Sox Populi - A Chicago White Sox podcast

Trying to rush this up because hey, it’s early a.m. and boy oh boyo that was a long game. And a helluva game! Di Billick, Adrian Serrano and Brett Ballantini got together postgame in the wee hours, to discuss this super-fun win. Highlights of what we discussed, before Adrian had to hop on the El to make it to the park in time for Game 4 (slight exaggeration, perhaps, but just slight): For all the stats at hand, does Brett remember the exact final score? No, Brett does not remember the final score We discuss all the heroes of the game, with quotable stats: Tim Anderson, Leury García, Yasmani Grandal, Michael Kopech, Ryan Tepera and Aaron Bummer. The Great Grandal Controversy (or: A Great Defensive Team Decides to Throw a Ball Directly Into a Runner Then Cry Foul) Oh, hey, how about another hero: Tony La Russa What we’re looking for from Carlos Rodón in Game 4, and how the bullpen lines up behind him Impressions of the Blackout Game, 2021 Edition — and the measure impact it had on players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two games down in the books for the 2021 ALDS, and yes, the White Sox are two games down. That said, it’s Blackout Night! And we wear black and Sox Park not to mourn, but to kick some ass. Host Brett Ballantini is joined by Jacki Krestel, who tonight will be one of just a few thousand folks in the park also to have witnessed Blackout Game I back in 2008. That good juju alone should make this a 2-1 series. After an excessive delay, but in a nick of time, this podcast also marks the debut of SSS writer Scott Reichard’s intro music, and if it doesn’t get you fired up for tonight, nothing will. Here’s some of what Brett and Jacki covered in our preview of Game 3: The roll luck — BABIP or otherwise — has played in the series so far The likelihood of that luck reversing with the series now in Chicago Particularly with Dylan Cease announced as Sunday’s starter, the senselessness of leaving Michael Kopech on a cold slab in the bullpen for Games 1 and 2 in Houston The ridiculousness of some social media claims, be they degrading the South Siders as a vastly inferior team to Houston, or that “fans” should not be allowed to criticize the White Sox You will never guess who convinced Jacki to get to the ballgame tonight — a convert from the North Side! Blackout Game memories — and how vastly different this 2021 White Sox team is from the 2008 division champs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was a rough game to revisit, but a promise is a promise, and Zach Hayes, Adrian Serrano and Brett Ballantini got together postgame fulfill our playoff mission: a postgame podcast after every game. So, here’s how this one broke down: It was shaping up as a classic game ... until about two-thirds the way through At what point will we see Hall of Fame Baseball Person, Tony La Russa? Pick your favorite mishap of Game 2 Has La Russa given the Astros a huge gift with his bullpen management in Houston? Did Michael Kopech make the postseason roster? Picks for Game 3 starter among Dylan Cease, Carlos Rodón and Kopech Hey, Zach is heading to the Game 3 Blackout, Adrian Game 4 if played, so we take a quick measurement of how awesome that experience is going to be Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was not an inspiring playoff opener, but Zach Hayes, Joe Resis, Jacki Krestel and Brett Ballantini got together postgame to break down what happened, and how things can change going forward: Good Vibes Krestel turned into Bad Vibes, but by podcast end, she was back to at least OK Vibes Was it the offense, or Lance Lynn? Happy Zach Hayes — say what! Did Dusty Baker give the White Sox a gift with his bullpen management? In working some at-bats and starting to break through late, is the offense really as ramshackle as the box score might indicate? E tu, A.J.? All four of us predict Game 2 wins, although Jacki might be a bit more tipsy tomorrow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So here we are, on the doorsteps of the playoffs, mere minutes from ALDS Game 1, and who better to share in the anticipatory glory than your best White Sox friends in the whole wide world: Adrian Serrano, Joe Resis, Colleen Sullivan and Brett Ballantini? The quartet recognizes this game is so important, a whole new White Sox podcast has been created: the South Side Sox Pregame Podcast. Dig in, as the moments tick down to first pitch: What affect will José Abreu’s flu symptoms have on a crucial Game 1? Brett travels in time! Pros and cons, Lance Lynn starting Game 1 over Lucas Giolito Adrian travels in time! Who knew Seby Zavala could be so important to the White Sox’s playoff hopes! Possible uses for Dallas Keuchel in the postseason — and yes, nearly all of them involve the train at Minute Maid Park Carlos Correa, cheating scandal hero? Yes, Joe travels in time! Which locker room does Dallas walk into when the White Sox arrive at the ballpark in Houston? Bet you can’t guess who’s most nervous about the series — in fact, two of us couldn’t even muster a series prediction Colleen Sullivan absolutely travels in time Wave to Colleen at Game 3, Adrian at (the probably unnecessary, due to White Sox sweep) Game 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talent from all around SB Nation come together to preview the MLB AL Playoffs as John Stolnis, Ashley MacLennon and Andrew Mearns debate all the biggest topics and make their predictions! Presented by T-Mobile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Funny how at playoff time, wonder twins Luke Smailes and Trevor Lines have come together to activate their powers as Dugout Metrics, once more! Yes, we’re all together again, for the first time since the trade deadline. Brett Ballantini asks the questions, some of them dumb: Obligatory temperature check on the regular season; even the metrics fellas are plenty pleased From a players’ standpoint, what’s the difference between playing a crucial game on the road vs. home? Did you read that question above? The gentlemanly Luke let Brett know in the politest way ever how dumb his question was. Still, Brett leaned in and doubled down with a question of day games vs. night games Asked for the regard in which they held both Dallas Keuchel and Reynaldo López, the pair agreed, in an answer that was actually sort of shocking, given how it could limit the roster What is the best-optimized White Sox lineup, and what has Tony La Russa actually been doing right with his batting order this season? Ever-debonair Luke even gets his webcam to freeze in handsome fashion Will there be a beanball war between old-school managers La Russa and Dusty Baker? Predictions for the ALDS — one of us calls it tight, the other two think it will be an easier series than anticipated Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The postseason is finally here, and SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, peer into the old crystal ball — or, where the Astros are concerned, crystal trash can — to foresee the future, because foreseeing is the only way to see the future. They start out putting together the White Sox 26-man roster, with 12 pitchers, 14 position players, and no one with the initials DK, but a surprise someone with the initials DM. Then it’s on to setting the pitching rotation, with a disagreement on who should be No. 2 and 3. No disagreement, though, on who to blame if one of those starters is weak from incompetent overuse during the regular season (hint: he has rings he’s happy to show any arresting officer who happens along). Finally, of course, they get to predictions for all the playoff series, including any that happen to involve the White Sox. Whole bunch