

Houston: Jose Abreu

Texas: Dane Dunning & Marcus Semien.

Kendall Graveman remains injured for Houston and has not been added to the roster.

The National League Championship Series rosters are due tomorrow. Barring an unexpected addition of Seby Zavala to the Arizona roster, there will be one White Sox alumni in this series.

Arizona: None

Philadelphia: Craig Kimbrel

For the previous eight 2023 playoff series, seven teams with the most, or best performing White Sox alumni in the event of ties, have advanced. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the one exception to date.

If this continues over the remaining three series, Texas will defeat Philadelphia in the 2023 World Series.

Division Series

Wild Card Series

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by South Side Hit Men

[Texsox]

That would be a nice outcome. 

[South Side Hit Men]

The first American League game is in the books. Once Dunning pitches, Texas will assume their two White Sox alumni series advantage.

That said, Jose’s single has him with the performance lead heading into Game Two.

1. Jose Abreu Houston 1-4, 2 K
2. Marcus Semien Texas 0-4
3. Dane Dunning Texas DNP

Craig Kimbrel’s team enters the fray tomorrow with an LCS doubleheader.

 

[South Side Hit Men]

Well, well, well. What have we here?

More White Sox alumni, two more wins in the 2023 Postseason, consistent with the first two rounds.

White Sox alumni are now 3-0 to start their respective LCS, possibly on their way to a 9-1 record heading into the World Series.

Losing Graveman and not rostering Zavala has put Houston and Arizona in a distinct disadvantage.

League Championship Series statistics through Monday:

1. Marcus Semein Texas 2-9, 1 R, 2 K
2. Craig Kimbrel Philadelphia 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 ER, 1 Save
3. Jose Abreu Houston 1-7, 1 BB, 4 K
4. Dane Dunning Texas DNP

[South Side Hit Men]

Another ho him day for White Sox alumni. Nice to see the Astros come within a game of tying the series and making this a best of three. Both teams go at it tomorrow.

Cumulative LCS stats through Wednesday:

1. Craig Kimbrel Philadelphia 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 ER, 1 Save
2. Marcus Semein Texas 2-12, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3. Jose Abreu Houston 2-12, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K
4. Dane Dunning Texas DNP