South Side Sox: for Chicago White Sox fans

After some of Brett Ballantini's idiotic, angry and/or questionable ramblings in our staff discussions, Malachi Hayes suggested a ... debate? ... of sorts, centered around the White Sox trade of Adrian Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline last week. You don't have to listen to the podcast to determine who won the debate: If you are a "gut" fan, you might like my arguments, while if you like reasoned analysis and optimism, Malachi is your guy. (By the way, first round went to Hayes, as Houser had his worst start of the season to open his Rays career.) This was mostly Houser and related debate, but we did move on to other things: Shout-out to pandemic-era media, as multiple technical snafus found the two of us back on Zoom for the podcast! Some of the crux of Brett's biscuit with Houser comes from some raw (albeit small sample-size) stats: No pitcher of 11 games or fewer with the White Sox has ever done better than Houser's 3.0 WAR — and you have to get to 18 games before you find a better (short) season. Additionally, over 125 seasons of White Sox history there have been just 18 better 11-game stretches better than Houser's 2.10 ERA ... and just seven have come in the DH era, and two this century Malachi counters that such stats make it even more urgent/compelling to deal Houser now, without (much) regard to the return. While Brett largely rejects the logic, Malachi pointed out that this deadline runs along the lines of 2024's, where a similiar-ish trade was made in sending out Erick Fedde for Miguel Vargas At some point, do you start collecting quality players rather than continuing to build for the future? Whether Houser is one of those guys, or Fedde was, SOMEONE has to be a building block instead of a trade piece Through process of elimination Brett isolated Malachi's best-case competitive window opening for the White Sox to be 2027. Brett is more of the 2029 belief As time ran out on our free Zoom, Malachi and Brett discussed some of the brighter developments of 2025: Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bayleigh and Chrystal return to talk about a busy few weeks in Major League Baseball. The Trade Deadline: Winners? Losers? What on earth is AJ Preller thinking? Carlos Correa returned to his cheating ex The Mariners made big moves The Phillies picked up several pieces, and the Twins had a fire sale The Yankees picked up some terrible pitchers, and one is already back in Triple A The Rangers get Merrill Kelly A few Mets moves, including Cedric Mullins The Biebs is in Toronto Busy but bad trade deadline for the Red Sox Musician Jack White reveals he has completed his mission of visiting every MLB ballpark. The Speedway Classic or Fyre Festival 2.0 The Marlins swept the Yankees! How are the Brewers the best team in baseball? Tanner Houck's time with the Red Sox might be over now that he's undergoing Tommy John surgery Lucas Giolio, on the other hand, is turning it around post-injury The White Sox hot streak and youth movement Ryne Sandberg passed away at 65 after a long battle with cancer Hall of Fame inductions and crying during speeches Julio Rodriguez completed the 20/20 campaign, the second Mariner to do it this season Wrigley Field gets the 2027 All-Star Game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brett Ballantini, Joe Resis and Melissa Sage-Bollenbach gathered together to look back at the month of July in the White Sox farm system, with special attention paid to the surging Birmingham Barons.  Topics? Yeah, we got 'em: A rundown of all six teams in the system, spotlighting the likelihood that due to some "tiebreaker" shenanigans in the Arizona Complex League just one White Sox affiliate will make the postseason in 2025 Breaking down what has made Shane Murphy so special in 2025 ... yet still outside of the MLB Pipeline Top 30 for the club And a related point, maybe pay more attention to an outlet like ours, ranking 100 prospects, than MLB and its oversights ... or anyone else, for that matter How is Birmingham doing what they're doing? Joe rescues his poor host before the break by remembering that possibly the best pitching in the entire system is NOT Shane Murphy ... but teammate Tanner McDougal. Apologies, Tanner A dive into scary-close to .500 Charlotte, a photo negative of Birmingham with massive mashing and no arms. If manager Sergio Santos, with one title under his belt so far, has a secret ... what is it? Joe reps the Dash, because no one else will Christian Gonzalez, the extraordinary DSL youngster so good the White Sox gave him the unprecedented call-up to Arizona IN-SEASON The sadness of seeing some blue-chip prospects stall out A final quickie round, who is your favorite prospect in the White Sox system right now? Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire joined Chrystal to chat about the Mariners and help break down the upcoming White Sox series. Here is what they discussed: What's new with the Mariners How we talk about players during the trade deadline is a little gross The Mariners are good but not great right now Pitching matchups: Bryan Woo, George Kirby, and Logan Gilbert The 17-game stretch leading up to this series Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodríguez with a 20/20 season, and others are on the way Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Blackout restrictions suck Bluesky has been great for connecting with other baseball people and checking in on their teams Do Angels fans exist? Rob Manfred is bad for baseball The game isn't growing despite the Olympics and World Baseball Classic Will there be a 2027 lockout? You can follow Claire on Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 The White Sox roared ... well, squeaked ... through the trade deadline, sending off only Adrian Houser and Austin Slater and getting back all of three minor league pitchers (only one of them even listed on any teams top 50 prospects) and one utility infielder. Duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, talk about the White Sox activity or lack thereof, including what the future may mean for Luis Robert Jr., and then wander into the more interesting world of teams that actually got better ... or in some cases, worse (looking at you, Twins) ... and what all that may mean. The duo also consider the strong possibility the AL Central is headed back to its usual doldrums after a brief sojourn into adequacy in 2024, and commiserate with Guardians star José Ramírez, who deserves a better fate than playing for a team that doesn't seem to care any more. Of course, there is fun talking about the post-All Star break offensive surge for the White Sox, and chat about just how real Colson Montgomery should be considered at this point. Speaking of fun, there are also a few chortles about how little the other team in town did on the trading front, with best wishes for the team north of the state line to whip them soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy 100 episodes! Chrystal failed to acknowledge that in the episode, but we can all celebrate it here. Brett Haffner is back to chat with Chrystal about the Phillies and help preview the upcoming series. Here is what they talked about: What's new with the Phillies Weird games Kyle Schwarber's All-Star Game experience Is Bryce Harper coming around? Trade deadline wishes The glaring issues at the bottom of the batting order Is Brett more optimistic post-break? What to expect from Phillies pitchers Who is the biggest threat to the White Sox? Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Could the White Sox cause a momentum shift for the contending Phillies? The Diamondbacks have a stronghold over the league for the trade deadline Where does Erick Fedde go? The White Sox are finally fun bad You can follow Brett on X, where he also posts content from Sox On 35th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Mear joined Chrystal O'Keefe ahead of the Crosstown Classic to talk about what's happening on the North Side and preview the upcoming White Sox series with the Cubs. Here is a bit of what they talked about: What's new with the Cubs The recent dip to second place and foundational cracks being exposed A hot streak from the Brewers Trade deadline needs if you want to be a serious contender Cubs players turning into pumpkins Pete Crow Armstrong's funk Pitching matchups Adrian Houser's trade value Jerry Reinsdorf's hate is deserved Threats to the Cubs and on the Cubs Keys to winning the series Sunday scaries — pitching edition Social media is bad for baseball Baseball movies, and introducing kids to 90's classics You can follow Nick on X and Bluesky. His podcast, NickFlix is available on Spotify and Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 14th episode of the 2025 season features host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach with a special edition of Ladies' Night-turned-Family Night with guests Shaun and Sage Bollenbach. Melissa's husband and son join her to discuss several topics related to the upcoming Crosstown Classic showdown between the White Sox and the Cubs this weekend at Rate Field. Whether you're a die-hard White Sox fan or a Cubs Fan, there's something for everyone. So, sit back, relax, and grab your favorite beverage because this divided family trio hit a home run conversing about all things baseball, including: Assessing the current form of both the White Sox and Cubs coming into the series. Looking out for specific player performances. Discussing different aspects of the rivalry. Balancing allegiances for the resident Bollenbach Sox and Cubs fan. Wondering if a Sox vs. Cubs World Series is ever a possibility. Predicting the outcomes of the weekend. 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a while, but Bayleigh and Chrystal are back to discuss what's going on around Major League Baseball. Mac Miller Day and the White Sox putting up over 20 runs against the Pirates Red Sox lose 10-game winning streak, now have lost 2 in a row to the Cubs Are the Red Sox for real? Will Craig make additions at the deadline? Number 1 overall pick in the draft, Eli Willits, signs for $8.2 million with the Nationals The cutest thing out of the draft was the Rockies taking Ethan Holliday at four A's have the lowest attendance in MLB at the break Ronald Acuna's wildly impressive throw against the Yankees Mets retire 5 for David Wright Guardians extend pitcher Luis Ortiz's leave of absence in the wake of the gambling scandal Pitcher Aaron Sanchez is trying to make a comeback Tigers are on a 6-game losing streak Brewers are on a heater, 9th straight win after mounting a comeback against the Dodgers Daniel Bard and Yasmani Grandal have retired The HR Derby and the AS Game Swing-off The no-shows at this year's draft and how Scott Boras ruins everything Ketel Marte's home was burglarized MLB players have been advised by MLBPA to keep legal documents with them, amid ICE raids Dane Dunning traded from the Rangers to the Braves ahead of the deadline MLB is open to letting players