Chicago White Sox 2026

#3      
Roundball Sage
Christmas has come early for Sox fans. Lots of good things happening lately. Giving rise and reason for some real hope for the coming season.

We've had a Cuban pipeline. Maybe now we got a Japan pipeline too?

Santa and Getz – keep ‘em coming!...
 
#5      
Grandpa
WolfpackIllini said:
Another signing:
www.espn.com

Sean Newcomb, White Sox agree to 1-year, $4.5 million contract

Left-hander Sean Newcomb, who was 2-5 with a 2.73 ERA for the Red Sox and A's last season, has reached a $4.5 million deal with the White Sox.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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Assuming that the Sox aren't contending for a playoff spot, and assuming that Newcomb is close to as good as he was last season, he helps the team, improves the record somewhat, makes fans feel better, then at the trade deadline he is traded for some decent prospect(s). The process is repeated every season. When some of those prospects are paying off, they sign a few free agents and win the World Series.
 
#9      
Roundball Sage
One of the interesting things Wood did in his careeer was to be the starting pitcher in both games of a doubleheader. I don’t know anyone taking bets on when THAT will ever happen again... especially since doubleheaders have pretty much disappeared anyway.

Wood had a good knuckleball but it wasn’t always a great one. He was a bit better than a .500 pitcher overall but then again many of those years the Sox did not have a great ballclub behind him. But he ended up with a very respectable career ERA and his durability was something special.

The Sox have had many great knuckleballers over the years. It’s about time they get another one. Every pitcher these days seems to want throw 105 mph. But you don’t have throw the ball through a brick wall to get guys out. You learn have to fool them different speeds and location.

He was a hard worker. Something Sox fans and Southsiders always appreciate.
 
#10      
SeattleSlim
Roundball Sage said:
One of the interesting things Wood did in his careeer was to be the starting pitcher in both games of a doubleheader. I don’t know anyone taking bets on when THAT will ever happen again... especially since doubleheaders have pretty much disappeared anyway.

Wood had a good knuckleball but it wasn’t always a great one. He was a bit better than a .500 pitcher overall but then again many of those years the Sox did not have a great ballclub behind him. But he ended up with a very respectable career ERA and his durability was something special.

The Sox have had many great knuckleballers over the years. It’s about time they get another one. Every pitcher these days seems to want throw 105 mph. But you don’t have throw the ball through a brick wall to get guys out. You learn have to fool them different speeds and location.

He was a hard worker. Something Sox fans and Southsiders always appreciate.
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Yeah, not as many double headers anymore, … but I could certainly see someone starting both games with this “opener” concept we’ve seen lately.

And RIP, Wilbur. I caught most of your early performances with Bob Elson on the call.
 
#11      
Roundball Sage
SeattleSlim said:
And RIP, Wilbur. I caught most of your early performances with Bob Elson on the call.
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Bob Elson was terrific. Solid journalistic-type delivery. No silly hype or bellowing. The game was the thing – not the announcer (hello Harry C., are you listening?).

Elson was the radio voice of the great Sox teams of the ‘50s and ‘60s. He left the Sox about the time the entire franchise was in going backward into retreat. Took years to get back to some level of respectability.

The Sox needed Harry in the early ‘70s because the franchise had grown so irrelevant. The franchise needed that kind of hype to gin up interest.

Perhaps the best kind of Sox announcer would be a combination of Elson and Caray. The Sox radio team of recent years is pretty solid.
 
#12      
MustangWally
Roundball Sage said:
Bob Elson was terrific. Solid journalistic-type delivery. No silly hype or bellowing. The game was the thing – not the announcer (hello Harry C., are you listening?).

Elson was the radio voice of the great Sox teams of the ‘50s and ‘60s. He left the Sox about the time the entire franchise was in going backward into retreat. Took years to get back to some level of respectability.

The Sox needed Harry in the early ‘70s because the franchise had grown so irrelevant. The franchise needed that kind of hype to gin up interest.

Perhaps the best kind of Sox announcer would be a combination of Elson and Caray. The Sox radio team of recent years is pretty solid.
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I think Bob Elson worked with Red Rush for a few seasons. That was an interesting combination. Similar to your hypothetical Elson/Caray team.
 
#13      
MustangWally
Roundball Sage said:
One of the interesting things Wood did in his careeer was to be the starting pitcher in both games of a doubleheader. I don’t know anyone taking bets on when THAT will ever happen again... especially since doubleheaders have pretty much disappeared anyway.

Wood had a good knuckleball but it wasn’t always a great one. He was a bit better than a .500 pitcher overall but then again many of those years the Sox did not have a great ballclub behind him. But he ended up with a very respectable career ERA and his durability was something special.

The Sox have had many great knuckleballers over the years. It’s about time they get another one. Every pitcher these days seems to want throw 105 mph. But you don’t have throw the ball through a brick wall to get guys out. You learn have to fool them different speeds and location.

He was a hard worker. Something Sox fans and Southsiders always appreciate.
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I can think of Hoyt Wilhelm and Eddie Fisher. Were there other White Sox knuckleballers?
 
#18      
Roundball Sage
MustangWally said:
Cool. I had no idea those guys were knuckleballers.
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J.C. Martin, Gerry McNertney, and Ed Herrmann are still thanking their lucky stars that those two Sox pitcher greats came along before Wilhelm and Fisher and Wood did. Or maybe they wanted to accept that challenge and try to play hockey goalie-catcher behind the plate?

And what Sox fan doesn’t miss the Pizza Glove!
 
#19      
MustangWally
Roundball Sage said:
J.C. Martin, Gerry McNertney, and Ed Herrmann are still thanking their lucky stars that those two Sox pitcher greats came along before Wilhelm and Fisher and Wood did. Or maybe they wanted to accept that challenge and try to play hockey goalie-catcher behind the plate?

And what Sox fan doesn’t miss the Pizza Glove!
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Sherman Lollar was the luckiest. I think he retired after one year catching Wilhelm.
 
#22      
Roundball Sage
IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
Luis Robert heading to New York
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I guess we'll learn if this is a good deal for the Sox. I'm happy for Robert to have a fresh start. He could have been awesome on the South Side if the Sox had a better club around him. He's got great God-given skills that he should be able to reclaim again in a new environment. At least now he has a chance to show what he still has.
 
#24      
bdutts
Roundball Sage said:
I guess we'll learn if this is a good deal for the Sox. I'm happy for Robert to have a fresh start. He could have been awesome on the South Side if the Sox had a better club around him. He's got great God-given skills that he should be able to reclaim again in a new environment. At least now he has a chance to show what he still has.
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Ultimately, it's up to the player to perform, regardless of who is around him. Yes, it's easier to stay engaged and motivated when your team is good. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? I'd also say he needs to stay healthy. In 2023 he played in 145 games. The next two years, 100 and 110 games, respectively. If he's healthy again, will he perform back to that 2023 level? He's in his age 28 season, should be hitting his peak.
 
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