Pick 6: White Sox unveil renderings for proposed new stadium

0:00Welcome back to pick six with high-impaian on 104 three this score. I'm not going to take any any questions. Justin Ishpia made a big news Saturday morning by releasing renderings of a proposed new ballpark called the rail yards and the south loot opposite the 78 where the Chicago fire are building a stadium of their own proposal. The news broken by crane Chicago has received pushback by residents and politicians in the bridge of the city. The news is that the neighborhood is not the neighborhood. How feasible does this all look and is this good or bad timing for such an announcement? Well I think that it's the timing is the timing and Justin Ishpia is entering the chat. And this was a surprise because of that because of his quasi ownership minority ownership his involvement is vague. It's unclear how much he's involved in this. It's a surprise that he's involved in this

1:01something that was and is happening. You you you you look at what they're what they're looking at right now the renderings will look great by anybody's definition because that's what you can do with AI. Now how realistic is it? You can't you any conversation about this has to start with what's going on in bridge port because the people in that neighborhood, the people in that proximity to the ballpark have been loyal and those feelings can't be just dismissed or set aside. The alderman for the 11th Ward Nicole Lee issued a statement and County Commissioner John Daily they represent bridge port. They had a joint statement who called this move a betrayal to socks fans who have supported the team in that neighborhood for so generations going way back. So that's to be taken into consideration and you don't want to overlook that. At the same time

2:01there's the reality of professional sports that this would seem to be acknowledging. Justin ish be apporing all this money into the patch of land across the river and across from the Chicago fire stadium in 48 acre site of Amtrak's 14th Street Coachyard, the rail yards, if you will. A lot of this hinges on the ability of Amtrak to relocate to bridge port and then the stadium and this could be years away but 2029 the lease is up. This is moving fast. It would seem I do wonder who breaks ground first the white socks or the bears at the pace of this but this to me does represent the uncomfortable reality that this is progress because you have to if you want to be keeping up with teams of Major League Baseball. This is part of that for the white socks to modernize their approach and if Justin ish be

3:01behind it and bank rolling this then certainly this is a sign of the times and new times for the white socks. So it was jarring to see those renderings because they were so like wow! I opening. But the next part of this story might be a little easier. So let's stay tuned. I think the timing is perfect. The socks are in first place by three games. This is exactly when you want to capitalize on feel good white socks news. You're just doubling down on the fact that it's September the 8th and your team is ticketed right now to be playing postseason ball. Now I will say there has been really nice walk up crowds this year at the rate. The fans are coming. They're winning and fans are definitely coming. I don't know that you're turning your back on bridge port. I think that's probably a little extreme. I don't live in bridge port. I might not understand it the way others would. I don't see the negatives

4:01to this. If you shutter the stadium you are walking away from bridge port. Essentially if you always are going to chant. I mean how big of a day, like a game day and a game day is going to get they're going to have a very big impact. Helps bridge port. I don't know the answer to that question specifically is an example tonight but there's an identity that's intertwined with with bridge port in the white socks. I think you have to acknowledge that. It's like taking taken wriggly out of. Clark and out away from Clark and Addison. I'm there. That's just I just don't feel that I don't I don't know it enough. I just support residents, diehard white socks fans. That's the, this is similar. This is similar, I like to say, same church, different pew as bears moving from soldier field to Arlington Heights or Northwest Indiana. Every bear's fans got a thought on it. What are white socks fans lots on this?

5:02I love the renderings. Anytime that you can jump on AI and give me some renderings of what a new stadium looks like, kind of used to that with what's going on with bear situation. Always, always looks pretty. But there is something to say here where what David was talking about with Nicole Lee and also John Daly talking about the betrayal to, you know, the 11th ward and they kind of drawing a line in the sand of like seeing where they stand and how they feel about this. I think the, I, there is an identity when it comes to Bridgeport and the white socks. That, that community is, is driven by the south side and what that team means to them. And so timing, I can understand, it should be a can do whatever he wants to do. It's the, the timing. That's what he wants. And, but also as well, the timing for me, I don't like to talk about these things when games are going on.

