Lip Man 1

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2017 -> 12:29 PM) You write as a White Sox fan on the White Sox all of the time. That's right...and I'm not getting paid for it by a mainstream media outlet (or anyone for that matter) who is supposed to be unbiased nor am I trying to mislead anyone about my fan loyalties. In my opinion that's a big difference. As far as what I am being paid to do professionally, broadcast Idaho State sports and report on them, I understand the conflict of interest but have always tried to be honest about what I'm seeing / reporting... and tell the truth that has gotten me in some trouble from time to time. With all due respect to Sox Talk, White Sox Interactive, Southside Sox and the other internet sites they'll never be considered "mainsteam" and probably won't ever actually start paying people to work for them. Not saying they don't do good work, often it's better than mainstream outlets but you are talking about a different animal. Those sites are biased about the Sox, make no bones about it and when I write or post something on them, everyone knows the point of view that I'm coming from. I don't have to be unbiased on them because of the nature of the sites themselves is the way I see it. I can criticize the team as you know (hello Dylan Covey!!! LOL) but my loyalty or fandome isn't a question. I've actually been thinking about the premise, what if I was being asked to cover the Cubs and get paid for it...what would I do? Since that situation has never come up I can't give you a 100% honest answer as far as what I'd decide. What I can tell you...with 100% accuracy is that I'd have to think long and hard about it regardless of how much they were willing to pay...and I'd make damn sure the prospective employer knew my background. Having grown up on the South Side a White Sox fan, disliking anything to do with the Cubs, having written (unpaid) for 11 years for a White Sox web site, am collaborating on a book about Jerry Reinsdorf, that I'm a White Sox historian and know a lot of people in the organization. Then IF they still wanted to hire me and IF I actually took the job, they can't say they weren't warned because despite my best efforts, at some point, that bias is going to come though. I'm human, it can't be helped. You want me to cover the Diamondbacks? A's? Rays? Phillies? I'd love to do it, no problem and I'd do an honest job of it because I wouldn't have any emotional or historical attachments to that franchise. But covering the Cubs? It wouldn't really be fair to the organization that hired me, the Cubs, their fans or myself when all is said and done. That's about the best answer I can give for this hypothetical situation.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2017 -> 10:59 AM) Welcome to the 21st century. Everyone is biased. I understand it's the 21st century and being in the media means you are supposed to be unbiased or if you are you recuse yourself for commenting / reporting on things that you can't objectively talk / discuss. Obviously I'm out of step with the times but personally I don't care. There's a right way and a wrong way to do things in the media. I've tried very hard in my career to do things correctly. Not trying to preach, simply saying if you are ethical, you do the proper thing. If I had to cover / report on the Cubs for example I simply could not do so because I know I couldn't talk about them objectively.

QUOTE (soxfan49 @ May 23, 2017 -> 05:25 PM) Was there a reason he should have cared? Outside of 2005 they have been historically bad, and their minor league system historically has been even worse. He should care because he is getting paid by ESPN to be an unbiased observer in my opinion. It doesn't mean what he is saying is necessarily wrong but admitting for the world you are a big Royals fan colors his judgment...again in my opinion. That's as bad as ESPN having Chris Berman do the play by play for the Red Sox / White Sox series in 2005 after telling everyone he's been a Red Sox fan for years. (Oh no! He gets him to go...LOL). That simply should not happen.

Covey is actually getting worse if that's possible. ERA back up over eight now. Sox now saying Covey has an oblique injury... (nudge, nudge, wink, wink SAY no more...) Who knows if it's real or if the Sox have finally decided, 'we've got to get this guy off the mound and out of the rotation because he's flat out brutal...' As a rule 5 they have to keep him on the roster. If it is real, he'll be the 6th Sox pitcher on the DL.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 23, 2017 -> 04:38 PM) You do know he's kidding, right? He's been getting tweets from Sox fans all day asking why he hates the Sox because they read his write-up on Robert whom he's been less than impressed with since this whole thing started. The only national writer I've ever thought really had an anti-Sox lean was Dayn Perry though I can't remember the specifics so it may have just been youthful naivete. This may have been a joke / clickbait but he has a very long track record of openly disparaging anything concerning the organization.

QUOTE (ron883 @ May 23, 2017 -> 04:22 PM) I expect better out of an admin. I guess I was wrong. Rick is a good choice for what the team is going through right now...rebuilding. No real pressure. It remains to be seen if he'll still be the manager say in 2020 assuming the Sox are good. That will be a decision the organization will have to make, if they think Rick is a guy who can take a team over the top or simply be the caretaker for the near future to be replaced by someone else. There are coaches who for whatever reason have a good track record but just can't get over the hump. Jerry Sloan with the Jazz immediately comes to my mind in this regard.

Again you need to remember that Law historically has never cared for the White Sox organization in any way, shape or form. He didn't like the major league team, the minor league operations or the organizational philosophy. He's also admitted that he is a die hard Royals fan who happen to be in the Sox division. You must take anything he says about the White Sox with a big grain of salt in my opinion, he appears pretty biased against them.