of disagreement there, but for the best of reasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast 67 is our best ever, and that’s not just because we all learned how to properly hydrate and sing a new campfire song. This pirate broadcast began with Chrystal O’Keefe, Jacki Krestel and Joe Resis signing on with Brett Ballantini for some chat on the 93-69 White Sox, before we were interloped first by Adrian Serrano, then Di Billick. But Di did come with song. Here are some highlights: Impressions of a 93-69 campaign, and how much did the White Sox exceed expectations? Will a lack of “chaos” in the playoff grid — no ties/tiebreakers to be played — affect Chicago’s path to a title? Sing “The Dallas Keuchel Song,” with Di Billick Despite losing the last game of the Sunday, the White Sox finished hot and seemed to jell best at the very end of the season. Can momentum play a factor, through three off-days? True story: Houston’s pocket schedule this season replaced its team name with “Garbage Can-Kicking Little Baby Bitches” Why guitars are the hottest new wall decor among the SSS set And yes, it’s true, more coverage than you can shake a trash can at is on its way for the playoffs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

King of Prep Brett Ballantini, who 1) forgot the podcast episode 2) ran off-camera/mic during the podcast 3) let the “tape” run out on his outro, hosted No. 66 on Thursday with delightful guests Darrin Brown, Zach Hayes and Jacki Krestel. We touched on the Blackout Game anniversary, and looked ahead to the Houston playoff series. Here’s the highlights: Two guests not only were at the Blackout Game in 2008, but presented their towels Did Brett leave the room to retrieve his towel? Perhaps Did Jacki have a treasure trove of other promotions from the souvenir box? Perhaps Was Darrin alive for the Blackout Game? Perhaps Will we ever learn why Zach was punished at the time of the Blackout Game (though he is blessed with great parents, who allowed him to watch the playoffs even under house arrest)? Once again, we debate the wiser choice for No. 1 starter for the White Sox in the postseason. And once agin, we are deadlocked between Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito Who is player we anticipate seeing break out this postseason and potentially carry the White Sox to a first-round upset? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2008, the White Sox are AL Central champions! And because it was so super-sweet to enjoy this moment, after 13 years, we doubled up on postgame podcasts! Brett Ballantini, Zach Hayes, Tyrone Palmer, Joe Resis, Jacki Krestel, Chrystal O’Keefe, Celeste Radogno and Tommy Barbee got together after the White Sox lost the nightcap of today’s triumphant doubleheader to talk about the journey: The biggest podcast, eight SSS writers, in site history! More reactions to the clinch f-i-n-a-l-l-y h-a-p-p-e-n-i-n-g A distinct lack of reactions to Brett’s Seuss party hat (however, the crew pretty much Blacked Out the podcast, hint, hint, Sox Who’s the pick for Game 1 ALDS starter? From this panel, a distinct advantage goes to Lance Lynn over Lucas Giolito More Tony La Russa talk; no, we are not sold However, Good Vibes Jacki Krestel insists on enjoying the moment and diagramming the playoffs tomorrow, when buzz of the clinch is killed Memories of clinches past How to employ the top White Sox pitching weapon, Michael Kopech? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2008, the White Sox are AL Central champions! Brett Ballantini, Di Billick, Zach Hayes and travellin’ Trevor Lines got together in-between games of today’s doubleheader to talk about the journey: Reactions to the clinch f-i-n-a-l-l-y h-a-p-p-e-n-i-n-g Yes, Brett did crack out the Seuss party hat Who’s the pick for Game 1 ALDS starter? From this panel, slight edge to Lucas over Lance How much credit does Tony La Russa get for this division win? And is he a better manager than Ricky if he simply avoids constipation in a deciding playoff game? Is starting the ALDS in Houston going to pose problem? And no, you can get up off the ground, Zach, not only because Eloy will have to play defense in front of the choo-choo train Did Trevor ever find his bourbon, or his bucket of chicken? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The main issue this week for SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, is starting pitching for the playoffs, starting with extreme doubt the White Sox can survive Houston without a healthy Carlos Rodón, who has been by far the best starter versus the Astros this season. Lucas Giolito has also been good, but no one else has even been close to adequate, so fears abound. A look at starters’ performances against Houston this season is scary. So is looking at Lance Lynn against them in recent years. That led to discussion of the overuse of starters, especially Rodón — who had pitched only 40 innings in the past two years — by our HOFBP. And that led to the incredible inefficiency of Sox starters, by far the worst in MLB in pitches per inning. Will wants to shut down the starters the rest of the regular season. Leigh thinks that’s overkill. Before getting into starting pitching, or even delving into the poor White Sox record in the second half (below .500!) and terrible record in one-run games (HOFBP?), the two talk about what Jason and Stoney have been talking about, since the TV casters have seemingly dropped their concern about the The Three True Outcomes destroying baseball and started stressing how important home runs and strikeouts are. Go figure. And that still left time to bemoan the horrible deadline decisions by Rick Hahn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Black and Brett Ballantini took a few weeks off (!) but are back with the Farm podcast. With Birmingham, Winston-Salem, Kannapolis and the ACL White Sox all finished for the year, we took a look at good and bad surprises from the 2021 season. The curious case of Birmingham Barons late collapse out of the playoffs, including the first rainout clinch in recent history or memory Another bit of a 40-man primer, provided by Darren, re: Micker Adolfo There was no worse team in the system, May aside, than the Dash. Wow. Hey, remember Bryce Bush? Jared Kelley, and Kanny’s tragic tripod of terror rotation utterly flaming out in 2021 You know, everybody’s a Bluto or a Sweet Pea next to Popeye On that note, AZL/ACL whisperer Brett deems Terrell Tatum 2022’s Popeye And yeah, let’s talk about Darren becoming an Oakland fan, along with his dog, Connie Mack. Perhaps once he receives his official Bash Brothers™ steroid party pack, our core updater will return to White Sox fandom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the White Sox head into the final 18 games of the regular season, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, gaze into ye olde crystal ball and see an immediate future mostly full of teams that wouldn’t even be in the major leagues if relegation existed. That, of course, bodes well for the effort to gain home-field advantage in round one of the playoffs, especially since the Astros still have to face Oakland six times and Tampa Bay three. The conversation then ventures into the more murky depths of the horrible inefficiency of White Sox pitchers, especially the starters, as evidenced by the nifty, 184-pitch game on Tuesday night, which was roughly a month’s worth of pitches for Mark Buehrle. That led to discussion of the old idea of pitching to contact (hello, Greg Maddux!) and Will enjoying a nice rant about how pathetic it is that pitchers these days seem to think going 3-2 on every hitter is a great strategy, and how detrimental it is to the game. That