Sox Populi - A Chicago White Sox podcast

Just below the Phillies sit two teams, vying for second place in the league. The Yankees and Orioles are often tied, but other times it feels like two siblings fighting to be the favorite child. While the Orioles have young talent and will be good for a while, there are two things they don't have: Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. I had the pleasure of chatting with Emily Nyman again this season about her Yankees. For two teams who happen to be polar opposites, we had a wonderful time. Here is what we talked about: What's going on in the Bronx? A sibling rivalry with the O's Visiting Yankee Stadium in 2023 Trade deadline thoughts Carlos Rodón's year and Gerrit Cole's late start Speaking of pitchers, Garrett Crochet and his controversial requests Pitching previews Threats, keys to win, and fears heading into the series Oh yeah, Pedro Grifol is outta here A whole lot of Aaron Judge and his tiny family Follow the delightful Emily Nyman on Twitter and listen to her over at Breaking Balls Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With another loss, and another sweep, the White Sox entered territory they hadn't occupied in 68 seasons. After Friday's loss dropped the South Siders to .500 all-time over 124 MLB seasons, Saturday's setback set them as a losing team for the first time in almost exactly 68 years — for the first time since Aug. 14, 1956. Brett Ballantini did a postgame podcast he mistakenly branded as a mothership joint. Join him, and tread where others dared not: A rundown of the numbers, including it being almost 25,000 days since the White Sox were last a losing team, and a White Sox fan would need to be at least 75 years old to have experienced any of the last losing era Breaking down what records are necessary in the final 43 games to avoid the looming milestones including worst-ever 162-game team, worst AL team ever, worst White Sox club and most White Sox season losses Tracking the remaining schedule to see how difficult it will be for the White Sox to avoid these milestones Is there enough talent in the pipeline (or on the roster, snapping four-month slumps) to appreciably change the performance on the field? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, did you know Sox Populi has become a daily podcast? Me, neither. In fact, it's not. However, with the surprising news that Pedro Grifol had been fired by the White Sox (about a year too late, conservatively speaking), the mothership had to lift off again to discuss the timing, ramifications, and managerial job search. This time, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and Chrystal O'Keefe joined Brett Ballantini to cover it all, with some input from Willow O'Keefe as well: The move was due for, roughly a year, and Pedro shouldn't have been hired in the first place; reactions to Grifol's dismissal Despite how long we've been waiting for this day, was firing Pedro, right now, a good or bad move? Insight into how the managerial search will transpire this time around (aka How Big a Joke Will it End Up Being?) Quick predictions on the Crosstown series/will we be talking again to commemorate an under-.500 franchise as soon as Saturday? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The second part of the Crosstown Classic has arrived, this time on the South Side. Both teams are having terrible years, and the White Sox are way worse, but still. While I'm sure fans of both teams will flock to the park for the rivalry, it doesn't seem like people are as excited as usual. I talked to Sara Sanchez about both teams, and how we're feeling about the series and the rest of the season. Here is what we discussed: What's new with the Cubs The Cubs probably won't make it to the postseason The National League is silly Trade deadline thoughts The final player from the 2016 team, Kyle Hendricks won't be a Cub next year Pitching breakdowns Keys to winning, threats, and fears You can find Sara on Twitter and our sister site Bleed Cubbie Blue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second installment of TIME OUT with Di Billick, she digs into the appointment of White Sox coach Grady Sizemore as interim manager of the club after Thursday's dismissal of Pedro Grifol. There are fun Grady facts, flyovers, and dog cameos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After another long podcast break, some of the Sox Populi crew (Brett Ballantini, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, Joe Resis, Dante Jones) reboards the mothership and takes on some White Sox talk at as low a point for the franchise as any of us have ever witnessed: The 21-game losing streak, and how (or whether) it wore us all down Re-casting the White Sox as a "losing franchise," something it hasn't been "on paper" in the W-L column since 1956 — are we even able to be stigmatized by such a franchise fall, at this point? Rooting to lose: Does hoping that the White Sox embarrass themselves make you a "bad fan?" And is there any downside, down the line, to supporting a team of infamy? A breakdown of the Garrett Crochet situation, and who blew it — Crochet, his handlers, Chris Getz, or all or none of the above? Quick predictions on the Crosstown series, and whether we'll be talking again to commemorate an under-.500 franchise as soon as Saturday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These two teams are hardly major league teams right now. Both are last in their respective divisions. One is about to play in a minor-league ballpark next season, and the other is full of minor-league players. While they're both down badly this season, the Athletics are still doing better than the White Sox. The delightful Aaron Cameron joined me to chat about the A's and preview the upcoming series in Oakland, for the last time. Here is what we talked about: What's new in Oakland? Solidarity in horrendous ownership The Coliseum is honestly a special place The future of the A's Grading the trade deadline Mason Miller and why representation matters Pitching matchups Threats, keys, and fears Baseball roots run deep Finding comfort in broadcasters and Twitter friends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recording at the point the Chicago American League Baseball Team had lost 17 straight games, duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, hazarded guesses as to how long the streak might last and whether the league or major league records are truly in jeopardy. But enough of the enjoyable