QUOTE (ptatc @ May 23, 2017 -> 11:57 AM) It's the same thing. The bicep attaches to the labrum right under the supraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff. So most of the bicep injuries to pitchers are in the shoulder, just the very superior aspect of the bicep. PTATC: Not doubting you of course not with your background. Then I have to ask why did the Sox from day one call it bicep soreness? That doesn't sound so bad...certainly not like when you start saying it's a shoulder injury. Could that have been part of the reasoning? Fan reaction??

Here's the Sun-Times story on Rodon: http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/carlos-...long-road-back/ What I found very interesting is that he says the injury is not to his bicep...but to his shoulder.

QUOTE (Greg Hibbard @ May 23, 2017 -> 09:52 AM) I completely agree with this. I'd keep both. Also, I really don't understand anyone who would want to get rid of Abreu at his point.. He's a consistent producer who can just shift to DH should we strike gold with Delmonico or any other 1b0. We need a DH anyway. Yes, he's regressed since his rookie year, but he's never even had a single season that wouldn't be termed "good" to "very good". I agree with you although the main question is (and has been) would Jose' agree to becoming a full time DH. So far he seems set against that. That factors into the Sox future decisions with him.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 22, 2017 -> 03:39 PM) I just want to reiterate the need we get more production out of INTL scouting. Washington signed Robles for 225k. Atlanta signed Albies for 350k. Signed Acuna for 100k. NWe are prepared to send out a 1st round pick for players we could have identified ourselves. These aren't the crazy bonuses of players or even million dollar signings like Torres and Juan Soto. Drives me nuts how almost all of our trade targets were largely bargain J2 signings. Valid point, which is why if you are going to rebuild properly the minor league drafting / scouting / developmental part of the franchise has simply got to be pretty good. For all the improvements the Sox have made I still wonder about the minor league operation and the scouting departments. I haven't heard of a lot of changes in those areas myself. And the track record in those areas over the past 10 years hasn't been very good. Perhaps one of the minor leagues aficionados can educate me on this.

QUOTE (beautox @ May 22, 2017 -> 07:18 AM) Hopefully Todd picks it up like he has over his last 6 games. I could see something like Swihart + Darwinzon Hernandez if he doesn't pick it up and Chavis if he begins to turn it around. The MLBN was talking about Frazier last night and they said his issue was the fact that his hand was in a cast all off-season. The hand looks good now they said and his power is returning.

Scoring five first inning runs will take the pressure off any pitcher. Nice effort over the weekend.

QUOTE (SouthSide2004 @ May 21, 2017 -> 05:58 AM) I'm still not buying in terms of an extension. I really need to see what the new Avi accomplishes over a full season before I decide if he's a long-term piece. With two more years of control, this is something we can tackle in the offseason. Regardless, it's great news that a soon to be 26 year old has potentially become a core piece. This rebuild is in much better shape if Avi can anchor the middle of the lineup for the next five or six years. Agreed on all counts.

See...you give even a guy like Pelfrey 10 runs to work with and he can win a game for you!

QUOTE (Wanne @ May 20, 2017 -> 01:42 PM) Would seem that Keuchel to the DL might be the kicker now...who knows if this will be a lingering problem. His stiff neck is considered minor with missing only one start (but we'll see...)

Obviously he's a big step up from Robin. What will be interesting to me is if he'll still be around when the Sox become good again or will the Sox go out and try to get a "big name / big profile / history of success" type manager.

Congrats to the front office for making this happen, money be dammed. Another potential building-block piece. Well done!

Q I think now has thrown five straight quality starts. He seems to be over the rough start. Still mind blowing that the guy allows one hit in eight innings and can't get a win. Just incredible.

Hitting very well and producing runs. Defense not well and producing runs (for the opposition) Jose' needs to become the full time DH in my opinion.

St. Louis for 29 million. I really hope I'm wrong but I've been jaded by far to many years of disappointment in things involving the White Sox. But we'll see.

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ May 17, 2017 -> 02:27 PM) Hawkins was a hot mess when he pitched for the Cubs. I do remember that he, Jacque Jones and one other African-American player said when they were on the Cubs they were the target of racial slurs from out of the Wrigley bleachers / stands.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 18, 2017 -> 11:31 PM) Amen elrockin. I am in your corner! I HATE losing I hate losing as well and I've seen it seven times in the last ten seasons trying the old method. Since ownership won't change (for now) and the front office won't change (for now) and the philosophy as far as payroll won't change (for now) this was the best that could be hoped for. That's not being a "good" fan or a "bad" fan, that's simply saying the status quo was awful and drastic measures needed to be taken. Losing games to get the highest draft pick possible is for right or wrong, part of the new reality. I suggest we all get used to that idea in my opinion. If you have tapes or DVD from better seasons, I suggest you break them out and start watching them frequently. Again just my opinion. Tonight for example I re-watched Game #3 of the 2005 ALDS at Boston and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Kind of ironic to me that when the Sox were trying to be good ("go for it") they always came up short behind better teams and now that they are rebuilding, other teams (actually a lot of them) are worse and they are coming up a little short from that perspective as well (referring to getting the #1 pick specifically).

QUOTE (bmags @ May 17, 2017 -> 11:37 AM) You did a really good job. I think he's in the middle of something, but I also worry results may be a bit driven by a bad back. Great point. The guy had a bad lower / herniated disc. That's not easy to overcome when you are trying to be a professional athlete. Joe Crede immediately comes to mind.