Are the White Sox the Best Team in Baseball?

Welcome back to the podcast, and what time it has been for Chicago. Enjoy the show as I break down everything White Sox, inning by inning. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The score is six to four. Runners on first and third, two outs. The entire ballpark is on its feet. At the plate is Freddie Freeman, one of the most dangerous hitters in all of baseball. He's already gone deep once earlier today, launching a solo shot in the first inning on a pitch low and inside. Now, with a game on the line, he represents the Dodgers' last chance. On the mound stands Sir Anthony Dominguez. The count, one ball, two strikes. The pressure is immense on the south side of Chicago. The White Sox are one strike away from doing something they haven't done in over a decade. Winning a series against the Dodgers for the first time since 2014. Dominguez comes set. He checks the runner. Here's the pitch. Breaking ball blown away. Swing and a missed strike. Three ball game is over. The Chicago White Sox have done it. For the first time since 2014, the White Sox have won a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The crowd erupts. The dugout pours onto the field. The White Sox win. The Chicago White Sox win. Each episode is broken down inning by inning, covering the biggest news, roster moves, rankings, rumors, trivia, and what's coming next to the South Side of Chicago. I'm your host, Matt Pedraza, and let's get started by stepping up to the plate at the top of the first.

1st Inning

SPEAKER_00 1:52

I could not be happier to be talking White Sox baseball with all of you once again. It's been man, it's been over two months since my last episode. Life happens, life gets in the way. And man, what a time to return. What an incredible few weeks it's been for the Chicago White Sox. Our tied in first place in the AL Central Chicago White Sox. And if you went back to my first podcast, if you're listening to the first episode or first few episodes, and I had told you that in the middle of June we'd be sitting exactly where we're sitting today, literally all of you would have stopped listening and listened to any other podcast, myself included. But yet, here we are. And if you're not excited about this team and the run they're on right now, then you're you're you've probably been living under a rock or you're a Cubs fan. Either way, that's pretty much the same thing. But if you're new to the show, welcome. This is Top of the First, a Chicago White Sox podcast. Um, I mentioned it before and earlier in the the episode, but each episode is broken down inning by inning from the first to the ninth inning. Each inning has a different topic surrounding White Sox baseball. Just follow along, you'll pick it up literally in no time. Um to everybody returning after my two-month break, thank you. Really, thank you for coming back, thank you for listening. I genuinely appreciate any of you guys coming back to listen. Um, we're gonna have fun. We've got a lot to talk about and a lot to celebrate, so it's time to jump right into the second inning. See you guys there.

2nd Inning - Series Recap / Weekly Performance

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We are now in the second inning. Welcome to the second inning. This is dedicated to series recaps and weekly performance, and we are going to focus on the two or the five games against the Braves and the Dodgers. And honestly, I'm gonna be completely real with you guys. I can't think of a better place to start than in the absolute statement the White Sox had just made against two of baseball's juggernauts. Over the last week, the Sox, or not the last week, over the last five games, they've gone four-one against what a lot of us or most of the baseball world would agree to be two of the best teams in baseball. The Atlanta Braves, which many um sports networks are agreeing that they are number one in power rankings, and the reigning champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yes, game three was postponed against Atlanta, but don't take away the series win. We still won the two here in Chicago. Even if they come later on, it's still a series win. We we can only sweep them from from here on out, but it's still a series win. Doesn't change the fact that two of these teams, the best two teams in the league, in my eye, the best two teams in baseball, came to the south side of Chicago and we came out with two series victories. Think about that for just one second, just take a moment. A few months ago before the season even started, baseball fans around the country, even the White Sox fans, we were looking at this team as a rebuilding club, right? An organization still trying to figure it out, looking for signs of improvement. Very few expectations. Fast forward to today, and the White Sox aren't just competing with the most elite teams in baseball. They're beating them. What impressed me the most of these five games isn't just the wins, right? Increasing that the number in the win, the win column. It's the way we're winning. The pitching held up in in nearly all five. The you know, honestly, the loss against the Dodgers was pretty rough. But the offense delivered hits when they mattered. We delivered in big moments, and perhaps most importantly, this team never looked intimidated against the Braves, against the Dodgers, against some of the biggest stars in the game of baseball. The White Sox looked like they belonged. And if you're looking for a reason to believe this team might be for real, the past five games is a really good place to start. I want to shift focus into a couple of stat lines so far in the month of June for a couple of couple of guys. Miguel Vargas in ten games through June. He's slashing 325, 420, 426, 600. 10 RBIs. He has been absolutely fantastic, such an exciting player to watch so far this season, but right now in June, definitely exciting to watch him just kind of come back, battling at bats against his former team, the Dodgers. Tristan Peters, I know a couple of people are already talking about him, and he's slowly, you know, his name is slowly floating around the league. This guy's a superstar. I don't know if he can hold on to it. I don't know if he can maintain this type of these these numbers by the end of the year, but right now, Tristan Peters has been amazing for this team, and I'm so happy we found him, right? Former ban Savannah Banana player as well. Did you guys know? He was formerly with the Savannah Bananas, but in June through 10 games, slashing 344, 382, 688. That's better than Miguel Vargas. That's better. He's been so and he's fantastic defensively in center field. Next, Sam Antonacci. I've been talking about this guy even before he made his MLB debut. I love the way Sam plays. He plays hard, he plays smart. Yes, it's risky sometimes, but he puts everything out on the field. Slashing in in the month of June, 294, 429, 382. I mean, the best on base percentage of the last of the three guys I just mentioned, he's such an exciting player to watch. It's just so fun to watch. And to see him against righties, I mean, I love seeing uh Will Venable put him in against righties, and he's starting to get a little bit better against lefties, and at the same time, he's he's not a left fielder. But man, if you told me he wasn't, or you know, if you told me he was a left fielder, you know, he came, he went up through the system as a left fielder, I'd uh I'd believe you a hundred percent. He has played that position so great. Grant Taylor, last three games. Uh, I believe they were between the Braves and the Dodgers. I mean, five innings, seven strikeouts, no earned runs. Davis Mar in his last outing right after the rough start with with Minnesota, but against the Braves, six innings, six strikeouts. I mean, what a fantastic. I cannot get over the fact how all of these, even some of the guys in the bullpen, Trevor Richard, Sean Newcomb, they're all coming out and they're playing. They're doing really well. This team is firing an all cylinders, and it is something to be excited about. It is really something to be excited about. This the last two or last week overall, but specifically over the Dodgers and the Braves, when it was time to show up, the White Sox did. And four and one proves that. If you're not excited now, get excited. I I by the time you hear this podcast on Monday, uh June 15th, there were they there will probably be many articles about the series win against the Dodgers. And the Braves. It's been it was such just a fantastic week for the Sox. So much success, and we have so much more to talk about. I'm just I we have a lot to talk about. So let's move to the third inning. Uh that's that's focused on front office news, trades, rumors, transactions. Let's get there. See you guys there.