left plenty of time to talk about keeping Eloy Jiménez from hurting himself in the outfield, the importance of getting Adam Engel back from the IL, and using a six-man rotation the rest of the season (spoiler: We support it). Oh, yeah — also a little chat about whether to pick up Craig Kimbrel’s $16 million option for 2022. Very little chat — just two big capital letters and a bunch of exclamation points. Plus a bunch of praise for TA, YG, and LR. All of which didn’t even leave time to express dismay over having Zack Collins back in town, and the fact Rick Hahn left the Sox in the lurch, stuck with either Collins or Seby Zavala as backup catcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As off-day became idle day, a couple of SSS yuk-sters came together to record. Di Billick is back on the mothership with Brett Ballantini, with a primary focus on Monday’s dive into the psyche of White Sox fans (and, you betcha, herself) in these bountiful times. But the two find time for other stuff, some funny, and some just perplexing. Sitaspell, take yer shoes off: Let’s talk about two profane dads, one lighter (Di) than the other The pros and cons of Tony La Russa steering the White Sox into October Does Di’s husband owe us an apology for 2006? Let’s review: RBI totals are severely reduced without baserunners Ear worm: Did Di do the voiceover for the commercial break you just heard? (If you found yourself with a sudden desire to enroll in school, yeah, probably.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s up with the White Sox lately? Have you torn your hair out at Tony’s getaway day lineups? Are you cool as a cucumber because a clinch is in the near future? No matter your mood, we’ve got a treat for you: MLB.com’s Justice delos Santos joins Janice for a jovial conversation spanning from covering baseball with on-field access to his Harold’s order when he’s in Chicago. Based in the Bay Area, Justice covered the White Sox series in Oakland for Scott Merkin last week, and had a bunch of stuff to say about where the Good Guys are headed this last month of the regular season. Justice shares his earliest memories of his love of baseball, including watching a DVD from 2002 to the point where he rattled off Barry Bonds facts in the grocery store, at four years old. A recent graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, Justice recalls an English class he had with none other than our very own Andrew Vaughn — and tells the details of their reunion in Oakland this past week. With a handful of guys on the shelf, Justice gives us an update on Tim Anderson’s hopefully-soon return to the lineup. Justice wrote last week that he thinks Dallas Keuchel is headed in the right direction, despite a rough stretch in his recent starts, and he explains why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s edition of Sharing Sox, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, delve into the strange and wondrous world of the intentional balk — and the unintentional balk in its many manifestations as well, including manifestations that are clearly illegal but never called any longer. First, though, there’s the question of the massive inefficiency of White Sox starters when it comes to pitches per inning, an inefficiency that puts all of them near the worst — and one of them dead last among qualified pitchers (we’re looking at you, Dylan). How much will that inefficiency impact how worn-out those pitchers are by playoff time, especially given they’ve thrown many more 100+ pitch games than any other team? Only The Shadow knows. Well, maybe The Shadow and The HOFBP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Resis steps into the hot seat to sit down again with Brett Ballantini in a discussion of the past Royals series, and the White Sox prospects the rest of the way, and into the playoffs. It’s Brett and Joe’s sixth podcast talking to one another, stretching back over these past three years, and for none of the previous five did we think we’d be sitting pretty in early September just waiting for the season to play out and the playoffs to begin. Here’s what you’ll enjoy on No. 64: Brett’s perplexing Chicago Bulls dashiki The White Sox’s perplexing weekend in Kansas City Is there a member of the starting rotation we feel good about heading into October? Good cop Resis preaches calm in light of disappointing second-half results, pointing to the absence of Tim Anderson as a big factor in a stagnant offense Joe is a data analyst, or at least he plays one on South Side Sox; find out why he invokes Hawk Harrelson on two separate occasions in a half-hour podcast Props to Indy; without the Indianapolis Field Office of SSS, the White Sox would not be going to the playoffs, plain and simple Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the final stretch of the season, and SSS duty geezer and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, lean into lyrics from The Fantastiks to ponder the month ahead for the White Sox and how best to set up for the playoffs (spoiler: It involves staying healthy). With the Sox just a half-game behind the Astros for the second seed and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs (yes, we are assuming the playoffs — short of all the players with Cuban connections deciding to fly off to Havana for the month, that’s going to happen), the talk goes to the nice fact that the Astros have a much tougher schedule going forward, including a trip to San Diego this weekend. Pitching draws a lot of the conversation, from the strange but nice resurgence of Reynaldo López to resting starters to getting the bullpen in shape. Also, the two express wonderment that the Pirates were kind enough to throw high fastballs to Gavin Sheets Tuesday night, which may help show why, even beyond payroll, Pittsburgh is perpetually mired in last place in the NL Central. And, also on the wonderment front, they talk about the strong play of Leury García lately, and the bizarre disdain José Abreu and Yoán Moncada get from large segments of the Twitterverse. With all that, they somehow failed to mention Yasmani Grandal at all. And they decided to cancel the October series against the Tigers and end the season in September. Which would be a good idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Black and Brett Ballantini are back with the Farm podcast, talking over the September call-ups, catching depth, and the utter lack of starting pitchers in the system. Sound fun? Have a listen: Another take on the incredible Romy González, stressing the significant jump he took and the challenge of his defensive positioning That said, if Tim Anderson doesn’t get hurt, does Romy get the call-up? Darren says that the loss of Luis González wasn’t so bad, even if the White Sox ended up DFAing Jake Lamb a month later Has Seby moved ahead of Zack Collins on the permanent catching depth chart? Darren has a specific tell that indicates the answer on the White Sox end is yes Taylor Varnell retired, and we bid farewell, and note that there isn’t really a starter of significance as you move down the entire system ... until Norge Vera in the DSL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tasty trio of White Sox analysts — Darren Black, Joe Resis, and Zachary Jeremiah Boom-Boom Hayes — join Brett Ballantini in a discussion of the final month of the White Sox season, and more! Peruse the exciting details of this podcast: The “State of the White Sox” — ensconced in first place, but motoring toward the postseason? How do you juggle health in the stretch run against the need to stay competitive? Is jeering the Cubs punching too far down these dark, northside days? Our 5/6ths season White Sox MVPs ... sorta really just one choice, but we still came up with three Javier Báez and the wisdom of the thumbs-down rallying cry Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Di Billick Day! Here we go, it’s another new stellar addition to the South Side Sox family, quadruple-threat Di Billick. You can get to know Di better with her Meet the Players, and by listening to this here podcast. She’s also working the recap for today’s game, and has a first feature up, lip-reading today’s starter, Lance Lynn. We covered a lot here over an hour, in a really fun conversation: How booking a Chicago Cubs commercial could have broken up a marriage Can you find a better guy than Mark Buehrle? Absconding with souvenirs from Comiskey Park during its final season Both Brett and Di elect elotes as their go-to White Sox food; Elotes Devotees, if you will The bubble-gum L tradition that celebrates yearly tragedy at Wrigley Field Why has Di joined up with South Side Sox? Natch, because she can no longer sing about pee to a sold-out crowd every Saturday night Di’s love-to-hate relationship with Field of Dreams centers solely on one factor: Kevin Costner Actor Di Billick: “Actors are a dime a dozen ... what is the skill, pretending?” You’ll never guess who young Di high-fived at Midway Airport after the World Series win Cubbie stink: real or imagined? Ethan Katz: hero The early moment, like, a year early, when Di predicted the 2005 White Sox World Series win ... and so, what was her prediction for 2021? It’s not novel that Di didn’t want Tony La Russa as White Sox manager ... but who she’d like to see in the White Sox dugout next, oh yes, that’s pretty novel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan again joins his son, Will, as a west coast correspondent, and they take a look at the latest tough two-week segment of the White Sox schedule. Well, OK, the only tough two-week segment of the White Sox schedule. The two have spoken often as to how this stretch would show just how good (or not) the Sox are, and guess what! It showed pretty much nothing, at least on a team level. That’s in part because a 7-7 split doesn’t demonstrate much, but also because all four of the series in question had oddities. The White Sox were missing Yasmani Grandal the whole time, Carlos Rodón much of the time and Tim Anderson for a few games; the Yankees were missing pretty much their entire team; the Sox nearly killed the A’s best pitcher in the second inning of the second game, leading to a devastated opponent; the Rays handed the White Sox one game with uncharacteristically horrible defense and then first Dallas Keuchel and then the entire Sox staff decided to return the kindness doubly; and the Toronto series was more boom-and-bust than a gold rush. Which brings us to That Other Team in Town. Will it be a sweep for the White Sox? Will it merely be two out of three? Will the Sox fulfill Will’s prediction of one game with a five-dinger barrage? Of course, there’s still time to talk about the wonderfulness of the starting pitchers (mostly), the horribleness of the relievers (mostly), and to celebrate not only the return of Yasmani Grandal, but the fact it means we won’t have to watch Zack Collins try to play baseball any more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the South Side leg of the Crosstown Classic. Our neighbors to the North head down to Guaranteed Rate Field this weekend for a three-game set that will be sure to thrill the masses. Our beloved White Sox look to claim the coveted Crosstown Cup, something I’m not sure even exists any longer, at least physically. Though the history of the intra-city rivalry has been filled with cheap jabs and sneers from both sides of town, we’ve definitely noticed that things are a little different this year. Joining in on this observation and adding further insight is our friend Sara Sanchez, from our sister site Bleed Cubbie Blue. There are plenty of frustrations on both sides of town, but for different reasons. Sam and Janice discuss the feast-or-famine trends with the White Sox offense, while Sara lambasts the Cubs front office for a horrendous trade deadline. It’s been a while since a good ol’-fashioned Crosstown trade; the trio examines Craig Kimbrel, Codi Heuer, and Nick Madrigal, as well as a brief retrospective on the José Quintana trade. Where does Madrigal fit into the Cubs’ infield, and the Cubs’ future? Has Kimbrel been misused on the South Side? Sara weighs in, having watched plenty of Cubs and Red Sox baseball. What’s at stake for both ballclubs in this series, besides the collective mental well-being of both fan bases? In the spirit of friendship, Sam, Janice, and Sara share what they love about the other side of town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Black and Brett Ballantini are back with the Farm podcast, talking over recent injuries depleting the system, as well as three bright spots, all at the same position — and no, for once, it’s not designated hitter! The highlights: The serious lat injury to Jonathan Stiever reduces the starting depth in the system to essentially zero If the White Sox had to have just a few standout players in the system this season, thank goodness those standouts are middle infielders like Romy González, Yolbert Sánchez and José Rodríguez A little bit of Yoelqui Céspedes chatter, who has his eye, like Romy, on Chicago in 2022 The Arizona Complex League team has a lousy record and not much pitching, but the bats are alive there Darren offers his picks for September call-ups this season (just two this year). One recovers from a mysteriously lingering injury, the other represents the last upper-level arm left in the system Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now, you might think that Brady & Radogno sounds like a legal firm. It is NOT. In fact, the only one on this podcast legally allowed to provide legal advice is the host. But you would not want to follow it. However, Julie Brady and Celeste Radogno have more than just legal studies in common. They are White Sox fans! Also, ace writers with a taste for both the wry and the absurd. If Brett Ballantini was smarter, he’d be studying law with them. Or, maybe just fixing the game snax. Julie was kind enough to pause her relentless Minor League Update writing, and Celeste her move south, to chat with Brett about the White Sox of mid-August 2021, and more: Three laypeople’s takes on Lance Lynn’s belt removal during Wednesday night’s ballgame Given one of the three was currently encircled and perhaps even threatened by corn for miles and miles, how’d we assess the Field of Dreams game last week? As seen dozens of times on Twitter @DestroyBaseball, Julie offers the origin story of Maroon 5: The Menacing Did Celeste really melt the internet with a photo of a footlong hot dog? Do tube steak fundamentalists really exist? Both Julie and Celeste have been to live games, Celeste in four major league parks this season. What were the experiences, given the continuing pandemic? Oh, it’s a leading question, but is it possible that MLB could do a worse job marketing the game to anyone beyond stool bros? There is a unanimous answer to whether these three would remain White Sox fans if a family like the Ricketts controlled the ballclub Pet cameos: Chico Marx yes, Vinny no. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son, Will, are west coast correspondents this week, as Leigh and his wife visit Will and his wife and the duo take time out to record the show. Top of the news, of course, is the horrible injury Oakland ace Chris Bassitt sustained Tuesday when hit by a 100 mph line shot by Brian Goodwin. That got the geezer thinking back to probably the most famous case of a major league pitcher taking a shot to the head, that of Herb Score. Score, who came up with Cleveland and later pitched for the White Sox, was destined for greatness ... Rookie of the Year, led the majors in strikeouts two years in a row, perhaps the best young pitcher ever ... when hit by a rocket by Gil McDougald of the Yankees in 1957. Score recovered, but was never the same. What can be done about such injuries? The two discuss, but solve nothing. On a happier note, the discussion turns to the renaissance of Reynaldo López and the many possibilities for the back end of the rotation in the playoffs. Plus, they raise the question of how much chance you take on starters wearing out if you press to get the top seed in the American League. That one, they solve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a week off, Darren Black and Brett Ballantini are back with the Farm podcast, with talk about recent losses in the system, and a deep dive into how the 2021 draft class debuted in Arizona. Here’s the stuff: Based on winning percentage on Darren’s 50-90 coverage record this year, Black is the Winston-Salem Dash. Brett comes closest to the Birmingham Barons, baby The losses of Luis González (to the San Francisco Giants on waivers) and Zack Burdi (to parts unknown) What the promotion of Mike Wright says about the stretch-run plans for the White Sox, and whether it prevents or eases Michael Kopech into the starting rotation for September or the playoffs Are there any parallels between José Rodríguez and Luis Robert? IF there is going to be an Arizona Fall League (hasn’t been announced yet), who does Darren and Brett draft for the team? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a game! We tried to do a spot-podcast last night, but everyone in SSS HQ was still high on what was the wildest and most thrilling (and, given the TV ratings, popular) regular season game in ages. So, the pivot involved me offering to join Sharing Sox for their Friday podcast, then just bullying my way into hosting the thing. Thanks to the Allans for their graciousness. For the first time since February, Brett Ballantini, Leigh Allan and Will Allan got together to talk. Was there corniness? You be the judge: Three generations of fans are represented on this podcast, so how did the spectacle sit with each? Tim Anderson’s value to the White Sox cannot be measured in mere WAR Why calls to replace Liam Hendriks as White Sox closer after last night’s blowup are hasty Does Carlos Rodón’s injury render the Dallas Keuchel vs. Dylan Cease debate for the playoff rotation moot? Where we all fall on the Rodón injury Panic-o-Meter Joe Buck swooning over Tony La Russa was to be expected. Foisting Tony love on Liam, however, is a bridge a bit far Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was shaping up to be a bloodbath, but just two Field of Dreams naysayers has the guts to show up for this podcast and attempt to convince Brett Ballantini that the film is trash. Colleen Sullivan and Jacki Krestel wax acidic on the film; in the end, no one shifted their stances. Here's a corny taste of this episode: Zoe Krestel the Wonder Dog makes an appearance, and Brett is convinced the canine is on Team FoD with him What is the excitement level over this very odd, midseason game? Is there concern over how Carlos Rodón is able to finish out 2021, given his heavy workload/Cy Young-caliber start? In a world where every other movie release is a superhero yarn, why is it so hard to suspend disbelief for a sports fantasy movie? The It's a Wonderful Life comp Colleen's synopsis of the movie is brutal, but not entirely inaccurate Colleen and Jacki both seem fixated on Moonlight Graham attending to the choking child vs. calling the paramedics — as if an ambulance is on-call to fish hot dog bits out of someone's throat in rural Iowa We agree that the end of the film, including "have a catch" (cringe) and car traffic, is pretty cool overall Seriously, why was Ray Liotta so important to this film that he not only is shoehorned in as Joe Jackson (!) but allowed to bat right-handed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve been on the internet in the last five years or so, you've no doubt come across, and more than likely fallen in love with, the YouTube series Hot Ones, hosted by the lovable Sean Evans. Sean is not only, for my money, one of the best and most innovative interviewers and media personalities of our time, but he also happens to be a big White Sox fan. This isn’t some casual celebrity fandom, Sean is dialed-in, and about as much of a diehard fan as you’ll find. Sean was kind enough to join the show in what is sure to be our spiciest episode yet. We talk about how a kid from Evanston, surrounded by Cubs fans, ended up with a love for the Sox. We gets Sean’s thoughts about the current roster, and if he thinks Rick Hahn did enough to bring another World Series to the South Side. We also get a peek behind the curtain as to what is took to bring what started as an obscure concept for an interview series all the way to the media empire that it has become. Sean has been parodied by SNL, collaborated on a shoe with Reebok, and most recently became a toy, but today, he joined North Side Sox for what is quite possibly our favorite episode yet. Hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the heels of a stirring sweep by the White Sox at Wrigley this weekend, Joe Resis, Chrystal O’Keefe and Zach Hayes talk with Brett Ballantini about the series (this weekend, and their favorite moments of crosstown play), as well as some peeks ahead specific to roster construction and the postseason. Among the highlights: Ah, the joy of a sweep that just a week or so ago didn’t seem like it would be so easy César Hernández has been a beast What does everyone need to see from the White Sox between now and the postseason that might calm some jangled nerves? Chrystal’s favorite crosstown moment? Oh, just her wedding day Joe was digging A.J. in 2006 Zach opted for the Zambrano-Lee fracas in the dugout, and a Paul Konerko hitting masterclass Brett? Carlos Lee’s walk-off salami, baby As the pandemic persists, smart takes from our panel on how/when/why to attend full or large-capacity games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another fabulous day for us at South Side Sox, as we get to introduce the second of our two most recent additions to the staff, whip-smart Celeste Rodogno. (Just maybe don’t play sports against her?) We even snuck up a story of hers early, before this intro day, with a very strong debut about: a calendar. She hops on with Brett Ballantini to talk about injuries sustained as a young athlete, her route to White Sox fandom, and the 2021 club. Some highlights: Vinnie the Wonder Dog The time junior high basketball opponents ganged up on Celeste to break her hip, then laughed about it (tough? yeah, Celeste didn’t leave the game) Celeste’s final pitching performance was a perfect inning — one that left her fingers tingling and her arm dead for days Her reaction to SSS’s offer of writing space? 1. They’re trying to sell me something 2. Is this a pyramid scheme? 3. Sure, sounds cool We trace Celeste’s route to fandom, which is also detailed at her Meet the Players survey, also up on site this morning Celeste’s White Sox memory constant? Not Southpaw, Nancy Faust, or fireworks — but Gene Honda How many people to you know who can still wear the first shirt they ever wore to a game, as a kid? Stay tuned for more on that one What’s behind the malaise the White Sox have played with since the All-Star break? Brett develops an on-the-spot theory as to why only hitters are getting hurt on the 2021 White Sox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a fabulous day for us at South Side Sox, as we get to introduce one of our two most recent additions to the staff, the delightful Jacki Krestel. (Well, OK, delightful now, but you didn’t want to dig in against her when she was staring you down in the batter’s box years ago.) She hops on with Brett Ballantini to talk about her playing career, route to White Sox fandom, and the 2021 club. Some highlights: Somewhat unbelievably, recent research indicates that Jacki faced fellow SSS writer of recap renown and Know Your Enemy fame, Colleen Sullivan. The two played on high school rival clubs. We don’t know the outcome of their matchup ... yet We trace Jacki’s fandom, which is also detailed at her Meet the Players survey, also up on site this morning What was louder: Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS, or the 2008 Blackout Game? Both Jacki and Brett still have their blackout towels. Brett is on active kitchen duty, to this day Jacki was confident the 2021 White Sox would be good, but what has surprised her most about this season? Jacki’s dad, who encouraged her and her sisters into ballplaying careers, had a pretty clever mantra for the importance of pitching, and it certainly applies to this 2021 White Sox team Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the post-trade deadline edition, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, rant about how MLB is killing itself with so many teams simply tanking and, especially, the AAALCentral becoming the AAL Central. That’s a benefit for the Sox, but terrible for baseball. The duo even have a solution, which will never, ever, come to pass — European soccer league style relegation, where bottom teams get sent down. Too bad it will never happen. Leigh breaks from his mold to actually praise Tony La Russa, giving the HOFBP credit for running out a sort of bullpen game Sunday to give his tiring starters much-needed extra rest, something he’ll need to do several more times before October. Then Will leads the rants about the horribleness of the ownership and front office of That Other Team in Town, actions and inactions of which, while again beneficial to the Sox, are completely disgraceful. And that’s coming from White Sox fans who hate TOTIT. Then there’s a cry to keep Seby Savala and send down Zack Collins when Yasmani Grandal comes back. Plus, the wonderfulness of the Next Man Up actions of the Sox offense, especially since the expected stars are all slumping badly ... but how many Next Men can there be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Colletti and Bill Meincke break down the trade deadline, the upcoming series, and Rob’s new Sox scarf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wow, it’s almost like the last episode was just last week! Dugout Metrics is back to appease a youth country hungry for this unique combo of stat analysis and playing experience, brought to you by Trevor Lines (Bellarmine University) and Luke Smailes (Coe College). What Brett Ballantini (TCU) is doing with them, we’re still not sure. Hey man, you might have heard, the White Sox made some trades last week. Luke and Trevor break each one down: César Hernandez is selling out for power, and is a slightly puzzling player who nonetheless brings more to the table than the other White Sox options. Was Konnor Pilkington too much to give up for him? Ryan Tepera had a rough start to his White Sox career, but at minimum he will be a key cog in the bullpen. Luke missed on the cost, but nailed the love connection between South and north sides for this one Where were you when you heard about Craig Kimbrel coming to the White Sox? Trevor was getting ready for a big work Zoom, so it’s good the negotiations didn’t stretch to the final minute Brett is forced to consider amending his No Kaplan Rumors in South Side Sox Slack Craig Kimbrel is a stud, yes, but he fell off the horse in his early Cubs career. With him good again, does it justify the price of Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer? What is it like, as a player, to juggle trade rumors while still needed to perform on the field? And finally, a scolding for Steve Stone, who kicked Madrigal when he was already out the door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite juggling nightly, weekly and monthly minors updates and moving this podcast up a day to provide off-day content for you ravenous masses, Darren Black took an hour out to come back to the Farm podcast. This time around, he and Brett Ballantini are recovering from that whopper of a trade deadline. Wow, we need a cigarette. In fact, the content was so potent, midway through the recording, Darren’s wifi signal gave out. But he came back. Good thing, because we had lots to discuss: Darren breaks down all four players (Nick Madrigal, Codi Heuer, Konnor Pilkington, Bailey Horn) and sees the Cubs trades as win-win for both sides. Peace & Harmony Black, they call him A brief review of Javy Báez’s three true outcomes: strikeout, no-look tags, hamming it up to first base) We trace the likely White Sox career outcomes for quad-A guys like Micker Adolfo, Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets With the loss of Pilkington there any starting pitcher prospects left in the White Sox system — and does it even matter? In a discussion of possible internal options for second base in 2023, Darren admits that among all the experts we have on staff, Brett has the sharpest prospects eye, and no, Darren absolutely did not smirk when he said so. Nope Days of reckoning are upon us, for 25-odd new rookies from the draft (and undrafted free agents); without Great Falls, where will they all go? We envision the loitering at Camelback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All right, we lost two players today and gained one, so we did the same with tonight’s final Trade Deadline podcast, as five South Side Sox staff (Brett Ballantini, Darren Black, Joe Resis, Chrystal O’Keefe and Tyrone Palmer) convened to talk about the Craig Kimbrel for Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer trade, and the wild final day of dealing across baseball. Some highlights: Brett celebrates in the Virgin Islands, and may have gotten lost there How much does losing Nick Madrigal hurt? The SSS Indianapolis Field Office of Chrystal O’Keefe and Joe Resis are particularly bummed, but still on board with the move What ultimately made Madrigal expendable Darren heats up a casserole Mini-roundtable: What did the White Sox miss out on that they still need Among the sellers, who “won?” Brett taunts the jinx gods, while Darren is straight-out afeared of them Tyrone and Brett are united in the belief that the White Sox are now the favorites in the American League, and that losing Madrigal won’t set the team back for a second Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To match the acquisitions today by the White Sox, we upped our trade deadline podcast from four South Side Sox staff to six (Brett Ballantini, Darren Black, James Fox, Joe Resis, Bill Meincke and Zach Hayes) and, what ho, we had White Sox trades to talk about! The White Sox did well on Thursday, so there was plenty of time to celebrate a bit: The pivot from Eduardo Escobar to César Hernández was quick. How did it happen? Check out Zach’s terrific piece on Hernández, which ought to get you a bit excited about what he still has in the tank for 2021 How in the world did we snag Ryan Tepera — arguably the best non-closer relief pitcher on the market — for Bailey Horn? James has some interesting insight Roundtable: The most important area of weakness still to address before Friday’s 3 p.m. CT trading deadline, and who should be acquired to fill it Mike Rizzo strikes again! He did it to the White