Lip Man 1

Story on KW/RH farewell statements: https://soxmachine.com/2023/08/kenny-williams-delivers-farewell-address-atop-white-sox-wreckage/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/2023/8/23/23843599/white-sox-news-jerry-reinsdorf-tony-la-russa-return-rick-hahn-ken-williams-mlb

The comments made during Garfien's podcast yesterday with McGuffy, Ozzie and Podsednik. McGuffy: Kenny was never around when the Sox lost 7-8 in a row. He got in the way. Both had to be fired. One guy wanted Bryce Harper, the other wanted to sign him, his way. One guy wanted Manny Machado. The other guy wanted to sign him to a cheap ass contract. Development was bad, drafting was bad. It was a complete disgrace.

Santos is going to be a hell of a closer isn't he????? ?

“This is a really good organization with a great owner that, all he wants to do is win.”- Chris Getz Yep...he fits right in! ?

DVS of the Sun-Times reviewing what happened today: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/8/23/23843078/tony-la-russa-returns-to-good-health-returns-to-white-sox-picture A Sox spokesperson told the Sun-Times Wednesday La Russa is not working for the Sox in an official capacity

I appreciate the fact that he's gone.

All it will take is new ownership and that eventually will happen.

It won't matter JR won't be around in six years.

This is the same source (one of six) who helped provide detailed factual info for my State of the Sox story this past November who has been associated with the Sox for 30 years. Name me someone who DID have a clue about the firings and reported it before the news broke yesterday. Now as posted people in the media are saying the reports of Getz/Moore are wrong. I asked them about the reports today, and here is the response: "This would be very surprising to me based on what I know. As you well know, sometimes teams use writers to get a sense of fan reaction and other media on who they may hire or trade for. I certainly hope this is one of those cases. From what I am hearing, fan reaction to Getz and sports talk radio is not very favorable for Getz.

I was sitting in CF for that game too along with Richard Roeper (who I didn't know at the time)

August 23, 1906 - The Sox beat Washington 4-1 for their 19th straight win, a franchise record that still stands. Roy Patterson picked up the win. This was the streak that propelled the Sox into a position to take the A.L. pennant and eventually the World Series crown beating the Cubs in the only all-Chicago World Series. During the run the Sox beat Boston six times, Philadelphia five times, New York seven times and Washington once. When the streak started on August 2 the Sox were seven and a half games behind Philadelphia, when it ended on August 25 at Washington, the team was in first place by four games over the A’s. August 23, 1956 – In a double header sweep at Yankee Stadium, Sox second baseman Nellie Fox recorded seven consecutive hits, six singles and a triple in the 8-3 and 6-4 wins. Fox went 5 for 5 in game one with four RBI’s then recorded two hits in his first two at-bats in the nightcap game. For the day Nellie went 7 for 10 with two runs scored and those four RBI’s. August 23, 1972 - Sox slugger Dick Allen would make history again on this day. He slammed a pitch from the Yankees Lindy McDaniel into the center field bleachers directly under the scoreboard at Comiskey Park, becoming the first Sox player to ever do this. It came in the seventh inning with a man on base. Sox announcer Harry Caray, who was broadcasting the game from that area, nearly caught the ball in his fishing net which he kept with him for just such an occasion. The Sox would win it 5-2. August 23, 1983 - Normally a first baseman, manager Tony LaRussa moved Mike Squires to third base in the eighth inning of a 10-2 loss to the Royals. Squires was left-handed! Squires faced three batters from that spot without handling any chances. Twice Mike also caught an inning left-handed as well. During the 1983 and 84 seasons Squires was moved to third base a total of 14 times by manager Tony LaRussa the most ever for a left hander in big league history. August 23, 2002 - Sox third baseman Joe Crede hit the 1,000th home run at the new Comiskey Park (now Guaranteed Rate Field) when he put one into the seats off former Sox pitcher Tanyon Sturtze during the 8-2 loss to the Devil Rays. His home run came in the ninth inning. August 23, 2005 - In an excruciating game in Minnesota, the Sox Freddy Garcia tossed a complete game one-hitter and lost 1-0. The only mistake he made was allowing a home run to Jacque Jones leading off the eighth inning. August 23, 2011 - Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, a mainstay for the team since being acquired in a trade before the start of the 1999 season, collected his 2,000th career hit in a 5-4 loss to the Angels in Anaheim. The hit was a single that tied the game at four all. All but 48 of those 2,000 hits came with the White Sox. He’d finish with 2,340 of them over 18 years.

If this is true it would be absolutely insane but typical White Sox and would fly in the face of an individual who had dinner with JR last Wednesday and said they'd be surprised if either Getz or Haber retained their jobs. This would be so White Sox.

Kenny is going to retire. Supposedly he had already told JR that.

DVS story said Getz and Haber will be acting GM's until the end of the season. That Getz will be a candidate but did not mention Haber.

Garfien’s latest podcast dropped this evening. Garfien, McGuffy, Ozzie and Podsednik involved. Highlights of comments: McGuffy: Kenny being fired was a surprise. Knew there had to be changes. It needed to happen. Kudos to JR for making the decision. Ozzie: 500,000 Sox fans today love JR. Pods: Shocked this happened in August, move was made on behalf of the fans. They deserved better, they were promised multiple championships and parades and that never happened. More changes are coming. McGuffy: There was no clear leadership structure. You have to bring in the best players. Sox are at the top of the list on how to fail at a rebuild. Pods: What is the structure/ identity of this team? Garfien: There was massive dysfunction. Pods: Leaders are supposed to take risks. McGuffy: Kenny was never around when the Sox lost 7-8 in a row. He got in the way. Both had to be fired. One guy wanted Bryce Harper, the other wanted to sign him, his way. One guy wanted Manny Machado. The other guy wanted to sign him to a cheap ass contract. Development was bad, drafting was bad. It was a complete disgrace. Ozzie: You can’t hurry the G.M. hire. Need the right attitude, have to be careful. McGuffy: Grifol is now on an island. If they were going to name either Getz or Haber as the new G.M. why not do it tonight? Haber is a bad idea. (Ozzie didn’t know who he was.) Pods: Season is only a disaster if they don’t learn from it. McGuffy: What killed this was ego and who has the power. Ozzie: Kenny has a big ego. McGuffy: Never told this story before. Last year Sox had won five straight, they beat Houston and were closing in on Cleveland they were like 62-58. Kaplan called McGuffy and “Puffy chested” Kenny got on the phone why I don’t know. “I just want to let you know I’m still fucking around.” Why would he call me? When we talk about things it’s not personal. Everyone let this type of s%*# get in the way of things. Garfien: Dysfunction between Kenny and Rick resulted in the Burger trade. McGuffy: Kenny made that trade. How was that OK? Rick did not want to deal him. Pressure now is on the kid they got in the trade. Garfien: Organization looked on the back of baseball cards to try to build a team. (I took this as a shot at guys like Haber who seem to rely just on analytics) Maybe that’s how an MIT educated guy might try to do it but you need more than that, you have to have more than just talent, what’s inside of a guy? What’s inside Moncada? What does he have inside to try to win? Ozzie: JR spent money but they spent it on the wrong people. McGuffy: What would things be like if Renteria was still the manager? They played hard for him. Hiring Tony LaRussa kick started the tsunami. Pods: Fans want to see guys that will sacrifice their body to catch a baseball. Garfien: Suggested former G.M. Dan Duquette as the next Sox G.M. Ozzie: Suggested former Astros G.M. Jeff Luhnow as the next Sox G.M. McGuffy: Talked about Theo Epstein. Call him, make him tell you no! Give him an offer...make him say no. Ozzie: Sox don’t have enough money for Epstein. Ozzie: Grifol will be back next year, Getz knows him. If Getz is named G.M. he’ll be back. Garfien: I want former Major League ballers in this fucking system at all levels. Guys who have been through it, who knew what it was like to play and be in tough times. A rookie is struggling and goes to a coach for help. Sox coaches have no idea about this because they have never been there! McGuffy: This isn’t over, they need to fire some of these players now. Ozzie: Discussion turned to him as a possible manager. Said he likes his broadcasting job and would not sit for an interview. “How many years…how much money?” is all he’d want to know. All agreed more changes are coming to this organization.

Correct. My six sources for that story had a lot to say and a lot of it has proven to be right on the money.

Holcomb had little to do with that.

“People, his friends… have tried to tell him what has been going on, “Hawk” Harrelson, the late Ed Farmer… God rest his soul, Darrin Jackson, Scott Reifert (Author’s Note: Scott is the Senior Vice-President for Communications) , Bob Grim and others but it’s just not registering for some reason.”

Morrissey column tonight: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2023/8/22/23842416/white-sox-chairman-jerry-reinsdorf-stunningly-caves-into-reason-fires-ken-williams-rick-hahn

Paul Sullivan's column tonight at the Chicago Tribune: https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-ken-williams-rick-hahn-20230823-7qzbmj6ncvfebcuom4qesaulsm-story.html It's a very good read.

From DVS's story tonight at the Sun-Times: "Assistant general manager Chris Getz, who oversees the Sox’ farm system, and assistant GM Jeremy Haber are assuming GM duties while Reinsdorf looks for a new top front office person. Getz will be a candidate for the GM post."

“Accountability around here is not a problem.”- Kenny Williams 4/25/23 For once Kenny was right! ?

For what it's worth just got this from my source who had dinner with JR and everyone last Wednesday. I mentioned that if either Haber or Getz were named the permanent G.M. nothing would really change. I am VERY encouraged by this comment: "Based I what I heard him (JR) say at dinner last week I would be shocked if either one (Haber or Getz) remains let alone get that job. My understanding is they are both part of the problem."