3rd Inning - Rumors, Trades, Front Office

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Okay. Okay, okay. Third inning. Like I said before, transactions, front office news, rumors, trades. Uh let's get into the nitty-gritty. First, I want to say uh thank you, Derek Hill, for the contributions you put in to the Chicago White Sox. If you haven't heard by now, uh Derek Hill had been traded to the Phillies uh for center fielder, Dylan Campbell, and second base uh Jose Calbanares. Such a bittersweet transaction. Uh, you know, the trade giving up Hill to the Phillies. I I really like Derek Hill. I think he was a good fit on this team. I think he he fit well with this organization and the other players. Um, but I really appreciate the move by Chris Getz, right? Chris Getz very well could have traded him to you know a team that's performing poorly, but he traded him to the Phillies, right? A team that's starting to really heat up, a team that's most likely going to be part of that postseason pitcher. I I'm happy that Chris sent Chris Getz sent him to to a really good team where he's going to get playing time, he's he's going to get the opportunity to to beat Derrick Hill. Um, but just to recap, you know what he's done for the White Sox uh in his short period of time, 88 bats slash 213, 284, 375. He wasn't offensively that good, but uh he performed when we needed it, right? He only had a double, seven stolen bases. I mean, he was fast. If he wasn't hitting, he was bunting. Uh so if he got to first base, he was definitely trying to steal second. Four home runs, and including that huge uh pinch hit home run against Kansas City to take the lead. That was a great moment. I love that game. Um, but at the same time, he was also striking out 32% of the time. And the roster was was quickly filling up, and Everson Pierre Pierra oh my god, I can never say the name, Pierra, Pierra, was coming back, and and we needed uh we needed uh get rid of a player. And I mean it's bittersweet, like I said. And a few weeks ago or a couple days ago, I don't actually don't know when, but Hill was stated in an interview that that being with the White Sox was the most fun he'd ever have, he he'd ever he'd ever had playing baseball. So, I mean, I I really wish him luck. I really like seeing seeing him with with the players we have we have now and in the dugout. It was a joy. So good luck to Derek Hill. Uh regarding the players that we got from Philadelphia, honestly, the big one, not the big one, but the more important I see between the two would be Dylan Campbell. He was Philly's 29th ranked prospect overall scouting grade, is a 40. Uh he was originally signed by the Dodgers and then traded to Philadelphia, but not much else. He's known for hitting uh line drives. I mean, he's pretty he's good pretty good at making contact with the ball, hitting the ball pretty hard. So, other than that, other transactions. Jordan Hicks is now on rehab assignment with the Knights. Jordan Hicks is one of the players that I would not be opposed if the White Sox decided to trade him. Every time he gets on the mound in a in a heavy situation, or maybe not even a not so heavy situation, I get nervous. And it's always been a control issue. Um he throws the ball hard, right? But some sometimes just pitchers can't control it if they throw it that hard. 5.6 ERA, 17 walks in 20 games. Like I said, command is still an issue with Hicks, and I would not be opposed if the White Sox traded him for literally anybody else. I'm gonna be honest. And then next, Teal and Schultz, as of today, I believe, they begin their rehab assignments. Um that was according to Will Venable and the postgame yesterday, which oh my, I mean, Schultz coming back will be big, right? I think our the depth in the starting position or the starting pitcher position is running low, and we'll we'll talk about that a little bit later. But the fact that we found so much success without Kyle Teal, not a single game for Teal because of the injury in the WPC. I'm excited. I'm excited to have uh Edgar and and Kyle back on this team and playing, you know, every other day. It's going to be a fun time. And to see Teal and all that energy he has, I'm so excited to see what he brings to this already winning ball club, right? He's got the winning mentality. Let's bring that back. I mean, we are we all have winning mentalities on this outside right now. It's so I'm just excited to see a full line. I kept watching the Dodgers today, and I kept like, for instance, game three, uh, we had an opener, right? And then Sean Newcomb comes in, and the whole time we're trying to figure out when we can put in Fetty, and he we finally put him in the third inning, and Steve Stone he he laughs about the idea of trying to find the right spot to put him in against this Dodgers lineup. They're a loaded lineup, they they are, they're an absolutely loaded lineup. But when Kyle Teal comes back, Mooney is back. I'm not saying we're not the Dodgers. We we aren't. We just beat him, we really did. But when Mooney and Teal is back, there's not a lot of spots in this lineup for a pitcher to relax. Really look this lineup or the you know, one through nine up and down when everybody's in. It's starting to look like a really scary lineup. It really is, and that's what's so exciting about this. I'm getting off track. Let's talk about some rumors. Biggest rumor right now is trying to figure out if the White Socks will be buyers, this trade deadline. Personally, I imagine they are going to be very aggressive if everything's going well and they're trying to win this AL Central, and there's news about that as oh, I have so much to talk about. But why not? Right? This is the first season Chris Getz can finally be a buyer instead of a seller, and so far I'm very impressed with everything Getz has done. Another thing we needed to do is not trade away Mooney. I don't think it's gonna happen. Mooney, Mooney, Mooney. Um, there's no it makes zero sense for us to trade away one of our stars, you know. If anything, we need to extend him, and that's the priority in Chicago. That's what I feel like should be the priority, and we should do it