The White Sox Podcast w/ Chuck Garfien

Many White Sox fans know Beltin' Bill Melton for being the American League home run champion in 1971. Others know him from watching White Sox Pre and Post Game shows on NBC Sports Chicago. But here's a story that nobody knows. In 1995, Bill was in a coma for 16 days and almost lost his life. "A priest came in. He gave me my last rites," Melton tells Chuck Garfien in this stunning conversation that...

What kind of hitter was Yoan Moncada last year and what kind of hitter will he be this year? It depends on who you ask. Chuck Garfien, Ryan McGuffey, and Vinnie Duber have a great debate about Moncada, his value and contributions at the plate, and what fans can expect from him in 2022. They also discuss the latest with the lockout, the owners' recent offer to the players, and if the league will gi...

Chuck visits with Nancy Faust to talk about her 41-year career as White Sox organist. Sitting at her home organ, she plays some of her most popular songs, telling behind-the-scenes stories about how they came to life. Among the topics: how she invented the walkup song and turned “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Them Goodbye” into a global sports anthem, Harold Baines honoring her in his Hall of Fame speech, he...

With negotiations dragging at a snail's pace and a miracle needed for spring training to start next week, it's time for Chuck, Guff, and Vinnie to vent their frustrations about the current state of the lockout and why it's been going nowhere. You'll hear Mets pitcher Trevor May criticize the negotiating tactics of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred if a federal mediator can help the two sides come toget...

Former White Sox shortstop Greg Pryor was in the middle of everything in the late 1970s and early ’80s. He played in Disco Demolition and Tony La Russa’s first game as White Sox manager. He sparred with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and played with Bo Jackson in Jackson's rookie year. Chuck Garfien speaks with Pryor about those stories, plus Bill Veeck, Harry Caray, Harry Chappas, Billy Martin...

What’s it going to take for the players and owners to make a deal? And more importantly, when is the lockout going to end? Chuck Garfien speaks with ESPN.com baseball reporter Jesse Rogers about the ongoing lockout, what’s holding back negotiations, and how the two sides can get to the finish line. Plus, the chances that spring training/regular-season games get postponed, and the reasons to be opt...

White Sox legend Mark Buehrle barely stayed on the Hall of Fame ballot for another year. What will it take for Buehrle to somehow find his way to Cooperstown? Chuck Garfien, Chris Kamka, and Ryan McGuffey discuss Buehrle’s Hall of Fame case. Then, they present their own HOF ballots in a lively debate over who should and who shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame: Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, Schilling, etc. (5...

A year after signing Cuban prospects Yoelki Cespedes and Norge Vera, the White Sox have added another top Cuban prospect in left-handed outfielder Oscar Colas. Chuck Garfien speaks with MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez who's been on the Colas story from the beginning. He talks about why other teams are envious of the White Sox for signing Colas and why he, unfortunately, won't live up to his nickname "The...

With MLB and the players union meeting in person this week in the hopes of ending the lockout, are there reasons to be optimistic that the two sides can move closer to a deal? Chuck Garfien, Vinnie Duber and Maddie Lee discuss the latest news, including the two concessions made by the players, what it will take for spring training to start on time and more. (2:00) - Is there actual progress or not...

From the big collar uniforms to Harry Caray to Disco Demolition, the White Sox were at the center of all that was fun and reckless about the 1970's. Chuck Garfien speaks Ricky Cobb, a Chicago sociology teacher who is also the creator of Super 70’s Sports, a Twitter account with over a half-million followers that pays tribute to this off the wall decade with photos and tweets that will have you lau...

Since the players and owners are in the middle of a labor fight right now, why not look back at one of the biggest on-field fights in baseball history. On this edition of Distant Replay, it's the infamous brawl between the White Sox and Tigers on April 22, 2000. The White Sox won the game 14-6 (featuring a home run by a young Paul Konerko), but the game will always be remembered for three big figh...

Chuck Garfien speaks with Jayson Stark, senior baseball writer at The Athletic about the MLB lockout, what's at stake, and when a deal might get done. Plus, what kind of changes could be coming to MLB and if media access will improve in the future. (4:45) - How did the relationship between the players and owners get so bad? (12:00) - What the players want in the new CBA (18:00) - How to fix tankin...

What was it like to throw over 300 innings in a season or 14 innings in one day--and never need arm surgery? Chuck Garfien speaks with former White Sox knuckleballer Wilbur Wood about his extraordinary career in the 1960's and 1970's. They talk about why his knuckleball was so tough to hit, how he was able to start games on only two days rest, if knuckleballers will ever return to the game, and mo...

Chuck Garfien and the crew go down the rabbit hole of White Sox "What-ifs," looking back at the last 21 seasons to see how things would have played out for the White Sox in a parallel universe. What if the White Sox didn't trade Fernando Tatis, Jr? What if they didn't claim Bobby Jenks off waivers in 2004? What if Ozzie Guillen didn't leave for the Marlins? What if they acquired Jake Arrieta? What...

Mets right fielder Michael Conforto is a free agent. Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil could be on the trading block. Chuck Garfien gets the inside scoop about both players from Mets play-by-play announcer Wayne Randazzo. What are they like both on the field and in the clubhouse? What would the White Sox be getting if either of them end up on the South Side? (3:40) - Who is the real Michael Conforto...

With the recent passing of 1983 White Sox legends LaMarr Hoyt and Roland Hemond, Chuck Garfien looks back at their careers with 1983 Rookie of the Year Ron Kittle. They talk about how Hemond built the '83 White Sox, Hoyt the person and competitor, why they became known as the Winning Ugly White Sox, what it was like playing for Tony La Russa, and more.

What's on the mind of our listeners? Here in Part 2, Sox fans ask Chuck Garfien and the crew for the perfect White Sox offseason after the lockout, what players will improve and regress in 2022, if the White Sox be playing in a different stadium in 2030 and if they should wear the Field of Dreams uniforms on Sundays. There are also questions about Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, the CBA, the Kimbrel...

It's a holiday edition of White Sox fans taking over the podcast, where listeners pick all the topics for Chuck Garfien, Ryan McGuffey and Vinnie Duber to discuss. What player do they want to see under their White Sox Christmas tree? Who have been the biggest lumps of coal dating back to the start of the rebuild? What current or former White Sox player would make a good Santa? Plus, questions abou...

Chuck Garfien continues his two-part series on Dick Allen by speaking with Ferguson Jenkins who was on the Golden Days Era committee that left Allen one vote shy of the Hall of Fame. Jenkins had Allen first on his ballot. He speaks with Chuck about the vote and why he believes Allen belongs in the Hall of Fame. Then, Chuck speaks with Allen's former White Sox teammate Carlos May about what made Al...

Ask Goose Gossage about Dick Allen not getting into the Hall of Fame, and the former White Sox pitcher does not hold back. Chuck Garfien speaks with Gossage in a raw, uncensored conversation about the White Sox 1972 AL MVP, what made him great and how he helped Gossage become a Hall of Fame Pitcher. Gossage also talks about the passing of former White Sox GM Roland Hemond and what he sees wrong in...

Luis Robert's breakout season in 2021 has us wondering if this is a sign of great things to come for the White Sox center fielder. Chuck Garfien speaks with ESPN-1000 White Sox host Connor McKnight about the adjustments that Robert made that unlocked and unleashed all that is La Pantera. They compare his 2021 stats to Jose Abreu's MVP season in 2020 and why the future is so bright for budding supe...

With most of the top targets off the board, who are the White Sox going to get to play second base next season? Chuck Garfien, Vinnie Duber and Ryan McGuffey searched all over the league, looking at every single team to find the best trade candidates for the White Sox. The trades range from minor to absolute blockbusters. Come join the search party!

Chuck Garfien sits down with Ozzie Guillen to talk about the MLB lockout and how long he believes it will last. Plus, how Ozzie almost left NBC Sports Chicago this offseason to become the new manager of the San Diego Padres. Then, they discuss why he and Minnie Minoso had a rift for so many years and what Ozzie did to fix it, why he’s hoping the White Sox retire his number sooner rather than later...

At long last, Minnie Minoso is headed to Cooperstown. The White Sox legend was voted in by the Golden Days Era Committee, for his electrifying and groundbreaking career. On the podcast, Chuck Garfien speaks with Charlie and Sharon Rice-Minoso, son and wife of the late White Sox Hall of Famer. They share stories about Minnie, the barriers he faced as a player and what his election means to the fami...

With the offseason grinding to a halt because of the MLB lockout, what do we think of the White Sox offseason moves so far? Chuck Garfien and the podcast crew talk about the signings the Sox made before the lockout. Hear Rick Hahn on their pursuit of splashy moves and why he expects the team to be better come Opening Day. They also discuss the lightning rod that is Leury Garcia.