What is up with the Sox? To be honest, I haven’t been watching a whole lot of baseball yet so far this year, even my Cubbies; we’ll get to them in a few. I wouldn’t watch the Sox anyways, but… I do follow them; I follow every MLB baseball team. I’m in 2 fantasy baseball leagues, so I have a decent idea of how players across the league are doing. Plus, now that I am able to bet on baseball… just another reason to know what’s what from game to game. Although the NBA and NHL playoffs are taking priority right now, I’m still in the know with the MLB game. Finally, I always need to know a little more about the Sox, because of the whole Cubs-Sox thing in Chicago. Yeah, I always love when I have a little back and forth with Sox fans and I know more about them than they do… funny.
Here’s where I’m at with the White Sox. I thought they were in their World Series window? I thought that window opened up in 2020. It was the COVID year, so not sure how we’re asterisking that bad boy across the major sports leagues, but… it was the first season since 2012 that the Sox were above 500. The reward for their season: a juicy playoff matchup with the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas?) As. They blew it. Their shortage of starting pitching bit them in the ass, they put it on their Manager, ex-Cub Rick Renteria, and fired him. Not the end of the world… Renteria wasn’t thought to be the guy when it was their time anyways, plus, the window was just opening. Now is the time to bring in that manager, a la Phil Jackson, Joel Quenneville, Joe Maddon, to lead this up and coming Sox team to a World Series Title. Enter Tony LaRussa? He has the credentials, no doubt, but… he was also like 120 years old. Nothing against the folks up there in age; I actually enjoy talking to anyone with years on me… you can learn something. Yet, I felt at the time, it was about the worst move the Sox could make… this young team, with this old manager… maybe it would be the perfect balance… maybe not. Regardless of the manager, at the end of the day, it comes down to the players on the field… yeah, about that…
The Sox actually made it back to the postseason for the 2nd season in a row in 2021. THIS would be where the experience of LaRussa would really come into play; not so much… Turns out, anybody could have managed this talented roster to a postseason experience… the Sox fizzled out again, losing 3-1 to the Astros; the Astros are really good btw, so… next year right? Sounding like Cubs fans over here… Next year would come, and next year would go, along with LaRussa after the season, as the Sox absolutely face planted in 2022. OK, hit the reset button on the manager, bring in a new guy, and roll the dice again; per Rick Hahn, there wasn’t a whole lot of roster flexibility, aka the Sox weren’t going to throw money at the problem. This brings us to 2023.
I look up and see Eloy, Moncada, and Tim Anderson all already on the injured list. If the Sox could stay healthy, they would be dangerous; you can say that about a lot of teams. Problem is, they’re never healthy; that’s not the only problem. The new manager? Their stars not playing like stars? Missing Abreu? The starting pitching? The relief pitching? (Glad to see Liam is going to be OK) It’s early, but… playing the entire first month of the season and NOT winning a series? Not so good. Like I said, it’s early. Can the South Side Slugs turn it around? Thankfully for them, and other teams, the MLB season is 162 games long… Watch your fingers for that window…
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