sooner rather than later. And I think coming from I I think the White Sox beating the Dodgers and see Mune seeing us, seeing Shohei, obviously he wasn't playing, he's on the I. But he's still he's still in the dugout, he's still with the team, and he got to see Shohei, they had a good time. You saw it during the games or interacting with each other from across the field. But knowing Mune is on a team that just beat the Dodgers, that's has all this hype, the fans. I mean, we're showing up. He I I want him to stay. I really want Munitaka to stay. So we gotta give him that extension. Other than that, when it comes to this trade deadline, who do we need, right? I think we're pretty much okay in the infield. Vargas has down third, Montgomery short, my drawth second base, when Mooney's back, he's got first, and I'm also really liking Jacob Gonzalez. I mean, I know he's a short stop, but he's playing the part really well defensively. Left field, we have Antonacci. And if it's not Antonacci, for some reason Ben Tendi is performing really well. Everything Ben, I just and then Tristan Peters is so so good in center field right now, and then now we have a right fielder, and we'll get to that as well. We have a right fielder on the south side of south side of Chicago for the first time in I don't know, a hundred years. So I have no idea. And we have two catchers, we have two great catchers, one's better than the other defensively, one's better than the other offensively. Best of both worlds, right? Where we need most help is starting pitchers, and I think the next episode I'm really gonna break down who's gonna be available, what the rumors look like, and then we also need relief. We need relief desperately. Not I would I'm not gonna say desperately, but there's a couple players that when they come into the game, I get a little nervous. So making a move to get somebody a little bit stronger, higher skill set could be something uh the White Sox need for both positions, relief and starting pitcher. We need a starting pitcher, we really do. But that's all I have to say about the rumors uh regarding trade deadline, regarding what might happen. That's what I that's what I think it's going to look like. I think the White Sox are going to be aggressive in getting a starting pitcher, definitely starting pitcher first, and then maybe a couple of arms in the bullpen. Now the White Sox and this 2026 MLB draft. First of all, there's a home run derby. Is that right? There's a home a White Sox alumni home run derby. We'll talk about that next episode, but I'm definitely watching that. Uh that's gonna be great, that's awesome. But again, to the draft, Rach Cholowski needs to be our number one pick, or does he? Uh raise of hands if you guys want Rak Cholowski. Yep, exactly. Uh, I think a lot of us want Rak Cholovsky. Uh in his in his season, 60 games slash 321, 452, 636, just great. 21 home runs, 10 doubles, 60 RBIs. Cholovski has spent most of the year ranked as the consensus consensus number one prospect in the entire draft class. It's really not hard to see why. He brings the complete package. He's not just a hitter, he's not just a defender, he's the rare player who can impact the game on both sides of the ball. What separates him from the rest of this draft class, or many prospects even, is how polished and MLB ready he might be. Scouts great with A plus hitting, A plus power, I mean, a fantastic arm, fantastic defensively. He's in a draft class that's loaded with talent, and he's the consensus number one, and has been for the entire year. Year that rarely happens. The only weakness he might have in his game is speed, and you can see that in his one solemn base in the year. But I mean, this guy is who I believe the White Sox should draft number one overall in the 2026 MLB draft. But who is Grady Emerson? If you don't know, I'll tell you a little bit about him. He can be a great option. He's younger, he just he's coming out of high school, so he's not MLB ready, but he's another fantastic. I mean, choosing between Rot Cholowski and Grady Emerson is like choosing between 1A and 1B. Both players will have major impacts on any organization that drafts them. The comparisons to Grady Emerson is much like Bobby Witt, right? Bobby Witt Jr. The scouting report, his hit grade is 60, power 55, run 55, arm 60, field 60, overall 65 out of 80. It's a fantastic score for someone who's just 18 years old. But then again, we have to consider the word where the white socks are. And I keep telling people this out and about, you know, friends, family. The White Sox are a lot better than we imagine they would be. I don't think Chris Getz thought, no, nobody thought they'd be this good this fast. That being said, is it smarter to get a guy whose MLB ready in two to three years, like someone like a Grady Emerson? Or do we get a Rock Chalowski who might be ready within a year or two? And I'm I'm betting on he's ready in a year. And ready to play. That might be a perfect storm for the White Sox. It really might. Where are we gonna put him? I have no idea. We're that's a question for another day, but there's never a problem with too many good players in an organization. So when that time comes, we'll figure it out. But as of right now, my bet is that we're doing Rokchalowski. A lot of MLB analysts think it's Rokchalowski. But if we go the Grady Emerson route where we can give him a little bit more years, try to line things up in a different way, I'm not opposed to it. I'm not going to say I'm not a fan, but I'm it's still going to be a good thing for the White Sox. No matter what. Either, like I said, 1A to 1B. This is going to be an exciting draft, no matter who we choose. I hope is rock. But if we go with Grady Emerson, still, I mean, that it's like having Bobby Witt, right? If what does the White Sox look like if we have a Bobby Witt Jr. on the team? Probably great, right? Better than we are right now. But that's it. That's it for the the uh third inning. Thank you for listening this far. If you've gotten this far. So we're gonna go to the fourth inning. That inning is dedicated to player and prospect focus. So I'll see you guys then.