part — they also do the mandatory review of the trading deadline bit, amazed as everyone else at how little Chris Getz managed to acquire for what he gave up, while acknowledging a lack of expertise about 18-year-old middle infielders in very low minor leagues. Having a few post-deadline games to view, they note how every player traded by the Sox has started out very well with his new team, while the only new player in a Sox uniform has fit right in by stinking. But wee, teeny sample size and all that. There’s a tad bit of rant about control freak Jerry Reinsdorf, which is always fun. If you love diatribe, though, hang around for what they have to say about Garrett Crochet and his ridiculous and arrogant comments, from attempted extortion before the deadline to brain-dead claims afterward that what he threatened had no impact on possible trades. Were they once Crochet fans? Of course. Are they still? Well, er, uh ... Have a look at this episode on the Sox Populi YouTube (and don’t be a flake, subscribe to the channel!) and/or listen on Megaphone below. Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts by clicking our Patreon link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a while, White Sox friends! The team is terrible, and we're busy women, but we hope to get back into the groove with some ladies-only chatter! In the sixth episode of the Ladies' Night podcast, Kristina Airdo, Hannah LaMotta, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, and Allie Wesel discuss several topics related to our beloved — or despised, depending on the day — South Siders. Whether you're a die-hard White Sox fan or not, there's something for everyone. So, sit back, relax, and grab your favorite beverage because the girls hit a home run conversing about all things baseball, including: Weeding through how bad this team really is and the frustration that it leaves in its wake Would it feel different at all if Pedro gets fired Plans for a 2031 documentary on the fall of the 2021 White Sox Regarding the new, young players who has some potential Sorting through the trade deadline moves Look for another Ladies' Night podcast sometime in August! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for a new Sox Populi feature, one that will show up on our YouTube channel and on our podcast list: TIME OUT, with Di Billick. It's a quick-hit format for those of you unable to find the precious 20 minutes necessary to listen to a podcast or watch YouTube. Or, if alarm bells ring in your brain when you have to think about the White Sox for more than five minutes, TIME OUT is for you! Short, to the point, profane, with cameos by exquisite English toy spaniels Lucius and Harry. This started as Five Managers I Would Like to See With the White Sox but turned on a dime into Five Things I'd Rather Do Instead of Watching the White Sox. See if you agree with her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chrystal and Bayleigh are back with a special trade deadline episode. With only a few days left, trade rumors have taken over the internet, but there haven't been any big splashes of excitement. The gals make predictions about possible trades and what makes sense. Here is what they talked about: Will the Tigers hold onto Tarik Skubal — or could Jackson Holliday sway them? The Dodgers will continue to spend all the money Where will Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde land? If Luis Robert Jr. gets traded, who will the White Sox build a team around? Red Sox needs White Sox pitchers are always better elsewhere Bad ownership and censoring fans The Astros will be buyers How do you score seven runs against the Rockies and still lose? The Orioles have a surplus of good players Cal Quantrill brings up Reese McGuire's "car-jacking" incident and benches clear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back from the All-Star Break! I hope everyone feels refreshed and ready to be hurt again by the White Sox. Kevin from the Royals Reporter joined the podcast to talk about the Royals and help preview the first series back from break. Here is what we talked about: What's new with the Royals? Hey now, you're an All-Star Seeing all your exes in the same place Pedro Grifol and Nicky Lopez Draft picks and the looming trade deadline Climbing up the American League Central rankings Pitching matchups Threats, fears, and keys to winning the series The shelf-life of Salvador Pérez Will an underdog make the playoffs? Thoughts on the second half of the season You can find Kevin on Twitter, and follow along at The Royals Reporter, Farm to Fountains, and Pitcher List. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Refreshed by the All-Star break, duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, launch into the major topics of the day, from saying hello to Nick Senzel to saying goodbye to Martín Maldonado and Danny Mendick. There are also the draft results to discuss, particularly the hope that 17th-round pick Lyle Miller-Green some day makes it to the majors, because his story is phenomenal — a Siberian-born orphan originally named Oleg adopted by an American couple in his infancy who has come on to become a right fielder for Austin Peay and a professional ballplayer. And not only is his story phenomenal, so is his nickname — the Siberian Sultan of Swat. Then, of course, there’s the question of who might be going where in the next two weeks, and what skeleton of a team will be left ... which, in turn, leads to predictions of whether the White Sox will succeed in achieving the worst record in modern-era major league baseball. Plus, there’s the small matter of the Sox achieving yet another dubious distinction, with an organization that polls readers about TV announcing teams placing the White Sox dead last in that category, as they are in so many others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pirates are sailing into Chicago to take on the White Sox. Both teams have had plenty of struggles, and both teams have All-Star pitchers. Yet one team is at least close to .500 — and that's not the White Sox. Charles joined the podcast to chat about the Pirates and help preview the series. Here is what we talked about: What's new with the Pirates? Breaking records and scoring a lot of home runs All-Stars Paul Skenes and Bryan Reynolds Can the Pirates claw their way to the Wild Card? Why is Aroldis Chapman? Was Michael A. Taylor a terrible signing? At least there is Oneil Cruz Trade deadline needs Dollar Store team Does anyone