participate in the 2028 Olympics Will Judge or Raleigh break 73? You can keep up with Bayleigh on Twitter/X. Chrystal is primarily on Bluesky but sometimes on Twitter/X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Collette of RotoWire and FanGraphs joined Chrystal to talk Tampa Bay Rays baseball, preview the series, and catch up on what's happening around the league. Here is what they talked about: What's new with the Rays? Steinbrenner Stadium and the idiosyncrasies of playing at a smaller (and dome-less) ballpark Rating the offseason and addressing needs at the quickly approaching trade deadline The Rays need bullpen arms Is there any wiggle room in the American League East? Making the playoffs in a tight division The downfall of the Baltimore Orioles Pitching matchups The threat that is Yandy Díaz Can the Rays control the running game by staying aggressive on the base paths? Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Bullpen vs. bullpen is close games The Blue Jays are finally better Cal Raleigh — a pleasure to have on our screens How are the Astros still in first place? And moreover, how are the Brewers in second place with no offense? Charlotte Knights and Tim Elko You can follow Jason on Bluesky. He also has a weekly column for all your fantasy baseball needs on RotoWire. Lastly, you can listen to his podcast The Sleeper and the Bust on FanGraphs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 13th episode of the 2025 season, Sox Populi/South Side Sox writer/podcaster Delia Ritchie 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: Observations on the 2005 World Series reunion weekend. Reflections regarding the passing of Bobby Jenks. Thoughts on the Mark Buehrle statue unveiling. Opinions on the next White Sox player to get a statue or number retired? Speculation on the second half of the season. It's hard to believe there are only 65 games left in 2025. Thank you so much for sticking with us. We look forward to continuing our conversations with some fantastic ladies in the second half! 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graves is back this season to talk about the Pirates and help break down the upcoming series with Chrystal. The Pirates and White Sox both sit at the bottom of the Central Division and have plenty of unfortunate similarities, and Graves does a great job of pointing out their commonalities. Here is what Chrystal and Graves talked about: What's new with the Pirates? Firing managers and poor ownership How the Pirates and White Sox are nearly the same Remembering Dave Parker Yinzerpalooza weekend and Mac Miller Day Paul Skenes gets the All-Star start for the National League Pittsburgh's inability to develop prospects Ben Cherington and the distrust among fans Minor leaguers get called up and don't play Will Bob Nutting ever wake up? Trade deadlines A potential lockout in 2027? Pitching previews Andrew McCutchen lovefest Who is the biggest threat to the White Sox? Keys to winning the series Fears of being swept, or at least losing two of three Automated Ball-Strike system is coming soon The league is ready for a salary cap and floor What happened to the torpedo bats? You can find Graves on X and Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White Sox headed into the All-Star break needing just a .754 winning percentage the rest of the way to avoid a losing season. So with that in the bag, duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, look to matters of the field, including the draft. The Sox are gaining a lot of praise from professional evaluators for first-round pick Billy Carlson, an infielder from California who no doubt will have the huge success of their last California infielder first-round selection. Of course, that particular success has come in just the last month, not during the four-plus years Andrew Vaughn spent as a failure before getting traded to Milwaukee. Then there's the All-Star game itself, which did not feature Adrian Houser and his 2.9 bWAR in less than half a season, but instead had Shane Smith as the Sox representative, apparently chosen by people who last saw a game on June 10 — since when Smith has given up 23 earned runs in 18 1⁄3 innings. In more crucial off-field matters, the two ooh and aah over a story eight teams have shown interest in Luis Robert Jr. and his 67 OPS+, but have more hope a decent set of prospects could be had for Houser or Mike Tauchman — or maybe some combination of all three. Or maybe some contender will take Robert if they can also have the recipe for the Campfire Milkshake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick joined Chrystal again to briefly discuss what's going on with the Guardians and help break down the series. Here is what they talked about: What's new with the Guardians A bad stretch and mounting frustrations Pitching has not been an issue Trade rumors Rating the offseason and trade deadline hopes Can the Guardians catch up to the Tigers, or are they destined to try for a Wild Card spot this season? Running out of room for improvement How Pat feels about the season All-Star picks What to expect from Guardians pitchers What the bullpen lacks Biggest threat to the White Sox Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Pitchers are starting to go longer The ASG in Atlanta You can find Patrick Ellington Jr. in many places! You can follow him on Bluesky and/or Twitter. I would also recommend reading his work on Substack. You can also read his work on Baseball Prospectus and