Goodbye Soxtalk

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

Those memories were created by enjoying something together with your family.

Whether it was Durham, Karko, Martinez, or pablo ozuna, willie Harris and Chris widger...  it didnt matter. They all found a way to give me some sort of happiness or anger. It's a game that takes up 3 hours of ones day... an escape from the daily grind and reality of life. But its played by people... and no matter how popular or unpopular - good or bad - they all can provide a moment of escape. Phillip Humber threw a perfect game!

I understand being angry - I was as confident as anyone we would land manny. It sucks. But we've been the little brothers in this town for a long time and we should be able to take a few blows. Its frustrating but people usually are. 

The white Sox are the players - past and present - not ownership. Winning is always more fun than losing but man... you appreciate it and enjoy it more when it's not a common occurence. 

Anger is a natural reaction but dont deprive your kids of those same memories your dad and you had watching people play a game. Those memories weren't made because the white Sox gave bill Melton baseballs biggest contract. Memories are built win or lose - its merely a way to enjoy something together on a warm summer day. Or pass the time at work or home... or even gives you good conversation with family and friends. Relationships were built through that commonality and they're built thick. They have to be. We're  white Sox fans.

Here's to the Billy Piereces of the world. He missed out on the hall of fame by ONE vote because he played for the worst offenses baseball has ever seen. Billy loved white Sox baseball because it built memories for life. Billy was a family friend who helped instill that love of the Sox into my mind. It's just a game. Love the memories.. dont let a couple dopes deprive you and your family of that. Billy loved them and you could very well say they cost him a chance at the hof.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Look at Ray Ray Run

[Bananarchy]

Just now, Machado2Sox said:

What has Hahn done well that we should praise?  Or that you personally praise?  Did you see what he spent $40+ million on this offseason?

If 2022 rolls around and all the products of this rebuild are a bust, I'll say fire Hahn.  

[southsider2k5]

I will say this.  I have always said if sports make you miserable you are doing it wrong, so if you feel strongly about it, god bless you for doing something about it other than b****ing about it for decades.

[ptatc]

3 minutes ago, EvilJester99 said:

Good luck, god bless and all that Jazz! 

I don't think Jazz is the primary music in Nashville.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

Besides... we all have battered woman syndrome. What would being a white Sox fan mean without immense disappointment after irrational expectations?

Edited February 20, 2019 by Look at Ray Ray Run

[Moan4Yoan]

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I will say this.  I have always said if sports make you miserable you are doing it wrong, so if you feel strongly about it, god bless you for doing something about it other than b****ing about it for decades.

But it’s only been one entire decade that the Sox have been awful.  Anyone b****ing for over ten years hasn’t been fair to the Sox.  2005, 2006, and 2008 were good years.

[T R U]

Im glad you're leaving

Serves you right for being a douche back in December when I told you this organization didn't have the balls to sign anyone to this kind of contract

 

 

 

[Sox72]

26 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

100% fair criticism.  Two reasons:

1) I have fifty pages to get through in that thread and wanted an immediate response (admittedly selfish)

2) If there is any chance Hahn or anyone else in the front office scrolls through this site I want them to know their incompetence has cost the franchise two future Sox fans.  I would have done everything in my power to make these kids love the Sox like I do.  Obviously my story means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, but maybe others here feel the same way I do and there is a better chance of that coming across in this thread than the 800+ page Machado one.

Ha. Good answer. 

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, T R U said:

Im glad you're leaving

Serves you right for being a douche back in December when I told you this organization didn't have the balls to sign anyone to this kind of contract

 

 

 

You were right and I was wrong.  I will never give this front office or ownership group the benefit of the doubt again.

[daggins]

This is your God given right as an American and as a victim of Chicago sports ownership. I admire your chutzpah.

Me, i'm just gonna gut out the intervening years between now and Jerry's demise with the same sense of bemusement and resigned frustration that have marked every season since 2005.

Ciao, bella.

[T R U]

Just now, Chicago White Sox said:

You were right and I was wrong.  I will never give this front office or ownership group the benefit of the doubt again.

I don't understand the overreaction by people around here..

Im a fan of the name on the front of the jersey.. don't jump off a cliff because we couldn't sign someone we never had anyways. Were in the same spot we were already in, and even if we did sign him, were still BAD anyways..

[smellysox]

1 hour ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I’m here right now and I agree.  Better food, better beer, better music.  Makes enduring this tragedy that much easier.

Well I enjoyed your posts. And I completely understand. Good luck to you and your family. 

[Chicago White Sox]

1 minute ago, T R U said:

I don't understand the overreaction by people around here..

Im a fan of the name on the front of the jersey.. don't jump off a cliff because we couldn't sign someone we never had anyways. Were in the same spot we were already in, and even if we did sign him, were still BAD anyways..

I don’t think you’re getting this, we are unwilling to offer 26 year old, future HOFs opt-outs at all.  Coming into this off-season we were all dreaming of a 10/$300M deal with an opt-out after year 4 for either guy.  A franchise in tiny little San Diego just did better than that. Instead of having Machado man 3B for the next five years, we can take solace in knowing we’ll have an extra $30M to spend nine years from now.  The refusal  to go ten years and offer an opt-out cost us Manny and the same basic principles will cost us any future stud free agents.

[nitetrain8601]

I don't blame you. I've done the same with the Bulls and with moving out to LA, I've followed the Dodgers as an NL team. The Dodgers are what the Sox want to be. Don't depend on Uber talent, but flexibility and identifying talent and tweaking it to be successful. Even then, they spend.

 

In order for the Sox to be successful, to sustain success, they will have to spend. To not want to spend 300 mil on a 26 year old stud who would sign with you since the Yankees and Red Sox are out, is one move that screams cheap.

 

"Oh oh but we tried." 

[Thad Bosley]

30 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Can't blame you at all man for feeling the way you do. It's clear ownership simply refuses to understand the way the negotiating game is played today given the reported limitations. What top free agent in their right minds would take that offer?

Nothing changes with this organization until ownership changes. If that wasn't clear in the past, it is today.

This conclusion has been very clear to many people for a very long time now.  Today’s debacle is just another in a series of franchise-crippling failures/disasters which have defined the Reinsdorf ownership throughout his near 39 years at the helm.  This particular epic failure is neither an outlier nor anomaly under Reinsdorf’s watch, but rather business as usual and par for the course.  

Our beleaguered fan base is truly in need of a complete overhaul of the ownership and management of this franchise.  The fan experience with the current group of losers just continues to get worse, not better.  Let’s hope that this inevitable change is closer on the horizon than may be obvious to any of us today.  

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

Could turn this into a lesson to the kids... cant always get what you want. Or take his ball and go to Nashville. 

[Chicago White Sox]

7 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

I don't blame you. I've done the same with the Bulls and with moving out to LA, I've followed the Dodgers as an NL team. The Dodgers are what the Sox want to be. Don't depend on Uber talent, but flexibility and identifying talent and tweaking it to be successful. Even then, they spend.

 

In order for the Sox to be successful, to sustain success, they will have to spend. To not want to spend 300 mil on a 26 year old stud who would sign with you since the Yankees and Red Sox are out, is one move that screams cheap.

 

"Oh oh but we tried." 

 

[greg775]

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

It’s been wild ride with you guys, but I’m officially the fuck out of here.  I’m moving the family to Nashville so my children do not have to endure the incompetence of this front office & ownership group.  Unfortunately nothing will ever change until Uncle Jerry dies and the fact I even had to type that sentence shows just how we fucked we all are as Sox fans.  We all deserve so much better.  Like we literally just got punked by the San Diego fucking Padres.  At least we had a seat at the table right...right...right?

I fully expect to be ridiculed endlessly for this post and I totally accept that.  Please flame away and tell I’m an idiot and all will be fine.  I really want to believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel here, but when this front office can’t land an elite free agent when they practically fall into their lap I’ve simply lost all hope.

Didn't know which thread to put my thoughts. Don't move to Nashville over this. It's just one ballplayer.

FIRST MEA CULPA: Nobody probably remembers, but I thought all along we'd get Manny. Why? I could not fathom not getting him if we signed John Jay and Alonso, two horrific players. I think Avi is way better than those two but that's a different day. I was convinced in my mind we were going to get him at 8 years but I was hoping for 7. I figured the reports were correct at about an average of 30 million a year. I wasn't trolling. I thought we'd get him. I figured with similar $$s he'd appreciate us signing his brother in law and pal John Jay and would wear the Sox colors.

SECOND, REALITY BITES: Deep down I thought the NYY might swoop in and steal Manny. Little surprised it's SD but so be it.

THIRD, DON'T JUMP OFF THE LEDGE: He's one ballplayer. He'll get very little publicity in San Diego since they aren't ready to win anything. I wish Manny good health, I do, but if we're going by SIMPLE ODDS, the odds say in the next 10 years he will get injured, he will have some lousy years. He could pull a Pujols and look old before his time. Odds are in a few years we'll be talking how SD has this "bad contract." Remember Manny can opt out in five years, but if he wants to keep making this money, the Pods can't opt out. 

Call me a troll, but TRUTHFULLY I'm more upset I have to watch Jay and Alonso on my mlb.com than not getting to watch Manny. Eloy is going to make you all very very happy this season, folks. Don't worry. Be happy.

FINALLY: Am I mad at all? Well, I'll be happy if we get Harper (I wanted him more than Manny), but am I mad at the front office? No. I probably should be mad because today's quotes that we couldn't afford him seem bogus to come out now and not weeks ago (when some fans were buying season tix for Xmas gifts). But I can not be mad at the Sox failing to land ONE PLAYER. And this is a player whose behavior has angered me in the past.

I am upset that our team is projected to blow chunks again this season, but IMO it's more because of starting pitching. And yes our lineup will be missing the big bat that Manny allegedly would have provided.

IS GREG UPSET?: Not over this. He's one player, folks. Stuff happens. And you wait and see. Manny will be a horrific contract for the Pods in a few years. GO SOX! Manny ... enjoy playing in SD where you won't be getting much attention nationally.

Edited February 20, 2019 by greg775

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Could turn this into a lesson to the kids... cant always get what you want. Or take his ball and go to Nashville. 

I respect what you’re going for here, but in all honestly the Sox don’t deserve my kids.  This franchise is rapidly losing relevance and when the market tries to hand them a get out of jail free card they completely botch it with their outdated views.  I may be a lost cause but my kids can find a better use of the 500+ hours a year I put into this team.

[ron883]

12 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Could turn this into a lesson to the kids... cant always get what you want. Or take his ball and go to Nashville. 

^weve found Hahn's burner account

[greg775]

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I respect what you’re going for here, but in all honestly the Sox don’t deserve my kids.  This franchise is rapidly losing relevance and when the market tries to hand them a get out of jail free card they completely botch it with their outdated views.  I may be a lost cause but my kids can find a better use of the 500+ hours a year I put into this team.

Off topic, but you did pick a nice city at least. My young nephew attorney moved his fam to Nashville and they love it and it is known as a growing, great city. CWS ... don't worry about not getting one player. Just as one player alone didn't ruin Ozzie's Sunday lineups (it took 3-5 of them) one player will not determine the success of our rebuild. Trust Greg ... Manny isn't worth the angst.

[BlackSox13]

6 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Didn't know which thread to put my thoughts. Don't move to Nashville over this. It's just one ballplayer.

FIRST MEA CULPA: Nobody probably remembers, but I thought all along we'd get Manny. Why? I could not fathom not getting him if we signed John Jay and Alonso, two horrific players. I think Avi is way better than those two but that's a different day. I was convinced in my mind we were going to get him at 8 years but I was hoping for 7. I figured the reports were correct at about an average of 30 million a year. I wasn't trolling. I thought we'd get him. I figured with similar $$s he'd appreciate us signing his brother in law and pal John Jay.

SECOND, REALITY BITES: Deep down I thought the NYY might swoop in and steal Manny. Little surprised it's SD but so be it.

THIRD, DON'T JUMP OFF THE LEDGE: He's one ballplayer. He'll get very little publicity in San Diego since they aren't ready to win anything. I wish Manny good health, I do, but if we're going by SIMPLE ODDS, the odds say in the next 10 years he will get injured, he will have some lousy years. He could pull a Pujols and look old before his time. Odds are in a few years we'll be talking how SD has this "bad contract." Remember Manny can opt out in five years, but if he wants to keep making this money, the Pods can't opt out. 

Call me a troll, but TRUTHFULLY I'm more upset I have to watch Jay and Alonso on my mlb.com than not getting to watch Manny. Eloy is going to make you all very very happy this season, folks. Don't worry. Be happy.

FINALLY: Am I mad at all? Well, I'll be happy if we get Harper (I wanted him more than Manny), but am I mad at the front office? No. I probably should be mad because today's quotes that we couldn't afford him seem bogus to come out now and not weeks ago (when some fans were buying season tix for Xmas gifts). But I can not be mad at the Sox failing to land ONE PLAYER. And this is a player whose behavior has angered me in the past.

I am upset that our team is projected to blow chunks again this season, but IMO it's more because of starting pitching. And yes our lineup will be missing the big bat that Manny allegedly would have provided.

IS GREG UPSET?: Not over this. He's one player, folks. Stuff happens. And you wait and see. Manny will be a horrific contract for the Pods in a few years. GO SOX! Manny ... enjoy playing in SD where you won't be getting much attention nationally.

Greg, you are known to be one of the biggest pessimists on this board as well as being known for your angst towards the front office and yet, despite today's news, you remain upbeat and looking forward to White Sox baseball. Seriously, great post Greg! 

I for one am still very much looking forward to White Sox baseball. 

[drgiggles15]

Just moved to Florida in May and can't believe it took me so long to leave expensive Illinois. Best of luck man!

[JoshPR]

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

It’s been wild ride with you guys, but I’m officially the fuck out of here.  I’m moving the family to Nashville so my children do not have to endure the incompetence of this front office & ownership group.  Unfortunately nothing will ever change until Uncle Jerry dies and the fact I even had to type that sentence shows just how we fucked we all are as Sox fans.  We all deserve so much better.  Like we literally just got punked by the San Diego fucking Padres.  At least we had a seat at the table right...right...right?

I fully expect to be ridiculed endlessly for this post and I totally accept that.  Please flame away and tell I’m an idiot and all will be fine.  I really want to believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel here, but when this front office can’t land an elite free agent when they practically fall into their lap I’ve simply lost all hope.

This is silly. Baseball is just a game. Other things are more important. You ain't gonna move because of a baseball team. What you do is you don't sponsor it. Don't spend your money. So on. Deep down we all care about the Sox, That's why everybody is upset and rightfully so. So saying you gonna move somewhere else because of it is plain out stupid. And I say this with the most sincere respect

Take care, remember its just a game

[southsideirish71]

Some great college baseball in that part of the world ( Nashville ).  Watching college baseball has helped me deal with the rebuild and the growing pains.