6:04Because I feel like sometimes it overshadows what we're all here for. And I think for the seed, the white socks in first place, the male central, that should be the main focus. But also timing, though, for south side fans and Bridgeport that are upset about this, this is, it's a big deal. But I think when you have, how long this is going to take and we're all excited about the renderings, there's still a process that has to go through to be able to get this thing to actually shovels in the ground. I've got a lot of questions about him this off season. That's the voice of PCA. And he became the first couple left-hander since Billy Williams, 1970 to hit 40 home runs over on the left side of the plate. Now, his 35 stolen bases after two more over the weekend. There's also a post going viral pointing out that PCA has 22 more home runs and 49 more stolen bases

7:04than Ken Griffey Jr. did through 438 MLB appearances. Is Ken Griffey Jr. the new cop for PCA? Is that crazy, fair? What are we watching here? I'm a Ken Griffey guy, so this is, this is, this is, this is rough, I guess, yes. I think it's fair, I guess, when you're looking at the comp just by when you look at both guys, right? Both left-handed hitters, both just fluid swings. I mean, I'm always gonna go with Griffey's just because, I mean, his could be put onto like a, as a logo for something if that's what you really want it because it's so sweet. But both guys are amazing defenders, both playing center field out in the outfield. I, I look at the games of both guys. And early on, if you compare the first four years to, from Griffey to PCA, and what PCA is done, especially, I look at the stolen bases to me that's there. The speed has always been there.

8:07It hasn't been something that needs to be seen over time. I think when you, it's a little ambitious though to start looking at somebody and have a hard time when a guy as, as many home runs as Griffey does and as many all-star appearances as he does to kind of compare another guy to him. But I think that's, it is a comp. And it sounds like from listening to PCA that they, he's had conversations with Kent Griffey about all, about the swing in the game. And so the last year, I think they started that friendship. Yeah, that friendship. So the fact that they have that friendship, says something, but I think over time, you still have to do it for a long period of time. And that's what we haven't seen. But I think PCA is on the right path, that's right now to doing something special. And what we're seeing Dustin, it's much watch TV. I haven't been this excited to watch and at bat from someone in the city. I think the only thing closest to that was

9:07when Devon Hester was back there and punts and kickoff returns, where it was like, oh, I might need to go to bathroom. No, I'm gonna sit here and watch to see what Devon Hester does. That's how I feel about every AB of PCA. That's a great, that's a great comp. It is sit up in your seat. It is turn the radio up a little louder. It is reach into your pocket, pull out the app and put the volume up a little bit more. It is much watch TV. And then once he gets on base, yesterday gets hit by a pitch, right? And then it's the same thing. I'm sitting up a little straighter in my seat, watching to see, is he gonna steal a base? Is he gonna try, if he gets second, is he gonna steal third, right? You cannot, you can't get away from him. Now, when we get to the Griffey stuff, that's an amazing comp through 438 games that he's doing better than him. Now, he's also older, it's more mature, right? Then Griffey came in, what, 18, 19 years old,

10:09is playing with his dad, right? Okay, so that's part of this a little bit. I think the key to all of this, and these numbers are so much fun. And there's a, we could spend an hour going over all the different things. Can he repeat it? Can you do not the same, but can you keep the high standard for multiple years? That's gonna be the next thing. Everybody's got a year in them, right? How many guys hit 50 home runs, all of a sudden, Brady Anderson. Yeah, you're not. He's not Brady Anderson. No, he's just saying that point. You gotta do it again. This is fantastic, but you gotta do it again. That's what makes it so hard. I get it, I know, it's fun to enjoy. I don't think the Ken Griffey junior comp, those numbers did surprise me, but that's also a mouthful when you say that he's on that track. That's a Hall of Fame track. Yeah. Is that where he's headed? This is as far as I'll be willing to go now,

11:10and I love everything PCA's doing, and you could see him almost, he stole those bases, but easily yesterday, he got the jump, and he was off. You know he's gonna get 40, 40. You know he's gonna do that. Yesterday was the seventh time this year, where he had at least a home run, and one stolen base in the same game. That's a cup record. The other guy, he's tied for it now. 1991, Ryan Sandberg is the other guy. Going back to 1898, that's a lot of great company to keep. Ryan Sandberg, Ken Griffey, Jr. These are the Hall of Famers we're comparing this kid to, and he is a kid. It's 24. What are we watching here? It's greatness. That's what we're watching here. And I think we'd be, go more than that, might be a little premature, but I just think you want him to stay healthy. You want him to continue this track, but I also think we're watching, and we're seeing, one of the biggest bargains in baseball. He's locked up for six years,

12:10at less than 20 million a year. Six year, $150 million extension, Jed Hoyer's a genius. He got PCA to sign that contract, and he moved to Chicago, his parents are here. He could not be happier. The only people happy in the PCA right now? Cup fans, because he's gonna be here for a very long time. All right, we come back. We got the extra point. What will you remember most from this weekend of college football? Get into it next on Hawn Page, Chicago Sports Radio, one of four, three, the score.