4th Inning - Player / Prospect Focus

SPEAKER_00 25:18

Alright, the fourth inning, player and prospect focus. I want to focus on the new guys. Both Jacob Gonzalez and Braden Montgomery. First, we'll do Jacob just 11 games. I mean, both of you guys, 11 games, and Brayden's been just like four games. Jacob Gonzalez slashing, I mean, who cares? It's only 11 games. We'll figure it out. But he's doing pretty well so far to begin his professional career. Like I said before, normally a shortstop, but he's made some really great plays at first base since Mooney has been out on the IL. But one question we really need to figure out is what happens when Mooney's back? When Mooney Taka's back, where does Gonzalez go? And that is something I I really have no idea what Gets might do. I hope they keep him up. I see a lot of value in his defensive skills in his bat, um, and many reasons to keep him in the show. I don't think setting him back down is is the route, but I think um we have some time to figure that out, right? He's not on rehab assignment yet, so we have some time. I I really don't remember how long. I'd imagine a few more weeks, but as of right now, I'm very impressed with Jacob Gonzalez, and I'm I'm enjoying watching him play, and I really like how calm he is um at the plate and and both on the field as well. It's been nice. It's been I I like the way he plays, and going forward is definitely somebody I'm going to pay attention to. I mean, he's filling a pretty big hole in our in our lineup, but so far he's done a good job. And now Braden Montgomery. I mean, what is there to say about Braden Montgomery right now? He is he is so fun to watch. I mean, you can listen to the interviews that Steve Stone has had, um things that some of the coaches have had have said, some of the other players have said, uh, Kyle. He said a couple words about Brayden Montgomery. He this guy is so fun to watch. I mean, let's talk about the MLB, the MLB debut on 80s night, right? Walk-off home run against one of the hardest closures in the entire league. Nobody's figured him out, and then Braden Montgomery hits an Appo Taco home run to uh to left field on a what looked like a changeup, right dead center. I mean, come on. What a he is so fun in earlier that game hitting the uh getting the RBI by hitting the ground ball right through short and in third base. It's been so fun watching Braden Montgomery. And I think one of the bigger questions about him was you know strike out, striking out, because I think that was an issue in AAA. But as I mean, he's making contact. Some of them he's getting out, obviously, but he's making contact. I haven't seen too many strikeouts from Braden. But one thing I do want to talk about is when is the last time the White Sox have had a right fielder, a solidified right fielder that will be there for years to come, and I know I'm speaking way too soon. I've knocked on wood. Hopefully, he's here for I don't know, a long time. But when is the last time we had anybody you know starting the position for years and years in a row? The last person I can think about is Avisel Garcia, but at the same time, boy, he had one good season out of like five he had with the White Sox, maybe two good seasons, one really good, one okay. Before him, who Alex Rios, which was like what, two years? Carlos Quentin, yes, we had a fantastic year from Carlos Quentin, but it's only two years or three years, I forget. I would say the best right fielder we've had would be Jermaine Dye. That's been a long time. A very long time since we've had somebody in right field that I can that I know they're gonna be there every game, or at least try to be there every game. I'm very happy that Braden Montgomery is on the White Sox. What a I mean, the the trade with Boston for Garrett Crochet is looking like an absolute steal for the White Sox. It really is. I know Crochet had a fantastic year with Boston last year, but as of right now, every one of the players we got from Boston is delivering day after day. So that's that's all I want to bring up for the fourth inning. I just wanted to focus on the two new guys. Um yeah, it's been so fun watching them. Pay attention to these two guys, Jacob Gonzalez and Brendan Montgomery. That is all for the fourth inning. Let's move into the fifth inning, trivia.