know who is pitching? Pitching matchups, sort of Keys, threats, and fears Down bad in the Bronx High school with Mr. Met Good things shouldn't happen to the Cardinals You can find Charles on Twitter or Bluesky, and follow his podcast ALAB Series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wonderful Josh Hill of Puckett's Pond is back this season to talk about the Twins, who are heading to the South Side of Chicago to take on the White Sox. The Twins are in second place in the American League Central and have a team full of potential All-Stars this season. While many people think of the Twins and White Sox as rivals, it's more friendly fire, at least on Twitter. Besides, the real enemy are the Guardians. Oh, and I hope you like references from The Simpsons! Here is what we talked about: What's new in Minnesota? Royce Lewis and the curse of the right adductor strain Please ice your injuries How confident is Josh? Bullpen woes and searching for a cheap fix at the trade deadline Twins All-Stars, but you can only pick two Joe Ryan, isn't he dreamy? How do you replace Sonny Gray? Pitching matchups Threats, keys, and fears Sonny Gray and Erick Fedde might be the same Baseball is unfortunately better when the Yankees are good The Mariners won't win the West Your daily Dodgers hate You can follow Josh on Twitter and check out Puckett's Pond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White Sox extend their road trip to Miami to take on the now Tim Anderson-less Marlins. With a record not much better than Chicago, the Marlins continue to face similar struggles, in their case, it seems like every pitcher is injured. Ely Sussman, creator of Fish On First joins to talk about the Marlins ahead of the series. (As a side note, Tim Anderson had not yet been designated for assignment at the time of this recording.) Here is what we talked about: What's new in Miami? The Marlins aren't even in rebuild mode Tim Anderson and Jake Burger aren't doing so hot Kim Ng's revenge plot Bad ownership Trade deadline needs Is there an All-Star on this team? Pitching matchups Threats, keys, and fears MLB thoughts You can follow Ely on Twitter and check out Fish On First. Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts by clicking the Patreon link below: Become a member! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White Sox head to Cleveland to take on the second-best team in baseball, and the clear leaders of the division, the Guardians. Pat Ellington Jr. joined the podcast to talk all things Guardians and the upcoming bloodbath ... I mean series. Pat’s baseball knowledge is insurmountable and made this conversation delightful from start to finish. Here is what we talked about: Remembering Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mays What’s new in Cleveland? The shared history between Cleveland and Chicago José Ramírez and Steven Kwan are seriously good The second-best team in all of baseball right now Confidence in staying on top Wanted: A starting pitcher ... like Garrett Crochet? Too many All-Star contenders to count Pitching matchups Keys, fears, and threats Do people still want to see the White Sox at home? MLB thoughts You can follow Pat on Twitter. You can also find his portfolio for sites such as the Red Black Green baseball blog, MLB.com, Baseball Prospectus, and the Clubhouse Conversations Interview Series on his website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It may be a month to the trading deadline, but SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, are ready to start swapping and get the clearing-out done early, if anybody will go along: Who might want Garrett Crochet sooner rather than later in order to control his workload and have him in prime condition in October? The Sox wanting to put Andrew Vaughn on the market right away to take advantage of his annual June resurgence and maximize value before Vaughn’s annual July swoon The likelihood Luis Robert, Jr. will be playing elsewhere come August (unlikely) And the same for Michael Kopech, John Brebbia, Paul DeJong, Tommy Pham and a host of others (likely) Then they wander into wondering what the team might look like in 2025, which is scary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Brown is back this season to chat about the upcoming series with the Detroit Tigers. Both teams are down really bad, with the White Sox holding on to the bottom spot of the American League Central. Friends, we’re about to watch some extremely mid baseball, so buckle up. Here is what we talked about: What’s new in Detroit? A whole lotta bad baseball The demise of Casey Mize Booing Javy Báez Trade bait All-Star picks Pitching matchups Greener pastures for former White Sox pitchers The endless rebuild Keys, fears, and threats MLB thoughts and the red-hot National League You can follow Chris on Twitter and keep up with his work at Motor City Metrics and Tigers Minor League Report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to put Arizona in the rearview mirror and focus on the next homestand, starting with Houston. Andy Brown is back for an update on the 2024 Astros ahead of the series against the White Sox, and a bit of José Abreu banter. Here is what we talked about: What’s new in Houston? An Astros fan in Chicago The José Abreu of it all Father Time doesn’t stop for anyone Should the Mariners even be in first? The AL West could be up for grabs All-Star picks Pitching matchups Threats, fears, and keys to winning the series What it’s like not to have a real starting rotation People are eyeing Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet, and Michael Kopech? It’s a weird season Underdogs might just pull it off again Will a ground swelling motion happen in the second half? The Chicago Dogs! You can follow Andy on Twitter and enjoy his blog All Blogs Go To Heaven, described as Chicago’s online home for pure, uncut, sickos-grade non-MLB baseball coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a special edition of Sox Pop on the Farm! This one is devoted to the special Negro Leagues tribute game on Tuesday, with the Birmingham Barons hosting the Montgomery Biscuits at 6 p.m. CT on the MLB Network. The Negro League Birmingham Black Barons will be honored by our Double-A club, and more broadly the game will be played in tribute to Black Barons alum Willie Mays (who will be unable to attend). Barons president and GM Jonathan Nelson sat down with Brett Ballantini for a program devoted to the broad Birmingham baseball heritage and