South Side Sox Podcast 101 — Diminished expectations — 2022-05-16

After too long a break, encompassing a long winning streak and short home sputtering, the mothership podcast is back and motoring toward the next hundred podcasts. Chrystal O’Keefe, Adrian Serrano, Joe Resis, Sam Sherman and Tommy Barbee check in with Brett Ballantini to assess the state of the Sox, as the team struggles to stick above .500. Some crib notes: Chrystal O’Keefe is ready to abandon the club and root for the ... Mets? Her adjusted prediction for the White Sox win total is down from her 99 before the season ... to 45 Sam Sherman, late of our North Side Sox Podcast and White Sox Therapy podcast stops by — hell, quarantined he had nothing else going on — to preach some calm on the regular season, and diminished expectations come October Adrian Serrano, among many wise theories, imagines the White Sox will make a bold move in the division once Cleveland gives up on the season Joe Resis imagines Chicago getting a high-80s win total, enough to win the putrid Central Tommy Barbee might be the boldest of all, envisioning this season (rather than last, when magic abounded) as the one where Hall-of-Famer Tony La Russa shows his mettle as a manager (don’t laugh? Solely by run differential, the White Sox should be three games worse this season so far) The White Sox have to go 77-52 (.597) to match last year’s win total (93) And for those of you who think we tend to be too hard on your beloved Pale Hose, among the panel’s other collective reasons (in addition to Tommy’s and Adrian’s above) for hope that 90s wins, or a division title, or even success in the playoffs is still on the horizon: the weather will get warmer, Lance Lynn has yet to return, the team will adjust to the new dead ball. We may be grasping We wind up with a quick round of Will Steve Stone Block You on Twitter This Summer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices