ALDS Game 4 - HOU @ CWS - 1:07 pm CDT

[whitesoxbrad]

4 hours ago, PDXSOX said:

Incredibly disappointing, to be sure.  Completely foreseeable, absolutely.  So much for all the "experts" talking about the irrelevance of a poor record against a team you get to face first in the playoffs.  It is and was all true - the Sox were very lucky to be in the AL Central, it made them look much better than they were.  I resent the fact that, given that management must have known this, they dismissed the importance of winning, of developing  a killer instinct to crush opponents, for 6, 8, maybe 10 weeks at the end of the season.  And what you saw was a team with talented pitchers who didn't pitch, talented hitters who didn't hit - in short, not ready for prime time.  The net result is the same as if Ricky Renteria were still there - I, for one, hope that Tony does the right thing and steps down - he had his shot, it didn't happen, and Reinsdorf won't fire him again.  Rodon - hey, thanks for the memories, go get paid - elsewhere, I'm down with that.  Rodon pitched in both games that blew the Sox out of the playoffs 2 years in a row - let Boros stick that into a Powerpoint and spin it for all it's worth.  

Net/net - the team rode over an awful division (Tom Brady knows how that feels in his NE years), bragged they were better than they could show to be, got pummeled in their first playoff series, and had none of its key stars show up when it mattered.  They were outclassed - by a mile - by the Astros in terms of talent, skill at baseball, and overall determination to win.  Maybe to prove that they can win without cheating?  Who knows?  They weren't cheating this time - forget about that - the White Sox missed their moment.

They need more pitching, more reliable pitching, more experience, fewer headcases; they need the hitters they have to hit, remember how to hit, something.  And they need to learn to pick up the ball and throw it straight - I've never seen a sloppier team for a whole season.  At the end of the day, the White Sox are this year's Twins - the AL Central excuse for a playoff team that has no business being in the playoffs and gets pounded and thrown out in the first round.  Hurray!  I guess you can call it a development year.  Screw the bat flips - hit the ball, get on base, hit home runs, throw strikes and miss bats.  Back to basics.

I can't say - and won't - the Cub's refrain for decades.  Next year is promised to no one.  Hopefully Soxfest doesn't turn into a Cub event where they all congratulate themselves on getting close but still getting their participation trophy.  I live outside Chicago, so there's no more Cubs angst here - but it's worse in a way.  My Sox gear is going away for the winter, because I don't feel like getting the out-of-town commentary on how the loud South-siders went out with a whimper - or a roar from the other team as Liam gave up that 3 run homer.

Make the team better, Rick - and Kenny - and especially, Jerry.  And lose LaRussa along the way, please.

best comments i have ever read on this site, thank you for telling the truth, but I am afraid the people making the needed baseball decisions are not the right people.

[reiks12]

7 hours ago, PDXSOX said:

Incredibly disappointing, to be sure.  Completely foreseeable, absolutely.  So much for all the "experts" talking about the irrelevance of a poor record against a team you get to face first in the playoffs.  It is and was all true - the Sox were very lucky to be in the AL Central, it made them look much better than they were.  I resent the fact that, given that management must have known this, they dismissed the importance of winning, of developing  a killer instinct to crush opponents, for 6, 8, maybe 10 weeks at the end of the season.  And what you saw was a team with talented pitchers who didn't pitch, talented hitters who didn't hit - in short, not ready for prime time.  The net result is the same as if Ricky Renteria were still there - I, for one, hope that Tony does the right thing and steps down - he had his shot, it didn't happen, and Reinsdorf won't fire him again.  Rodon - hey, thanks for the memories, go get paid - elsewhere, I'm down with that.  Rodon pitched in both games that blew the Sox out of the playoffs 2 years in a row - let Boros stick that into a Powerpoint and spin it for all it's worth.  

Net/net - the team rode over an awful division (Tom Brady knows how that feels in his NE years), bragged they were better than they could show to be, got pummeled in their first playoff series, and had none of its key stars show up when it mattered.  They were outclassed - by a mile - by the Astros in terms of talent, skill at baseball, and overall determination to win.  Maybe to prove that they can win without cheating?  Who knows?  They weren't cheating this time - forget about that - the White Sox missed their moment.

They need more pitching, more reliable pitching, more experience, fewer headcases; they need the hitters they have to hit, remember how to hit, something.  And they need to learn to pick up the ball and throw it straight - I've never seen a sloppier team for a whole season.  At the end of the day, the White Sox are this year's Twins - the AL Central excuse for a playoff team that has no business being in the playoffs and gets pounded and thrown out in the first round.  Hurray!  I guess you can call it a development year.  Screw the bat flips - hit the ball, get on base, hit home runs, throw strikes and miss bats.  Back to basics.