the specific mark the Negro League Birmingham Black Barons have made on baseball history: The renovated, gorgeous Rickwood Field, which opened just a month after the Comiskey Park did, in 1910 — and the similarities that Regions Field incorporated from Rickwood The Barons have paid tribute to the Negro Leagues and Birmingham’s baseball heritage since 1996, with Turn Back the Clock Days. What does it still mean to Jonathan for his team to play at Rickwood and honor the Negro Leagues? The biggest challenge of not just moving to Rickwood for a game, but this time in coordinating with Major League Baseball for a “Rickwood Week” (Barons-Biscuits on June 18, Cardinals-Giants on June 20) Did you know: Hall-of-Famers Satchel Paige and Willie Mays both began their organized baseball careers in Birmingham with the Black Barons? Other Negro League greats came through Birmingham, including Mule Suttles and Willie Wells — and Country Music Hall-of-Famer Charley Pride, as well Does Brett get in trouble for wearing his Chicago American Giants jersey, when that club upset one of the greatest Negro League teams ever, the 1948 Black Barons, in the World Series? The underplayed, but extremely rich, baseball heritage of Birmingham Worth reminding once more: The Barons play at Rickwood Field ON MLB NETWORK at 6 p.m CT on Tuesday, June 18! Follow Jonathan Nelson on Twitter @JonathanN_Bham, the Barons @BhamBarons, and find tickets to an upcoming Barons game by clicking this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, are actually recording the day after a victory, an event so huge it mandates a change in poet James Russell Lowell’s famed “what is so rare as a day in June” to the more currently appropriate “what is so rare as a day in June with a White Sox win?” The duo cover high points of the Seattle series (yes, there really were some), including pitching performances from Garrett Crochet, Drew Thorpe (Will thinks Thorpe’s a real old school bulldog type) and Jonathan Cannon and long balls hit by Luis Robert Jr. (among his strikeouts). That naturally leads to trade deadline talk, about both Robert and Crochet as well as the many other players expected to shed white socks soon. That in turn leads to long discussion of Leigh’s fantasy of the White Sox getting rid of every veteran, both on and off the field, and fielding an all-rookie team next year in the front office and the dugout and on the field. Will actually likes the idea (how often do sons like their dad’s ideas?) and had some more points to make along the same lines. Heck, he even agreed it would be good idea to go completely outside the lines of professional ball and bring in a successful college coach to manage the very young team. As we said, fantasy. But likely a more successful than reality is going to be. Alas, they find out just before ending the recording that José Abreu was released by the Astros. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once more it’s Brett Ballantini’s favorite week of the month, when he gets to again call on president and GM of the first-place Birmingham Barons, Jonathan Nelson. Somehow again talking during a tough series pitting the two best teams in the Southern League against one another (Birmingham and Pensacola), the two catch up on all the good coming out of Double-A: Stats review: Just how dominant have the Barons been? Drew Thorpe gets the call straight to Chicago ... and will his ability to pitch overshadow his lack of a “big arm?” Duke Ellis gets the call straight to Chicago. Jonathan feels some generational pride there, but also warns of the danger of speed like his ... to opponents Oh, and yeah, we’re just tossing out some crazy comps for these players Thorpe was great in Birmingham, but two starters (Mason Adams and Ky Bush) have been essentially as good No better way to patch a Thorpe-sized hole in your killer rotation than, oh, to call up the No. 1 pitching prospect in the system, Noah Schultz What’s the plan for Noah the rest of the summer? Looping back to speed, even with Ellis gone the Barons are stealing bases at a killer rate (85.8% success as a team, and they’re coming in bunches) What has surprised Jonathan most about this Barons team? And, what ho, as we wrapped up our podcast, the Barons had surged ahead in their Blue Wahoos brunch battle Plus! Bonus Jonathan Nelson content next week, when we run our Rickwood Field/Birmingham Black Barons podcast! Follow Jonathan Nelson on Twitter @JonathanN_Bham, the Barons @BhamBarons, and find tickets to an upcoming Barons game by clicking this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you up to speed on everything happening around Major League Baseball right now? Tune in to hear Bayleigh and Chrystal talk about the White Sox, Red Sox, and noteworthy topics from the week. On this episode: The Astros lose Cristian Javier and José Urquidy to the dreaded Tommy John surgery Corey Seager’s hamstring woes The Yankees are about to get even better Alek Manoah’s tough year Knee discomfort 0/10, do not recommend Tucupita Marcano learns a valuable lesson about betting The ripple effect led by Marcano Pedro Grifol isn’t going anywhere this season The White Sox broke a record with 14 consecutive losses John Henry, the idiotic billionaire Steve Cohen responds with “Hold my beer” Bryce Harper wants MLB players in the 2028 Olympics Kevin Gausman’s first shutout The Astros and Angels series News and rumors ahead of the trade deadline The Martín Maldonado All-Star Game voting The London series including a celebrity double play and a rare double play for the Mets Phillie Phanatic: cheating rumors and serving tea Be sure to follow their Twitter account Soxy Chicks. You can also find Bayleigh and Chrystal on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of these things truly is not like the other, as for the first season in ages the White Sox are fielding a competitive slate of affiliates, including two first-place and playoff-bound clubs. The exception, as you might have figured, is the Charlotte Knights, struggling to fill out a pitching rotation and to get some wins under them. Our guy in Charlotte, Jonathan Lee, is here with us to talk about some key Knights figures ... look a bit into the future: The team is about what was expected, arguably (based on past seasons, at least) better than hoped Bryan Ramos skipped Charlotte on his way up to the majors, and now is rehabbing/reloading with the Knights. Jonathan and Brett chat on what Bryan brings to the table beyond his enormous talent