As for the Cubs, meh. The way they celebrated clinching a playoff spot they almost missed, like they won the World Series instead of barely making it to the postseason, tells me that was their goal and nothing more. Fans wanted more, but the team decided that was good enough. Maybe they can try to develop some pitching sometime in my lifetime. They keep rolling the dice on new arms and keep coming up snake eyes.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:06 pm:
I’m in 75% agreement with this, but the sourpuss in me will always be tormented by the trade deadline moves and that we’d probably still be playing if Luis Castillo was even good enough to have made the playoff roster.
47th Ward - for the overall season that may be true, but actually I was surprised at how aggressive they were in picking up pitching at the trade deadline. I thought they were going to be a sleeper in the playoffs. Next year (if there is a next year) is going to be a real test of how willing they are to spend because they really diminished their farm system.
- Google is Your Friend - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:31 pm:
The 2026 White Sox are not the 2015 Cubs. In fact, they are closer to the 2014 Cubs than 2015. The truth is the team is not very good and their record reflects that. The Sox are a weak team in a weak division. That said, would you rather be a weak team on the downswing or a weak team on the upswing? The Sox are pointed more towards the upswing and could experience something similar to what I predicted for the 2026 Bears season in that I expect the Bears to be a better overall team than last year, but with the same or likely a worse record. An 84- or 85-win Sox team next year will seem disappointing to many, but I would bet the underlying fundamentals get a lot more consistent and set up some true runs starting in 2028. Of course, that all depends on how much Jerry Reindsdorf wants to kill the momentum of his team and the sport. He’s always been at the scene of the crime for baseball labor strife since he became managing partner of the Sox. He helped spearhead collusion not one, not two, but three times and was ringleader of the Great Lakes Gang that precipitated the strike in 1994. His main criticism of commissioner Rob Manfred is that Manfred has been too friendly to players and the MLBPA. The longer the MLB owners lockout the players come this winter, including missing games, the more you kill your young team. It’s sad, but it’s coming.
- charles in charge - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:51 pm:
==Get Matt Shaw off of my team.==
I was really hoping this would happen after they acquired Bregman. Seems like they could have gotten more value in return for him at that time than they would today.
Saying the Sox were “not very good” and a “weak team in a weak division” is an oversimplification and quite frankly unfairly diminishes and disrespects the accomplishment. As a Sox fan, I never thought they were a World Series team. Primarily because of their youth and pitching. But they were absolutely a good team. They led the AL in runs scored. Bad teams don’t do that. They led that “weak” division for half a season. “Not very good teams” don’t do that. Nor do they win a playoff series, and come that close to winning a second series. It was not all luck or fluke. Id argue that their youth and inexperience is ultimately what did them in (as I thought it would). The other team in that “weak division” that they lost to (by one game) is now 3 wins away from the World Series. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cleveland got there and won it all. I’ll also note that the 2006 Sox won 90 games, but missed the playoffs while the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals won their division with 83 wins (another weak team in a weak division with less wins than this Sox team), and they won the World Series that year. If it wins a WS, I’ll take them being in a weak team in a weak division all day long…
- Keyrock - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 1:29 pm:
All gravy. No complaints.
(Well, at least the Sox didn’t strike out 27 times in one game.)
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 1:56 pm:
Played with house money most of the year. Really fun team and great shot in the arm for Sox fans.
Now if they can only fix the holes in their bats before next year…
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 1:57 pm:
Had you told me in March that the White Sox woud win one postseason series this year, I would have been very happy.
I’m pretty happy. Now looking to see if the Brewers can take home a championship for the time zone.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:00 pm:
As for the Cubs, meh. The way they celebrated clinching a playoff spot they almost missed, like they won the World Series instead of barely making it to the postseason, tells me that was their goal and nothing more. Fans wanted more, but the team decided that was good enough. Maybe they can try to develop some pitching sometime in my lifetime. They keep rolling the dice on new arms and keep coming up snake eyes.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:06 pm:
I’m in 75% agreement with this, but the sourpuss in me will always be tormented by the trade deadline moves and that we’d probably still be playing if Luis Castillo was even good enough to have made the playoff roster.
47th Ward - for the overall season that may be true, but actually I was surprised at how aggressive they were in picking up pitching at the trade deadline. I thought they were going to be a sleeper in the playoffs. Next year (if there is a next year) is going to be a real test of how willing they are to spend because they really diminished their farm system.
- Oklahoma - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
Feels like Cubs - Mets in 2015. Might be the start of something interesting for that group.
- DS - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:25 pm:
Get Matt Shaw off of my team.
- Google is Your Friend - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:31 pm:
The 2026 White Sox are not the 2015 Cubs. In fact, they are closer to the 2014 Cubs than 2015. The truth is the team is not very good and their record reflects that. The Sox are a weak team in a weak division. That said, would you rather be a weak team on the downswing or a weak team on the upswing? The Sox are pointed more towards the upswing and could experience something similar to what I predicted for the 2026 Bears season in that I expect the Bears to be a better overall team than last year, but with the same or likely a worse record. An 84- or 85-win Sox team next year will seem disappointing to many, but I would bet the underlying fundamentals get a lot more consistent and set up some true runs starting in 2028. Of course, that all depends on how much Jerry Reindsdorf wants to kill the momentum of his team and the sport. He’s always been at the scene of the crime for baseball labor strife since he became managing partner of the Sox. He helped spearhead collusion not one, not two, but three times and was ringleader of the Great Lakes Gang that precipitated the strike in 1994. His main criticism of commissioner Rob Manfred is that Manfred has been too friendly to players and the MLBPA. The longer the MLB owners lockout the players come this winter, including missing games, the more you kill your young team. It’s sad, but it’s coming.
- charles in charge - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 2:51 pm:
==Get Matt Shaw off of my team.==
I was really hoping this would happen after they acquired Bregman. Seems like they could have gotten more value in return for him at that time than they would today.
- IlliniSpartan - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 4:06 pm:
Saying the Sox were “not very good” and a “weak team in a weak division” is an oversimplification and quite frankly unfairly diminishes and disrespects the accomplishment. As a Sox fan, I never thought they were a World Series team. Primarily because of their youth and pitching. But they were absolutely a good team. They led the AL in runs scored. Bad teams don’t do that. They led that “weak” division for half a season. “Not very good teams” don’t do that. Nor do they win a playoff series, and come that close to winning a second series. It was not all luck or fluke. Id argue that their youth and inexperience is ultimately what did them in (as I thought it would). The other team in that “weak division” that they lost to (by one game) is now 3 wins away from the World Series. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cleveland got there and won it all. I’ll also note that the 2006 Sox won 90 games, but missed the playoffs while the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals won their division with 83 wins (another weak team in a weak division with less wins than this Sox team), and they won the World Series that year. If it wins a WS, I’ll take them being in a weak team in a weak division all day long…
- Walker - Tuesday, Oct 13, 26 @ 5:04 pm:
The Sox need a real ace to start. This is the beginning of a very good run as the youngest MLB team.
Nice to see The Brewers win on fundamentals, team mentality and hustle. They earn it.