We had the full South Side Sox minors crew together (Joe Resis, Kristina Airdo, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, Hannah Filippo) joining host and reluctant minor league recapper Brett Ballantini to discuss recent trends and the overall look of the system, along with discovering how badly Brett can beat a bad joke into the ground.

With a full crew, we opted for a potluck approach this time around, so here were our topics in rough order of appearance:

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Michael "Lux" Farina joined Chrystal for a quick update on Kansas City and a series preview. The Royals will make the trip up to Chicago for a three-game set full of good pitching matchups.

Here is what we talked about:

You can find Michael on Twitter/X or Bluesky. You can also read his work over at Farm To Fountains and listen to his podcast Royal de Lux on the Fans First Sports Network.

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Brandon Day of Bless You Boys joined to discuss the Tigers and help break down the series. Having quite a year, the Tigers have stormed into first place in the AL Central, reminding everyone that they are the team to beat. And they're only getting healthier, and unfortunately, better.

Here is what Chrystal and Brandon talked about:

You can find Brandon and Bless You Boys on X and Bluesky, and on our sister site with the same name.

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With the advertised deadline for trading Luis Robert Jr. gone, duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast corespondent, Will, start off looking at some other trade possibilities. Will suggests Miguel Vargas’ resurrection may not be for real and this would be a good time to trade him and get valuable returns. Leigh suggests one of the young starting pitchers, maybe Jonathan Cannon, despite word on the farm that Noah Shultz and Hagen Smith are both struggling. Both consider Andrew Benintendi — if the Sox eat a lot of salary — but decide that’s not a Jerry-ish thing to do.

Other fronts covered include Lenyn Sosa’s ability to hit .280 but only have an on-base percentage of .298, the quandary of a defense that lacks a true shortstop, now or possibly nigh on forever, the unlikelihood that Mike Tauchman can sustain his current pace, the possibility of converting Edgar Quero to just a right-hand hitter if his huge splits continue, the likelihood Andrew Vaughn may be through as a major league (he’s struggling in Charlotte), and how the schedule turns nasty after this weekend in Baltimore.

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Dream, of For The Numbers Fantasy, joined Chrystal to chat about the sorry state of the Baltimore Orioles and help preview the upcoming series.

The White Sox and Orioles face each other in what could be a mid-off after a slow start from the O's, and well, Chicago being uninspiring after a painful, record-breaking season in 2024.

Here is what we talked about:

You can find Dream on Twitter. He will also help out with some fantasy tips and betting at FTN Fantasy.

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Jesse Spector joined the show to chat about the New York Mets and the upcoming series with the White Sox. Could Chrystal have answered all of these questions, considering her dual fandom? Yeah. But what is the fun in that?

Here is what they talked about:

You can find Jesse on Bluesky and look for Casual Diehard, especially Dugout of History, wherever you listen to podcasts.

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In the seventh episode of the 2025 season, Kristina Airdo, South Side Sox writer/editor and Sox Populi podcaster, joins host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach to discuss several topics related to baseball, sports, and 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, including:

Crosstown Classic Conversation: Is it a Fading Rivalry? The once electrifying "Crosstown Classic" between the White Sox and Cubs seems to have lost its spark. In recent years the Cubs have consistently dominated, and the White Sox have rarely shown the readiness to challenge that narrative.

Red-Hot Miguel Vargas: Beyond the Stance. Miguel Vargas, the AL Player of the Week for May 12, exploded with a .417/.423/1.000 slash line, including two doubles, four home runs, nine RBI, and five runs. Is his recent surge solely attributable to his adjusted batting stance? More importantly, can he sustain this success in the long term?

Minor League Spotlight: A closer look at emerging prospects like Andre Lipcius and Ryan Galanie, alongside updates on highly-touted talents Noah Schultz, Kyle Teel, Hagen Smith, and Braden Montgomery.

Don’t forget to check out the Sox Populi YouTube channel (and please subscribe) or listen on Megaphone below.

If you love our White Sox coverage, consider supporting us on Patreon to keep the writing and podcasts going strong!

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Bayleigh and Chrystal are back to chat about what's new in Major League Baseball:

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Berlin Kofoed, also known as Cube, joined to discuss the upcoming Chicago White Sox-Seattle Mariners series. Despite the piled-up injuries and lack of pitching depth, the Mariners still lead the American League West and have maintained a winning record.

Here is what we talked about:

You can follow Cube on Bluesky or X/Twitter and follow their work on Circling Seattle Sports.

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Sara Sanchez from Bleed Cubbie Blue joined to chat about the upcoming Crosstown series and what's going on over on the North Side. The Cubs have been on fire lately, leading the National League Central, but not everything is perfect at The Friendly Confines. Sara talked about the issues Chicago's other baseball team sees, and the chaos that always ensues during this particular series.

Here is what we talked about:

You can find Sara on Bluesky and read her work on our sister site, Bleed Cubbie Blue. You might even see a familiar name this Friday for the series preview on the site.

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