Colson Montgomery is continuing to struggle between jaw-dropping flashes. He’s young, and struggle is to be expected — but Jonathan has caught something in Montgomery’s self-awareness that could prove valuable as he moves toward the majors Sean Burke’s lower-level rehab was completed and he’s flashed some “old Burke” since arriving in Charlotte Literally as the pair were discussing Birmingham’s rotation and what Drew Thorpe has to prove in Double-A, first word was breaking that Thorpe would be promoted to the White Sox for a Tuesday start Philosophical discussion on the nature of Triple-A and how often Double-A Barons might outright skip Charlotte, as we’re seeing with Ramos, Duke Ellis, and Thorpe The value of a core of guys playing together at each step up toward the majors Estimated dates for when we might start to see the rich Birmingham talent move east to Charlotte, possibly to create a very different Knights roster in the second half! Follow Jonathan Lee on Twitter @followmefor3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I write this blurb, the White Sox are down 11-0 in the sixth against the Red Sox. I’m just going to assume the White Sox will get swept in the series. Seattle could be a fresh start, as the Mariners seem to be in an offensive slump. Aaron Casey joined the show to talk about the first-place Mariners and brought a few questions about the White Sox. Here is what we talked about: What’s new in Seattle? T-Mobile Park is a top-tier ballpark Ice-cold bats Only two teams will survive in the AL West Grading the offseason All-Star picks How to stay in first place Pitching matchups Threats, fears, and keys to winning the series Questions for Chrystal! No one is safe during a fire sale Hot takes and predictions The Mets are going to Met and the Dodgers are going to Dodger You can follow Aaron on Twitter and follow First Pitch Strike, a father-and-son tandem podcast talking about all things MLB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the White Sox losing streak reached 13, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, pondered deep philosophical questions, such as: Is it possible for major-leaguers to play the game of baseball worse than the White Sox and Cubs did this week? Will the Sox actually break the modern MLB record for losses? Should Tommy Pham and John Schriffen be traded to the WWE for Rick Flair’s hair? How far should the Sox go in selling off? Should Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. really be on the market? How firmly will Pedro Grifol have to affix his lips to Jerry Reinsdorf’s keister to keep from being fired? If that miracle did occur, is Tony La Russa going to make another comeback? And more stuff about how much could be gotten for whom as the Sox clear out Erick Fedde, Pham, Paul DeJong, Michael Kopech and more? Can the team be competitive by 2027, or is this decade out of consideration? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s laundry time! No, not the tedious chore, but the laundry series between two Sox teams. Bayleigh, my podcasting partner and favorite Red Sox fan, joined to chat about all things Red Sox, a few old friends, and the White Sox vs. Red Sox series. Willow O’Keefe also joined the podcast with her several opinions, but since she is a dog, we couldn’t quite make out what she meant with her barking, or the Morse code via a toy that squeaks. Apologies if you hate dogs. Here is what we talked about: What’s new in Boston? The Celtics are good How much Willow likes to bark Juan Soto and the damn Yankees Is there a way to compete? Ending the mental health stigma Pitching matchups An ode to Tanner Houck Threats, fears, and keys to winning the series All-Star picks Get Martín Maldonado to the All-Star Game Boston still won the Chris Sale trade Reynaldo López and Chris Sale are dominating in Atlanta Soxy Chicks will be back soon! You can follow Bayleigh and our podcast on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, it’s been more than a month since the mothership landed, but Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, Di Billick and Brett Ballantini got on board in advance of Crosstown play to talk White Sox, and quite a bit of other stuff. Buckle in: With Di covering for South Side Sox on Tuesday and Melissa Wednesday, how are they both feeling as the White Sox head to Wrigley Field? Vibe check: How are we feeling now, compared to entering the season with some trepidation? Pedro Grifol review: the hiring, the player handling, the poor personality .. and the risk of keeping him around to usher in the youth movement later on this year Di expresses frustration with Facebook What are the desired outcomes of the season? We have hopes for the rookies on the way — and for a change in the manager’s seat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for part one of the Crosstown Classic! Jay Holloway joins the show to talk all things baseball, emphasizing our neighbors to the North, the Cubs. While it seems like all of the Chicago sports teams are awful, we focused on just how bad baseball is for both fanbases while predicting what this two-game series might look like: What’s new on the North Side? Kyle Hendricks Trading high on Cody Bellinger Is there a way to compete with the Brewers, or even finish second? The Nick Madrigal and Ian Happ of it all Everyone is hurt and the owners are terrible — a Chicago tale Wrigleyville is just a giant tourist trap Pitching matchups Threats and keys to winning the series The lack of power hitters Luis Robert Jr. Shohei Ohtani will always be worth the money The Yankees are scary Juan Soto needs a blank check Atlanta is down bad You can follow Jay on Twitter and check out everything Uncommon Commentators Podcast offers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers were given a mandate from South Side Sox: No more podcasts until first place. The good news is that we only had to wait two months to get there, so Brett Ballantini welcomed back play-by-play broadcaster and Kanny jack-of-all-trades Dan Helotie in to talk about the potent club brewing down there, plus highlight some of the stars that have pushed the team nearly to the top of the Carolina League: What a difference two weeks makes ... 