5th Inning - Trivia

SPEAKER_00 30:44

Alright, so on this podcast, every time we get into the fifth inning, I do trivia. I decide if I want to give you the answer, or if I don't want to give you the answer. I kind of want you guys to kind of figure it out on social media. I think I'm going to give you guys the answer this time around, but it's obviously going to be at the end of the podcast in the ninth inning. But this is going to be a name this player from White Sox history. So, what I'm going to do is I'm going to give you four hints, uh, starting from the hardest to the easiest. I don't necessarily know if it's hardest from easiest, but I think it's going to get easier once you get more and more hints. So as soon as you figure it out, let me know on social media. I'm going to give you the answer anyway at the end of the inning. Uh so please be honest, or the end of the ninth inning, so the end of the episode. Uh, please be honest if you reach out on social media or the comments. Uh, when you figure it out, you know, after the first hit, second hit, third hit, fourth hit, just be honest. If you can't figure it out, you'll get it next time. So, name this player from White Sox history. Hint number one. From nineteen eighty-one to nineteen eighty-nine, this player slashed. Yes, I'm giving you another slash line, two fifty-eight, three twenty eight, four forty eight. That's hint number one. Hint number one. Hint number two is that this player was drafted in the 1967 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox. Now, if that doesn't give it away, we'll go to hint number three. This player is one of 29 players in MLB history to play in four different decades. Do you have it now? I think the uh the older demographics might know it by now. So I'm I'm hoping that the younger people listen to the podcast like myself. Listen, I only know this because I looked it up. But if you know it, type it in the comments. And number four, the last hint this player was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the year 2000. So that's all the hints. I will give you guys the time to think about it, try to figure it out. I'll give you the answer at the end of the podcast. But come on, who has the right answer? And again, speaking of the 80s, right? I hit number one was this player played from 1981 to 1989. 80s night, uh, the broadcast was so fun. And and I had such a good time watching that, and that's coming from a Gen Z 26-year-old guy who's watched very little 80s broadcast of the White Sox or baseball, any baseball, in fact. But listening to Steve Stone, Bob Costas tell stories about some of just the all-time greats, um, I mean, including today's mystery player, I guess that's hit number five. Um, it was so fun to watch. Just seeing Steve Stone just talk and have fun. I know he has fun on the normal broadcast, but just bringing it back to 80s, I mean, it just it was such a fun, and I know the game as well was a fantastic game. Personally, I think it was game of the year so far. So far, game of the year. But I love the screen effects, I love the fonts, I mean it made the game look old as shit, but I appreciated every moment. Um including the walk-off, obviously. But uh looking looking up the broadcast, it had some of the best reviews. A lot of people had a lot of positive things about it. I think they're doing one more in the near future, I think. Maybe not so near future. I don't know. I have to look that up. But I I do think they're doing one more. I think that's what they said on the broadcast. Such a fun day, such a fun game, and that's coming from a 26-year-old guy. I I had a lot of fun just kind of seeing the broadcast and seeing how people were having fun with it, and seeing Steve Stone and and Connor Big Knight. I mean, everybody was having a fun time. I liked how people were dressed. I love how Steve Stone was dressed. It was such a great game, and I know it might not be the same outcome if if the Sox lost or if it, you know, the walk-off didn't happen, but it did. And it was such a great game. Bring it back, bring it back, bring back 80s, bring back 70s, do 70s, 60s, 90s, do it all. Um, I think that's a good idea. Shit, bring back the 20s. I don't know, I don't care. Uh, but that's it. That's it for the fifth inning and a little bit of you know my opinion on 80s night, but let's move into the sixth inning predictions. See you guys there.

6th Inning - Predictions

SPEAKER_00 35:38

Alright. Predictions. What predictions do we have today? This prediction is regarding the next player to be promoted from AAA to the show, and that is Hagen Smith. With pitching depth, a question right now for the White Sox, and something that might be answered in the trade deadline. Might be answered if we call up Hagen Smith. We don't know. Probably not if we call Hagen Smith. I think we need somebody more experienced in case we do actually do this thing and get to the postseason. But when does Hagen get the call? Rumors were circulating that he might get the call for the game on Saturday against the Dodgers, but obviously that never happened. But right now, as of uh I'm recording this on Sunday. As of right now, he's pitched 52 innings in triple A, 77 strikeouts, 36 walks. Control has been sort of an issue down there, but I hear they're trying to really uh hone in on those mechanics. And another another little thing to note, he's 0-5 in AAA and with a 4.67 ERA. But at the same time, he's been performing better as of late than the beginning of the season. So definitely something Chris Getz is is probably focusing on, looking at, uh, definitely making sure he's got the confidence to come up and perform in in the big leagues. So when does he get the call? And I looked at the calendar, and if rumors were true, if there was an idea that he might get called up on Saturday against the Dodgers, then I imagine that time is coming soon, sooner rather than later. I should have looked at when Hayen pitches next. So I'm gonna give you guys two days that I I'm gonna predict. And if you guys listen to my earlier podcast, I'm pretty accurate with my predictions. I think I predicted Antonacci at the right time. Um, I mean, we all knew Braden was coming up, but that's a win for me as well. Um I predicted Noah Schultz would be up pretty soon. So I think Hagen Smith, I'm gonna get this accurate, but this is gonna be, I'm really going to specify the day or the two days I think he might get the call. So the first prediction is going to be June 22nd, and that's when we come back home after playing Detroit after the Yankees, and we take on Cleveland in Chicago. I think that's a good time to bring him in for maybe game one or probably not maybe not game one, maybe game two of that little series. But I'm leaning towards the second option, which would be June 26th. And that's going to be against the Royals at home after the off day. So that's my two guesses. I'm going to I'm I'm leaning towards the 26th. That's what I'm guessing, and I think that's a good guess. I do think he's getting the call in June. If if I'm wrong, it's gotta be early July, maybe, or right after the I can keep going with this, honestly. Right after All-Star Break. No, I'm gonna say in June, either the 22nd or the 26th, and I'm leaning the 26th. That's all I have for predictions. Let's move into the seventh inning stretch.

7th Inning Stretch

SPEAKER_00 39:25

Alright, so the seventh inning stretch is just the inning where I take some time and I just want to talk to you guys, not so much about you know the White Sox, but the podcast, ideas I have. Um, I want to get a couple interviews in this inning. I want to talk to some different people and get you guys to to hear, you know, different minds talk about White Sox baseball. But for now, I just want to talk about some some plans for the podcast. I'm so happy you guys are back again. If you guys are listening and you're returning, thank you for listening again. I'm having an absolute blast. I think I say the word absolute loss a lot, but that's okay. It's might be absolutely annoying. I don't know. You guys have to let me know. But I'm having a lot of fun just building these episodes back up, looking at the statistics, looking at the numbers, looking at the team I fell in love with from the moment I could even remember watching the White Sox. It's been such a fun time just coming back to this podcast and and getting a chance to just kind of just share my opinion and talk about the team and getting uh you guys to talk about, you know, whatever you guys want to talk about regarding the White Sox. One thing I do want to say is I need everybody, if you're listening to this podcast, if you're listening to any podcast, I hope this they bring this up as well. Keep showing up to the games. Keep showing up, fill up the rate, fill up that stadium every single day, every day possible. This team is feeding off the energy we are putting out there. There are a bunch of young guys that need that type of support right now in their careers. There is nothing better than a player, a young player coming up, playing for a team that's really successful, like the White Sox are right now, and gaining the confidence earlier in their career. They are gaining the confidence they need to be great players in the long run. Show up. Get excited for this team, stay excited for this team. I'm so tired. I'm not going to shout out any other podcasters, but there are other podcasts out there that focus on the White Sox that are just so pessimistic about this team. They're so they're, I mean, they're not like we get in the first place in the AL Central in a year that we were not expected to even get remotely close, and they're so pessimistic after three seasons in a row with a hundred or more losses. After what, four years? Five years since 2021? 2021 was the peak of that era of Chicago White Sacks baseball. We've gone through five years of absolute BS. And we're doing so well now, but there are still podcasters out there finding reasons to not be happy. Be happy about this team, show up to the field, show up to these games happy, excited, pumped. Dude, tarps off is the best thing to happen in baseball, and I'm so happy it's happening in the White Sox park. It's happening in that that top corner and left field. It's also happening literally anywhere you look. You watch the broadcast, there are people doing it in right field, left field, third base, foul line, first baseline everywhere. Kids are everyone's doing it. It's so fun, it's so exciting. Keep the momentum going for these players. After everything, the White Sox, after not, not even the White Sox, the fans, after everything we've gone through, everything we've experienced, everything we've dreaded over the last four what I can't do math right now, four years. Be happy with everything we're accomplishing because we're succeeding further than anybody would have thought. So if there's another podcast you're listening to and they're talking about they're nitpicking the little things, yeah, there's not everything's perfect. I can nitpick things too. I can talk about the little players or the players that are are you know missing this opportunity, doing that, doing this. Look at it as a whole, right? If you guys don't know, there was a call on ESPN in 2023. Um, I don't know if it I I believe it was ESPN Chicago. Yes, it definitely was ESPN in Chicago. And this guy called a seven-minute rant about you know Rakan, um just the organization, where this team is going. It was, I mean, if you know the call, then you know what I'm talking about. If you don't, just look up Chicago, look up uh White Sox ESPN rant. It's like a seven-minute video, watch it. But he says something in the video. I just watched it recently, and he says something in the video that I think correlates to what the situation we're in now. And what he said was that we need a monumental turnaround to be even remotely relevant again. And tell me if I'm wrong, but being in first place in the AL Central, being as of right now, we are in the postseason picture after three seasons in a row of losing a hundred or more. We lost a hundred and twenty-one games a couple years ago. A hundred and twenty-one. And we are sitting here right now beating the Braves, beating the Dodgers. We are going to attack the Yankees. We are gonna do everything we can to win in New York as well. It's going to be rough, but we are going to compete. This is a monumental turnaround, and we aren't even, we aren't just remotely relevant. We are very relevant. Right now, I believe the White Sox are the story in Major League Baseball. Give me another story that is bigger than the White Sox. And if if there is, I I I don't agree. And I'm trying not to be biased because I'm a Sox fan, but there's not another story this big in baseball, considering all the factors that go into this story, into the Chicago White Sox. Sorry, I went on a little bit of a stretch there. This is the seventh inning stretch, anyway. But I just wanted to get that out there. I have a lot to say. I've been writing notes for the last couple weeks, just waiting to get back to this podcast. Um again, you can find me on on Twitter, uh not Twitter, X on Top of the First Podcast, or Top of the First, a Chicago White Sox podcast. Uh, you can obviously comment down below wherever you're listening. I am pretty much everywhere uh you can find a podcast. So please comment below. Um yeah, sorry about the rent, but I just we need fans. We need we need to keep filling up the stadium. I mean, just like we did when we played the Cubs, like when we played the Dodgers. I mean, the the stands were pretty full against the Braves. It's going to be packed against Cleveland when we come back from the road trip. I'm very excited, and we need to keep showing up to give this team the support they need. That is all I have for the seventh inning stretch. Let's move into the eighth inning news around the league. The

