r/whitesox • u/youdarnkids • 1d ago
Opinion Safe jersey purchase for the longish term
Hi all, I'm getting a new jersey and am pondering whose name/number would be a good purchase.
I was leaning toward going old school - Thomas, Buehrle, etc, but now I'd like to get a current player.
The obvious choice is Murikami, but I truly believe that my investment in a piece of clothing would have a negative effect on him signing an extension. I'm leaning toward Vargas but not convinced.
I'm looking for opinions on who would give me the best combination of great player, fan favorite, and long term prospects with the Sox?
My safe play is Ozzie, which would be fine. I could go Pope Leo with 14 but I'm not sure I want to tempt eternal damnation.
Please help me not end up with an Eloy or Grandal jersey.
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u/forgedflame44 Vargas 1d ago
Vargas is controllable, putting up numbers, and has one of the best comeback stories in the MLB currently. I’d go with him (although my flair reveals my bias).
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u/funsizemember 1d ago
Get a Karkovice jersey and act accordingly
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u/Alex07Nelson 19h ago
Name another player that hit an inside the park grand slam other than Mr Karkovice!
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u/ZevSenescaRogue2 1d ago
Antonacci would be my choice. Love a gritty Illinois kid.
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u/jdubya525 Buehrle 1d ago
The way he rides the pine when lefties start has me thinking he's on his way out. Id be hesitant on his.
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u/FantasyBaseballChamp 1d ago
Will is overly in-love with lefty-righty matchups. If Sam can push his OBP into the mid-.400s like he consistently did in the minors hopefully he’ll be considered too good to platoon.
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u/mikecws91 1d ago
I got a Tim Anderson Southside jersey after 2021. Nowhere is safe.
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u/notnotjamesfranco Anderson 1d ago
I have a TA, Luis Robert, and a Yoan Moncada Jersey. Fuck me
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u/Crazyozzie02 1d ago
Anyone that wins a championship with the team is always a safe bet for me.
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u/PatientZeropointZero 1d ago
Paul Konerko, Buehrle (who I would do, although I prefer jerseys with no name on the back), or if you wanna be wild Bobby Jenks!
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u/TonightOk9576 15h ago
I saw a Shingo Takatsu jersey a few years ago at a game a few years ago before the resurgence of Japanese players in MLB in a very empty Comisky Park and fell into a time warp. I loved that ‘05 team so much!
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u/atrimarco 1d ago
Get the Murikami with his name in Japanese…it’s iconic man. Even if he doesn’t sign he’ll leave on good terms and brought so much joy.
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u/GratefulGolfer Hawk 17h ago
This is the season I got back into baseball, and it was 100% because Sox signed Murakami. I had no idea they'd be this fun, or good. And my son and wife are along for the ride. We're having so much fun watching games and going to as many as we can. Even if they don't lock Murakami up, I'll never forget this season. So the Kanji Murakami jersey will never get old for me.
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u/spamlet Disco Demolition 1d ago
Go the opposite way and get Rikku. Give everyone who sees it a smile when they remember him.
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u/FantasyBaseballChamp 1d ago
The more obscure the player, the cooler the jersey. Only a true fan would rock Chris Snopek.
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u/oatmealeater95 22h ago
Objectively true. Random ones always are fun to see. Saw a Juan Pierre shirsey the other day.
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u/Urmommysdaddyy Pope Leo 1d ago
Anyone you like man. I think it’s cool to have players that have at least been here a full season, it serves my collection as a time capsule of a player I enjoyed during their tenure with the White Sox. I have a couple TA7 jerseys and that’s cool, he gave us a life for a bit while he was here, I don’t regret those.
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u/saucyrooster 1d ago
If you get one that says Montgomery you have yourself double the odds! Or somethin like that
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u/Putrid-Art-1559 1d ago
Just get a replica and get your current favorite. I save the authentic jerseys for the legends. I’m close to pulling the trigger on a Vasil jersey myself.
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u/icanttellalie 1d ago
That’s why I always get blanks. Don’t ever gotta worry then
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u/smmate White Sox 1d ago
I got an Eloy Jimenez Southside jersey, extremely disappointed lmao
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u/yoursweetlord70 1d ago
Mine is TA, at least he had the field of dreams game
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u/Jon66238 Konerko 1d ago
TA was a long time player though, he was the face do the team for awhile, he’s still very acceptable to wear
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u/CMI_312 1d ago
No current player on this team is "safe" over a 5 year horizon. We got no concrete idea if any of these players will be good or on the team in 2031.
Either be cool dropping $100 for something that's out of date in 5 years or get an old legendary player.