14-16 as of May 10, the Cannon Ballers blistered to first place by winning 12 of 15 What’s it like to broadcast a 22-1 win? The CBs are hitting the hide off of the ball, but better yet, pitching exquisitely, a rare and dominant combination at any level Ryan Galanie’s emergence seemed to spark the offense on its run to first place — but Dan says this has pretty much been Galanie from Day 1 in Kannapolis The Unbearable Lightness of Rikuu Nishida Don’t shortchange Caden Connor, who’s been every bit the hitter Galanie has in the early going A peek in a very young stars Ronny Hernández and Ryan Burrowes Three quick Meet the Players questions for Dan Seth Keener, the workmanlike ace Lucas Gordon, hoss Aldrin Batista’s upside, and getting Drew McDaniel packed off to Winston-Salem Billy Seidl’s current and future role in the bullpen Longer looks ahead: end of the first half June 20, Kannapolis’ 30th reunion on June 22 Not many home games left in the first half, but a review of promotions to wind up the first half Follow Dan Helotie on Twitter @Dan_Helotie, the Cannon Ballers @KCannonBallers, and find tickets to an upcoming Cannon Ballers game by clicking this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan headed off for a cruise in Europe, the White Sox started winning, or at least not losing so much, so he had visions of a team payout for him to stay on the other side of the Atlantic. Alas, before the payoff could come, the Sox returned to their abysmal ways, so a bribe won’t be forthcoming. Instead, this edition of Sharing Sox with the geezer and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, asks (and, of course, answers) many of the usual questions, such as: Is Pedro Grifol trying to get fired to end the humiliation but keep the paycheck? Could Garrett Crochet be on the trading block come deadline time? Is the pitching being 27th or so in key categories a sign it’s much better than the offense, which is dead last in most? Did nobody get the memo about playing good defense? Is the schedule coming up for real, or are they just terrorizing us? As for praise, some goes out — unfortunately, to members of other teams, even one in our very own city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two big departures from Winston-Salem dominate each half of our podcast this time around, as Joe Resis analyzes the Dash roster along with Brett Ballantini. The advantages and hazards of promoting Noah Schultz before he’s ever thrown five innings in one pro outing Tyler Schweitzer is back on the scene, bigtime. If Birmingham ever matriculates one of their six starting aces, the lefty might be heading west Peyton Pallette is not looking good on paper, but is that paper telling a lie? Jacob Gonzalez elicits awe, and mea culpas from at least one of our hosts Is there upside for solid hitters like Shawn Goosenberg and Wes Kath despite gaudy K rates? Breaking down two other “disappointments” on paper, Samuel Zavala and Loidel Chapelli Possible Joe Resis dance floor footage? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dream is back on the podcast to preview the upcoming series with the Orioles, who sit just behind the first-place Yankees. The Orioles have plenty of young talent and a tough pitching rotation, the White Sox will need to bring their A-game to come away with even a single win in the series, especially while dealing with Corbin Burnes and the great defensive shortstop, Gunnar Henderson. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: What’s new in Baltimore Grading the offseason Jackson Holliday How to beat the Yankees Confidence going into 2024 The O’s have a new owner Pitching matchups Threats, fears, and keys to winning the series The AL Central Tommy Pham Royal rejects and terrible ownership If you don’t trust someone to pick you up from the airport, they shouldn’t be president (or running day-to-day baseball operations You can follow Dream on Twitter and find great betting content at FTN Betting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fifth episode of the Ladies’ Night podcast Hannah LaMotta, Delia Ritchie, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, and Allie Wesel discuss several topics related to our beloved — or despised, depending on the day — South Siders. Whether you’re a die-hard White Sox fan or not, there’s something for everyone. So, sit back, relax, and grab your favorite beverage because the girls hit a home run chatting about all things baseball, including: The automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system. What do we think of the two different approaches, and how would it change the game The AL Central teams are actually killing it this year. How did this happen, and will the Sox ever be relevant again A glimpse around the Chicago minor league system. The Birmingham Barons starting rotation is impressive, but does it really mean anything A walk down memory lane regarding players from other teams who absolutely crushed our White Sox souls The podcast will air bi-monthly, with the next episode dropping in June. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh off a sweep dealt by the first-place Yankees, the White Sox hope to recover in Toronto against the Blue Jays. Both the Sox and Jays sit at the bottom of their divisions, and will likely be sellers at the trade deadline. The teams are similar, with All-Star players in contract years, and inconsistent offense. Thankfully for my wonderful guest, Ruth Kapelus, Toronto’s pitching rotation and team in general might have a little more fight in them. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: Toronto Centre updates Grading the offseason Contract years and dark times as a fan It’s a good year to get to Oakland Confidence going into 2024 Pitching matchups Using our voices to call out abuse Mickey Mouse Cy-Young winner Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series The up-and-down Astros Ruth takes on Chicago soon You can follow Ruth on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White Sox head to the Bronx to face off against a good Yankees team. Nick Stellini joined the podcast to discuss the first-place team and the red-hot Aaron Judge. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: What’s new in the Bronx? Does anyone know about Juan Soto? Gerrit Cole’s timeline, and how hilarious he is Grading the offseason How to stay in first place Are Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson freaks of nature? Confidence going into 2024 Pitching matchups, and Carlos Rodón Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series Thoughts for the 2024 season The downfall of the Astros It’s time for Jerry Reinsdorf to pay some therapy bills You can follow Nick on Twitter and check out his work at SportsLine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Brett Ballantini’s favorite week of the month, when he gets to again call on president and GM of the first-place Birmingham Barons, Jonathan Nelson. Even after a tightly-fought series in Pensacola didn’t go Birmingham’s way, the club is still tops in the Southern League. Despite losing five of six to the Blue Wahoos, the Barons have won five of their last 10 and remain a half-game better than their fellow division-leading counterparts, Pensacola How manager Sergio Santos has handled the first tough turn of the season Inside baseball: How Jonathan works hand-in-hand with this field manager A preview of this week’s home series hosting the Chattanooga Lookouts, worst in the Southern League Bryan Ramos’ call-up and delightful character Will Brooks Baldwin ever stop hitting The phenom, Wilfred Veras The most terrifying offensive weapon in Birmingham? It could very well be a healthy Duke Ellis and his speed demonry How is catcher Edgar Quero shaping up as a leader and game-caller? Three quick speed-round questions with Jonathan off-the-field Is Mason Adams the surprise ace of the Barons? Eric Adler arrives in town to give Birmingham another late-inning killer The southpaw starting pair of Jake Eder and Ky Bush How the Barons brass on the ground in Birmingham plays into any promotion/demotion decisions Do these podcasts provide the good luck for the team, meaning that soon Brett may need to be packing his bags for Birmingham? Follow Jonathan Nelson on Twitter @JonathanN_Bham, the Barons @BhamBarons, and find tickets to an upcoming Barons game by clicking this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time ever, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan has missed an episode of Sharing Sox. But his son and west coast correspondent, Will, took to the microphone in what amounted to a The Big Blurt reunion, with Rob Colletti and Bill Meincke. And the timing was pretty good, given they trio talked on the heels of the only good week of baseball we’ve enjoyed with the White Sox this season. Naturally, such sunshine was not quite reflected in the podcast itself. The podcast kicks off with general introductions, plus the traditional singing hello from Rob to Bill Is it better to be historically bad, or to see good performances/wins that will yield improvements to the system and improve the next wave of White Sox talent? As it comes up in the podcast, Rob wrote a very popular piece on South Side Sox last month, addressing the horribleness of the organization Rob, and the rest of the crew, are hyped about ... the Double-A Birmingham Barons A sober assessment of Andrew Vaughn and his future in Chicago Loss predictions for the 2024 season A broader assessment of the MLB season will play out Weighing in on John Schriffen as our new play-by-play guy, and seeing it turn into a rough assessment of Hawk Harrelson Will has the only proper read on generosity toward the Cubs and Cubs fans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White Sox will see the Nationals again this year thanks to the balanced MLB schedule, so I have another chance to chat with the brilliant Davy Andrews. In a fun episode, we discussed the sister teams and their desire to pick up Some Guys from MLB’s clearance rack. Both teams seem to be proceeding with a “don’t call it a rebuild” rebuild by firing the front office and acquiring veteran players on one-year contracts in hopes of trade bait, but one team is at least winning games. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: What’s new in the nation’s capital? If we stop the season right now Grading the offseason Hockey? Confidence going into 2024 Commonalities and old friends Black Friday bargain bin shopping Pitching matchups Trevor Williams, CJ Abrams, and other likable guys Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series Thoughts for the 2024 season You can follow Davy on Twitter and check out his work at Baseball Prospectus and FanGraphs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fourth episode of the Ladies’ Night podcast Hannah LaMotta, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and Allie Wesel discuss several topics related to our beloved — or despised, depending on the day — South Siders. Whether you’re a die-hard White Sox fan or not, there’s something for everyone. So, sit back, relax, and grab your favorite beverage because the girls hit a home run chatting about all things baseball, including: Our favorite City Connect jerseys and most-anticipated new reveals. Plus, if we each had a gift card to buy just one, which one we would choose Who’s hot and who’s not around the league covering teams and players — and lament and celebrate the success of Dylan Cease with the San Diego Padres White Sux moments over the last few weeks. There is still plenty to complain about despite a few recent wins The trade of Robbie Grossman to the Texas Rangers for right-handed minor leaguer Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa The podcast will air bi-weekly, with the next episode dropping in late May. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Ellis is back again this season to talk all things Cleveland Guardians. The division rivals face off in Chicago after a quick road trip down south. Cleveland sits in first place at the moment, while the White Sox sit comfortably at the bottom. The previous games against Cleveland were close, so perhaps the Sox can muster up the same energy they had against the Cardinals and Rays. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: What’s new in Cleveland? Injury woes Grading the offseason How to lead the division Confidence going into 2024 Pitching matchups Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series Thoughts for the 2024 season Really bad owners How to make baseball fun again You can follow Jeff on Twitter, and follow along at Locked On Guardians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, took to the microphones on May 3, the White Sox were 6-25, on pace for a modern-era, MLB-record 131 losses. So, naturally, we took a moment at the onset to shamelessly plug the Jerry Seinfeld movie Unfrosted, because Will is in it (both face and handwriting) and it opens on Netflix on that very day. The movie is more or less about the origin of Pop Tarts, which is a much more tasty subject than the White Sox, no matter how you feel about breakfast foods that fit in a toaster. But, unfortunately, it becomes necessary to return to the subject the podcast is supposed