SABR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gals on our minors crew abandoned us for June, so it's Joe Resis joining Brett Ballantini for a snapshot of the Sox minors that focuses heavily on the big names at the top of the system: A quick rundown of all six teams in the system, only one of which is in line for postseason play at the moment The incredible MLB debut of Colson Montgomery, as both Joe and Brett express some shot, but also some caution, over the early bounty of the new White Sox shortstop Are three starts enough to panic over Noah Schultz and his questionable matriculation to Charlotte? No, of course not ... right? Hagen Smith is back from exile injury vacation tuneup, but there's not much at all to piece through yet Out of the break, a moment of remembrance for Bobby Jenks Shane Murphy, please do not go to Charlotte — proceed directly to the South Side Tanner McDougal amazing redemption. Also, we out the clown who listed Tanner at No. 99 on his preseason White Sox Top 100 prospects Braden Montgomery joins Schultz in the Futures Game on Saturday, a tidy honor; will he see Bham later this summer? Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 12th episode of the 2025 season features host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and her guest Robyn. We're truly grateful to Robyn for agreeing to share her fandom journey with us and discussing several topics related to our beloved — or, depending on the day, despised — 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: Being a die-hard Cubs fan AND rooting for the White Sox! How is that even possible? Her experience as a female baseball fan, especially for two teams in such a passionate sports city like Chicago. What is so special about baseball that truly captures her heart and keeps her coming back as a fan? A favorite player who has been on both sides of town. Who is it, and why is she such a fan? 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie joined the podcast to chat with Chrystal about the Rockies and help preview the upcoming series. As a fan of both teams, Stephanie has the rare insight on cheering for historically bad teams, with only one World Series championship in her lifetime between the two. Here is what Stephanie and Chrystal talked about: What's new with the Rockies Reaching win No. 10 in June Bud Black's firing Is there déjà vu or a true difference between the 2024 White Sox and 2025 Rockies? Rating the offseason Trade deadline dread Not feeling optimistic about the season All-Star Game picks Someone has to win this series, but what team? Pitching matchups Who on the Rockies is a threat to the White Sox? Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Stephanie's fantasy team is thriving How Chrystal and Stephanie spent their wedding days at their ballparks Family traditions Jason Benetti being fumbled At least the Tigers are good You can follow Stephanie on Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, took the cowards' way out this week and recorded Sharing Sox before said Sox began a series at Dodger Stadium. Their prediction for that series may not be pretty, but the White Sox face no real pressure to win, as compared to when they next travel to Colorado and need to do well in order to avoid embarrassment. As for individuals, the chat naturally spent a lot of time on Luis Robert Jr. and the possibility there's no possibility of getting more than a basket of used baseballs for him by the trade deadline, despite at least one professional analyst saying he does have value, honest. That just as naturally led to discussion of other trade chips, such as they are, with pessimism anything could be had for Andrew Benintendi without eating bazillions of salary dollars. But there's optimism that some lesser lights who have played like brighter lights, such as Mike Tauchman and Adrian Houser, might do very well on the market, along with relievers Mike Vasil and Steven Wilson. That in turn led to a look at Baseball-Reference's team Wins Above Average by position chart, in which Sox starting pitchers and catchers fare well (Top 10), the much-maligned-before-the-season bullpen comes in about average (16th) and every other position rates 25th or worse. Once again, thank you, Colorado Rockies. Oh, yeah — we expressed admiration for Chase Meidroth, had our usual disagreement about the value of Miguel Vargas, continued to wonder how to evaluate the mysterious pluses and minuses of Lenyn Sosa.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tavi, who gives tours of Dodger Stadium, joined Chrystal to share insight, fun stories, and to help preview the upcoming series. Here is what was discussed: Tavi's time on movie and TV sets relating to baseball What's new with the Dodgers Some timetables on pitching returns and Tyler Glasnow's rehab stint Ben Casparius Was Shohei Ohtani rushed back into pitching, or was it to avoid sheer pandemonium? Thoughts on the season so far Meeting needs in the offseason All-Star Game picks When the news about Ohtani was signing broke Kiké Hernández is a gem Remembering Fernando Valenzuela and Vin Scully Pitching matchups and what to expect Bullpen games galore! Who is the biggest threat for the White Sox? Spoiler alert: it isn't Ohtani Keys to taking the series Fears heading into the series Juan Soto settling in The Angels have been quietly good Fascination with the Tigers and wishing Jack Flaherty the best Why do White Sox fans still love the team? You can find Tavi on Bluesky and follow her Instagram for behind the scenes baseball stadium pictures.