Highland

No way I would ever trade Robert. But I wish the Sox could find a way to make this deal. Face it. The team is going nowhere this year unless they do something dramatic to shake things up. And unless they change the face of this rebuild, the team won't go anywhere next year, either.

Sox fans hoped the Sox would take of their own business during their current stretch against the AL Central. Right now, they're 9-9. That's not really taking care of things. Tough game today even with Cease on the mound.

I am truly glad the Sox won this game. They had to have the win. But I don't get a good feeling watching them. Third inning, bases loaded, one out, and only one run. No one took a good cut. Been happening all season.

I see your point, but the Sox need to do something dramatic. They just don't have the capability to do it.

So much for that great run through the AL Central.

With a lousy division and a diluted playoff system, the Sox are a contender of sorts. World Series contender? No, they are not that.

Josh has been hitting better, but he's not a lead-off hitter. And Garcia is not a shortstop. I just don't get why Anderson isn't playing unless he has some injury we don't know about.

This team can't be considered a real contender until it gets over .500 and stays there.

LaRussa isn't going anywhere, and if the White Sox get their act together and win the AL Central, he'll be back next year as well. When it comes to many things, JR doesn't care about public opinion one bit. If fans want to vent, fine. Otherwise, dwelling on LaRussa is a waste of time. We can only hope that the "statement" series was really a statement.

I understand the frustration about Cease, but people don't need to dwell on it. The Sox had the "statement" series against the Twins, but they are still in third place, and their record is an average .500. And this kind of stuff happens almost every year regarding the All-Star game. Some deserving player gets snubbed. The All-Start game lost its luster a long time ago. Time to focus on important things like getting over .500 and then winning the division.

Okay, so Cease got passed over the ASG. Just win the Cy Young and it won't make any difference.

For the past couple weeks, Josh has been taking healthy cuts. Looks like a totally different hitter. What a difference if he can continue to produce.

The lovable loser stuff has faded, but the Cubs situation is different than any other franchise. They don't have a fan-base; they have a cult. In pure numbers, the Sox can compete with that. Secondly, the attendance situation took decades in the making. It would take a long time to reverse the effects. And to actually change things would take long-term planning. I don't think the Sox FO is into that. I doubt the Sox will ever outdraw the Cubs, and in a sense, that is not important. What is important is to build a stronger and wider Sox fan base regardless in comparison to the Cubs. Attendance will always decrease during bad seasons, but if the team had a stronger base, the drop in attendance wouldn't be as bad. I hope attendance will increase to give the franchise a deeper economic base. Brooks Boyer did some great things. Haven't seen much from him lately. But he did give impression that he understood Sox fans. That is a rarity in the Sox organization.

Hoping for a sweep, but that doesn't mean Tony will suddenly become a good manager. Hopefully the team can overcome his bad ways and keep playing well.

The Sox have the best talent in the division. It has been frustrating to watch them under-achieve. What a turn around. Things looked bleak after losing the first two in Cleveland.

If a reporter relied on a single source like Keuchel, he'd be incompetent at the least. But maybe you're right. Perhaps this is the turning point they needed. Let's hope so because we've been fooled before. Regardless, it's great that they're playing well in Minnesota after so many disappointments in both parks.

I am glad the Sox came back to win the last two from the Guardians, but I don't feel all that good about this team. The name of this thread is appropriate. The team is nearing the 90-game mark and is still trying to get to .500. Even in this bad division, .500 doesn't get it. A lot of things are lacking here, and it will take a real long winning streak to make me feel optimistic.

I have never felt all that hot about the Eloy rehab. I don't anticipate him being a major contributor. I just hope they didn't bring him back too soon.

I am not an Ozzie hater, but I'm not kissing his ass for 2005. This controversy is stupid. I do think Ozzie wanted LaRussa's job. Regardless, all he had to do is deny this speculation, but he went off the deep end as usual. Hopefully, this will seal the fact that he will never manage the White Sox again.

The trouble with JR is that he has been around too long. This is reflected in this hiring in the first place.

It is strange how this organization responds to fan protests and fan alienation. After the 1997 White Flag Trade, attendance dropped significantly. The team thought it would win fans back after it swept the Cubs at Wrigley in 1999. Didn't happen. In 2000, attendance improved with the division title, but didn't top 2,000,000. Playoff tickets were relatively easy to get. You'd think there would be good crowds in September as it became obvious the Sox were winning the Central. But there were crowds of less than 20,000 and that left some people scratching their heads. But some fans, even with the success of a 95-win season in 2000, weren't coming back. The media, both the print media and sports talk radio, ripped Sox fans as band wagon jumpers and ingrates. The White Sox organization had no clue what was going on. Fans have every right to voice their dissent. I just don't know if anyone will listen.

Cease just showed how valuable he truly is. He is what you can call a stopper. He is part of the rebuild that is working.

It will be interesting to see what kind of effort happens in game 2. I know I'm caring less and less.

Thome is a great guy and was a fantastic player. However, I would never hire him as a manager. But at least players would look up to him because he's been there. I don't know if any Sox player looks up to LaRussa.

I couldn't agree more. In my opinion, this is the lowest this franchise has been since the Reinsdorf-Einhorn group purchased the team in 1981. The organization is being completely run by out-of-touch old men. Not only does Hahn have to go, massive changes should be made. But no one can tell JR what to do because he's such a smart baseball man. But then again, you're right, he really doesn't give a shit. If he did, changes would have happened a long time ago. I really don't know why he wants to keep the team. I guess he doesn't care how he'll be remembered, because this is a disgrace.