I can't say - and won't - the Cub's refrain for decades.  Next year is promised to no one.  Hopefully Soxfest doesn't turn into a Cub event where they all congratulate themselves on getting close but still getting their participation trophy.  I live outside Chicago, so there's no more Cubs angst here - but it's worse in a way.  My Sox gear is going away for the winter, because I don't feel like getting the out-of-town commentary on how the loud South-siders went out with a whimper - or a roar from the other team as Liam gave up that 3 run homer.

Make the team better, Rick - and Kenny - and especially, Jerry.  And lose LaRussa along the way, please.

Nice eulogy for this year's team.

[Balta1701]

7 hours ago, PDXSOX said:

I've never seen a sloppier team for a whole season. 

2013, the year Ventura started sleepwalking through spring training and they limped to 63 wins. You go back to game threads that year and I’m constantly posting the “circus music” to sum up their play on defense.

[oldsox]

I missed the last couple of innings, but what was Liam doing out there in the 9th inning?

[Balta1701]

2 minutes ago, oldsox said:

I missed the last couple of innings, but what was Liam doing out there in the 9th inning?

Giving up a long home run to Altuve to make sure the Astros had icing on the cake? 

Do you mean why was he out there? Because there was no harm in putting him out there as the game was already lost. 

[wegner]

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record pre HOF 1-3

blah blah blah blah blah

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record post HOF 1-3

[NWINFan]

2 hours ago, reiks12 said:

Nice eulogy for this year's team.

It was a nice eulogy. The White Sox are not a bad team. They are a team that needs fixing.

[Chick Mercedes]

1 hour ago, wegner said:

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record pre HOF 1-3

blah blah blah blah blah

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record post HOF 1-3

.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Chick Mercedes

[Chick Mercedes]

Edit

Edited October 13, 2021 by Chick Mercedes

[South Side Hit Men]

2 hours ago, wegner said:

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record pre HOF 1-3

blah blah blah blah blah

Tony LaRussa White Sox playoff record post HOF 1-3

Tony thanks both Jerrys for their service.

Chicago White Sox All Time Manager Postseason Winning Percentage Leaderboard

1. Ozzie Guillen 12-4 .750 (2005; 2008)
2. Fielder Jones 4-2 .667 (1906)
3. Pants Rowland 4-2 .667 (1917)
4. Kid Gleason 3-5 .375 (1919)
5. Al Lopez 2-4 .333 (1959)
6. Gene Lamont 2-4 .333 (1993)
7. Ricky Renteria 1-2 .333 (2020)
8. Tony La Russa 2-6 .250 (1983; 2021)
9. Jerry Manual 0-3 .000 (2000)

 

[wegner]

1 minute ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Tony thanks both Jerrys for their service.

Chicago White Sox All Time Manager Postseason Winning Percentage Leaderboard

1. Ozzie Guillen 12-4 .750 (2005; 2008)
2. Fielder Jones 4-2 .667 (1906)
3. Pants Rowland 4-2 .667 (1917)
4. Kid Gleason 3-5 .375 (1919)
5. Al Lopez 2-4 .333 (1959)
6. Gene Lamont 2-4 .333 (1993)
7. Ricky Renteria 1-2 .333 (2020)
8. Tony La Russa 2-6 .250 (1983; 2021)
9. Jerry Manual 0-3 .000 (2000)

 

It's truly a crime that this organization let Pants Rowland go.

[wegner]

Ok, so I had to run an errand this morning and the last radio station I had on in the car was listening to Len and DJ on AM 1000, ESPN...the radio home of the Chicago White Sox.  I had to turn to FM radio quickly as the Carmen and Jurko show was dominated by Jurkovic gloating about the Sox getting crushed.  How about toning it down a bit on what is supposed the be the home of the White Sox Jurko??  God I hate Chicago sports radio.

[South Side Hit Men]

Just now, wegner said:

It's truly a crime that this organization let Pants Rowland go.

Pants was fortunate Comiskey fired him before the Black Sox scandal. Pants became an American League umpire for five seasons, followed by a scout for the Cubs, the President for the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Los Angeles Angels, and eventually Commissioner of the PCL, before returning as VP of the Cubs until he was 90 and passed away.

Sadly, Tony may surpass age 90 with the White Sox in an attempt to pass Connie Mack on the all time win list.