Sox in 2010 over Adam Dunn — did he pull the same shenanigans on San Diego tonight, in flipping Max Scherzer (and Trea Turner) a division rival in the Dodgers instead? Again, a reminder to temper expectations when it comes to the talent the White Sox can draw in; the prospects tank is empty (that didn’t stop Rick Hahn today, though) Is an intern frantically Fedexing Micker Adolfo’ highlights to the north side in hopes of landing Craig Kimbrel in a package? Most likely single player to acquire: According to our guys, the White Sox will be doubling their order of Frys Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four of your very favorite South Side Sox staff — Brett Ballantini, Darren Black, Tommy Barbee and Tyrone Palmer — gathered in anticipation of the sprint to Friday’s 3 p.m. CT trading deadline. The White Sox haven’t done anything yet, so there was plenty of time to cover most everything: Yes, this is a second straight podcast where Brett can’t keep the program number straight, as this is mothership podcast 53, not 52 Eduardo Escobar, the presumably attainable White Sox trade target, is off to Milwaukee. Huh? The White Sox front office traditionally (and reasonably) detested teams agreeing to deals, then continuing to shop players in the agreement — most famously, Mike Rizzo backing out of the Edwin Jackson-Adam Dunn deal in 2010. But these White Sox trade leaks (from Sox lips to Bob Nightengale’s twitter account) as a means of pressuring teams is just as annoying. The Sox have now lost Joc Pederson, Manny Machado and Escobar due to such tactics, to some degree Roundtable: The most important area of weakness to address among second base, catcher and bullpen Again, a reminder to temper expectations when it comes to the talent the White Sox can draw in; the prospects tank is empty Thought exercise: Who among Yermín Mercedes, Gavin Sheets, Zack Collins and Jake Burger would you trade for Escobar? The answers, based on the comment thread on Luke Smailes pre-deadline spec piece, will surprise/disappoint you Tommy admits that when a deal gets made across baseball without Micker Adolfo’s name attached, he breathes a tiny sigh of relief Most important single player to acquire: two votes for Jonathan Schoop, two for Ian Kennedy An update on Lucas Giolito’s no-hitter The Cubbie stink question again rears its ugly head, wherein Tommy teaches Brett to love again Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, celebrate the return of super-defender Eloy Jiménez, who had celebrated his own return the night before with a booming game-winner that’s probably still in orbit. (They also ... ahem ... note the error of their Yermín Mercedes assessment the week before, which shall not be mentioned after this moment by anyone. Including you.) With the cast recorded 50 hours ahead of the trading deadline, it is full of speculation, none of which will turn out to be true, but being wrong is in the spirit of the show. On the negative side, what’s with all the heavy use of White Sox starting pitchers, who have thrown many more games of more than 100 pitches than any other team, more than twice the MLB average? Is this really a good idea? Is the HOFBP that much smarter than the 29 other managers (well, he’s definitely smarter than Mike Matheny, but that’s just one, and he might not really count)? Should the Sox be wearing out their pitchers in a now-meaningless regular season, given the hideousness of the AAAL Central, or should they be getting a little less wear and tear going into October? Inquiring minds want to know. Oh, and how about Danny Mendick for catcher? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Black is back on the Farm podcast, and this time around he and Brett Ballantini are talking about some key hot prospects in the system, and what each has to do to establish (or re-establish) “hot prospect” status. And yes, you’re not hearing it wrong, Brett doesn’t know how many SSS Farm podcasts we’ve done. Highlights: Yes, this is just Farm podcast 12 ... plus, Darren turns Taylor Varnell into a righty! Has Yermín Mercedes completely killed what trade value he might have had? Is there any plausible scenario that sees Micker Adolfo still in the White Sox system at the start of the 2022 season? Varnell has had a fabulous 2021 ... how long before he transitions into “legit prospect?” Darren provides a telling contrast between Varnell and Konnor Pilkington Luis Curbelo has powered his way back onto the White Sox prospect radar. When he gets to Birmingham, what must he show to remain on the radar? Luis Mieses has done nothing but mash since his demotion to Kannapolis. Something has clicked there for him, finally ... should we anticipate him succeeding once he’s back with the Dash? Apropos to recent discussion on site, both Darren and Brett temper expectations about what the White Sox capital — the best of it, “older” prospects — can bring back in trade this week And, shout-out to the work of Adopt A Minor Leaguer. Visit the linked website to either donate or sign up to help sponsor a White Sox player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Killer B’s regroup in Episode 11 to reflect on the weird and wild first half of the season and what the Chicago White Sox need, but — let’s be real — probably will not get, at the trade deadline. Join Tommy Barbee and Keelin Billue to catch up on the latest news, and check in on old news. TOMMYstradamus Tommy made some pretty spot-on calls early in the season. The Bs recap on what came true (Micker Adolfo dominance and the arrival of Brian Goodwin) and check in with early-season doubts (depth). Some Pessimistic Trade Predictions What do the White Sox need? A FEW THINGS. Will they get it? EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY KIND OF MAKES IT SEEM LIKE MAYBE NOT. The Bs discuss relief pitching, infield, and catching needs while riding this flaming car into the future. Mercedes Recap Yermín Mercedes recently expressed very public frustration with his career, when he announced his retirement before rejoining the White Sox organization the following day. The Bs talk mental health and support for sports professionals. Checking in with Sticky Stuff It has been a month since the sticky substances ban has been in effect. Check in with why the ban is still happening, and how the MLB has changed game play and standards over time. To read more about the Spider Tack experiment by Danny Hacker that Keelin mentions, visit the tweet posted below. The Story of Analytics The discussion around baseball statistics and analytics continue to confuse folks. The Bs discuss how the purpose of analytics, the importance of context, and why they will be important for the future of the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, the legend of Dugout Metrics lives on, the podcast you couldn’t live without is here again. Ex-players and metrics aces Trevor Lines and Luke Smailes hop on with Brett Ballantini to focus on the freshest news of the day, and trade deadline targets to fortify the White Sox for the stretch run. Yes, the goofy topics are being pushed by Brett: Trevor and Luke take a look at the Yermín Mercedes retirement/unretirement story from a unique angle: Imagining what his Charlotte Knights teammates are feeling about it Nelson Cruz has been dealt, potentially haunting the White Sox not in the regular season but the playoffs. Was the price too high? How will Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert return to the White Sox, given the long layoff: full strength, replacement level, or somewhere in-between? What is the status of Robert’s Domino’s pizza baby? Luke is prioritizing relief pitching help as his top target in the stretch run of trade