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well hey there, strangers, it's been a couple of months since our last mothership podcast. But with a day off falling right at the midpoint of the season and a platform change to Riverside.fm in progress, it seemed a reasonable time to sit down and talk White Sox baseball. To that end, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, Kristina Airdo and Hannah Filippo joined Brett Ballantini to check in on Chicago's first half and future fortunes. What excites each of us most about the position the White Sox are in at the moment? Assessing Will Venable's first half-season as a manager What is most troubling about the place the White Sox now sit, still a mere five games better than the 121-loss club of a year ago? Taking a hard, not fawning, look at the Noah Schultz promotion Is there about where each of us expected to be as fans at the 81-game mark of 2025? Speed round: Will the second half be better or worse for the White Sox, as well as thoughts on a final loss total  Will Colorado break the modern mark for losses? Some of us feel the Rockies will BLOW PAST 121 Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britt, who contributes to the Casual Diehard/Willets Pen family, joined Chrystal to preview the upcoming series with the Giants and talk about how pitching is pretty cool. Here is what they talked about in a longer and somewhat silly episode: What's new with the Giants? Have you heard of a player named Rafael Devers? Buster Posey's new role Rating the offseason moves and trade deadline needs Can the Giants keep up the good momentum as the Dodgers start to regain arms? All-Star Game picks and funny memories The ticking time clock that is Tommy John Tim Lincecum, because of course! Pitching matchups Keys to winning the series Players to watch out for Fears heading into the series The poor Colorado Rockies What on earth is happening with the Orioles? Adley Rutschman, I Think You Should Leave, and the Driving Crooner Follow Britt on Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 11th episode of the 2025 season features host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and guest Julie Swieca-Gannon. We're really grateful to Julie for agreeing to come back midway through the season to continue sharing her journey with us and discussing 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: Career Reflections Julie discussed some of her on-the-air experiences, including one that got a bit scary, as well as some of her professional highlights, including covering the Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire home run chase. She recently saw Sammy at an event! Did he recognize her? Tune in to find out! 2025 Season Expectations Julie shared her thoughts on the White Sox organization's current state and how soon she thinks the team will be competitive again. We promise not to hold her accountable. 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bayleigh and Chrystal are back to opine about the last two weeks of baseball. Here is what the ladies talked about: The Rafael Devers of it all, featuring internet trolls Dennis Santana's suspension after trying to hit a fan The Dodgers and Padres feud, and how LA gets away with everything Will Tyler Glasnow ever be healthy? Sammy Sosa's return to Wrigley and how the Cubs ruined Steve Bartman's life Nolan Arenado, Juan Soto, and Andrew McCutchen's milestones Good stadiums with bad teams, and judging Fenway PR nightmare: Clayton Kershaw, ICE, and Nezza Shohei Ohtani is pitching again, and Chrystal has a theory Injuries and updates Ron Washington's health scare Wander Franco's trial is coming to a close Boomer takes about pitchers pitching Miguel Vargas appreciation You can keep up with Bayleigh on Twitter/X. Chrystal is primarily on Bluesky but sometimes on Twitter/X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Kapelus, board member and newsletter editor for the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), joined Chrystal to discuss our neighbors to the north, the Toronto Blue Jays. Here is what was discussed: What's new with the Blue Jays? With the AL up for grabs, can the Blue Jays snag a wild card spot? Trade deadline moves Rating the offseason Anthony Santander didn't pull any offseason interest. Is that a bad omen? Needing another starting pitcher who isn't 40 and injury-prone Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: the extension and concerns All-Star Game picks Pitching predictions Will this series be even with no sign of power hitters? Keys to taking the series Fears heading into the series The bullpens are being taxed, and starters are not going deep enough Detroit domination Paul Skenes needs run support, and perhaps a new team to thrive Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound Rafael Devers trade Accessibility and marketing for players, blackout restrictions, cable and being priced out of baseball You can follow Ruth on Bluesky and subscribe to her Substack for more musings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 10th episode of the 2025 season, Sox Populi/South Side Sox writer, podcaster, and editor Kristina Airdo 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: Prospect check-in: A rundown on the latest prospect promotion, Grant Taylor. Also, overall thoughts on the performances of Edgar Quero, Chase Meidroth and Kyle Teel. Trade thoughts: Has Luis Robert Jr. made himself more tradeable with an overall improvement over the last few weeks? The