White Sox Business: A show about the Chicago White Sox

Quiet the chorus of cheers, quiet down, now. I know everyone's elated about Chicago's newest, freshest, dopest manager in town...wait, what, Tony La Russa? So, yeah, Jon and James react to the La Russa being 'the guy' in Chicago. How did this move come about? Was it the right move? What part, if any, did Rick Hahn play in this addition? And how many mai tais has James had since hearing the news?!

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When we aren't idly chatting about Jimmy John's, Jane the Virgin, college football or any number of quasi-cumbersome, time-stalling topics, we're discussing White Sox baseball, and who better to talk about disappointment than with Jon, James and special guest, White Sox play-by-play announcer, Jason Benetti! The trio talk the obvious first, mai tais and getting plastered as well as Jason's daily grind now post-Sox season. What did Jason think about Renteria's late-season in-game decisions, and aside from the forgettable moments, how did it feel to announce contests where stakes were higher than they have been in past years (3:00)? The group discourse shifts to Chicago's coaching hunt and rumors that Tony La Russa is a prime candidate to fill the team's vacant manager role (10:15). Do the rumors hold water? Who else could assume Chicago's position as head honcho? Why is James green with avarice (13:45)? Without fans present, how did Jason draw the requisite energy needed to call Lucas Giolito's no-hitter, and in general terms, where did that passion come from throughout the year in a season like this one (16:30)? What struggles were present when broadcasting remotely (20:30), and how did Jason manage team expectations and the transition from a rebuilding Sox organization to playoff contenders (26:15)? What was it like calling games with Steve Stone (28:45)? Plus, is there an added sprinkle of excitement in covering games now that Chicago has moved from a team remodeling themselves to being in the same breath as contending teams (33:45)?

Oh, and what's a White Sox podcast without college football talk and random ramblings while I'm not being paid by the hour?

In all seriousness, thank you to Jason for hopping on today, and to you all for sticking with us through the season. It's been a weird year, but this show has, hopefully, provided a much needed get away for you amid more weighty matters. Jon, James and myself wish you all good health and thank you for your continual support, so please keep liking, rating, commenting, subscribing, reading, listening, sending money to my GoFundMe and everything else you all do so that we can continue making this...podcast is too generous of a word...audio stream of conscious that happens to, occasionally, talk about the White Sox. Season two of WSB is in the books, we'll talk to you all before too long.

With desperation in hopes you'll help me keep my job,

Producer Cam

Follow James on Twitter: @JRFegan

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The Chicago White Sox made a series of moves to their coaching staff, parting ways with both manager Rick Renteria and pitching coach Don Cooper. Jon and James discuss the factors at play in these decisions and look ahead to who Chicago could hire to fill both vacancies.

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Jon and James are balancing the books Dave style to figure out how much money the White Sox can save this offseason on expiring contracts and potential non-tenders (1:00). Then the guys set their sights on Schaumburg, Illinois where top pitching prospects Matthew Thompson, Andrew Dalquist and Jared Kelley spent the last few months making up for lost time. Did the talented trio get enough development time in this weird 2020 season? (11:49) Finally, we check in on the teams who are still playing in the 2020 Postseason.

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James is livin' life! He's guzzling down mai tais while crafting GIF of Tim Anderson's adjustments at the plate. There's no better way to spend a "vacation"! Yeah, so, James created a series a GIF that he embedded into his feature highlighting Anderson's critiques ahead of the wild-card row with Oakland (2:00). What tweaks did the 27-year-old make ahead of playoff time and how does it contribute to his name among Southsiders? Rick Hahn is set to address the media sometime this week, what questions can we expect the Sox's GM to field (8:00)? TRADE MACHINE TIME! Jon's looking to pitch his Sox trade idea while James is looking at his watch wondering where his waiter is with his next mai tai (13:00).

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The A's were just lucky Yolmer was on normal rest. He would have torched Oakland...if weren't pulled within the first 2/3 innings. Jon and James cruise through Chicago's season-ending loss to the Athletics in the wild-card round (:30). Why were there so many pitching changes? Was this all according to plan? Is there a decision that could have altered the result? Talking about Ricky's job security has become a reoccurring segment (2:45). Maybe that's how we'll start every show going forward, idk. A hobbled Eloy and Crochet, who was injured in-game, would have been nice if they remined healthy...and NO, I am not stating the obvious (13:45). J&J, Jon and James, not to be confused with Jimmy John's, which is quite delectable, attempt to summarize Chicago's 2020 season and look ahead to what lies ahead (19:30).

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Silver lining: the White Sox are playing postseason baseball for the first time in over a decade! So it's best to avoid ruminating on Chicago's epic collapse wherein seven of the last eight games were lost (:30). OK, we give, we give! How do the speedbumps and pitfalls at the regular season's end foreshadow what's to come? Jon and James make more concessions by reacting to Sox discourse and discuss Rick Renteria's job security (5:00). It's apropos to move Throw Back Thursday to Tuesday because Oakland sports several names familiar to Sox fans (11:30). In order to move forward, we have to go back. Back to Jimmy Cordero's fully thought out decision to plunk Wilson Contraras in the regular season's final stage (15:30). AJ&J also chat about Giolito and McCann's souvenir no-hitter rings as well as local television ratings and announcers (20:00) before dishing out their series predictions (28:30).

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Losing five of your last six games in the thick of postseason seeding while your division's crown is on the line is a bold move, Cotton. But that's exactly what the Chicago White Sox are doing. Jon and James attempt to diagnose Choke-ago's woes as well as share their thoughts on Sox players' reactions to this pressure-packed, near-climax to the season (1:00). What can we take away from Abreu's comments (12:00)? J&J chat about updated postseason matchups and where the Sox fall come October (14:30). Garret Crochet is one of very, very few positives buoying the collective White Sox fandom's sanity (20:15). Was Gio Gonzales the right call to pitch at the end of game two in Believeland (23:00)? Robert's rugged stretch continues (24:45).

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Cleveland's seen better days, though Detroit deserves some thanks, yet they're vying for a spot in the postseason. Chicago is set to engage Cleveland in a four-round bout, and joining Jon and Jimmy Boy to break the AL Central contests is The Athletic's esteemed Indians scribe, Zack Meisel (:30). Zack, in his infinite wisdom, explains Cleveland's fall from gleeful, non-contact, winning celebrations and playoff security to uncertainty and a near Mt. Everest-sized collapse. James highlights the expectations for the Palehose's quad, including the ailing Indians being perceived as a final, pre-postseason hurdle (8:00). The keyboard peckers punctuate their chat by discussing the clubs' pitching matchups (13:30). If we had a nickle for every time we mentioned the starting rotation, we'd own a Jimmy John's by now (19:15). Plus, where does Dylan Cease fit into the fold? Who's more likely to hold Sox fans' hearts hostage in MVP voting, Anderson or Abreu (26:30), and what's going on with Robert (29:30)?

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Champaign, beer, other alcoholic beverages (considering you're of age), water, Capri Sun, I don't care; just spray whatever harmless beverage you have, because the White Sox deserve to be showered with praise after earning their first postseason berth since 2008! Jon and The Athletic's Chicago White Sox playoff corespondent, James Fegan, describe the bubbling emotion after Chicago took three of four games against Minnesota to secure a playoff bid (:30). OK, now that that's taken care of, the Palehose have their sights aimed at the AL Central title (6:30). The guys gaze into their crystal TV set to see the Sox's potential match up (14:15). To further jump into the postseason pool, the Sox scrivener and Jon wade through the club's potential three through five starters (22:45). Oh, how could I forget? A less than thought out Notre Dame segment (31:00)!

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