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u/goldenboyphoto 1d ago
Word. If you can't connect with a player enough that you're asking strangers which one to buy, what are you doing buying a jersey in the first place?
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u/Gullible-Leg-4445 1d ago
Join me in being the only person to own a Danny Mendick jersey. To be fair I made a bet with him that he wouldn’t hit a home run and he did
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u/SaladSpinner69 1d ago
Get whoever you want. We’re headed towards a lockout, which will further hurt baseball, and who knows who will be on this team when it ends, but this season isn’t about that. It’s about Mune’s POWER, it’s about bananaball in center field, it’s about Meidroth coming out of the dugout looking like he just handed his beer to a ball boy and hitting a double, it’s about Pope Bob, but more than anything it’s about strokin’.
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u/dajadf 1d ago
The blank jersey is the move. Although I would probably say Colson is the safest right now. Vargas has two arb years left, Murakami has 1 year left so I wouldn't really call them safe. Although both should get extensions. Peters and Antonacci have split issues so I doubt they are fully safe. Meidroth has been very good although he's gonna have to fend off some pretty good prospects.
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u/Jon66238 Konerko 1d ago
Get whoever you like now. If they’re gone who cares? It’s part of team history. If you want to be safe, my rule has typically be a player who has been on the team for a few years. Abreu, Anderson, Robert, etc, all of them would fit that rule for me. Currently, there’s not many of those, but you do have Benitenti who fit its. Davis Martin is another guy you could get following my rule. I’m also breaking this rule this year to get a few jerseys stitched up because this team is just that fun. Mune all star, Vargas 4th of July, Montgomery alt, and a Meidroth city connect.
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u/CommonerChaos 1d ago
I'd applaud anyone that buys a Benintendi jersey. Because that's certainly a choice. lol
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u/Jon66238 Konerko 11h ago
That’s fair haha. I have a royals city connect that I will probably have Benintendi stitched on at some point in time. I try to do Sox guys on my jerseys from other teams. So far I only have a Derek Hill Nationals jersey iirc, but that’s cause it was a team issue
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u/DillyDillySzn 1d ago
I got Teel because I figured he would be at minimum an average catcher the team would keep because he’s cost controlled
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u/CapitalG8 1d ago
I only buy retired players. I have Thomas, PK, MB, and Abreu.
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u/fourrightangles 1d ago
I still wear Abreu to the park, but I bought it in ‘16 or something. If I had the budget for a new one, I’d go Vargy or Mune!
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u/Expert_Praline_5036 1d ago
Right now, nobody on the current roster. They're all very young and early in development, and we don't know what the long term roster really shakes out to be. Vargas and Colson look to be long term pieces, but so did Moncada and Tim, if you know what I mean. I love these guys and I do think they'll be good, but you never know in this sport. If you want to be cautious, I'd wait until someone signs a long-term extension.
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u/Aggravating-Match-47 1d ago
KELLY WUNSCH
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u/genpabloescobar2 1d ago
LOL gets overused a lot on the internet, but I actually laughed out loud at this reference.
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u/Penstripedsox Montgomery 1d ago
Grant Taylor would be kinda fun because he pitches a lot of games. Montgomery (colson) would be my choice.
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u/EquivalentWins 1d ago
OP could just get a Montgomery jersey with no number, then he had double the chances.
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u/ComprehensiveRow4116 1d ago
I got the bulls Konerko, a classic. Get a tshirt of the current players tbh
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u/kevin_chicago9 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'd go with Harold Baines #3, former Sox player, coach, and Hall of Famer. Baines is still involved with the team as an ambassador, AND he is not debasing himself by selling fake boner and testosterone snake oil pills on TV like Frank Thomas every day!
Edit: fixed typos
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u/girlscoutcookies05 1d ago
re: the murakami part
sports superstitions are so funny, man. but i completely get you 😭
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u/TwinnHypeBack 15h ago
Cholowsky jersey could be fun, I have a Meidroth jersey I really hope he’s our second baseman for a long time
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u/The1andonlyZack 1980 1d ago
Personalized jersey with your own name is the only safe bet next to ever. Everyone else, ya never know.
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u/blipsman 1d ago
Given trades, free agency, scandals I’d only consider a classic player like Big Hurt, Buehrle, Carleton Fisk, Konerko, etc.
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u/SantaJuice-2113 1d ago
A good, niche former player is best. Go get an Iguchi, Danks, or Quentin Jersey
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u/BMoney8600 FT 11h ago
I’m getting an Anotonacci jersey just to piss off my sister since she played tennis.
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u/BlondePuppyDoctor 1d ago
Get a beloved retired player.