to be about, and to delve into the psychology of whether we fans now want the Sox to win games, or to keep up the bad work so we can all say we were there and watching when the record of the 1962 Mets was crushed. This naturally led to discussion of whether it’s better to play aged veterans who will be gone or of no use by the time the White Sox have a chance to be good (check the longevity charts for 88-year-olds named Jerry to see when that might be), or to flood the field with young players who are lousy now but have a chance to be better some day. Oh, sure, we also look at a bunch of statistics that confirm what we already know about how terrible this team is in every aspect of the game (hint: that light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a train). And there’s even a bit of chat about TV announcers, which isn’t nearly as harsh as you’d expect. Or, just a normal White Sox podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friend of the pod Taylor Streiff of Redbird Rants joins again to chat about the Cardinals ahead of the series against the White Sox. St. Louis made a lot of moves during the offseason, especially on the pitching side, resulting in an outstanding pitching rotation and bullpen. You thought the Royals-to-White Sox pipeline was bad? Just wait! We spent a lot of time chatting about the connections between the Sox and the Cards, with the likes of Lance Lynn, Tommy Pham, Dominic Leone, and many more. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: What’s new in St. Louis? Taylor’s hit tweet Grading the offseason Confidence going into 2024 Animal cameos Pitching matchups Cardinals to White Sox pipeline Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series Predictions for 2024 Will Marmol be fired? You can follow Taylor on Twitter, read his work at Redbird Rants, and check out Ben’s Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April is over, so it’s time for us to award, and talk about, our South Side Sox MiLB Players of the Month at each level. Joe Resis, writer of our story and deciding vote on the awards, occupies the expert’s chair as we summarize the April notables: An overview of the four affiliates, playing around .500 ball collectively and with one club (Birmingham) already pointed toward the postseason We spontaneously determined that 60 at-bats is enough to earn this award, so congratulations, Danny Mendick, you are Charlotte’s winner! Kudos to him, against all odds FORCING HIS WAY back onto the White Sox roster — leaving the team no other option, really Drew Thorpe wins a nail-biter in Birmingham, where any one of three starting pitchers could have earned the honors. We speculate a bit on possible call-up or MLB debut dates for Drew An award with an actual reward comes for Eric Adler, who was gem-perfect in Winston-Salem and got his call-up to Double-A at the end of the month In Kannapolis, it was more of a runaway choice, with Aldrin Batista crushing Low-A batters to earn April plaudits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A month in, it’s our first Winston-Salem Dash podcast, and Joe Resis occupies the expert’s chair as we summarize the April notables: An introduction for Joe, taking on a bigger minors role than ever for South Side Sox Noah Schultz: Please with his first month, or no? A review of Dash Players of the Week on the pitching side, Juan Carela and Manuel Veloz Everyone’s favorite LHS Wildcat, Riley Gowens A closer already promoted to Birmingham, Eric Adler Glue guy José Ramírez The Dash hitting has been weaker, although Jacob Gonzalez has been performing as expected Wes Kath: resurgent Zavala superfan Joe explains hot prospect Samuel’s flat first month DJ Gladney’s struggles and frustrations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu. The White Sox are again facing the Twins this soon into the season. Last week the Twins executed a four-game sweep against the White Sox, each game feeling more devastating than the last. The wonderful Brandon Warne of Locked On Twins and Access Twins joined me to chat about the bottom-dwelling White Sox and the low-on-the-list but still way-better Twins. Here’s what we talked about in this episode: The Bucks are in the playoffs Grading the offseason Confidence going into 2024 A rundown of Twins’ pitching Pedro Grifol, sigh Threats, fears, and keys to winning a series Are ballparks trying to give us diabetes? Predictions for 2024 The O’s are scary Lance Lynn on Father’s Day You can find Brandon on Twitter, and follow his work at Locked On Twins and Access Twins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a live YouTube/Twitter/Facebook event as the game got underway last night, a group of us (Dante Jones, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, Joe Resis, Malachi Hayes, Hannah LaMotta, Brett Ballantini) went watched the start of the game to see whether the White Sox start would end up even worse than that of the worst-ever Cleveland Spiders. Spoiler alert: It did. Watch as the game turns from a scoreless tie to an eventual loss immediately after we begin Impressions of the first month The inability to commit to a rebuild is not wearing well in the early going, with the major league club or the organization as a whole Pedro Grifol’s hand in all of the mess What are you looking forward to in the season’s final five months? Predictions you’re regretting (or, crowing over?) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s an early check-in with our friend and Charlotte mainstay Jonathan Lee on all things Knights, including intriguing bats and the predictable breakdown of the Triple-A rotation: Jonathan’s take on the 8-12 Charlotte start: .400 ball, he’ll take it! Danny Mendick’s amazing power stroke that forced him back onto the White Sox active roster Conversely, the jerking around of Lenyn Sosa and Oscar Colás, never truly able to settle in a spot or role Colson Montgomery’s bat has been flaccid, but his shortstop defense stout. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Carlos Pérez, Chuckie Robinson, and the curious catching conundrum with the Knights until Edgar Quero arrives A rotation in shambles, but with brighter days (returns from injury, promotions from Birmingham) ahead Justin Jirschele: Next White Sox manager? (he learned a lot from losing in 2023!) How Nick Nastrini and Jonathan Cannon rank as valuable Charlotte starters and future MLB rotation arms Follow Jonathan Lee on Twitter @followmefor3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices