Lip Man 1

In 2012 Richard Roeper and I co-hosted the 40th anniversary celebration for Dick and the 1972 White Sox. I can tell you having spoken with Dick's teammates ("Goose" Gossage, Bart Johnson, Hank Allen, Bill Melton, Carlos May, Ed Spiezio, Tom Bradley) for three days and interviewed a number of others NOT ONE MAN said anything negative about Dick. All praised his ability, his drive, his will to win. Like Chuck Tanner told me before he died (paraphrasing) 'You tell anybody who says that Dick wasn't a leader is full of s%*#.' Here is my obit story when Dick passed quoting his teammates: https://www.southsidesox.com/2020/12/9/22164784/white-sox-dick-allen-remembered

You are probably correct as long as it is a combination of underperformance from said player and current ownership remaining.

Keeping this group together and expecting a different result also makes no sense. I'm not saying anything would really change either...what I am saying is since you are going to lose these guys anyway for various reasons, you get what you can for them and ":hope" for a different result with a different group. Yes...that is all that's left for this organization (at least until new ownership arrives) 'hope' things get better and hope really isn't a strategy.

Grifol has already said this hasn't been discussed and by his quotes it sounds like it won't be a consideration.

Given the injury history for many of them, the poor performances, the seemingly lack of "baseball-smarts" by and large...that may not be a bad idea. Granted that won't solve the issues of ownership and the front office but keeping the status quo on the field makes little sense. There is enough of a track record to show this group simply can't be successful.

May 15, 1929 - Sox outfielder Art “The Great” Shires (Shires by the way gave himself that nickname) and manager Lena Blackburne got into a fistfight during a game at Comiskey Park won by the Sox 8-4 over Boston. Before the game Blackburne had suspended and fined Shires for wearing a red felt hat during batting practice and for not taking the game seriously. Shires left the park but later returned and confronted Blackburne where the two men exchanged blows. The two men would get into another fist fight later that season in September in a Philadelphia hotel room. May 15, 1941 - In a game in New York, Sox pitcher Edgar Smith allowed a hit to Yankee great Joe DiMaggio in the first inning. It would be the first hit in his record setting 56 game hitting streak. The Sox won the game though 13-1 with outfielder Taft “Taffy” Wright driving in four runs. That year he’d hit .322 and knock in 97 RBI’s. May 15, 1951 – It was a testament to the managerial genius of Sox skipper Paul Richards. It had been 30 years since the league saw a move like this. In the ninth inning of a game in Boston where the White Sox were winning 7-6, relief pitcher Harry Dorish was removed in favor of Billy Pierce to face the left-handed hitting Ted Williams, only Dorish wasn’t removed from the game, he was moved to third base! Pierce retired Williams on a pop up, then was taken out of the game and Dorish put back on the mound. Boston eventually tied the game but the White Sox would have the last laugh, winning 9-7 in 11 innings. The victory marked the start of a 14-game win streak, with 11 of the wins on the road. On May 30 after sweeping the St. Louis Browns, the Sox record stood at 26-9. May 15, 1954 – With a 7-6 come from behind win over the Philadelphia Athletics at Comiskey Park, the White Sox secured the franchises 4,000th win. It was catcher Carl Sawatski’s single with two out in the ninth inning that won the game. That year the Sox went 94-60-1…and still finished 17 games back of the pennant winning Indians! May 15, 1988 – It is an obscure record and one that probably will never be broken. Outfielder Dave Gallagher was picked up over the winter by the Sox after he was released by the Mariners and was called up to the club the day before. Playing in only his second game in a White Sox uniform he hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to beat the Blue Jays 6-5 at Comiskey Park. The hit came off Toronto’s sidewinder Mark Eichhorn. It is the team record for fewest games played before hitting a walk-off home run. May 15, 1990 - Bobby Thigpen became the White Sox all-time saves leader in a 3-2 win over Baltimore at Comiskey Park. Thigpen pitched a scoreless ninth inning in nailing down his 100th career save, surpassing Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm on the White Sox all-time list. The save was Thigpen’s ninth of the year… before the remarkable season was over Bobby would nail down 57 saves which set the Major League record and be named Relief Pitcher of the Year. May 15, 1996 - The Sox scored 20 runs in a game. They easily handled the Brewers in Milwaukee 20-8. The Sox scored 20, yet only hit two home runs. Frank Thomas had one of them and knocked in six runs on the night. Harold Baines and Robin Ventura had three RBI’s each as well.

As a side note I don't know if anyone has noticed that Rick hasn't shown his face or spoken with the media yet on this homestand. But remember Kenny claims "accountability around here isn't a problem..." ?

Unless new ownership arrives or significant changes are made to the folks in the baseball side of the operation the next rebuild WILL go on in to infinity.

"True" Sox fans (what is that definition again?) are also realistic. 14-28. That's factual not an interpretation. Since the start of 2007 only five winning seasons, that's factual. Since Rick Hahn has been the GM, two winning seasons in 10 completed years...that's factual. "Unquestioned" loyalty to anything... a political bent, a religion, a sports team, a government in my opinion is a very dangerous thing.

How many millions of dollars is he getting for that "work situation" again? I get it, the Sox organization from top to bottom is horseshit, no argument there, but as long as these guys are getting paid ungodly sums they have an obligation regardless if the team is 30 games over or 30 games under, no excuse. If he doesn't care for the situation (and I don't blame him there) have his agent make a formal request for a trade. Again his history with suspensions, flipping off fans, the off field situation, his arrogant talk means he isn't going to get the benefit of the doubt. That's a situation he created, not JR...not Rick Hahn or anybody else.

That's some "professional" there isn't it? ? And by the way, he's going to be asking for a LOT more than 70 million (which is another reason why he won't be with the Sox)

Only when the team he plays for is a complete mess, the rebuild is right down the toilet, guys can't stay healthy for a week at a time let alone for most of the season and the front office is incompetent. To say nothing of the player in question's history on and off the field.

There is no substitute for talent agreed. However it only takes one of two guys who for whatever reason or reasons conduct themselves like an ass, to disrupt said talent. The fact that with the Sox the inmates seem to be running the asylum doesn't help things. Put him on a team like the Dodgers or the Yankees, the Braves...teams who have strong leaders and I'm guessing Anderson will shape up very quickly. He's got a ton of talent, he also seems to have some real issues.

Apologize for this being late in the day! My fault!!! May 14, 1963 - Sox pitcher Ray Herbert fired his fourth consecutive shutout beating the Tigers 3-0 at Comiskey Park. Herbert allowed six hits and struck out seven. His shutout streak began on May 1 when he blanked the Orioles. That was followed by shutouts over the Senators and the Yankees. In the shutout stretch he only allowed 15 hits in 36 innings with 22 strike outs. The previous season Ray won 20 games and was the winning pitcher for the American League in the second All-Star Game played that year. It took place at Wrigley Field. May 14, 1967 - Sox pitching great Gary Peters authored his second career one-hitter beating the Angels 3-1 at Comiskey Park. It was the second game in a double header sweep. Peters allowed only a second inning home run to former Sox first baseman Bill “Moose” Skowron and struck out 10. Peters would make the All-Star team for the second time in his career that season going 16-11 with a 2.28 ERA throwing 260 innings. May 14, 1977 - The Sox hammered the Indians 18-2 in a game that started at 10:30 in the morning in connection with a promotion for McDonald’s restaurants Egg McMuffin sandwich. Sox first baseman Jim Spencer would tie the franchise mark with eight RBI’s on the day. Spencer went 3 for 3 with two home runs including a grand slam along with a two-run shot and a two RBI single. Spencer would drive in eight runs in a game again later that season versus Minnesota in a 13-8 win on July 2. May 14, 1998 - The Sox Greg Norton became one of only a handful of players to hit two home runs in the same game off Randy Johnson. Norton homered in the third and fifth innings of the Sox 5-3 win at Comiskey Park. He’d go 2 for 3 in the game with three RBI’s. May 14, 2005 - Sox speedster Scott Podsednik swiped four bases in a game against the Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field. Just a week earlier he grabbed four bases versus Toronto. He’s the only player in franchise history to steal four bases in a game twice. In 2005 Podsednik swiped 59 bases. May 14, 2017 – As part of an eight run, eighth inning against the Padres, Sox third baseman Todd Frazier scored from third on an infield pop-up! Tyler Saladino popped up a bunt attempt which was caught by San Diego’s Wil Myers near first base. Myers though then turned his back and hesitated and when Frazier saw that he broke for the plate. The return throw was off line and high and Frazier scored sliding in. It delighted the Sox home crowd as part of a 9-3 win. 15 Sox players batted in the big inning, getting four hits, five walks, a hit batsman and an error.

Why not...all discards seem to find a home with this organization.

Maybe he didn't but again, just my opinion, the entire body of work, the history...the guy doesn't seem like a good teammate. And the fact that he can't stay healthy isn't helping his situation or giving him the benefit of the doubt. It may be very unfair but if you are the "face of the franchise" then you are expected to play and conduct yourself to a higher standard. I think he needs to go and I've felt that way for a few years now. Not just him but a number of these other underachievers who seem to be babied.

That's a very valid point and as someone else posted, the reaction of his teammates to the All-Star selection video from last year is telling what they may think of his "leadership." And no he's not the only problem with this incompetent, dysfunctional and inept organization...but he is a piece of everything that is wrong.

Regardless of if he said it or not he needs to go. Guy is a cancer. He can take his attitude, his arrogance and his "face of the IL" (LOL) someplace else. If he didn't have a history of shooting his mouth off "We're the best team in the league!", the suspensions, flipping off the fans in Cleveland he'd get the benefit of the doubt. But he has that history, that's not open to conjecture...that's factual. Like someone else posted he's got 90 more days here then "He Gone!" ?

Guy is a cancer and needs to go. He can take his act with him as he leaves.

Sun-Times post game story. I wonder if Grifol made his comment with a straight face: "But this being the Sox, they couldn’t avoid bad news. Before the game, the Sox put second baseman Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) on the 10-day injured list after he hurt himself during his final at-bat Friday. Andrus, who was replaced on the roster by utility player Romy Gonzalez, is hitting .201 in 39 games but represents another Sox regular to miss time this season. ‘‘Just give an opportunity to somebody else to come in and do the job,’’ Grifol said. ?

Yay...they won a game. Yawn.

On the rare occasions he has publicly spoken on this he has been consistent that his family should keep the Bulls and sell the Sox. He's said it to the Chicago Tribune and he said it to Bob Sirott on "Chicago Tonight" in 2004. This is from my State of the Sox story which came out in November from a source: “JR has told his family he does not want any of his sons owning the team when he is gone. The Bulls are fine he said because they make Michael (Reinsdorf) money but baseball just doesn’t allow you to do that. (no salary cap)” (Author’s Note: Was told by an individual who knew some of the minority owners that “The Sox haven’t lost money in a long time.” A second source agreed with that statement. Seems to be a conflict doesn’t it? Maybe JR isn’t making enough money to suit him vis a vis the Sox?) “In October 2005 some investors asked JR to sell and get out while the going was good, but he wouldn’t.” “Andrew Berlin, twice tried to buy the Sox around 2008 but wasn’t successful.” (Author’s Note: Berlin, grew up a Sox fan and is now the owner of the Cubs farm team in South Bend, Indiana.)

It's called fundamentals, which is an unknown word to this organization.

I would be very surprised if JR is still around in five years time.

May 13, 1957 - Sox pitcher Billy Pierce became the first member of the team and the first Chicago athlete, to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The caption read, “Pride of Chicago, Billy Pierce.” In 1957, the year the magazine cover came out; Pierce went 20-12 with an ERA of 3.26. It was his second straight 20-win season. He led the league with 16 complete games, had four shutouts, two saves, threw 257 innings and had 192 strike outs. May 13, 1975 - Sox pitcher Jim Kaat’s 12-game winning streak ended as he was beaten 3-2 in Baltimore. Kaat had won his first five decisions in 1975 and his final seven decisions in 1974. He’d become a 20- game winner in both seasons averaging 290 innings pitched in those years. He’d also make the All-Star team in 1975. May 13, 1982 - SportsVision made its debut. The first regional pay cable service devoted exclusively to sports began operations with a game at Comiskey Park versus Milwaukee. The service was the brainchild of Sox co-owner Eddie Einhorn and while brilliant, was ahead of its time. The technology wasn’t there and more importantly, the attitude on the part of the fans wasn’t ready to pay for something they had been getting for free all their lives. At best roughly 20,000 fans subscribed to it. The service also included broadcasting games of the Bulls, Blackhawks and Sting (professional soccer). The decision to go to a pay service caused popular announcer Harry Caray to leave the team after 11 seasons and go to the Cubs despite an offer by the Sox that was worth more before the 1982 season began. SportsVision, in its original version, lasted until the end of 1983, then it was sold to the Cablevision Company and turned into SportsChannel-Chicago.