What I'm hearing about SoxFest Live

A picture of me and Reynaldo Lopez at SoxFest 2019. Those were the days.

I have no regrets about my decision not to attend SoxFest Live over the weekend. 

The "reimagined event" was held at the Ramova Theater in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood, and by "reimagined," I think they mean "cheapened."

Apparently, gone are the days of a traditional fest held at a downtown hotel. Also apparently gone are the days of fans being able to grab the microphone and ask White Sox team brass about whatever topic they wish. 

From what I hear, general manager Chris Getz and manager Will Venable were on stage Friday night at the Ramova, but instead of taking questions directly from fans, the duo fielded "submitted questions" that we read by radio play-by-play announcer Len Kasper.

A similar scenario unfolded on Saturday, but this time it was the TV booth pairing of John Schriffen and Steve Stone reading the questions. As the panel moved along, Schriffen apparently started taking questions from the audience, but it was an awkward scene with nobody holding a microphone.

Imagine that. Schriffen creating awkwardness. 

Attending SoxFest through the years, I always enjoyed the opportunity to get a line with other fans and ask either the general manager or the manager a question. In 2019, I asked then-manager Rick Renteria a question about Yoan Moncada, and Renteria gave me such a detailed answer that it became a story in the following day's Chicago Tribune.

We all had a good laugh when "Jason from Wheeling" was mentioned in the first paragraph of that story.

I never missed a chance to stand up during those panels and ask whatever was on my mind. It's too bad that is gone now, and I think I know the reason why.

Sox brass, and ownership in particular, is extremely thin-skinned, and they were worried that some fan would step to the microphone and offer a question or comment critical of Jerry Reinsdorf. Is it that far-fetched to believe someone might have led the crowd in a chant of "sell the team"? I don't think so.

Rather than risk that, the Sox decided it was best to control the environment and deny some of their most loyal fans a chance to have their say. It's unfortunate, but typical of this organization.

Back when the Sox first announced that SoxFest was coming back, they billed the event as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship. Alas, Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras were the only members of the title-winning team to attend the fest.

While fans were no doubt delighted to see Buehrle, in particular, couldn't they have done better than just three guys? 

Here's one positive thing we'll say about the Sox: They announced the promotion schedule for 2025, and it has a number of items that effectively lean into the team's 125-year history. Bobbleheads for Dick Allen, Ray Durham and Luis Aparicio will no doubt be draws for fans.

A statue of Buerhle will be unveiled at the July 11 game against the Cleveland Guardians, and fans who attend the following day's game will receive a replica statue.

The July 13 game will feature a bobblehead of the 2005 starting rotation -- Buehrle, Garcia, Contreras and Jon Garland. That weekend will probably attract the greatest attendance of the season.

But here's the problem with the promotions: As good as they are, a lot of these promotions are for the "first 7,500 fans" or the "first 10,000 fans." 

Would I like a Ray Durham bobblehead? Sure, but I'm not going to get in line three hours early and fight to be among the first 7,500 into the stadium.

And what if you go to the game hoping to snag one of these promotional items, only to arrive at the gate and be told that there are none left?

You're out of luck, and then you're still stuck watching a Triple-A roster flounder at the big league level. Look at this roster and tell me this group isn't destined for a third straight season of 100-plus losses.

Good promotions are nice, but ultimately, we need a much better team on the South Side of Chicago. Neither Getz nor Venable have said anything yet that convinces me that I should care about the 2025 team. 

Getz is leaning into his highly-ranked farm system, and I guess that's fair. But I don't live in Charlotte, Birmingham, Winston-Salem or Kannapolis. 

I live just outside of Chicago, and I pay big league ticket prices. Therefore, I expect a big league team and a big league experience at Rate Field. When will fans receive that?

Former White Sox slugger Dick Allen elected to Hall of Fame

My copy of "Chili Dog MVP"

If you've been following the present-day White Sox, can you even imagine a player posting a 1.023 OPS over the course of a full season?

