35thstreetswarm

Your first mistake is not reading my post before responding to it.

Thanks for the help, but my kids are smart enough to recognize adult rationalization and double-speak when they hear it.

Rick: Lifelong Sox fan here. I won't bore you by establishing my bona fides, but suffice it to say that most who know me would agree my devotion borders on pathological. Opening day is a holiday in my house. I've hung on the team's every move for decades. I was excited and encouraged by the decision to move in a new managerial direction. I won't speak ill of Ricky Renteria, who was by all accounts well liked and led the team to a great season, but I applaud the front office for "thinking big" and readying the team for sustained postseason success. But I have been shocked to find my feelings of elation quickly turn to terror as rumors have begun swirling about AJ Hinch (or even Alex Cora) as potential hires. At the risk of revealing my naivete, I had never even considered they could be options. Perhaps they are not--but in the event there is truth to these rumors I wanted to make my strong feelings known, for whatever that may be worth. Like many fans, I have been profoundly troubled about the Astros cheating scandal over the past year. I've been baffled by the lack of accountability for some of its participants. While I was encouraged by the initial, and appropriate, reaction of shock and revulsion that met the scandal within the baseball world, I have been surprised by how quickly many have changed course and seem willing to "just move on" from an orchestrated scheme of fraud that infected the game's most basic competitive elements. I have often tried to imagine how I would have managed all this as an Astros fan, and have felt blessed that I never had to confront this question in anything but the abstract. So I ask you, please: don't force me into a similar position now. There's no question here -- while their roles differed, AJ Hinch and Alex Cora both led a team that cheated its way to a World Series title, then smiled into the camera as they accepted a trophy they knew in their hearts was tainted by fraud. They were *fired* by other teams--including the *Houston Astros themselves*--for their roles in this scandal. How could we, as fans, be excited about hiring either of them to stand as the face of the Chicago White Sox franchise? How would I explain this to my kids? It is more difficult every day to impress upon them that they must adhere strictly to moral and ethical standards that so many people and institutions brazenly trample when it's expedient. Please don't foist these ugly dilemmas on us, not in this corner of our lives. It has taken a century to recover from the Black Sox scandal that darkened this franchise's legacy. You hold that legacy in your hands now, and at a precarious moment. Please do not sully this organization for some minuscule (and questionable) perceived marginal competitive advantage. Go Sox.

No, you wouldn't really think. Dallas Keuchel was not the leader of the team that cheated its way to a tainted title. It's rational to be troubled by a signing of a player like that, but be much more troubled by the prospect of hiring Hinch.

How do you throw someone under the bus when they admit they knew they were cheating?

It does sound that way. I can’t believe my mood has shifted from elation to terror in minutes.

No cheaters. Simple.

Must say I’ve never been instructed by another person as to how to organize my “thoughts”, but thanks for the input.

If you’re ok hiring a manager fired for cheating—by a cheating organization—that’s your business. I don’t want to touch that with a ten-foot pole, especially with this org’s history.

I’ll be incredibly depressed if we hire Hinch.

Ahem...I guess you could make an argument for the Cubs/Sox series at Wrigley this year as the "tipping point" for the two teams, but I'm sticking with roughly September 25, 2019. I haven't seen my Cub fan friends have any fun since last Fall, frankly.

lolzers

I actually really hope Hahn doesn’t go out and hand a huge contract to an underperforming player.

Sock puppet

Can you stop posting about your own posts? Jesus Christ with the fucking navel gazing, masturbatory nonsense. Nobody is keeping track of your little spat. Nobody is following. You’ve lost, whether you’re “right” or “wrong.” Just step away from the keyboard, man.

I don’t like Ricky at all, but I feel like he managed that game like he was crowdsourcing Soxtalk.com. The consensus around here was super quick hook on Dunning, use the whole bullpen, play only to the leverage. Yet he’s getting roasted. This is the problem with the precious “bullpen game” people—you have to rely on 8 guys to be “on” the same night. The problem here was we had no third starter. Blame fate, blame the org, blame Kopech for watching from home (oooh, can I say that?) but this one, THIS one, was not on Ricky.

Exactly. He’s trying to do no harm—pulling guys at the first sign of trouble like this board always demands. Puts more pressure on guys later but so be it—he’s trying to get out of each high leverage situation unscathed

Funny thing is Ricky is following this board’s advice. This is not on Ricky. Guys have to perform. Let’s go bats, and hope for Foster, Marshall and company to right the ship

Is it me or does Madrigal always look like he’s about to cry

GAS

My radar doesn't look particularly bad, and the highest percentage I'm seeing in next 8 hours is 30%...

Twins. Lolz.

Wow, reasonable sounding game thread (post above notwithstanding). Way to battle—let’s get em tomorrow.

For all the talk about Mazara getting better of late, all he’s offered on last 30 games is the occasional single-hit game (usually a single). He’s likely not giving us anything we can’t expect even from cold Leury. Let Leury play

Is there a Sox bar that’s open and has outdoor seating/TVs? Any Bridgeport bars open? Really want to watch this live and would rather avoid Wrigleyville.