3 hours ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

I don't understand how there are Sox fans that would want to see a White Sox vs Cubs World Series, that means you actively want the Cubs to keep advancing and that they also have a shot at winning it all. Makes no sense to me. Imagine even if you 100% believe the Sox will win, but what if they don't, it's baseball, probably the most unpredictable of all sports, then you will never ever stop Cubs fans from chirping in our ear. No effing way.

It's like hoping the Packers make it to the NFC title game as a Bears fan wanting to defeat them there, nah, I hope the Packers are in last place, irrelevant to the Superbowl contenders argument. Same with the Cubs. Two franchises with some of the most arrogant and annoying fanbases.

Look man, I am not in this to worry about other people's insecurities. I want to see peak experience. Let Cub fans talk. Does it actually matter? Can't you cope? The loudest people are the most insecure.

22 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Look man, I am not in this to worry about other people's insecurities. I want to see peak experience. Let Cub fans talk. Does it actually matter? Can't you cope? The loudest people are the most insecure.

Problem is I have family and friends whom are Cubs fans so I have to deal with them lol

I agree, it's not like a life or death situation so let's just say I want to avoid that, and I will forever root against the Cubs.

9 minutes ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

Problem is I have family and friends whom are Cubs fans so I have to deal with them lol

I agree, it's not like a life or death situation so let's just say I want to avoid that, and I will forever root against the Cubs.

I do sports because I am all about the experience of it. It's not about hearing my opinions or replacing something missing in my life. I want to see something I will never see again. I want the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. I want the stories.

...In other news, F the Cubs. Relatedly, I know this place is home to a small sub-contingent of fans who have managed to maintain a sour mood-level as their baseline throughout one of the most out-of-nowhere, blissful, and odds-defying sports seasons in my lifetime -- a feat of negativity many would consider impossible.

I'd love to deploy this elite strike force of uber-haters to assess the team to our immediate north. How pissed would you be if you were a Cub fan? If, instead of being in like year -1 of a rebuild with a bottom of the barrel payroll and a bunch of baby players, your team was your star-studded finished product? With its big-name manager, big-name free agent signings, and high payroll...and still couldn't get past the first round? Or compete for a mere division past June EVER? Would you call for players to be arrested? Executed? Help me - unleash your powers for good.

17 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

...In other news, F the Cubs. Relatedly, I know this place is home to a small sub-contingent of fans who have managed to maintain a sour mood-level as their baseline throughout one of the most out-of-nowhere, blissful, and odds-defying sports seasons in my lifetime -- a feat of negativity many would consider impossible.

I'd love to deploy this elite strike force of uber-haters to assess the team to our immediate north. How pissed would you be if you were a Cub fan? If, instead of being in like year -1 of a rebuild with a bottom of the barrel payroll and a bunch of baby players, your team was your star-studded finished product? With its big-name manager, big-name free agent signings, and high payroll...and still couldn't get past the first round? Or compete for a mere division past June EVER? Would you call for players to be arrested? Executed? Help me - unleash your powers for good.

I have said it for years. The Cubs neglect of their roster is borderline criminal for a franchise bringing home about nine figures a year from profits just off of the team and team owned assets. That's without counting their share of all of the Wrigley adjacent stuff the Rickets own. They are probably making $150 to $200 million a year in clean profit, and still getting their asses kicked by Milwaukee operating on shoestrings. But I am also not a Cub fan and don't care to spend literally any energy actually being upset for them.

21 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

...In other news, F the Cubs. Relatedly, I know this place is home to a small sub-contingent of fans who have managed to maintain a sour mood-level as their baseline throughout one of the most out-of-nowhere, blissful, and odds-defying sports seasons in my lifetime -- a feat of negativity many would consider impossible.

I'd love to deploy this elite strike force of uber-haters to assess the team to our immediate north. How pissed would you be if you were a Cub fan? If, instead of being in like year -1 of a rebuild with a bottom of the barrel payroll and a bunch of baby players, your team was your star-studded finished product? With its big-name manager, big-name free agent signings, and high payroll...and still couldn't get past the first round? Or compete for a mere division past June EVER? Would you call for players to be arrested? Executed? Help me - unleash your powers for good.

