The White Sox played something resembling a baseball game against another professional team Thursday for the first time in 2016, and got righteously tuned up by the Dodgers 6-1, in a game that would have seemed especially lifeless if it wasn't, you know, the first Spring Training game of the year.
Read MoreIn a rare moment of vaguely normal treatment of employees, the Kansas City Royals rewarded Salvador Perez for playing a vital role in their company's unparalleled success and tore up the rest of the absurd five-year, $7 million contract they inked him to before he had any real service time or any standing to pass on a guaranteed fortune, and gave him a huge five-year, $52.5 million extension.
Read MoreAnyone who knows anything about me knows that my favorite baseball article on the internet Monday was Jack Moore's chronicle of Minnesota owner Carl Pohlad's prolonged efforts to cry poor, mischaracterize the Twins as a small market club, and with the assistance of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig--who tried to use their phony crisis to compete as a means to conjure a cost-reducing salary cap--eventually got a spanking new Minnesota taxpayer-funded stadium in exchange for all their public showings of grief.
Read MoreThe White Sox are one of four major league baseball teams to have never signed a player to a contract of more than $70 million in total value. The other three are the notoriously small-market Oakland A's, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians.
Read MoreAnother day passes, and the possibility that the White Sox have not stood idle while the last of the upper crust of free agent outfielders were snatched up by more aggressive suitors remains alive. ESPN's Jim Bowden went so far as to say on MLB Network that the White Sox are one of three finalists in the bidding for Yoenis Cespedes--a process with no formal stages--along with the Mets and Nationals, with the Mets seeming like the franchise Cespedes would be more obliged to take a short-term deal for, and the Nationals more willing to shell out a long-term commitment, and the Sox somewhere in the middle.
Read MoreIn recent years, the Winter Meetings have been a time of much activity for the White Sox, especially since Rick Hahn filled the GM seat. In the last tow years, Hahn has acquired Adam Eaton, Jeff Samardjiza, Melky Cabrera, and David Robertson all during baseball’s annual December assembly, moves that have been, for better or worse, some of the most consequential of the Hahn regime. What the White Sox plan to do at this year's Winter Meetings seems to be completely up in the air.
Read MoreMatt, James and Ethan got together to discuss what's likely to be a disappointing offseason to be pre-disappointed about the state of the White Sox
Read MoreSeeing as the Bruce Levine piece from Wednesday morning just flashed across my timeline like rage-inducing shooting star, I tried re-reading it to see if the view it provided of the White Sox became more coherent upon review.
Nah.
Read MoreThis morning, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine published an article with quotes from Rick Hahn claiming that the White Sox will treat this offseason as a rebuilding effort.
Read MoreThe 2015 White Sox season was not good. In fact, it may be better described as bad, terrible, disappointing, sad, awful, or any combination thereof, probably best mixed with profanity. After a 2014 season with encouraging signs abound and an offseason full of additions, a team expected to contend finished the 2015 season with a laundry list of embarrassing "accomplishments."
Read MoreMatt, Ethan and James got together to commiserate after a long and awful 2015 White Sox season.
Read MoreThursday night, an obviously fluky and flimsy redeeming quality about the last few years of White Sox baseball fell to pieces. Hard-working but consistently outgunned fifth starter John Danks stopped dominating the AL Central champion Royals, and got the shelling that's probably been waiting for him for years. Bad defense and walks can turn into a six-run disaster quickly, but 11 hits in five innings means you were just getting resolutely hammered.
Read MoreMaybe I'm jumping the gun with this post. Robin Ventura, after all, is still gainfully employed. And the season is still young, with hope for a turnaround still alive.
Nonetheless, the White Sox's rough start has had many thinking Ventura's days are numbered. And if he's gone, who will be next?
Read MoreI have a smattering of thoughts that aren’t worthy of a full post’s energy.
Read MoreAt this point, picking at the explained logic of some of the White Sox moves in this beloved and lauded off-season is akin to pull the best man aside during the reception to give him "notes" on his speech, but the White Sox continue to support my theory that I would be much less critical of the mythology behind their finances if they just never discussed them at all.
Read MoreFive months ago, while his White Sox were in full June swoon, Jerry Reinsdorf was celebrating victory in the courtroom. Apparently unreported and unnoticed, with the silent efficiency of a mob hit, the lawsuit against the White Sox chairman brought by an ex-government employee was weighted down and left for dead in a river of motions, minutes, and memorandums.
Read MoreThere isn't a whole lot going on in the world of baseball during the three ... no wait, now FOUR days MLB takes off for the All-Star break.
Read MoreThe White Sox made a strong showing on July 2, the opening of the international signing period. They announced four signings off the bat, including two prospects in the MLB Top 30. Considering some of their past and still pretty recent performances, this deserves an approving pat on the head.
But it pales in comparison to the Yankees, who by gathered reports (h/t River Ave. Blues) have already signed 12 high-profile prospects for a combined $14.5 million. Their haul includes Dermis Garcia--the No. 1 ranked international prospect according to MLB.com--and Nelson Gomez and Juan De Leon, the No. 2 prospects on MLB.com and Baseball America's lists, respectively. Both Garcia and Gomez have signed deals that are themselves in excess of the Yankes $2,193,100 bonus pool limit. They are in a position to receive the maximum penalty.
Read MoreBelieve it or not, there's more to be discussed regarding the upcoming MLB Draft as we wind down to one day until the White Sox make their selection at No. 3 overall.
Read MoreJerry Reinsdorf and his foibles are a bit of a pet topic for James Fegan and Chris Lamberti, so they couldn't resist taking some time out to discuss his recent brush with national prominence.
Read MoreThe Catbird Seat is a White Sox blog by White Sox fans that focuses on intelligent and humorous baseball commentary. Brought to you by ESPN's SweetSpot Network.
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