BASE-BALL

[Flint1979]

As far as the White Sox go, the last time they started their most recently failed rebuild when they traded Sale I said that they will not succeed in this rebuild because they are counting on the same people that have screwed everything up to rebuild the team. Now 2021 comes along and the Sox are looking for a new manager after Rick Renteria was let go, the Sox had a pretty good roster that year not great but pretty good, after letting Renteria go Reinsdorf's next move is let's hire Tony LaRussa because I feel that I need to right a wrong that happened 35 years ago nevermind he hasn't managed in 10 years, has a drinking problem and is out of touch with the current game we'll hire Tony and everything will be ok. That didn't even really work I think the 2021 White Sox did as well as they did inspite of LaRussa.

Ok LaRussa didn't work out so we'll get rid of him and bring in Pedro Grifol, who? Oh that's right another Kansas City Royals reject since Reinsdorf is so hell bent on modeling the Sox after the Royals, I have no idea why any owner would model their team off Kansas City, a team that loses 100 games or so almost every year. Congrats Jerry you got what you wanted, the Chicago White Sox are indeed as bad as the Kansas City Royals. When the Sox are winning which really isn't very often but when they are winning they draw well attendance wise, don't expect very many people to attend Sox games this year because they are going to suck and suck big time. Oh and promoting Chris Getz after firing Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn was one of the stupidest moves Reinsdorf could have ever made, what exactly did you improve on here Jerry? The sooner Jerry gets out of the picture and sells the team the better. I can't believe we're going to have to wait until after he dies to get a new owner.

[Henry]

Let's not forget that this is the same Jerry Reinsdorf who owns the six-time NBA champions. More often than not, the Sox were actually decent in those years; in fact, they won the last-ever AL West division title under the old four-division setup and were leading in the AL Central when the 1994 strike hit (I can't believe it'll be 30 years since that tragic moment occurred). As for the Royals, they won a World Series in 2015 (delaying the Cubs' prediction from Back to the Future II for another year).

[Flint1979]

Let's not forget that this is the same Jerry Reinsdorf who owns the six-time NBA champions. More often than not, the Sox were actually decent in those years; in fact, they won the last-ever AL West division title under the old four-division setup and were leading in the AL Central when the 1994 strike hit (I can't believe it'll be 30 years since that tragic moment occurred). As for the Royals, they won a World Series in 2015 (delaying the Cubs' prediction from Back to the Future II for another year).

Jerry can thank MJ for those six titles. The Sox were good in the early 90's but since about 2011-2012 they have been a pretty bad team and Jerry is out of touch with reality being a dinosaur in today's game. It's strange that the Royals won that World Series and then fell right back to where they usually are anymore. Up until 2002 they hadn't lost 100 games in a season, now they have seven seasons with 100+ loses.

[ET21]

I'm done with that poverty franchise until Jerry sells or croaks

[Flint1979]

I'm done with that poverty franchise until Jerry sells or croaks

Same here pretty much. I'm tired of the same bullshit year after year after year after year it never stops, the team never improves and whenever they have a chance to go somewhere they blow it every time. I'm done with Jerry's shit show, I'm not giving that piece of shit another penny of my money.

[Flint1979]

Just watch attendance at White Sox home games this season. They'll probably draw somewhat well for opening day but it won't be sold out and after opening day they won't even come close to filling half the park. Hope your happy Jerry because nobody else is. I wouldn't put it past the Sox to lose 110 games this season. They suck and Jerry is the worst owner in MLB.

Now Jerry wants a new ballpark fuck you Jerry.

[KeithE4Phx]

Just watch attendance at White Sox home games this season. They'll probably draw somewhat well for opening day but it won't be sold out and after opening day they won't even come close to filling half the park.

They'll sell out Opening Day and the two games vs the Flubs.  Beyond that... I can see this year being as putrid as the bad old days of 1968-75, when the Sox were thisclose to moving to Milwaukee and Seattle.  The Allyn brothers were bad owners, but they, unlike Reinsdorf, had no money.  Neither did Bill Veeck, for that matter.

Hope your happy Jerry because nobody else is. I wouldn't put it past the Sox to lose 110 games this season.

Won't surprise me, either.  Fortunately, the Royals are still in the AL Central, and could lose 120. 

They suck and Jerry is the worst owner in MLB.

"Hold my beer." -- Ken Kendrick, managing owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who's also trying to get a free ballpark in a better neighborhood (specifically in or near Scottsdale) than downtown Phoenix.  He has even less of an excuse than Reinsdorf does.  At least they went to the World Series last season.

Now Jerry wants a new ballpark fuck you Jerry.

He can pay for it himself.

[Flint1979]

Just watch attendance at White Sox home games this season. They'll probably draw somewhat well for opening day but it won't be sold out and after opening day they won't even come close to filling half the park.

They'll sell out Opening Day and the two games vs the Flubs.  Beyond that... I can see this year being as putrid as the bad old days of 1968-75, when the Sox were thisclose to moving to Milwaukee and Seattle.  The Allyn brothers were bad owners, but they, unlike Reinsdorf, had no money.  Neither did Bill Veeck, for that matter.

Hope your happy Jerry because nobody else is. I wouldn't put it past the Sox to lose 110 games this season.

Won't surprise me, either.  Fortunately, the Royals are still in the AL Central, and could lose 120. 

They suck and Jerry is the worst owner in MLB.

"Hold my beer." -- Ken Kendrick, managing owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who's also trying to get a free ballpark in a better neighborhood (specifically in or near Scottsdale) than downtown Phoenix.  He has even less of an excuse than Reinsdorf does.  At least they went to the World Series last season.

Now Jerry wants a new ballpark fuck you Jerry.

He can pay for it himself.

Idk if they'll sell out for opening day last year they only had 34,784; 2022 they had 36,948 that's why I said they'll probably draw somewhat well. There top home game was against the Scrubs with 37,214, opening day was 3rd after the other game with the Scrubs. They used to draw good on weekends but that probably won't happen much this year.

It's crazy to think that the Sox have never given a player a $100 million contract. And your right Jerry does have the money unlike Allyn and Veeck.

With Jerry wanting the Sox to be like the Royals they can fight it out for last place in the weak AL Central. Weakest divison in baseball or at least the American League.

Yeah what's the problem with these parks built in the 90's that need to be replaced already? The Rangers and Braves both had new ballparks and have already had to replace them now the Sox and Diamondbacks need a new ballpark too? Just wow.

One thing about the White Sox is they have played in the same neighborhood every since 1901. The housing project that sits behind the scoreboard is where they first played, then Comiskey and now this stadium. Apparently Jerry just doesn't give a shit. I can't stand the guy and I've never met him. If I ever did have a chance to say something to him I'd tell him how pathetic of a sports owner he truly is and the sooner he sells the team the better.

And that is totally right, he can pay for it himself. The Chicago White Sox do not need a new ballpark.

[ET21]

He can sell the Bulls and use that money to build his new stadium. Save one franchise from purgatory at least

[Henry]

It wasn't that long ago that the Cubs were in the exact same situation the Sox are in now, losing 100-plus games a year. The main difference is, they still care about their city and making their fans happy, and it showed with a string of postseason appearances later on in the decade and a World Series championship in 2016. Plus, they're extremely proud of their shrine of a ballpark that is Wrigley Field and do whatever it takes to keep it up to modern standards. (Same goes for the Red Sox and their own shrine, Fenway Park.)

As for the complaints about teams wanting a new ballpark when their current ones aren't even 30 years old, this is nothing new. None of the multipurpose stadiums that were built in the 60s and 70s (San Francisco, New York, Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis, San Diego, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Seattle, Minneapolis, etc.) saw 40 major-league seasons, and I won't count Oakland because the Raiders had two separate stints there, nor Washington because of the large gap between the Senators' departure and the Nationals' arrival.

[epzik8]

I have a feeling Jackson Holliday will definitely be at Camden Yards on opening day.

[epzik8]

Shohei Ohtani cannot catch a break.

[Takumi]

Peter Angelos has died.

[triplemultiplex]

Shohei Ohtani cannot catch a break.

This is the kind of thing that happens when sports leagues start getting in bed with gambling companies.

MLB has ceded the moral high ground in getting upset about someone associated with their sport engaging in sports betting.  So has every other sport with their Draft Kings and MGM and whatever other gambling commercials you see constantly during broadcasts and in giant billboards at stadiums.  This is just the beginning.  Sports are charging headlong into massive gambling scandals in the coming years.  There's just too much money changing hands for someone out there to resist the temptation to tip the odds in their own favor.

[Henry]

It's Opening Day again...but unfortunately for the Cubs, they end up in the loss column in Arlington. They were playing the defending champions, so that was kind of expected.

[triplemultiplex]

Brewers-Mets starting the season a day late due to rain yesterday.  I'll be listening on the radio as I travel for the weekend.

[cl94]

Hot off the presses: we have reports from Sacramento media (namely the CBS Sports Radio affiliate in town) that the Oakland Athletics will be playing in Sacramento starting in 2025. Not an April Fool's joke. Assumption now is that this will be until a stadium is completed in Las Vegas, but TBD.

A key issue here is that the A's deal with NBC Sports California requires them to stay in Northern California through 2032. Leave before then and they forfeit any TV revenue.

[Max Rockatansky]

Well, I'll certainly be going to Sacramento to check some of those games.  The backdrop of the stadium has the Tower Bridge in the background.

[triplemultiplex]

Just as well since I'm sure the A's will be playing like a minor league team the next few seasons.  Like what incentive do they have to perform well during these transition years?  They've abandoned their current fans and are still hundreds of miles from their supposed future fans.  Who's gonna bother watching? 

It'll be a fun novelty for a while for the locals to see MLB games in Sacramento.  But there's no motivation to get invested in the team knowing they're outta there the minute their new casino and sports betting emporium stadium is done.

Not to go on another anti-Vegas rant again, but no one is from there.  It's a fast growing city that has gathered transplants from other parts of the country bringing their own sports loyalties with them.  The only reason to care about a Vegas team is when they play the team you actually root for.  That's the only reason they got an NHL team.  It wasn't some groundswell of hockey enthusiasm from this desert city where it snows once every three years.  Guarantee the Golden Knights have the lowest in-market loyalty of any pro sports franchise, despite their expansion draft fueled success.

And that's another thing I hate about there being hockey in Vegas; they were basically able to steal everyone's third best player and create a near-all star team from the get go.  Nothing earned at all. No long suffering fanbase thirsty for a championship.  They don't deserve success.
And I say all this as a person who doesn't actually care that much about hockey.  Real hockey fans must be totally pissed.  Especially like Minnesota.  The most hockey-loving state there is and they had one team move on them and the current team can't seem to do anything in the playoffs.  Meanwhile, this dumb expansion team comes along from a region that can't possibly care about hockey and they're immediate contenders.  It's unfair.

[brad2971]

Hot off the presses: we have reports from Sacramento media (namely the CBS Sports Radio affiliate in town) that the Oakland Athletics will be playing in Sacramento starting in 2025. Not an April Fool's joke. Assumption now is that this will be until a stadium is completed in Las Vegas, but TBD.

A key issue here is that the A's deal with NBC Sports California requires them to stay in Northern California through 2032. Leave before then and they forfeit any TV revenue.

By 2032, if not significantly sooner, NBC Sports California will cease to exist as a RSN. By the time that happens, MLB will very likely centralize its TV production and distribution so that all teams get proportionate revenue. And that will happen regardless of what NESN thinks.

[Max Rockatansky]

Just as well since I'm sure the A's will be playing like a minor league team the next few seasons.  Like what incentive do they have to perform well during these transition years?  They've abandoned their current fans and are still hundreds of miles from their supposed future fans.  Who's gonna bother watching? 

It'll be a fun novelty for a while for the locals to see MLB games in Sacramento.  But there's no motivation to get invested in the team knowing they're outta there the minute their new casino and sports betting emporium stadium is done.

Not to go on another anti-Vegas rant again, but no one is from there.  It's a fast growing city that has gathered transplants from other parts of the country bringing their own sports loyalties with them.  The only reason to care about a Vegas team is when they play the team you actually root for.  That's the only reason they got an NHL team.  It wasn't some groundswell of hockey enthusiasm from this desert city where it snows once every three years.  Guarantee the Golden Knights have the lowest in-market loyalty of any pro sports franchise, despite their expansion draft fueled success.

And that's another thing I hate about there being hockey in Vegas; they were basically able to steal everyone's third best player and create a near-all star team from the get go.  Nothing earned at all. No long suffering fanbase thirsty for a championship.  They don't deserve success.
And I say all this as a person who doesn't actually care that much about hockey.  Real hockey fans must be totally pissed.  Especially like Minnesota.  The most hockey-loving state there is and they had one team move on them and the current team can't seem to do anything in the playoffs.  Meanwhile, this dumb expansion team comes along from a region that can't possibly care about hockey and they're immediate contenders.  It's unfair.

I can assure you as someone who used to attend Red Wings games in Phoenix, there are definitely transplants who cared about hockey in the desert southwest.  There is likewise a bunch of Midwest transplants in the Las Vegas metro area. 

The difference is with the Golden Knights versus the Coyotes is that they have a good product.  That got the otherwise neutral/indifferent locals interested in hockey also when Las Vegas was granted an expansion.  It probably is a great test case towards giving an expansion team in a new market an artificial boost to get things going strong.

Will the success in Las Vegas sustain?  Hard to say, but it definitely got off to a strong start.  Considering it is an expanding market it would be stupid not for these major sports leagues to try to get a foothold in it early.  30 years from now there will be lots of Las Vegas natives who have known nothing but having professional sport franchises in their city.  That "Midwest loyalty" mindset will mean less and less as time progresses.

[epzik8]

Looks like I've officially missed my chance to catch Jackson Holliday just up the road from me in Aberdeen. The Orioles have called him up.

[Takumi]

Looks like I've officially missed my chance to catch Jackson Holliday just up the road from me in Aberdeen. The Orioles have called him up.

He'd been in Norfolk before he got called up.

I did see him last year when he was with the Baysox visiting Richmond. Cedric Mullins and John Means were also there on rehab assignments.

[epzik8]

Looks like I've officially missed my chance to catch Jackson Holliday just up the road from me in Aberdeen. The Orioles have called him up.

He'd been in Norfolk before he got called up.

I did see him last year when he was with the Baysox visiting Richmond. Cedric Mullins and John Means were also there on rehab assignments.

I've definitely heard some nice things about the Norfolk Tides, and I'd imagine they were a boon to all of those guys.