8th Inning - News Around the League

SPEAKER_00 47:19

eighth inning news around Major League Baseball. Get your votes in. Vote for this year's 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Vote for the White Sox. Vote for the players that deserve it, right? Vargas, Munitaka, Davis Martin, Grant Taylor. So many more options. Uh, so many players on the on this White Sox team deserve to be in this All-Star game. Um and the White Sox should be represented well, I think, in this year's All-Star Game. Um, yeah, vote. I mean, I voted, I forgot that you can vote five times. I voted just once. Can you come here, please? Can you please can you can you please share at least one player you voted for um for this year's All-Star game?

SPEAKER_01 48:12

Yeah. Um, who's the first base? Munitaka. Did I vote for Munitaka? Okay, yeah. I voted for Munitaka Murakami.

SPEAKER_00 48:23

Yes. Can you can you name one more?

SPEAKER_01 48:26

Um, who's the second base?

SPEAKER_00 48:28

Chase Mindroff. You should you voted for Chase?

SPEAKER_01 48:30

Yeah, I voted for anyone on the Sox.

SPEAKER_00 48:34

Well, there you have it. There you have it. All you guys get your girlfriends, get your wives, tell them to vote for the White Sox. White Sox players. Or boyfriends. Or boyfriends. Tell them to vote for. Thank you. Tell them to vote for Chicago White Sox players. But yes, there are very deserving players. Montgomery, Vargas, Davis Martin, uh, Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb's been great. Um, so many players. You can look this lineup up and down and find a player that deserves to be in the all-star game. Next, big news out of Cleveland. This is big for us. This is big for us White Sox fans. Jose uh Ramirez is out. J Ram is out with a broken bone in his left hand, and he's going to be out for an indefinite period of time. We have no idea how long he's going to be out. But this could be huge for the White Sox in this race, what's looking like a race between the uh the White Sox and the Guardians. But at the same time, the Tigers are getting good again. And the Royals have been playing pretty well. And the Twins are kind of just like that annoying team that's that's always been right there with us. No matter where we are, we could be dead last, they're just annoying. We're dead first. Dead first. We're first, and they're kind of like right there. The twins, man. Bring that rivalry rival rivalry back up. I like that one. But anyway, yes, big news. Uh J Ram is out. Uh, but at the same time, don't be too excited. He has been struggling so far, batting only 239 with 10 home runs. 10 home runs is pretty good, but much of the team's success is not coming from Jose Ramirez. So Cleveland is still very much in this race and will be until game 162. If you're listening to this news around baseball, news around the league, if you're not a White Sox fan, then I think you must agree with me. I think for White Sox fans, this is the biggest news. But if you're not a White Sox fan and you're listening to this, yes, the base the White Sox are one of the biggest stories in baseball. I just mentioned this last inning. The Chicago White Sox are one of the top biggest stories around the league. And if you're if this is why you're listening, right? If you're a White Sox fan or if you're not, this is why you're listening to this podcast. This is why you're paying attention. This team is special and it and it deserves the appreciation. It deserves to be recognized as one of the best teams in baseball. That being said, let's talk about ESBN. I enjoy looking at the power rankings every week, whether they're from ESPN or maybe or MLB.com or whoever else. I I mean there's like 14 of them that come out, but the big three, they do one weekly. I think everyone does one weekly, but everyone pays attention to MLB or ESPN. ESPN has been uh this this is just my opinion. Uh don't uh take it too to heart. Uh it's been ESPN has been nothing but an absolute joke regarding weekly power rankings, and I'll tell you why. So I want to break down last week's power rankings. The Chicago White Sox were listed at 13th with zero change from the previous week. So the previous week they were in 13th, and last week they stayed in 13th place. The Cubs went from 12th in power rankings to 11th. They improved. And you might be asking, all right, this is not a big deal, they're probably doing really well, right? At the time of that listing or the time of that article coming out, the White Sox were 6-4 over the last 10 with a series win against ESPN's number one ranked team, the Atlanta Braves, while the Cubs went 3-7 over their last 10 games, including a loss against the San Francisco Giants, ESPN's 27th ranked team. They lost against the Giants 3 to 18. Yet ESPN has them improving from 12 to 11, and the White Sox stay at 13th with zero change. Make that make sense, ESPN. Please. I would love to hear the reasoning. I and I see there's they have a little, you know, small font that says they consider everything going on in the game or during the season right now and everything they were thinking about before the season started. I don't understand what that means. It makes zero sense to me, but get it right. I think you guys are posting the new one tomorrow or today, Monday. If it's not today, it's definitely tomorrow and Tuesday. Get it right this time. There should be zero reason the White Sox are below the Cubs on the power rankings. We have just beat your number one consensus team in the power rankings, the Atlanta Braves, and we just beat the World Series champions. Your what second or third in a series of three games. Get it right. I have no idea how how good the Cubs are doing right now. I really don't pay attention um that closely, but it can't be this good. It cannot be this good. I hope they swap. I hope I I mean it'd be something if the White Sox made it to the top 10. But then again, I mean, what does ESPN know so far about baseball? They've really fallen off over the last like decade and a half. They really have when they when it comes to baseball. Let me know if you guys agree. I really think ESPN has really fallen off when it comes to uh just their knowledge on baseball. And uh I don't know. It's it's been fun, it's been funny to see some of the things they some of the articles they come out with. But if you guys don't get it right, you guys are definitely getting a very detailed email um from Top of the First, a Chicago White Sox podcast. Anyway, that is all for the eighth inning news around Major League Baseball. Let's get into the ninth inning, the last and final inning, and close this game out. See you guys there.