ladies are shocked by La Pantera's DRS in 2025. White Sox trends and troubles: Will they be as bad this year as last? Are there some positive signs that things are improving? Are the changes enough to move the needle? Down on the farm: Who has been standing out over the past few weeks? Shane Murphy and George Wolkow both won Player of the Week honors for June 9-15. Don't forget to check out the Sox Populi YouTube channel (and please subscribe and hit that like button) 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After some jerk sabotaged a cable in his neighborhood the day before, West Coast correspondent Will Allan was able to fire up his copper wire to connect with duty geezer and father, Leigh ... on the Isle of Man! Yes, No. 146 is the first international edition of Sharing Sox and most likely the only international podcast in the South Side Sox/Sox Populi annals. The never-before MLB podcast from the Isle of Man began with talk of the Andrew Vaughn-Aaron Civale trade — including Civale's possible trade value a month from now. That led to other possible trade values of White Sox gettables, including Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman, Miguel Vargas, Mike Vasil and Adrian Houser ... which led to the wild difference between ERAs and FIPs for Vasil and Houser. Then it was onto great praise for Chase Meidroth offset by great concern over the hole at first base (Leigh again brought up the idea of plunking Andrew Benintendi there). The podcast ended up with the Athletic feature about the deadened ball flying about four feet shorter this year. Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taylor Streiff, formerly of Redbird Rants, is back to talk about Cardinals baseball and help set up this next White Sox series with Chrystal. Somehow, there is nothing new but a lot going on in St. Louis. Here is a rundown of what Chrystal and Taylor discussed: What's new with the Cardinals? Ollie Marmol is getting better at making decisions, especially with the bullpen The Cards would be dead last without Nolan Arenado Rating the offseason Overall thoughts on how the season will play out All-Star Game picks Pitching matchups Chaim Bloom's new involvement with the Cardinals and replacing John Mozeliak New White Sox ownership Biggest threat to the White Sox Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Weird outfields Who truly won the Juan Soto trade? Opening role for starters Baseball is fun and weird again post COVID-19 season How are the Dodgers sustaining their season with all the injuries? The Tommy John surgery epidemic Lance Lynn's retirement While Taylor has mostly checked out of social media, you can find him on Twitter/X and Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the ninth episode of the 2025 season, Sox Populi podcaster Delia Ritchie joins host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and our special guest Kirsten Ramos. Kristen is the CEO of her own company, Elevate Performance Solutions, a community advocate for common-sense public safety laws to reduce gun violence, and the den mom of the 108. Melissa and Delia talked to Kirsten about her professional experience, working to save lives through community advocacy, and the importance of finding your people while, of course, fitting in some White Sox conversation. So, whether you're a die-hard South Side fan or not, there's something for everyone. We invite you to sit back, relax, and grab your favorite beverage because the girls hit a home run conversing about all things baseball and life, including: Career Reflections: Kristen's educational background and how she arrived at the decision to start her own company. Moms Demand Action: What are some things that the average citizen can do to help the cause? White Sox Chatter: How did she become a Sox fan, her favorite player, surviving the South Side rollercoaster, and facilitating camaraderie among the Sox community? 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bayleigh and Chrystal are back to chat about everything happening in Major League Baseball and the state of their respective Sox. A quick note: Towards the end of the episode, Chrystal brought up Pete Alonso tying David Wright for second place on the franchise home run list. Moments after the recording ended, Alonso nuked another home run, giving him sole possession of second place, and now nine home runs away from Darryl Strawberry's record. Here is what the ladies covered during this episode: Roman Anthony's 497-foot grand slam as he dies in the minor leagues, and the Red Sox being bad Kyle Teel's call-up, Tim Elko's return, and how good Chase Meidroth has been The woman who cursed the Rockies Texas is the bad place, and the Rangers won't be holding a Pride Night yet again The Dodgers are down bad with pitching Craig Kimbrel's DFA Injuries galore featuring Alex Bregman, Ryan Mountcastle and Shane Beiber The Detroit Tigers — who are good Jac Caglianone AL/NL Player of the Month for May Reinstatements after one-year betting ban Kim Ng's new league — professional softball, FINALLY Evan Longoria's retirement Francisco Lindor and the man that he is Marcelo Mayer's first home run Pete Alonso's record-breaking home run State of the Sox Find Bayleigh on Twitter/X and Chrystal on Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: Rundown of the state of the system, if the season ended today there would be only one playoff team in the mix, the Birmingham Barons (themselves just 28-24 at time of recording) Joe's first topic was an obvious one: Kyle Teel, just called up from Charlotte. Praise for his game, appreciation that the White Sox are embracing a youth movement (one year late), as it were, and acknowledgement of Teel fighting his way out of a long and rough slump in-between hot starts to April and ends to June Kristina voluntarily chose to discuss the wincably-bad Charlotte pitching staff Melissa countered with talk of Lucas Gordon's case for promotion Hannah talked Kannapolis clubbers, including the impressive Caleb Bonemer Brett wrapped up the first half with a rundown of the system and posing the question of why a top-ranked system produces so few wins Joe started the second half with an in-depth study of Samuel Zavalas and the extended Zavala family Kristina flagged concern in Birmingham surrounding the disappearance of Hagen Smith Melissa says whoa there, how have we talked this long without mentioning site hero RIKUU NISHIDA in Birmingham? Brett's pick is to take a WAR review of the Garrett Crochet trade and estimating that this could be at the very least a win-win deal for both sides Hannah laments the loss of Oscar Colás, now an Angel Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: What's new in Kansas City? Jac Caglianone's recent call-up and first MLB hit Who did Michael pick for last place in power rankings this year? All-Star game picks Chase Meidroth Rating the offseason What needs were met, and why didn't K.C. get a power bat? Avoiding a couple of hot messes the Royals were eyeing in the offseason The Royals won't climb to the top of the American League Central, but 86 wins is a reasonable task for the team Pitching matchups Michael Lorenzen's recent struggles and Seth Lugo's health Threats to the White Sox Keys to winning the series What Michael worries about for the upcoming series MLB roundup: surprises, hot takes and what we're seeing Someone cursed the Rockies Making Jerry pay for his sins 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: The Javy Báez resurgence: from injury to center field star What's new in Detroit AJ Hinch saved the organization Casey Mize figured out his splitter, and Spencer Torkelson is a hitting machine Are the White Sox cursed? Chrystal's thoughts on Will Venable Rating the offseason Alex Bregman is a persona non grata in Detroit Brandon's thoughts on the season Pitching matchups Is Tarik Skubal the best pitcher in baseball right now? Another Cy Young Award year? Relief pitchers shouldn't win the Cy Young and other old-head takes Bullpen standoffs, clearing the benches, and why isn't there music involved? The biggest threat to the White Sox Keys for the Tigers to win the series Fears heading into the series Gambling has ruined sports Don't send death threats to anyone Robot umps and getting accustomed to new rules Why socks? You can find Brandon and Bless You Boys on X and Bluesky, and on our sister site with the same name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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: What's new with the Orioles Was Brandon Hyde's firing a scapegoat for deeper issues within the organization? The grass isn't always greener; see Rick Hahn and Chris Getz as an example of that How much can the front office be blamed when the product on the field can't hold up their end of the bargain? Rating the offseason Jackson Holliday's mechanical changes and move to leadoff Injuries have plagued Baltimore, and pitching is abysmal Pitching matchups, of the three, Tomoyuki Sugano might be the only good O's starter the White Sox will face Trade bait, and the lack thereof with Luis Robert Jr. Old friends of the White Sox who are doing better elsewhere Is Gunnar Henderson the biggest threat to White Sox pitching? The keys to winning the series Fears ahead of the series Why we're seeing a lack of the long ball and fun home runs The AL East has been really bad, and the AL Central has been really good The Dodgers are deep in the pitching injury drought You can find Dream on Twitter. He will also help out with some fantasy tips and betting at FTN Fantasy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: What's new with the Mets? Hot April, cold May Juan Soto has had a slow start, and Pete Alonso has been streaky at best Will the Rockies lose 122? Grading the offseason Thoughts on how the season will go for the Mets Anything other than going to at least the NLCS will be boring Adrian Houser was so bad with the Mets Pitching matchups Chrystal is a Tylor Megill apologist The biggest threat to the White Sox Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Around the league: Red Sox City Connects, the Orioles, ranking ballparks, Dugout of History podcast You can find Jesse on Bluesky and look for Casual Diehard, especially Dugout of History, wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Bayleigh and Chrystal are back to chat about what's new in Major League Baseball: The Red Sox and White Sox are bad The Tigers managed to get it right What on earth happened to the Orioles? Rafael Devers drama Red Sox City Connects and how team stores suck Pete Rose Kolten Wong retires at 34 after not playing since 2023 The other side of 30 can be good or bad Aaron Judge — is he human? The Twins have finally lost a game after a 13-game win streak Is the American League Central sort of good right now? The Angels swept the Dodgers! Mick Abel outshone Paul Skenes in a crazy turn of events Is Paul Skenes leveling out? RIP P00P series Jac Caglianone has been promoted to AAA Bub Black and the Rockies Dan Serafini's trial for murdering his father in-law and causing serious harm to his mother in-law, who died by suicide a year later The White Sox have given Chrystal Stockholm Syndrome How secure is Alex Cora's job? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: What's new with the Mariners? Were offseason needs met? Would've, Could've, Should've: Pete Alonso edition Thoughts on how this season might go The Mariners keep losing pitchers Potential pitching matchups for the series Fears heading into the series How do the Mariners win the series? Threats to the White Sox T-Mobile Park We hate the Yankees and love the Mets Are the Rockies really dead, or can they resurrect the season? Tired of the Dodgers Our little adult sons in the minor leagues You can follow Cube on Bluesky or X/Twitter and follow their work on Circling Seattle Sports. Please support our White Sox writing and podcasts.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: What's new with the Cubs Both teams have A+ giveaways, especially for heritage nights Rating the offseason Kyle Tucker was a great addition to the squad, but pitchers were needed Kyle Hendricks, the lack of retiring numbers, and who should be the next statue Is first place sustainable? No Wild Card will come from the NL Central Jed Hoyer's contract year The 2016 team and where they are now Pitching matchups Stats go out the window and vibes take over Fights, cup snakes and maybe a Pope sighting The biggest threat to the White Sox Mallory Swanson Keys to winning the series Fears heading into the series Will Atlanta be better soon? Will the Rockies be historically bad? The Dodgers hype might be overblown The other teams in California 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it sheer coincidence that with a White Sox fan in charge of things in the Vatican the team won three out of four prior to this recording? Duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and current Ohio Valley correspondent (while doing a play in Cincinnati) Will delve into the papal impact, as Will points out that suffering is a major factor in Catholicism, which could well explain why Leo XIV became a White Sox fan even though his mother rooted for the Cubs and his father for the Cardinals (although, of course, he went on to become a cardinal himself). The cast ranges from the divine to the execrable, ending with a discussion on Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson and the fact MLB teams themselves operate virtual casinos and inundate innocent fans with efforts to tempt them into their dens of gambling iniquity, so banning the two is now hugely hypocritical. The duo have suggestions on how Cooperstown should cope with those so far banned for gambling, or worse, steroid use, suggestions that will never be followed. In between the discussion is all White Sox, from the pleasant, like how to handle having too many good players at one position (catcher) and the hitting of Edgar Quero and the rejuvenated Miguel Vargas. On the less pleasant side, it's the position situation at first base, with the question there being whether Tim Elko coming to the team has caused Andrew Vaughn to improve his play and whether it's possible, if Elko turns out to be for real after the league writes its book on him, a desperate Boston would take Vaughn to replace the injured Tristan Casas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the sixth episode of the 2025 season, Allie Wesel, South Side Sox writer/editor and Sox Populi podcaster, joins host Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and guest Courtney Finnicum 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: Career Reflections: Courtney discussed her background and how she started in sports media, as well as advice for women interested in getting started in the space. She also talked about hosting her own podcast, Pitch and Moan, how she goes about preparing for it, and her favorite guest — he's kind of a big deal. Be sure to listen to find out who it is. She's also having a really cool guest on her show soon, so be sure to tune in! White Sox Fandom: Courtney shared why she's a diehard South Side fan and her expectations surrounding this year's team and direction. 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!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wick Terrell, editor of Red Reporter, is back to talk about the upcoming White Sox opponent, the Cincinnati Reds. The last time we chatted was ahead of the Eloy Jiménez appendicitis series in May 2023. But with a new manager (Terry Francona) and the absence of long-time Red Joey Votto, we're looking at a fresh team. Here is what we talked about: What's new with the Reds? Rating the offseason Will the Reds retire Joey Votto's number? Joey Votto, quiet now, but once a great social media presence and bus driver Thoughts on the season, and how there is no time to sit around and wait for players to get healthy Pitching matchups and tall, lanky lefties Pour one out for Johnny Cueto The biggest threat to the White Sox Isn't it nice to have catching and pitching depth? Keys to winning the series Biggest fears heading into the series -- is it the bullpen? Wick's Annual Dumb Predictions: How are the Orioles so bad, and when is it time to hit the panic button? Who will beat the Dodgers? Pope memes and Paul Konerko Avoiding a repeat of 121 losses now that God is on our side Just two dudes naming dudes You can follow Wick and Red Reporter on Bluesky, and Red Reporter on SB Nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices