Sox Get Roasted On MLB Network

[knightni]

 

[SoxAce]

Not wrong at all what was said.

[Harold's Leg Lift]

They're a good team on paper.  That should be their slogan. 

[The Mighty Mite]

The truth hurts.

[Balta1701]

There’s a handful of places I’d have been harsher but otherwise this struck me as a very accurate and well informed set of takes. Correctly identified a lot of the issues, noted Hahn’s role, ID’d LaRussa as the elephant in the room in terms of the sloppiness.

[Flash Tizzle]

20 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

There’s a handful of places I’d have been harsher but otherwise this struck me as a very accurate and well informed set of takes. Correctly identified a lot of the issues, noted Hahn’s role, ID’d LaRussa as the elephant in the room in terms of the sloppiness.

It must be difficult to summarize the problems of the White Sox in only ten minutes. I was atleast expecting some reference to the two, 1-2 count IBB from TLR, but yeah, overall an accurate take on the White Sox

Edited August 30, 2022 by Flash Tizzle

[JoeC]

Let's look on the bright side.

The Sox are making the national spotlight!!

[Lonchair]

That video was was spot on in reference to the team, coaches & manager’s performance. Go a bit higher & the problems continue. 

[southsideirish71]

Wait till they either bring that corpse back for next year or promote him.  The only one that may get fired is the strength and conditioning people and maybe just maybe Frank M.  I think they are arrogant enough to chalk this up to injuries and try another bite at the apple next year.  

[GREEDY]

Post Pitch Com 

[MiddleCoastBias]

1 hour ago, Flash Tizzle said:

It must be difficult to summarize the problems of the White Sox in only ten minutes. I was atleast expecting some reference to the two, 1-2 count IBB from TLR, but yeah, overall an accurate take on the White Sox

Agreed, and they didn't even touch on the identified holes in the roster (2B and RF) and supposed "fixes" we've tried. Or the dollars spent on acquisitions/total payroll and the production we've gotten from them.

Overall great segment and yet still didn't even discuss all of the issues.

[Bob Sacamano]

2 hours ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

They're a good team on paper.  That should be their slogan. 

"This team is too talented to be this bad" -2022 Sox slogan

[Ducksnort]

The only ones that don't see the real reasons behind the issues are the front office personnel.

[hankchifan]

3 hours ago, knightni said:

 

An indictment of the bad White Sox performance this season backed by statistics and some on field examples of bad Sox play.  It is a shame.  The Sox wasted their window opportunity this season.

[hankchifan]

20 minutes ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

Agreed, and they didn't even touch on the identified holes in the roster (2B and RF) and supposed "fixes" we've tried. Or the dollars spent on acquisitions/total payroll and the production we've gotten from them.

Overall great segment and yet still didn't even discuss all of the issues.

They hardly mention TLR and his effect on the team.  Analysis directed at on field performance. IMO.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

12 minutes ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

Agreed, and they didn't even touch on the identified holes in the roster (2B and RF) and supposed "fixes" we've tried. Or the dollars spent on acquisitions/total payroll and the production we've gotten from them.

Overall great segment and yet still didn't even discuss all of the issues.

That's about as much negative as you're going to get from TV talking heads who work for MLB. They can criticize the group collectively but they won't get into individualizing aspects of the team. Too many people's feelings get hurt, gets too personal, owners get angry , your reporting access gets pulled or you just get fired and replaced by those who will stick to not being overly critical.

As fans, we can individualize or put the blame on certain people but that's a big no-no when you're doing TV on the MLB Network because it's too speculative .

Plus the elephant in the room is that the MLB Network is run by MLB Advanced Media and it's basically all 30 league owners in charge of it.

[wegner]

Just now, hankchifan said:

They hardly mention TLR and his effect on the team.  Analysis directed at on field performance. IMO.

Well there was the statement about the 20,000 pound gorilla in the room, that is Tony LaRussa.  Honestly, most of the analysis is an indictment of his leadership or lack of it, imo.

[MEANS]

All accurate except that it IS over.

[mmmmmbeeer]

29 minutes ago, ScooterMcGuire said:

The only ones that don't see the real reasons behind the issues are the front office personnel.

They see it, they're just powerless to do anything about it.  We know the FO hasn't been scared to fire coaches/managers in the past.  So why, when the evidence for necessary change is basically unprecedented in FRANCHISE HISTORY, would they not be making changes now?  The only logical explanation is that they've been absolutely neutered by TLR and JR. 

