Lip Man 1

It was a very weird situation between Hawk and TLR. I've written the chapter on Hawk's tenure for Dr. Fletcher's next Sox book and was able to get a lot of info on what was going on. For example TLR took two weeks after Hawk offered him the managerial job before deciding to say "yes." He was vacationing in Hawaii. And then when Hawk interviewed Billy Martin (at the request of Eddie Einhorn) before TLR was fired in June and the word got out when a WMAQ cameraman was waiting at the door to Hawk's hotel sweet when Martin left...that didn't help matters. I asked TLR about the entire situation and this is what he told me: “It hurt. I had a great experience with the White Sox family and then suddenly you’re out of the family. The thing is, to be fair to “Hawk” and Don (Drysdale) and the organization, given what those men accomplished in the game you can’t discount their opinions, they earned the right to be heard. I think what should have happened looking back is that if the organization wanted “Hawk” to take over; he should have had the right to hire his own manager. He should have gotten a new manager right from the start. I should have been called in at the end of the 1985 season and let go…and I would have been OK with that. I would have thought that I had a nice run and it was time to move on. I don’t know if that’s something “Hawk” wanted to do at the time, however.”

June 25, 1964 - An overflow crowd of over 52 thousand jammed Comiskey Park to watch the Sox hammer the Cubs 11-1 in the annual “Boys Benefit Game.” The Sox, who were the visiting team that night, hit four home runs including back-to-back-to-back shots in the third inning. The home runs were hit by Ron Hansen, Tommy McCraw and Jerry McNertney. Floyd Robinson also had a home run. What was significant however was the fact that fans were allowed on the outfield grass behind ropes, since there wasn’t any room left in the park. It was the last time fans have ever been permitted to stand on the playing field for a game.

I'm guessing he'll get 12-14 a year for three years. JR won't do that and in this case since he'd be in his mid-30's that is probably the wise move.

I've known Tony since 1982, interviewed him for the first time opening night in Texas in 1983. He was one of the sharpest baseball minds I've ever been around, literally a step ahead of the opposition most of the time. One example was moving a struggling Carlton Fisk up to the #2 position in the batting order in 1983. Who would think of moving a power hitter into a bat-control spot in the lineup? But... The man was off the field for a decade, he had personal issues and just the fact that it was clear JR over ruled his front office and that was well known, poisoned the hire. It was a bad mistake and the franchise took the brunt of it.

There is plenty of blame to go around.

Eloy carries on A day after returning from the injured list and playing through hamstring soreness Sunday, designated hitter Eloy Jimenez was in the lineup batting fourth. “Every report I got today was that he was feeling pretty good,” Grifol said. “And [Sunday], I think he said on turns that it might have bothered him a little bit but on straightaways he felt good. We’ll see how it works out today in the game.” The 6-4, 250-pound Jimenez singled to center, struck out and grounded out his first three times to the plate and appeared to be moving better Monday. “After injuries like that, I don’t think guys are ever going to be 100 percent, especially mentally,” Grifol said. “They don’t want to get hurt again. Hundred percent, for me, is no pain and no care in the world about getting hurt because they feel great. “And when you have an injury like that, you might not have no pain or no discomfort, but your mind’s got to be free, too, to where you can go get it.”

He'll only do a "search" (nudge,nudge, wink, wink SAY no more!) if JR allows him to.

https://www.mlb.com/news/luis-robert-jr-trade-fits-2024

better check his birth certificate... ?

They can literally waste millions and millions of dollars on retreads, stiffs, has-been's and injury prone guys. But paying top dollar for bona fide players who can change the direction of a franchise is something they flat out refuse to do. Makes no sense to me.

Here is our grimace:

DeJong seems to be making an error a day now. And Wilson is another crap Sox bullpen pitcher, now with five losses and and ERA over four.

JR is just as responsible for destroying the franchise as Hahn/Haber et al.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2024/06/24/on-a-role-tony-la-russa-discusses-his-job-as-special-advisor

Like Ozzie said in a postgame show earlier this season, (paraphrasing) 'These guys train to look good, not to play baseball...'

The way they handled Robert with his wrist injury was almost criminal. He was up there swinging the bat one handed.

She doesn't write for the Sox, she covers the Tigers. She filled in for Merkin who didn't cover the games this weekend. He was at the Billy Joel/Stevie Nicks concert.

The problem, as has been repeatedly posted, is that if JR remains the owner he will NOT extend Crochet and/or Robert. ESPECIALLY if they do well. He simply will...not...do...it. That shouldn't be hard to understand. So what choice do the Sox have given those parameters? Keep them, the team will still suck and they'll leave as free agents (remember Boras is Robert's agent) and the Sox will get NOTHING. Iloy is D.O.A. he done, nothing to worry about, nothing to see here. No one is talking about trading Lee given the number of years still under Sox control. He could still be part of the club under new ownership say in four years. In a perfect world, I'd agree with you...keep Crochet and Robert and build around them. This organization is about as far from perfect as you can possibly imagine.

Comedy Gold Jerry!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greg, I'm making an assumption here and if I'm wrong I personally apologize to you. To me the thing that seems to concern you the most is the distinct possibility (probability?) that the Sox are going to set the modern day record for worst season breaking the 62 Mets. I get it. It would be a MAJOR embarrassment. The Sox would become the but of late night jokes like the Cubs were for decades. But consider this. If there is ANY chance, however slight, of having JR change his ways (and I fully admit it is a very, very small chance) the only way to maybe have that happen is to be historically bad, a total complete laughingstock. A 38-124 season for example could do it. I myself, would rather take a longshot chance of having real change than see this team win 60-65-70-72 games which I will guarantee you, wouldn't force JR to change diddly squat.

Greg, this position of yours is driving my crazy. WHO CARES IF THEY ARE NEAR .500. That sucks just as bad as what is happening now. Playing .480 baseball gets you s%*#. What matters is putting together a team/organization that has a legit chance to contend NOT JUST for a division but to play with the big boys. From 1981-2006 under JR at least Sox fans had a reasonable chance to see that happen.

Iloy doesn't belong on the team period.

If you think playing .440 or .480 baseball in an improved Central Division qualifies as "contending" I admire your definition of the word. This team is as close to contending even with the moves you suggest as I am from Antarctica. The ENTIRE organization on the baseball side, from top to bottom, ownership, front office, medical, training, conditioning staffs, analytics ALL need to be fired. And will be with new ownership. Anything short of that is frankly half-assed and will accomplish nothing. Period. End of story. Full stop. Bottom line THERE IS NO HOPE...none, nada, nyet as long as JR owns the team. If there is any hope (and it is slight at best) it is to acquire as much cheap, controllable talent and hope for once, it all works out. That's it friends and neighbors. That's all she wrote. Even that is a small chance at best. The best chance is to take care of yourself, outlive current ownership and see what new ownership can do.

There's nothing about the Sox Greg, that new ownership can't fix.

Two reasons: 1.Because the sample size is very, VERY small. 2.Because these are the White Sox the most incompetent, dysfunctional and inept organization in baseball under JR. Like my dad used to say, "The White Sox would screw up a two car funeral..." Regarding the second bolded part. Because JR DOES MIND paying out 50 MILLION DOLLARS for Beni to just "go away..."