Lip Man 1

Remember this figure he got the next time an owner cries "poor."

https://soxmachine.com/2023/12/promises-kept-white-sox-dont-sign-shohei-ohtani/ The good news? He's out of the American League He didn't go to the Cubs

How does keeping the status quo change anything for the better? There's your answer. I can only speak for myself but I'm willing to take a chance on a new ownership group since it in all likelihood will not be a single individual.

December 9, 1959 - The Sox off season purging of their young players continued with the organization shipping future All-Star power hitting outfielder Johnny Callison to the Phillies for third baseman Gene Freese. Of all the off season moves, this was probably the worst one. Freese was a slow, scatter gun armed infielder with limited range. Callison, the subject of a documentary film by the Sox called, ‘The Life of a Sox Rookie,’ in 1958 narrated by Jack Brickhouse, failed in a few tries to take over the left field spot but in a new environment blossomed, winning the 1964 All-Star Game for the National League with a three run ninth inning home run. The A.L. team that year was led by (ironically) Sox skipper Al Lopez! Freese would be sent along in 1961 to the Reds in exchange for two pitchers, one of whom was Juan Pizarro who became a two time All-Star. Freese would return to the Sox for parts of the 1965 and 1966 seasons. The Sox meanwhile realized the mistake they had made and tried to reacquire Callison from Philadelphia before the start of the 1962 season without success. He’d play 10 seasons with the Phillies accumulating five years in double figures for triples, eight seasons with 10 or more home runs and four years with at least 78 RBI’s. December 9, 1996 - Pitcher Alex Fernandez signed a free agent deal with Florida. It was the culmination of misunderstandings and pettiness. Sox ownership felt Fernandez was going to remain contractually bound to them for another season but that belief was torpedoed when the players union and the owners agreed to give players service time during the time missed in 1994 because of the labor impasse. Fernandez became a free agent and the Sox hastily made a late offer which was rebuffed. He won 79 games in four full and three partial seasons with the club. Without him to anchor the rotation the Sox were forced to try to fill the void. The choice to do so, Jamie Navarro was a complete disaster. December 9, 2004 - Trying to fortify his bullpen, Sox G.M. Kenny Williams inked free agent pitcher Dustin Hermanson to a contract. Hermanson would be spectacular in the first half of the 2005 championship season before back issues limited him in the second half. He’d still finish with 34 saves and an ERA of 2.04. Both were career bests. December 9, 2004 - Sox G.M. Ken Williams signed oft-injured outfielder Jermaine Dye to a free agent deal. Dye would prove to be perhaps the best free agent signing in franchise history as he helped lead the club to a World Series championship in 2005, being named the series M.V.P. That year he’d hit 31 home runs with 86 RBI’s. Then in 2006 he’d have an even greater campaign, blasting 44 home runs and driving in 120 RBI’s. In five seasons with the Sox, J.D. would average 33 home runs and 92 RBI’s.

This is true... but given history of over 40 seasons, I'm prepared to take my chances. Hard to see how they could get a worse owner isn't it?

Unfortunately both Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf didn't realize that. "We're Chicago's American League team..." - Eddie Einhorn April 1981.

I disagree Sox fans simply accept the status quo, they are royally pissed across the board. But the reality is they can't do a damn thing that will drastically move the needle. Even staying away from the games in droves won't do much because of the local, national and international media deals as well as advertising deals that are raking in money hand over fist. Nothing will change until JR is gone, it's that simple for fans and I'm guessing they know that so they are biding their time and hoping eventually the situation will change.

I find it hard to believe that Ozzie follows anybody's marching orders when it comes to giving his opinion. The same for Frank Thomas.

I've got them pegged for 95 losses so I guess that's progress. LOL

Guess it depends on your point of view. Belle's deal had a clause (don't know who insisted on it) that if he wasn't one of the three highest paid players in baseball he could opt out of it if Sox wouldn't renegotiate the deal. The Sox wouldn't so he left. The side note to this was around the same time Frank Thomas took less money he said in order to try to give the Sox some flexibility to sign Belle and have enough to get Ventura to stay. Neither one happened and Frank was pissed. I remember writing about it at the time.

Not with current ownership anyway...maybe someday though.

December 8, 1914 - The Sox purchased future Hall of Fame second baseman Eddie Collins from “Connie” Mack and the Philadelphia A’s. The price was incredible based on 1914 standards. $50,000 dollars went to Mack. $15,000 dollars went to Collins as a signing bonus, and then Collins was tendered a five-year guaranteed deal worth $75,000 dollars! He’d play for the team 12 seasons. 10 times he’d hit over .300 including eight years in a row from 1919 to 1926. In two World Series with the Sox he’d get 16 hits in 53 at bats.

You obviously haven't watched much of him the last two seasons. he has been ripping the organization a new one on a regular basis.

Garfien has a very interesting reason why JR met with the Nashville mayor. I didn't realize it involved Dave Stewart and (of course) Tony LaRussa. Recommend watching this:

Not arguing the point just clarifying that it wasn't the senior. And the son eventually got into serious trouble with the league and was forced to sell the franchise. I don't remember exactly what he was accused of.

Bill Gleason was convinced of the bolded part right from the start. And speaking of the start some of these comments may be on interest: “Our goal is to have a team that is a contender every year.”– Jerry Reinsdorf to the Chicago Sun - Times’ Ray Sons. September 18, 1983. “For all his interest in what happened between the first- and third-base lines, or between the sidelines and the end lines, he never wavered in his commitment to the bottom line.”–From the book ‘The Jordan Rules’ by Sam Smith. Pg. 49. Published 1991. “I’ve literally made hundreds of millions of dollars of deals in my life on handshakes. My word means everything to me and I have never, ever given a guy a second chance to get even with me.”–Jerry Reinsdorf to Melissa Issacson. From the book ‘Transition Game’ by Melissa Issacson. Pg.79. Published 1994. "I always loved sports, and I made enough money from the sale of the company that I didn't need to do something I didn't like. The teams are a significant part of my net worth, but I'm in sports because I love being in sports. I didn't get into sports to make money. I think I've been lucky that during the time I've been involved in sports, the value of sports franchises has gone up.” – Jerry Reinsdorf to the Chicago Sun - Times’ Terry Savage. July 30, 2000. “Eddie and I never discussed how to talk to reporters. We’ve just been ourselves. I always though Jack Kennedy was the kind of person I looked up to in that regard. He always gave the media a fair shake and understood you guys have a job to do. Without responsible people willing to divulge some accurate information, it’s hard to do it right. It was a much better approach then Nixon, who figured the media, was his enemy. Doing it Kennedy’s way just makes a lot more sense to me. After all, nobody can buy the kind of advertising Chicago teams get. What other line of work finds newspapers assigning people to follow you around and write about how the business is doing every day? At Balcor, we have to hire a public relations firm to get our names in the paper. When baseball teams get that for free, it makes sense to cooperate.” – Jerry Reinsdorf to Bob Logan. From the book ‘Miracle On 35th Street.’ Pg. 154. Published 1983. “The idea that I must talk to the media in order to know what is going on with our fans or the public is ludicrous. I communicate with fans on an almost daily basis and often hear comments from people on the street and in the ballpark. We have committed a lot of resources to market research each year, whether it is telephone or internet polling, mall intercepts, focus groups or in-park surveys. We believe these surveys are the most impartial way to hear from our fans. I don't think a media interview gives me the same type of insight into what our fans think and feel. Believe me, our fans tell us. They care and they are passionate. I like that about sports. The fact is that I do speak publicly when there is an issue of importance to our fans and to the franchises. I owe that to our fans. But again, I don't really think people want to hear from me or go to the game to see me. I hope not.” – Jerry Reinsdorf quoted on the “official” White Sox web site, www.whitesox.com, August 16, 2004. 'If people stopped coming to the games. If the television money went away. That’s why I don’t like to sign long term contracts with pitchers. It’s one thing to pay a pitcher five million dollars a year, but what if the guy can’t play?”–Jerry Reinsdorf, March 1994, to Bob Greene. From the book ‘Rebound, The Odyssey of Michael Jordan’ by Bob Greene. Pg. 65. Published 1995. "I’m a dove, until they strike." ––Jerry Reinsdorf, August 1994. Comment printed in the Chicago newspapers after he spoke with the media from his owner’s box at Comiskey Park. “It’s obvious we’re disappointed with the way our ballclub has played this year, with our record...no question about it. We were faced with losing Alvarez and Roberto (Hernandez) and getting nothing, as we did with Alex (Fernandez). Now we’ve added a half dozen talented young players. Two or three have a chance of being stars, according to our scouts. . . . If they're half right, we're in great shape." – Jerry Reinsdorf to the Chicago Tribune. August 1, 1997. Jerry Reinsdorf was a “source of intrigue” and in the future could become a “source of controversy.” –From a story by reporter Linda Kay, Chicago Tribune January 30, 1981.

His son actually ran the franchise after his dad bought it after the Sox sale was voided.

December 11, 1980 - Edward DeBartolo was voted down by other American League owners in his attempt to buy the White Sox from Bill Veeck. DeBartolo, the man who invented the modern shopping mall in Boardman, Ohio may have had connections with organized crime. He also owned horse racing tracks, the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL and wasn’t from the Chicago area. All were ‘red flags’ for the other owners. In an effort to appease then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, DeBartolo agreed to move to Chicago at least 20 per cent of the time to have a direct idea of what was going on with the franchise. His compromises fell on deaf ears as he only received three affirmative votes. Originally back in October at the first vote on his attempt to buy the club, he fell two votes short of approval. The way was then opened for the group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn to get the franchise.

Post of the month. Very well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Given the Yankees "success" over the decades and recently, I mean they've had a winning record in what 10 of the last 11 years for example, and seem to make the postseason on a regular basis, I'd say the rule isn't hurting them very much. Money speaks a lot louder than facial hair rules. And the Yankees spend it.

Or he could do what Joe Robbie did in Miami or Peter Magowan did in San Francisco...pay for it himself.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtani-rumors-dodgers-ask-joe-kelly-to-give-up-jersey-no-17-amid-free-agency-pursuit-per-report/ "One general manager told Nightengale the Dodgers would have no reason to make such an ask of Kelly unless they "truly believed" Ohtani was signing with them."

That's because of his arrogance and ego.

Remember that the next time an owner claims "hardship" or 'financial issues" LOL