Probably not, but that's what Dick Allen did when he won the 1972 American League MVP award as a member of the Sox.

That year, Allen led the league in WAR (8.6), home runs (37), RBIs (113), walks (99), on-base percentage (.420), slugging percentage (.603), OPS (1.023) and OPS+ (199).

An OPS+ of 199! That's 99% better than the league average.

Allen died almost four years ago to the day, and I used that occasion to call for him to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. You can read that blog here. 

On Sunday, Allen's family finally got the long-awaited news, learning that he has been elected (along with Dave Parker) to the Hall by the Classic Baseball Era Committee. 

To be elected, candidates must receive 75% of the vote, or 12 votes from the committee's 16 members. Parker received 14 votes. Allen got 13.

Allen played 15 years in the majors. In addition to the aforementioned 1972 AL MVP, he won NL Rookie of the Year in 1964 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. He was a seven-time All-Star, and during his three years with the Sox (1972-74), he twice led the American League in home runs.

Some people have questioned whether Allen really belongs in the Hall. He didn't have 3,000 career hits, or 500 home runs, or a lifetime .300 average (although .292 is pretty damn close).

Here's what I say to those people: Sometimes a dominant peak is more important than counting stats. From 1964-74, there weren't many people who were better hitters than Dick Allen. 

Allen accumulated 68.3 offensive WAR during those 11 years of excellence. That's better than Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski and Joe Morgan. And those four men are all unquestioned Hall of Famers. It speaks to how good Allen was.

I'm too young to have seen Allen play with the Sox, but I'm a student of the organization's history, and I understand the impact he had during his relatively short time on the South Side. This vote is something that all Sox fans should celebrate.

Congratulations, Dick Allen!

White Sox great Minnie Minoso elected to Hall of Fame

Minnie Minoso

It's never too late to do the right thing. White Sox great Minnie Minoso should have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame years ago. He should have been able to enjoy the honor while he was still alive.

Minoso, who died in 2015 at age 89, at long last was voted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday by the Golden Days committee, along with Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Gil Hodges. Buck O'Neil and Bud Fowler also were elected to the Hall by vote of the Early Days committee.

Minoso was a two-time All-Star in the Negro Leagues before he became the first Black player to play for the White Sox in 1951. He was the first Black Cuban to play in the majors, and it's not uncommon for Spanish-speaking players -- past and present -- to refer to Minoso as the "Latino Jackie Robinson."

I don't think Minoso has ever received proper credit for being the trailblazing player that he was. And given that it took him this long to be elected to the Hall, it's probably true that, up until this point, he has never received proper credit for being a great baseball player. Minoso was without a doubt one of the best players in the American League during the 1950s.

Minoso made the All-Star team seven times between 1951 and 1960. He batted .302 or higher eight times, led the American League in stolen bases three times and won three Gold Gloves. He finished in the top-five of MVP balloting on four occasions, and was second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1951.

It's worth noting that Minoso led the league in being hit by pitches in 10 of the first 11 seasons he played. Was that a product of the racial tension of the times? Quite possibly.

In 1951, his first season in the American League, Minoso finished fourth in the MVP voting, but somehow didn't win Rookie of the Year. The man who won Rookie of the Year, New York Yankees infielder Gil McDougald, was ninth in the MVP voting. That's an anomaly I've always found bizarre. Why would Minoso finish ahead of McDougald for MVP, but behind him for Rookie of the Year?

I would also argue that Minoso should have been American League MVP in 1954, when he again finished fourth in the voting. Look at the numbers, and good luck convincing me I'm wrong.

Once Minoso's playing career was over, he became known as "Mr. White Sox." He was a fixture with the organization; a great ambassador for the team, the city of Chicago and baseball as a whole; always willing to sign autographs and tell stories for the fans.

Everyone associated with the Sox is thrilled to see No. 9 finally get the respect he is due with induction into the Hall of Fame.

Hopefully, that day will also come for Dick Allen, who won the AL MVP as a member of the Sox in 1972. When Allen died, I wrote that he deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, he fell one vote short in this balloting. A player needed 12 votes out of 16, or 75%, to be elected. Allen got 11 votes. Unfortunate.

Dick Allen, who should be in baseball's Hall of Fame, dies at 78

Dick Allen

Dick Allen, one of four players to win an American League MVP award in a White Sox uniform, died Monday at age 78.

The right-handed-hitting slugger played in the majors from 1963 to 1977, mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played three seasons with the White Sox from 1972 to 1974, and his first year on the South Side was the best of his career.

Allen won the 1972 American League MVP award, batting .308/.420/.603 with 37 home runs, 113 RBIs and a ridiculous 199 OPS+. He led the league in home runs, RBIs, walks (99), on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+ in what was without a doubt one of the best single seasons ever posted by a White Sox player.

In 1974, Allen's last year with the Sox, he again led the AL in home runs with 32. All total, Allen batted .307/.398/.589 with 85 home runs and 242 RBIs in three years on the South Side.

We mourn the loss of Allen, while also pointing out that this man was very clearly a Hall of Fame player. He should be in Cooperstown, but isn't, and while he still might get there one day, it's unfortunate that he won't be around to receive that honor.

Allen was a seven-time All-Star, who won the National League Rookie of the Year award with the Phillies in 1964. He finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting three times in his career, and during his 11-year peak from 1964 to 1974, he led the league in offensive categories 19 times.

During those 11 years, his offensive WAR was 68.5, better than any other player of that time. That's no small statement, because Allen's contemporaries included Hank Aaron (63.9), Frank Robinson (59.0), Carl Yastrzemski (56.3), Joe Morgan (55.4) and Pete Rose (52.4).

Allen's OPS+ of 165 was also best during that 11-year peak, meaning he was 65% above league average for players at his position.

During that same time period, Allen ranked fourth in baseball in runs created and on-base percentage, fifth in home runs (with 319), sixth in WAR, seventh in RBIs, ninth in walks, 11th in batting average and 12th in doubles. 

Allen probably isn't in the Hall because he wasn't a good defensive player, and he wasn't well-liked by writers. To which I ask, who cares? Allen had a period of dominance that lasted more than 10 years, during which he was one of the best hitters in the game by any measure. That, to me, makes him a Hall of Famer.

In 2014, Allen fell one vote short of being elected to the Hall by baseball's Golden Era Committee. The committee was to meet and vote again this winter, but that meeting was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (You mean to tell me they couldn't have met on Zoom like everybody else does these days?)

There was a chance Allen could have gotten the call this year, had that meeting happened. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. It's a shame. 

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu wins American League MVP

Jose Abreu

For only the fifth time in franchise history, a White Sox player has won the American League Most Valuable Player award.

First baseman Jose Abreu received the 2020 MVP honor Thursday night, joining a short list in team history that includes Nellie Fox (1959), Dick Allen (1972) and Frank Thomas (1993-94).

Abreu has been a pillar of excellence his entire career. In five of his first six seasons with the Sox, he hit 25 or more home runs and had 100 or more RBIs. Those contributions went mostly unnoticed, as Abreu toiled for some truly terrible Sox teams.

But in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Sox turned things around. Abreu was part of a winning team for the first time, and the Sox qualified for the playoffs for the first time in his career -- that no doubt made MVP voters more likely to cast their ballot for him.

During the 60-game season, Abreu led the American League in hits (76), RBIs (60), slugging percentage (.617), total bases (148) and bWAR among position players (2.8). 

Abreu is only the fourth player in American League history to lead the league in BOTH hits and RBIs. His .317/.370/.617 slash line features career bests in all three categories. He finished with a team-best 19 home runs.

And I should add that Abreu appeared in all 60 White Sox games this season -- not a small consideration considering the injuries and illnesses that hit teams hard around the league in 2020.

For his efforts, Abreu was first on 21 of the 30 MVP ballots. Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians got eight first-place votes and finished second. DJ LeMahieu of the New York Yankees got one first-place vote and finished third.

Among other Sox players, Tim Anderson finished seventh. He got one third-place vote. Pitcher Dallas Keuchel received one 10th-place vote.

2 White Sox players finish atop American League leaderboard

Tim Anderson

I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu for making White Sox history this season.

Anderson, who hit .240 during the 2018 season, pretty much shocked the baseball world by winning the 2019 American League batting title. He finished the year at .335, comfortably ahead of the New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu, who batted .327.

There are only two other players in Sox history who have won a batting title, Luke Appling (1936, 1943) and Frank Thomas (1997), so Anderson is joining select company.

Abreu, meanwhile, totaled a career-high 123 RBIs to lead the American League. Kansas City's Jorge Soler and Boston's Xander Bogaerts finished second with 117 RBIs each.

This marks the first time a Sox player has led the AL in RBIs since Dick Allen did it in 1972. In other words, it has happened in my lifetime (which spans 43 years).

I've heard some fans grump that they don't care about "these individual accomplishments," and while I agree that team success is more important, and while I agree that the losing on the South Side of Chicago has grown tiresome, I also have an appreciation for baseball history and White Sox history when I see it.

We don't see Sox hitters lead the league in significant categories too often, so I see no harm in extending congratulations to Anderson and Abreu for the seasons they had at the plate.

Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson have chance to lead AL in key offensive categories

Jose Abreu

Jose Abreu has a chance to do something no other White Sox hitter has done in my lifetime: lead the American League in RBIs.

Believe it or not, Hall of Famer Frank Thomas never led the league in RBIs. The last Sox player to do it? That would be Dick Allen, who drove in 113 runs during his MVP season of 1972.

Abreu entered Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals with 112 RBIs. That's five more than Boston third baseman Rafael Devers. Here's the AL leaderboard:

1. Abreu, CWS, 112
2. Devers, BOS, 107
3. Xander Bogaerts, BOS, 105
4. Mike Trout, LAA, 104
5. Alex Bregman, HOU, 103
6. Jorge Soler, KC, 102

That probably exhausts the list of players who are close enough to possibly win the RBI title. Abreu hasn't been doing it with home runs either. While he leads the Sox with 31, that ranks only 12th best in the AL.

Meanwhile, shortstop Tim Anderson has a chance to win the batting title. He's hitting a league-best .334 entering Tuesday's play. Thomas was the last Sox player to lead the league in hitting. He batted .347 in 1997.

Batting titles have been rare in Sox history -- only Thomas and Luke Appling (1936, 1943) have done it. Here's what the competition looks like for Anderson:

1. Anderson, CWS, .334
2. DJ Lemahieu, NYY, .326
3. Michael Brantley, HOU, .323
4. Hanser Alberto, BAL, .321
5. Devers, BOS, .314

The Sox (63-80) basically are landlocked into third place. With 19 games to go, they are 20 games behind Cleveland (84-61) for second place, and 10.5 games ahead of fourth-place Kansas City (53-91). The Sox are mathematically eliminated from contention, and there's nothing to cheer for in terms of wins and losses.

So, I'd say let's cheer for Abreu and Anderson to finish as league leaders in these offensive categories. What else is there to do over the last three weeks of the season?

California Angels at White Sox: August 7, 1974

An excellent YouTube video for a cold winter's day. This one has it all: Nolan Ryan, in his prime, leading 1-0 and taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth. Harry Caray, in his prime, before he became a slobbering drunk. Dick Allen showing some hustle with the game on the line. A young Bruce Bochte establishing himself as one of the worst defensive players in MLB, and of course, the AstroTurf infield and natural grass outfield at Old Comiskey Park in the Bill Veeck years.

Enjoy!