[South Side Hit Men]

Steve Stone for a postmortem on the Laurence Holmes show at noon.

[racingmann]

8 hours ago, whitesoxbrad said:

best comments i have ever read on this site, thank you for telling the truth, but I am afraid the people making the needed baseball decisions are not the right people.

A remarkable commentary, well reasoned and well written. I think you'll find more fans than you imagine agree completely. I know I do, especially with the LaRussa points. I never thought it was a good idea, but so many people disagreed, I began to think I wasn't being reasonable. But, he's not the right person for the job. I hope the winter months bring us hope for a better '22 season. Thanks again for your thoughts. Much appreciated.

[Pants Rowland]

1 hour ago, wegner said:

It's truly a crime that this organization let Pants Rowland go.

I'm still here, baby!

In other news, I was at the game yesterday with my 13 year old son. While I try to give the fans credit for doing their best to fire up the team, overall I found the atmosphere to be pretty edgy and angry even before things fell apart on the field. People were hitting the sauce all the way up to the security gates and chanting off color stuff that was cringeworthy. Once inside the stadium, all the chanting (aka whining) about the Astros being cheaters was also over the top and the mark of a loser, in my opinion.

I have followed the Sox as my team since I was a little kid and am not about to switch now as I approach my 5th decade as a fan. However, it is tough for me to identify with a lot of the drunken angry riff raff that I saw there yesterday. 

[South Side Hit Men]

57 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Steve Stone for a postmortem on the Laurence Holmes show at noon.

First half of the discussion, Stone focused on the defense. Discussing the various little things the Sox do poorly, talking about outfielders not hitting the cutoff and specifically calling out Eloy.

Steve then spent a substantial amount of time focusing on Grandal, his hard hands which causes an inability to block balls in the dirt, in comparison to Maldonado. Steve specifically called out the fastball Rodon threw on 0-2, and Steve surmised Rodon threw it because he cannot rely on Grandal to block his best sliders in the dirt. Then he moved on to the abysmal base runner management, by all three catchers and the pitching staff.

He finished talking about Rodon's health and pending free agency, and Kopech needing to be able to fool hitters with location and velocity to progress as a starter. 

[wegner]

15 minutes ago, Pants Rowland said:

I'm still here, baby!

In other news, I was at the game yesterday with my 13 year old son. While I try to give the fans credit for doing their best to fire up the team, overall I found the atmosphere to be pretty edgy and angry even before things fell apart on the field. People were hitting the sauce all the way up to the security gates and chanting off color stuff that was cringeworthy. Once inside the stadium, all the chanting (aka whining) about the Astros being cheaters was also over the top and the mark of a loser, in my opinion.

I have followed the Sox as my team since I was a little kid and am not about to switch now as I approach my 5th decade as a fan. However, it is tough for me to identify with a lot of the drunken angry riff raff that I saw there yesterday. 

You should just stick around here where things are a lot more level headed.

[reiks12]

24 minutes ago, Pants Rowland said:

I'm still here, baby!

In other news, I was at the game yesterday with my 13 year old son. While I try to give the fans credit for doing their best to fire up the team, overall I found the atmosphere to be pretty edgy and angry even before things fell apart on the field. People were hitting the sauce all the way up to the security gates and chanting off color stuff that was cringeworthy. Once inside the stadium, all the chanting (aka whining) about the Astros being cheaters was also over the top and the mark of a loser, in my opinion.

I have followed the Sox as my team since I was a little kid and am not about to switch now as I approach my 5th decade as a fan. However, it is tough for me to identify with a lot of the drunken angry riff raff that I saw there yesterday. 

Unfortunately they showed their colors for the baseball world to see. White Sox fans got a lot of hate yesterday. Truly embarrassing.

[wegner]

22 minutes ago, Pants Rowland said:

I'm still here, baby!

In other news, I was at the game yesterday with my 13 year old son. While I try to give the fans credit for doing their best to fire up the team, overall I found the atmosphere to be pretty edgy and angry even before things fell apart on the field. People were hitting the sauce all the way up to the security gates and chanting off color stuff that was cringeworthy. Once inside the stadium, all the chanting (aka whining) about the Astros being cheaters was also over the top and the mark of a loser, in my opinion.

I have followed the Sox as my team since I was a little kid and am not about to switch now as I approach my 5th decade as a fan. However, it is tough for me to identify with a lot of the drunken angry riff raff that I saw there yesterday. 

I do think it's bad when people cannot enjoy the game because how others are acting and am sorry that happened with your son there.

However, I am going to differ with you in one aspect.  The players on the Astros truly did cheat and nothing was done to them at all by MLB....I do not feel one ounce of sorrow or regret for them because they have to hear about it and if they have to hear about it from the stands for the rest of their careers I really don't care because they will not hear it from reporters who basically kiss their butts when interviewing them.  

Maybe it was stupid what Tepera said but I think he is speaking for the frustration of a  bunch of major leaguers who are pissed that they broke the rules and got away with it 100%.

[fathom]

2 hours ago, wegner said:

Ok, so I had to run an errand this morning and the last radio station I had on in the car was listening to Len and DJ on AM 1000, ESPN...the radio home of the Chicago White Sox.  I had to turn to FM radio quickly as the Carmen and Jurko show was dominated by Jurkovic gloating about the Sox getting crushed.  How about toning it down a bit on what is supposed the be the home of the White Sox Jurko??  God I hate Chicago sports radio.

I don’t think Jurko has ever said one interesting thing in his decades on the radio

[wegner]

7 minutes ago, fathom said:

I don’t think Jurko has ever said one interesting thing in his decades on the radio

I just read in his Wiki bio that he was a fan favorite in Green Bay for his boisterous personality......feel free to do radio in Wisconsin, Jurko.

[CentralChamps21]

8 minutes ago, fathom said:

I don’t think Jurko has ever said one interesting thing in his decades on the radio

Is sports talk radio a Gen X/Boomer thing? I'm just asking because I don't know anybody my age who watches/listens to sports talk programming.

[strx2000]

Good series guys. Wish yall the best in the offseason.... Have a few thoughts while waiting for my flight back to Houston.

1. Luis Robert is going to be a star. Athletic, good hands, speed... he is the mold you want. Hope he continues to develop. He will be a star if he stays healthy.

2. Starting rotation, Ive read yalls view on your pitching for the past week. The rotation is very talented, its just the astros lineup are grinders and work at bats. Not just to your pitchers but to everyone over the past 7 years. But especially the last 5. Lynn, Rodon, Giolito, Cease are all very talented. I would be careful on overspending on rodon. I wouldn't go more than 3/4 years on him. Just my opinion. Time to stretch out Kopech and find a 3/4 pitch. Move him to rotation top off his innings at 150/160 next year.

3. Hendricks is a bad bad man. Altuve guessed fastball but besides that my stros had no chance against him. Very surprised LaRussa didn't use him more. Thank god. He should have pitched game 2 when things got hairy.

4. Moncada and Jimenez are overhyped. Ive seen them last year and this year. Got a really close look at them this series. They are just guys. Jimenez especially, not very good on d and lazy from my eyes. Long swing and just quit it looked like. I would try to move those 2 and find valuable replacements. Moncada basically gave up every at bat, you could tell he wasn't confident.

5. LaRussa is worse than Baker. LaRussa has to be gone or this White Sox team will stay stagnant and dominate a terrible division.

 

For people hammering the Astros saying they didnt get punished enough. behind the scenes it was bad losing Lunhow the best GM in baseball and development. Also Hinch one of the top 3 Managers in the game. MLB commish told astros ownership those were the guys that needed to go. We lost multiple 1st rd pick oh and  for something that every team does. The astros just happen to be the scapegoat. Its a damn shame Manfred has let the Astros hanging out there... when there is proof of the Yankees scheme and how bad it is. Hopefully one day they will release the letter if it ever get thru the courts, which it wont. They will protect their beloved yankees. Everyone cheats in baseball. I played 3 years off and on for the giants and Braves. They had stuff going on back then 2008-2011. Wont go into details. 

Hope yall have a great off season! Till next time.

[Dick Allen]

36 minutes ago, wegner said:

I do think it's bad when people cannot enjoy the game because how others are acting and am sorry that happened with your son there.

However, I am going to differ with you in one aspect.  The players on the Astros truly did cheat and nothing was done to them at all by MLB....I do not feel one ounce of sorrow or regret for them because they have to hear about it and if they have to hear about it from the stands for the rest of their careers I really don't care because they will not hear it from reporters who basically kiss their butts when interviewing them.  

Maybe it was stupid what Tepera said but I think he is speaking for the frustration of a  bunch of major leaguers who are pissed that they broke the rules and got away with it 100%.

One thing I hate is coming and going out of your seat. There is no etiquette. Especially with these 4 1/2 hour games. There is so much down time. Yet someone gets right in front of you to go to their seat, or go spend $100 on overrated food just as a pitch is being delivered.