9th Inning - Breaking News

SPEAKER_00 55:06

The last and final inning, the ninth inning. This is White Sox breaking news. The breaking news is that we just beat the defending champs, and we beat the Atlanta Braves two series in a row. We're going against the Yankees on Tuesday. We have an off day today, but the it's just been a great run, a really enjoyable run to watch. The White Sox are facing the hardest part of their schedule right now. They're right smack dab in the middle of it. You can argue it's the hardest part of any team schedule. I mean, I don't think there's another team that faces this many good teams in a row like this. Um, after the Yankees, the Sox have three in Detroit, and then we come back for three with Cleveland, and if there was ever a time in the season to show up, other than the postseason, obviously, and hopefully we do make it knock on wood. But if there was ever a time for us White Sox fans to show up, it's right now during this what seems to be second half of this this uh schedule, this really difficult part of the schedule. Maybe second half, almost, I don't know. Maybe the second half starts after the Yankees. But if there was ever a time to show up, it's right now. If you're in New York, you hear this, show up when the Sox play the Yankees. If you're in Detroit, be there. Show up, give the team the support. And when they come back home, it's a Monday through Wednesday series against Cleveland. I already know we're gonna show up. We're gonna be there. We're gonna fill up that stadium the best we can, and we're gonna support that team the best possible way we can. And I want to leave you guys one question, and I want to know this because I have my opinions on this, and I think other podcasters have this opinion as well. How are we feeling about Will Venable in his second year as White Sox manager? What do you guys think? Is he doing a good job? Is he performing well? Is he making the right managerial decisions? Is he pulling pitchers when he's supposed to? Is he, you know, putting players in or I don't know, giving players the right amount of off days? Is he pinch hitting the right amount of times? What do you guys think? Personally, I think this is some of the best managing I've ever seen a White Sox manager do in my lifetime. I yes, I was alive during 2005, but I was too young to even remember. I've seen the games, I've seen how how Ozzy uh managed those games. He obviously a fantastic job, but what I could remember of what I could remember, Will Venable is doing such a great job on the south side of Chicago. I'm not going to pick out every little thing he might miss because at the end of the day, this team is succeeding expectations higher than we ever could have thought. Right? The big question before the season started is the is will this team hit 70 plus wins or not? That was the big question. Yeah, we're not there, but I think I think we're gonna surpass it. I I really do. So to give Will Venable, to give this man anything less than an A minus for a grade so far this season, you've got to be out of your mind. And yes, he will be a front runner when it comes to manager of the year. Who knows if it'll win? We'll have to play out the rest of this year. But if this guy, if you're seeing this manager as anything lower than an A-, re-evaluate what you're watching. And you're not manager of this game. Will Venable has been absolutely fantastic, and I think he's been making the right moves. I think he's been um I think he's well respected. And I think the team, I think these players they want to play for him. It's hard to find. It's hard to find a manager where Steve Stone said it best. I don't I'm not gonna try to steal what he said, but I I forget what he said. It was along the lines of it's hard to find a manager that players want to play for, it's hard to find one that's well respected, it's it's extremely hard to find one where both happen at the same time. And Will Venable is the type of manager where this happens at the same exact time. So to give anything less than an A minus to Will Venable is I just don't agree. But then again, everyone has their own opinion. I don't agree with your opinion if you think it's less than an A minus. But let me know. I would like to know in the comments, social media, wherever you uh wanna let me know. But that's it. That is all for this episode of Top of the First, a Chicago White Sox podcast. If you enjoyed the show, make sure you follow. Please rate, review wherever you're listening. I will be back again next Monday with another inning by inning breakdown of your Chicago White Sox. So until then, thank you for listening, and I'll see you at the top of the first one.