We all want Tony fired, I think....and he deserves to lose his job.  But managerial changes can be dicey, especially when you've got an owner/employee relationship like Jerry and Tony enjoy.  I get it, you let him finish out the season, see where things go, give him a fair chance.  But a hitting coach?  A guy who has no history with the franchise?  Hitting coaches come and go all the time.  Along with pitching coaches, the position is made to be scapegoated when underperformance becomes an issue.  But yet Frank Menechino is still here?  There is literally zero other explanation for Frank Menechino to still be in a Sox uniform outside of Tony protecting him. 

We can dog Hahn, KW, and staff for willingly ceding power and having their names attached to this clusterfuck but what I don't think is fair is to blame them for not making the necessary changes that 29 other front offices would have by now.  

[T R U]

Tony LaRussa inherited an ascending team that has done nothing but regress under his command. Rick Hahn hasn't helped with him with lousy moves, but the problem in my opinion is the fossil chosen to lead this team.

Fire LaRussa, Fire Hahn, and watch the 2023 White Sox win the AL Central.

[Jerksticks]

36 minutes ago, wegner said:

Well there was the statement about the 20,000 pound gorilla in the room, that is Tony LaRussa.  Honestly, most of the analysis is an indictment of his leadership or lack of it, imo.

Yea I think this is the only way MLB Network is allowed to roast a HOF manager.  Reading between the lines they are blasting him

[Balta1701]

4 minutes ago, mmmmmbeeer said:

They see it, they're just powerless to do anything about it.  We know the FO hasn't been scared to fire coaches/managers in the past.  So why, when the evidence for necessary change is basically unprecedented in FRANCHISE HISTORY, would they not be making changes now?  The only logical explanation is that they've been absolutely neutered by TLR and JR. 

We all want Tony fired, I think....and he deserves to lose his job.  But managerial changes can be dicey, especially when you've got an owner/employee relationship like Jerry and Tony enjoy.  I get it, you let him finish out the season, see where things go, give him a fair chance.  But a hitting coach?  A guy who has no history with the franchise?  Hitting coaches come and go all the time.  Along with pitching coaches, the position is made to be scapegoated when underperformance becomes an issue.  But yet Frank Menechino is still here?  There is literally zero other explanation for Frank Menechino to still be in a Sox uniform outside of Tony protecting him. 

We can dog Hahn, KW, and staff for willingly ceding power and having their names attached to this clusterfuck but what I don't think is fair is to blame them for not making the necessary changes that 29 other front offices would have by now.  

The whole organization has absolutely been hesitant to fire people in the past:

Robin Ventura got a contract extension after a 63 win season and somehow survived finishing 2015 in 4th place despite his GM spending $50 million in the offseason and insisting they would “be right there at the end”. He was only allowed to retire at the end of ‘16, not fired. 

Rick Hahn survived failures in ‘13, ‘15, and ‘16 without being fired.

People were genuinely surprised when they removed Renteria after 2020 because it was a well justified move but something the white Sox didn’t seem likely to do. Little did we know….

[T R U]

I find it very hard to believe that JR is going to fire LaRussa after the whole premise of his return was built around righting a wrong the first time he was here. I would imagine both LaRussa and Hahn are back next season with LaRussa finishing out his contract instead of being fired.

[Balta1701]

5 minutes ago, T R U said:

I find it very hard to believe that JR is going to fire LaRussa after the whole premise of his return was built around righting a wrong the first time he was here. I would imagine both LaRussa and Hahn are back next season with LaRussa finishing out his contract instead of being fired.

I continue to believe the owner will try to stay the course, but I also think it is possible that a serious collapse in their ticket and ad sale numbers associated with missing the playoffs may leave them no other choice but to offer up something to the fanbase bigger than a new hitting coach. 

My guess continues to be that the chairman fires his GM and retains his chosen coach.

[flavum]

3 minutes ago, T R U said:

I find it very hard to believe that JR is going to fire LaRussa after the whole premise of his return was built around righting a wrong the first time he was here. I would imagine both LaRussa and Hahn are back next season with LaRussa finishing out his contract instead of being fired.

Tony will be taking an advisor role after the season. They know it would be a bad move for him to return as manager. Hopefully he wants that for himself too so it’s not a huge deal that lingers far into the offseason. Hopefully five weeks from today which is his 78th birthday, he announces the next day is his last game managing.