I mean, we all gave Getz s%*# for Castillo being a complete failure, but we didn't really give up much for him prospect wise. The Cubs gave up their 2nd best prospect for Holmes not to pitch at all in the playoffs and Tyrone Taylor got 1 AB. They also never really addressed their horrendous bullpen. Zeferzahn wasn't good enough to be considered a solution. I don't think any acquisition could have helped them catch the Brewers, but they could have at least won enough games to host the Wild Card series. It's weird, because the Cubs make a lot of money, but don't really spend like they are a top 3 revenue team. If you're a Cubs fan, that has to be really frustrating. They're always stuck in this place where they're good, but not really good enough. And they keep getting beat by the likes of the Brewers, who don't have their financial resources. That seems to be the theme of the Jed Hoyer era.

1 minute ago, chw42 said:

I mean, we all gave Getz s%*# for Castillo being a complete failure, but we didn't really give up much for him prospect wise. The Cubs gave up their 2nd best prospect for Holmes not to pitch at all in the playoffs and Tyrone Taylor got 1 AB. They also never really addressed their horrendous bullpen. Zeferzahn wasn't good enough to be considered a solution. I don't think any acquisition could have helped them catch the Brewers, but they could have at least won enough games to host the Wild Card series. It's weird, because the Cubs make a lot of money, but don't really spend like they are a top 3 revenue team. If you're a Cubs fan, that has to be really frustrating. They're always stuck in this place where they're good, but not really good enough. And they keep getting beat by the likes of the Brewers, who don't have their financial resources. That seems to be the theme of the Jed Hoyer era.

It's funny that someone tagged Jerry saying they play for 2nd place, but the Cubs live that s%*#. The Sox are more worried about profiting from year to year than they are anything else. The Cubs don't have that problem, yet still refuse to invest in this team like they should. Their ownership group is TRASH>

32 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

...In other news, F the Cubs. Relatedly, I know this place is home to a small sub-contingent of fans who have managed to maintain a sour mood-level as their baseline throughout one of the most out-of-nowhere, blissful, and odds-defying sports seasons in my lifetime -- a feat of negativity many would consider impossible.

I'd love to deploy this elite strike force of uber-haters to assess the team to our immediate north. How pissed would you be if you were a Cub fan? If, instead of being in like year -1 of a rebuild with a bottom of the barrel payroll and a bunch of baby players, your team was your star-studded finished product? With its big-name manager, big-name free agent signings, and high payroll...and still couldn't get past the first round? Or compete for a mere division past June EVER? Would you call for players to be arrested? Executed? Help me - unleash your powers for good.

My brothers in law are die hard Cubs fans, and the mood is pretty grim for them. But mostly due to all their pitching injuries:

Justin Steele (LHP) – 60 day IL after a setback recovering from TJS

Cade Horton (RHP) – TJS, out until sometime in 2027

Porter Hodge (RHP) – TJS, out until sometime in 2027

Shelby Miller (RHP) – TJS, out until sometime in 2027

Riley Martin (LHP) – Flexor strain in his left elbow, hasn't pitched since April

Phil Maton (RHP) – Dealing with right knee tendinitis, hasn't pitched since July

Hunter Harvey (RHP) – Right triceps inflammation, hasn't pitched since April

IMO, even though he sucks this year trading for Tucker and not extending him was an AWFUL move. Big waste of resources. And now they have a depleted minor leagues after a bunch of panic trades to cobble together enough of a pitching staff to get obliterated in the wild card round. They're gonna need their injured pitchers (Steele and Horton in particular) to come back strong next year or they're in big trouble.

The ESPN preview is so lazy and bad. They say despite our RD, Tribe were the "class" of the Central. Wut? They won the division by one game. They don't get a flukey walkoff we win it. There was no clear class in the division. Then they quote Rogers (lol), and he says the team that just scored 13 runs in two games and that easily led the AL in runs scored is led by their bullpen. I'm pretty sure it's led by a strong young core of position players, key vets, and a mediocre patchwork, but willing to sacrifice for the team, pitching staff, in that order.

They also bumped our headline for a headline on Mike Tomlin's vidya game world. WTF even is ESPN now.

9 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

The ESPN preview is so lazy and bad. They say despite our RD, Tribe were the "class" of the Central. Wut? They won the division by one game. They don't get a flukey walkoff we win it. There was no clear class in the division. Then they quote Rogers (lol), and he says the team that just scored 13 runs in two games and that easily led the AL in runs scored is led by their bullpen. I'm pretty sure it's led by a strong young core of position players, key vets, and a mediocre patchwork, but willing to sacrifice for the team, pitching staff, in that order.

They also bumped our headline for a headline on Mike Tomlin's vidya game world. WTF even is ESPN now.

Death, Taxes, and ESPN forgetting about the White Sox.

19 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

The ESPN preview is so lazy and bad. They say despite our RD, Tribe were the "class" of the Central. Wut? They won the division by one game. They don't get a flukey walkoff we win it. There was no clear class in the division. Then they quote Rogers (lol), and he says the team that just scored 13 runs in two games and that easily led the AL in runs scored is led by their bullpen. I'm pretty sure it's led by a strong young core of position players, key vets, and a mediocre patchwork, but willing to sacrifice for the team, pitching staff, in that order.

They also bumped our headline for a headline on Mike Tomlin's vidya game world. WTF even is ESPN now.

...not to mention we won the head-to-head season series. Maybe that gets a mention when we are going into, you know, a head-to-head series?

Tribe fans gassing themselves up over division titles. Cool, how many WS appearances or titles you get out of that 32 years? Oh, that's right, you let the Cubs beat you in fan murdering style to blow your one appearence. 1948 is the last time you guys won jack s%*#. Division titles, who really GAF? Oh we beat a bunch of mediocre AL central teams!

We need to end their fucking season. Tired of these jackoffs.

13 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

...not to mention we won the head-to-head season series. Maybe that gets a mention when we are going into, you know, a head-to-head series?

White Sox play better as the overlooked underdog with that us against the world why not us mentality...

If you were born in 1925, it took 80 years of waiting for 2005 and until age 101 for a fourth playoff series victory.

CLE certainly has that recent playoff history, home field, 2/3 in most recent series, better September play, starting rotation, Cade Smith, three Top 5 RoY candidates in deLauter/Messick/Bazzana, veteran star in Jose Ramirez, etc.

When everyone starts picking the Sox is when you should start to worry.

The majority of non-aligned baseball fans will surely be cheering for Sox...as will all of Japan for Murakami.

7 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Tribe fans gassing themselves up over division titles. Cool, how many WS appearances or titles you get out of that 32 years? Oh, that's right, you let the Cubs beat you in fan murdering style to blow your one appearence. 1948 is the last time you guys won jack s%*#. Division titles, who really GAF? Oh we beat a bunch of mediocre AL central teams!

We need to end their fucking season. Tired of these jackoffs.

Don't forget 1995/97 when they were supposedly the best young team in baseball...

16 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Tribe fans gassing themselves up over division titles. Cool, how many WS appearances or titles you get out of that 32 years? Oh, that's right, you let the Cubs beat you in fan murdering style to blow your one appearence. 1948 is the last time you guys won jack s%*#. Division titles, who really GAF? Oh we beat a bunch of mediocre AL central teams!

We need to end their fucking season. Tired of these jackoffs.

I mean given the choice of losing regularly in the playoffs, or missing them most years, I would definitely swap places with Clevelands recent history.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

I mean given the choice of losing regularly in the playoffs, or missing them most years, I would definitely swap places with Clevelands recent history.

I wouldn't. I'd feel a really certain type of way being as old as I am and not seeing a single WS winner from my team. Division titles are a nice thing but they aren't in the same galaxy as winning it all. Every Tigers fan I know around my age feels similar. They'd trade places with the Sox in a heartbeat. They haven't won since 1984. All my middle age friends from Michigan don't even remember it. They were just babies or toddlers. We saw one 21 years ago, and while that's a long time, it's nothing compare to 1984 or 1948.

The team that before this year I follow that most resembled Cleveland was the UM Hoops team. We've had a great run of league titles, B1G tourney titles, FFs but man we were 0-4 in my lifetime as a fan in the final before this year. I was too young for the 89 team, was just a toddler. We finally got back over the hump. If we had not, I'd still be bummed. But, we did. Cle fans have to rue that Cubs series.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by chitownsportsfan

3 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I wouldn't. I'd feel a really certain type of way being as old as I am and not seeing a single WS winner from my team. Division titles are a nice thing but they aren't in the same galaxy as winning it all. Every Tigers fan I know around my age feels similar. They'd trade places with the Sox in a heartbeat. They haven't won since 1984. All my middle age friends from Michigan don't even remember it. They were just babies or toddlers. We saw one 21 years ago, and while that's a long time, it's nothing compare to 1984 or 1948.

The team that before this year I follow that most resembled Cleveland was the UM Hoops team. We've had a great run of league titles, B1G tourney titles, FFs but man we were 0-4 in my lifetime as a fan in the final before this year. I was too young for the 89 team, was just a toddler. We finally got back over the hump. If we had not, I'd still be bummed. But, we did. Cle fans have to rue that Cubs series.

Funny that Rumeal Robinson won it...not the Fab 5.

Interesting convo. Coached HS hoops in WI for a long time. Lost in the game to go yo state three times in four appearances over five years. The one time we won that game, we won the whole thing. The school we beat in the state semis has been there something like three years in a row and four out of six but never even played for a state title. Their coach, a friend, told me he’d trade all their state appearances for our our gold ball. That’s the 2005 Sox. I wouldn’t trade that title for more success but no title over the last 20 years.

I think if you ask any hardcore fan, what would you rather have, a team that makes the playoffs 3 times in a 25 year span but wins it all once or a team that makes 10 times but zero titles, the answer should be pretty obvious.

Those of us old enough to remember the 05 team can confirm that no amount of division titles compares to watching the last out on a world series winning team and everything that comes after...absolutely none.

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by MexSoxFan#1

Last season I was seeing a young team evolving. I also noticed Friday Night at the Rate was becoming a thing with the attendance. The young team was opening eyes with their slug and fun. This season the Sox became the darlings of their fanbase in Chicago, even old crusty Sox fans came onboard. Now the Sox are the long shot team fans and some of the media across the country are amused by. As a lifelong Sox fan this is new to me, I have never seen the Sox popular outside of their local fanbase. I welcome all new fans with open arms that want to cheer for the Sox.

58 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

Last season I was seeing a young team evolving. I also noticed Friday Night at the Rate was becoming a thing with the attendance. The young team was opening eyes with their slug and fun. This season the Sox became the darlings of their fanbase in Chicago, even old crusty Sox fans came onboard. Now the Sox are the long shot team fans and some of the media across the country are amused by. As a lifelong Sox fan this is new to me, I have never seen the Sox popular outside of their local fanbase. I welcome all new fans with open arms that want to cheer for the Sox.

Right on. I hope most fans feel this way instead of being all gatekeepery.

There’s plenty of room on the bandwagon. Come have fun with us.

23 minutes ago, Snopek said:

Right on. I hope most fans feel this way instead of being all gatekeepery.

There’s plenty of room on the bandwagon. Come have fun with us.

The gatekeeper thing was always the weirdest thing about being a Sox fan. First off Sox fans are extremely bandwagon. When they are bad, everyone disappears. When times are good, everyone shows back up. Look at attendance numbers and TV ratings.

6 hours ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

I think if you ask any hardcore fan, what would you rather have, a team that makes the playoffs 3 times in a 25 year span but wins it all once or a team that makes 10 times but zero titles, the answer should be pretty obvious.

Those of us old enough to remember the 05 team can confirm that no amount of division titles compares to watching the last out on a world series winning team and everything that comes after...absolutely none.

I am not talking about giving up 2005, but talking about the last 20 years.

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

The gatekeeper thing was always the weirdest thing about being a Sox fan. First off Sox fans are extremely bandwagon. When they are bad, everyone disappears. When times are good, everyone shows back up. Look at attendance numbers and TV ratings.

I don't think that's bandwagon-y. You can be a Sox fan and not fill Jerry's pockets by packing the Rate during 100-loss seasons. Sox fans reward the team with their attendance when they're good, and stay away when they're bad, and I've always respected that about our fanbase. I know tons of hard core Sox fans who are among those who returned to the Rate this Summer. I myself am a certified, lifelong White Sox sicko who went from season ticket-holder in 2022 to boycotting the Rate for a couple of years, to coming back strong in 2026.

I too welcome new fans. I have more complicated thoughts about the casual, condescending Cub fan pseudo-support that materializes during Sox playoff runs.

Edited 20 minutes ago20 min by 35thstreetswarm

16 hours ago, chw42 said:

I mean, we all gave Getz s%*# for Castillo being a complete failure, but we didn't really give up much for him prospect wise. The Cubs gave up their 2nd best prospect for Holmes not to pitch at all in the playoffs and Tyrone Taylor got 1 AB. They also never really addressed their horrendous bullpen. Zeferzahn wasn't good enough to be considered a solution. I don't think any acquisition could have helped them catch the Brewers, but they could have at least won enough games to host the Wild Card series. It's weird, because the Cubs make a lot of money, but don't really spend like they are a top 3 revenue team. If you're a Cubs fan, that has to be really frustrating. They're always stuck in this place where they're good, but not really good enough. And they keep getting beat by the likes of the Brewers, who don't have their financial resources. That seems to be the theme of the Jed Hoyer era.

They needed to drive up the price on Skubal and did not. Their deadline pickups looked better than the White Sox but he White Sox played more of the long game. Doyle doesn't look to be the chump I thought he was and they are hoping to make Castillo a 3/4 after a year off. Brazo.. and Bart are also in the team photo.

Peralta seems to falter in the playoffs we shall see on him.