season, and his top target is a Cubs reliever — but probably not the one you think. Also, Luke doesn’t think the Cubs are afraid to make a deal with the White Sox, and the White Sox will not be afraid of Cubbie stink invading this 2021 roster Trevor is option for second base help, preferably a left-handed hitter, and he’s shooting for the moon ... looking toward Pittsburgh and everyone’s favorite target Do we need to temper expectations for the deadline given a distinct lack of prospect capital to deal for the Adam Fraziers or Joey Gallos? And yes, no-look tags count for more outs than a “regular-look” tag. Thanks, @MLB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy five-Year anniversary of Chris Sale’s attempt to join Project Runway! On Episode 4 of The Estrogen Power Hour, join Colleen, Chrystal, Janice, and Keelin to celebrate this storied moment in White Sox history, as well as other uniform comments and what we want out of the trade deadline. Chris Sale doesn’t make it work. Colleen gives a rundown on the Chris Sale Jersey Slicing of July 23, 2016 (and mixes up 1974 and 1976). Janice asks the important question of “What type of knife is in the clubhouse that you could use for this?” (stay tuned for a MythBusters-style Patreon episode). If there are pictures from the incident, send them our way. 2016 was a fever dream. The girls talk about why the 2016 season was wild AF including jersey cut-ups, the LaRoches, a team of Some Guys, Angels legend Adam Eaton, and separating Robin Ventura the Player from Robin Ventura the Manager. Chrystal still makes fun of fans for this season, which is honestly well-deserved. Uniforms, uniforms, uniforms. The EPH speculates whether starting pitchers actually do get to pick the uniform on their day. They also try to determine if there is a curse on the City Connects and whether they are good-looking uniforms or just ugly. Colleen’s Conspiracy Corner. Colleen drops a conspiracy theory that Tony is the Manchurian Candidate and Miguel Cairo is managing. She’s also expecting a cease-and-desist from the White Sox any day. Satire, joke, or dumb? Normalize telling men they aren’t funny. If you have to say it’s a joke, it isn’t funny. Punching down isn’t funny. Chrystal has the best recommendation for how to deflect said “jokes.” Speaking of bad jokes ... Attendance jokes are classist. The South Side isn’t a monolith, and attendance jokes are boring. People have jobs, jabronis — not everyone can go on Monday night. Janice and Keelin also point out that Wrigley Field is marketed as a tourist attraction by the city. Pay the man. The Estrogen Power Hour fully supports signing an extension for Carlos Rodón. They also support paying players in general, as they discuss the 1994-95 strike and remind you to tip the workers at Guaranteed Rate Field because they’re working hard to feed your drunk bodies. Trade Deadline Wish List. A second baseman, a reliever, and maybe a catcher. Yasmani Grandal was seen jogging, so maybe not a catcher. Mostly a reliever and a second baseman, because we definitely need those most of all. Sports, sports, sports, sports. Fear the Deer, watch the White Sox, or do both at once. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan his son and west coast correspondent, Will, are joined this week by cheesehead correspondent and Brewers fan Jonathan Schroerlucke, to preview the upcoming White Sox series in Milwaukee and the incredible matchups of starting pitchers on tap. Will the series be as it looks on paper and consist entirely of games that are 0-0 until the starters come out, with all runs then scored before the two dominant closers come in? Will former Sox players be the key to the Milwaukee offense? Who knows? But we guess. We also have a whole bunch of guesses and comments about the biggest White Sox news of the week, the announced retirement of April hero Yermín Mercedes. Naturally, it would all have been terribly brilliant except that since we recorded, Yermín decided to unretire, at least for one night, so all the speculation and bad-mouthing of the HOFBP is badly outdated. Not that bad-mouthing the HOFBP is ever out of line, but it doesn’t fit the story so well any more. After the break, it’s all White Sox versus Brewers and great pitchers, which we hope doesn’t get out of date as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It only took about three years, but this South Side Sox’s original bonus baby signing, Dan Victor, finally did get together with Brett Ballantini for an SSS podcast. The program is broken pretty much into two halves: 2021 draft review, and 2021 affiliate season highlights. Here are some specifics of the discussion: When will Dan’s big signing bonus arrive? For all the usual hype, 2021 was an unusually strong draft, with MLB basically punting 2020. To that end, the White Sox really did score three first round talents among their first three picks This podcast runs in conjunction with Dan’s overview of the draft, highlighting picks including some guys falling outside of the top five Sox picks: Theo Denlinger, Johnny Ray, Cam Butler and Shawn Goosenberg And, please don’t think it’s empty hype, but if you haven’t read the story, get on over to it and give it a read; it’s PHENOMENALLY well-sourced, one of the best stories we’ve run this year How losing Great Falls as advanced rookie play has adversely affected Low-A Kannapolis José Rodríguez, the man, the myth Plus, Dan’s other Kannapolis guys to watch — including a few who aren’t having the best on-paper seasons Romy González’s preposterously-low body fat, and other keys to forcing his way into the prospect conversation Other Victor faves, including Micker Adolfo, Luis González Why Jonathan Stiever is still Dan’s pitching pick to click — and watch out for Lane Ramsey, chucking under the radar No detailed teasers offered, but Dan has another fabulous feature coming at us next week, and we plan another podcast discussion to spotlight that, and perhaps dig deeper into the system as well Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Black and Brett Ballantini are back to a more traditional run-through-the-affiliates podcast, but given some news of the early week, the low-pay plight of minor leaguers hijacked the end of the podcast: Did Reynaldo López do anything more than earn $2.1 million this season in order to get called up this weekend? Is it too much, too late for super-hot Charlotte Knight Luis González? Eloy’s travails in the field at both Winston-Salem and Charlotte should play a role in his usage later this season in Chicago What is different about Romy González this season — and how does that help his promise as a future major-leaguer? Yolbert Sánchez has seemed to locate his hit tool, which he now packed with him to Birmingham in a promotion that finally gets him to an age-appropriate level Is a matter of when, not if, when it comes to a José Rodríguez promotion from Kannapolis? Darren says you should be disappointed in the young trio of next-wave arms (Matthew Thompson, Drew Dalquist, Jared Kelley). Worried? Nah How is it that the MLB draft is moving backwards when it comes to player bonuses (and yes, we call out the Cubs for paying a 10th-rounder $5,000, and a sixth-round pick for $1,000. Disgusting Meanwhile, photos of St. Louis Cardinals MiLB players sleeping across chairs in a hotel ballroom (or some such locale) are circulating at the same time Oakland A’s farmhands are said to be paying more for a couple of weeks of hotel stay than they are paid per month in salary. Reprehensible Sorry Sox, we vow to call you out if you play the same way (and yeah, at least one pick has signed for a paltry $10,000, we know) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices