Lip Man 1

Statement from TLR: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2022/10/3/23386022/white-sox-tony-la-russa-statement

They need to do a legitimate search, looking for the best and the brightest from WINNING organizations. People who have ZERO connections in any way to JR or the White Sox 'family." They need fresh ideas, and new ways to look at their myriad problems and issues.

TLR should never have been named manager in the first place but what's done is done, wish him all the best in retirement.

Maybe I'm mistaken but didn't Hahn just a few days ago say they were going to repair a "cyst" behind the knee? I'm no doctor but I know a cyst isn't a meniscus tear.

The White Sox have now scored three runs or less in 50% of all games played this year. 79 times in 158 games. They have to win their remaining four games to finish over .500 at 82-80. From supposed "World Series" contender to this. WOW! If the season was two weeks longer the Cubs would catch them in the win column. ?

This from DVS Saturday story in the Sun-Times: "A source close to La Russa and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said he expects Reinsdorf to give La Russa the option of coming back but also will encourage him not to do so for his own personal good.

I had never heard of this one before, can you supply any links to any stories on this situation? I'd like to get more details.

I'm guessing this is a moot point since JR will never pony up the amount of money needed to get him anyway.

One of the dividing points between the two men was that JR wanted the Sox to acquire down the stretch run for that season Mike Scott who was being made available by the Astros. Himes refused to part with any of the young players. Another point and maybe the final nail (and Jeff Torborg told me the same thing) was how down the stretch the A's were able to claim both Harold Baines and Willie McGee on waivers when the Sox could have claimed one or both since they trailed Oakland in the standings. Jeff told me that JR called him in his hotel room to ask what was going on. Jeff said he told him he had no idea.

September 15, 1990 - Owner Jerry Reinsdorf fired G.M. Larry Himes citing ‘personality differences.’ Himes drafted and signed Sox future stars like Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura and Alex Fernandez. During the press conference announcing the hiring of Ron Schueler as new G.M., Reinsdorf issued his famous ‘Point A to point B to point C’ comment. Later in a rare radio appearance he was candid on the subject to host Chet Coppock. “The fact is Larry Himes cannot get along with anybody. You can hardly find anybody in the Sox organization that wasn’t happy when Larry Himes left.”

Ozzie did some good things for the Sox but it's hard to just "forget" about this: September 26, 2011 – He was considered the face of the franchise for eight seasons but on this night after a 4-3 win over Toronto, manager Ozzie Guillen announced he was leaving after owner Jerry Reinsdorf agreed to let him out of the final year of his contract. Guillen, who was the 1985 A.L. Rookie of the Year with the White Sox, won the World Series in 2005 and also got the club into the playoffs in 2008. He had five winning seasons in the eight years as manager and was named Manager of the Year for his work in 2005. In that magical season of 2005, “Ozzieball” resulted in the Sox getting off to the best start in their history and with a perfect blend of pitching, speed, power and the ability to execute the fundamentals the Sox were in first place from wire to wire. Then they blitzed through the post season putting together an 11-1 record that was the third best post season record in baseball history. Guillen’s passion and enthusiasm for the franchise was unparalleled but at times he was his own worst enemy. Over his final years in Chicago, he became increasingly thin-skinned and defensive when criticism was directed his way and he lashed out at Sox fans on more than one occasion. Among his famous rants against the fans were one where he said that they could ‘‘Turn off their TVs and stop watching the game if they don’t like the [bleep]ing lineup’’ and another in May 2011 where he claimed Sox fans would not remember him, “As soon as you leave the ballpark, they don’t care about you. They don’t. The monuments, the statues…they pee on them when they get drunk.” On the afternoon of the day he left the team Guillen told reporters that he would not want to return to fulfill his 2012 contract unless he got an extension and more money. Ozzie’s relationship with G.M. Kenny Williams also deteriorated over the final few years because the two men appeared to have different viewpoints over how the roster should be constructed and the style to which the Sox should play. The Jim Thome/DH controversy was an example of the different ideas. Guillen’s family didn’t help the situation with social media comments derogatory to Williams. Many felt when Ozzie was hired in November 2003 that he was the right man for the right team at the right time and for a few years he was. Unfortunately, the manager with the longest tenure since Al Lopez let some personal foibles override a good situation and it was best for all that a parting of the ways took place.

Are you serious? So the guy risks injury over a shin guard color??? Can you say "baseball-stupid?"

To DVS of the Sun-Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/2022/9/29/23378806/not-good-at-all-leury-garcia-sums-up-white-sox-season-and-his-own

You wonder given his propensity to foul pitches off his foot, ankle, lower leg why he doesn't wear a small shin guard every at bat.

As Paul Sullivan suggested yesterday in his column the only guys the Sox have who may bring anything back are the core guys.

Let their be dancing in the streets, the White Sox won a game.

I know he's been coaching but the Sox need genuine outside people to come in and look at the problems and issues this franchise is facing with an open mind and fresh ideas. Not folks in any way connected to this organization or have any loyalty to JR. Haven't they learned for what's happened in the past along these lines? The times it has failed greatly outweigh perhaps the one time it worked (for awhile anyway) with Ozzie.

If Hahn shows up at Sox fest, the first question he should be asked by a fan is this, "Mr. Hahn the Sox have had eight losing seasons in the 10 years you've been the G.M. why should any fan believe anything you say moving forward about the future of this team?"

Here's the exact quote from DVS's story: Robert had three specialists examine the wrist and will have it looked at it by another one in two weeks, he said. “Depending on the results of that checkup, then they’ll let me know what we’re going to do,” Robert said.

After discussing how LaRussa, Cairo, Hahn and Williams deserve blame he closes this way: "There are no untouchables on the Sox, aside from Dylan Cease. But there are a few unloadables, including Yoán Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, Joe Kelly and Leury García, whose contracts make them likely to return in 2023. Fortunately for Williams — and maybe Hahn — there are several talented, relatively young players who could be dealt, including Anderson, Robert and Kopech, who were focal points of the rebuild. The Sox could get something of value in return for any of them, and the player would have the motivation to prove he can stay healthy and productive the whole season. One or more of the Sox core should be dealt early in the offseason, sending a message they’re serious about changing the culture. The Cubs blew it by hanging on too long to the core of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez. Now their fans are paying the price with a second rebuild in a decade. The picture the Sox painted from day one was one of a team that felt like it could turn it on when it really mattered. The lack of emotion on display in those shots of the dugout has been a constant reminder of the joylessness of playing for an organization around .500"

Robert also said in that interview the Sox have told him that he'll be reevaluated in two weeks to see where the hand is and go from there. I'm guessing next stop surgery.

Paul Sullivan of the Tribune gives a sobering account of what decisions face the Sox this off season. Hint: They may have to trade some of the "core group" to get anything back of value: https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-culture-change-20220928-tp6opiud4nfz3pej7yso4yukua-story.html

if the stories I've been reading his name always seems to be mentioned. Just what the Sox need, another member of "the family" with no previous experience.

it's seasons like this that make me so thankful I have 72 (and counting) Sox games in my library dating back to the 1981 season. At least I can get some enjoyment out of years when they were actually good.

Cairo tonight defended Moncada: A lot of people get him wrong because of the way he is,” Cairo said. “He reminds me of Robinson Cano. When I was with the Yankees [as a coach], everyone said he was too laid-back, he was lazy. No, he wasn’t. That was the way he played the game. That was himself. [Moncada], he’s so talented. This season, with the injuries he had in the beginning, it was tough.” ?