For Southland Sox fans, optimism on full display
Southland White Sox fans have high hopes about the season ahead as some of them gathered at the famed McNally’s Pub in Morgan Park towatch their team thehome opener on Friday.
Ceremonies at the ballpark were full of fanfare and broadcast on several screens at McNally’s.
Mike Farnan, who said he’s known as “Mr. White Sox” at the pub, said he enjoyed watching Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot throw out the first pitch to White Sox legend A.J. Pierzynski, a former White Sox legend.
“So far, this game is looking good,” he said. “The other team’s helping with four errors.”
The Sox led early thanks in part to defensive errors committed by the Seattle Mariners. In the end, the Sox won 10-8.
“It’s a great day for (the game),” Farnan said. “It’s beautiful weather. Whatmore could youask for?”
He said he has several friends who went to the game to join the more than 30,000 in attendance.
As for the team's prospects the rest of the year, Farnan said he's optimistic will have a much better showing this year.
“They've got to be better than last year,” he said.
The Sox finished with a record of 62 wins and 100 losses in 2018.
Farnan said he's not bothered that the team missed its opportunity to sign superstar free agent Manny Machado because he was just too expensive at more than $300 million over multiple years.
Fan Joe Swank losing Machado also didn't do much to dampen his hopes this season and the years to follow.
“I'm not really upset about Manny because they have a lot of good young players,” he said. “There's four or five of them still coming up in the minors.”
Swank said he's excited to see the production from rookie Eloy Jimenez and is confident pitcher Michael Kopech will be a great addition to the team next year after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
He said he's been a Sox fan since hewas born in 1966 and his excitement for the team has been growing recently with the rebuild.
About 20 patrons were in the pub watching the game during the afternoon, but McNally's manager Amanda McNally said the business was packed in the morning before the game started.
She said the pre-party included fans singing along to Journey's “Don't Stop Believing,” which became the theme song to the 2005World Series champion White Sox.
McNally said those morning fans filled three busloads heading to the ballpark.
She said business at the pub is usually tied directly to how well the team is doing.
If the Sox are in a long win streak more and more patrons frequent McNally's and business also is good during the Crosstown when the Sox play the Cubs, McNally said.
Cubs fan Todd Videka, who visited the pub Friday, said he's really a fan of all Chicago team and hopes the Cubs and White Sox play each other in the World Series in the near future.
The last time the two team face each other for the championship was in 1906.
During the home opener the Mariners battled back for the lead before the Sox re-took the lead in the seventh inning.