South Side Sox Podcast 125 — Soxivus begins, with a Calling of the Managers

Happy Soxivus! We plan on following up our first year celebrating Soxivus in 2021 (Airing of Grievances, Feats of Strength, Miracles, etc.) with a full two months of celebrating in 2022. Ready or not, here we come.

We’re overjoyed to have Father Soxivus — the man who hatched the plan last year — Tommy Barbee with us on these podcasts. Joining Tommy to start the festivities is host Brett Ballantini and Jordan Hass, Allie Wesel, Dante Jones, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and Joe Resis.

The topic to kick off Soxivus, because it is timely and we likely will have no need to address it a year from now, is the manager search: The Calling of the Managers is running on site now, and addressed in the podcast.

• Two candidates found endorsements from more than one writer, and they aren’t hard names to guess. Pros and cons of Joe Espada and Sandy Alomar Jr.
• Tommy managed to destroy Ron Washington’s candidacy with a discussion of the veteran manager’s priors, which found Joe to be choosing another candidate entirely and for little support to remain among everyone else
• A lively debate of which 2005 White Sox player would make the best 2022 White Sox manager; Brett and Tommy both chose one, which at first blush seemed to terrify everyone on the panel
• However, both suggestions were validated by swag and resume, and the panel came around. Hints? One candidate is already working in town. The other is a seasoned and skilled manager — just not in this country
• What also-ran infielder with a cornpone countenance was one panel member’s first White Sox crush?
• Speed round: Is there any conceivable way José Abreu ends up on the North Side? Dante has a suitable answer that could satisfy both sides of town

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