The next 20 years of Talksox

[yeszir]

It’s hard to believe, but Talksox has been around for over 20 years. I started this site in 2004, fresh off the painful ending to the 2003 season. The community that developed in those early years and in the 20 years since is something special. I don’t take any credit for it – it happened organically, thanks to some truly amazing posters and people.

 

20 years is a long time, and things have changed for me. I’m no longer the passionate baseball fan I once was, and I don’t have the time to put into Talksox to give it the support it needs to thrive and grow.

 

So, I’ve decided to sell Talksox and will be transitioning the site to a new ownership team led by Brock Beauchamp. I’m sure there will be a lot of questions about this, which Brock and I are happy to answer. But the most important thing is that the core of this site, the community and culture which everyone has fostered for so long, will stay in place.

 

There have been numerous offers over the years to buy Talksox, which I’ve always rejected because it wasn’t the right fit. But Brock and his team are a natural fit for Talksox. Beyond their passion for baseball, it’s clear they care deeply about the community here and understand the importance of the culture everyone has created.

 

They’re also passionate about maintaining independent, fan-focused places for baseball discussion. Expect to see some new and exciting things, like exclusive articles and content and some pretty cool baseball specific features they plan to launch.

 

You aren’t done with me yet though – I’ll still be around. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 20 years of Talksox brings.

 

-yeszir

[Brock Beauchamp]

Hi everybody! I'm super-excited to be here and nurture this community into the future.

 

A few things about me: I'm part of a group of five who founded Twins Daily 12 years ago. We all had our own individual sites (I founded mine in the mid-2000s) and combined them into one of the first team-specific supersites around. Over the years as the Twins floundered in the postseason, I found myself wanting to explore other fandoms and apply our knowledge of baseball sites to other fanbases. Personally, I've lived all over the country and at one point or another, became fond of several other teams (Brewers, Padres, and Angels based on where I've lived).

 

So a couple of years ago, we found a Brewers community much like this one and over the course of a year, turned it into Brewer Fanatic. We have extensive tools to focus on user interactivity (which I'll talk about more in time), along with videos, news/analysis articles, user blogs, and a bunch of other cool stuff. At my heart, I'm a baseball fan and don't follow other sports much (I dabble in basketball but that's about it). As a career web developer, my baseball fandom and technical knowledge has allowed me to focus our platform specifically on baseball and nothing else. While my other business partners play around with sites focusing on other sports, I just do baseball. And I'm crazy-excited to explore the Sox fandom and see what new things we can bring to the experience.

 

If you have questions, please ask away! This is a collaborative experience. We chose Talk Sox because of the community; there are plenty of baseball communities out there I won't touch with a ten foot pole because they're toxic. You all seem like a good bunch of people and when it comes to the direction of the community, all of you have a voice in how things are managed.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Part of building out the site will be extensive use of social media. And we're starting those out from scratch so if you could give these pages a like/follow, it's really appreciated!

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talksox

 

X:

[moonslav59]

Thanks for taking over, when needed.

[mvp 78]

Thank you for not letting the site die.

[Bellhorn04]

Thanks guys. This place is wacky but it's the best!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Thank you for not letting the site die.

 

That's one of the goals, for sure. Our premise for the site is that we take this legacy community and add a bunch of modern features to it: analysis, news, video, loads of interactive features, and essentially try to wrap a protective bubble around a community that has existed for 20 years. From the community side of things, not a lot will change in how the forums are structured and managed.

 

As a long-time forum owner, the proliferation and dominance of Reddit, Twitter/X, and Facebook has ruined so many independent sites and it makes me sad. So much of the personality and fun of the early 2000s internet has been chipped away and if I can preserve small pieces of it here and there, I consider that a success.

[mvp 78]

Does this mean we really have to care about the Mayor's Cup now?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Does this mean we really have to care about the Mayor's Cup now?

 

I've asked myself that question a few times and I think the answer is still a resounding "no".

 

BUT the upside here is that because the Twins and Sox play ST in the same city, it streamlines us having on-site ST coverage.

[mvp 78]

I've asked myself that question a few times and I think the answer is still a resounding "no".

 

BUT the upside here is that because the Twins and Sox play ST in the same city, it streamlines us having on-site ST coverage.

 

That sounds great. I know there's been TalkSox meetups in ST in the past. Maybe we'll be able to get a group down there again this year. Looking forward to all the changes.

[Jasonbay44]

As someone who joined this site when I was 14 years old shortly after Manny Ramirez was traded for Jason Bay, and am now 30, I can safely say a majority of my life I’ve been a member of this website.

 

Shoutout to Yeszir for all the time and effort he put into building this website over the years and for building a great community, but I’m excited to see where the future of TalkSox is headed.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

We'll never have enough pitching and moaning about it.

[Brock Beauchamp]

We'll never have enough pitching and moaning about it.

 

You and every other fanbase in baseball.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Here's a peek at the new logo if such things interest you:

 

 

[yeszir]

As someone who joined this site when I was 14 years old shortly after Manny Ramirez was traded for Jason Bay, and am now 30, I can safely say a majority of my life I’ve been a member of this website.

 

Shoutout to Yeszir for all the time and effort he put into building this website over the years and for building a great community, but I’m excited to see where the future of TalkSox is headed.

 

Ha! I bet 14 year old you thought Jason Bay would be a Red Sox for life.

[Hugh2]

I’ve been here for over a decade after the great migration from Boston.com

 

I thoroughly enjoy the insight and the banter from everyone on here, even from the people that butt heads with. I promise I don’t hate anyone, I’m just a brash A$$ hat sometimes. We are all part of Red Sox nation and ultimately want the same thing. The next World Series win.

 

I welcome the changes and look forward to what’s to come. I also love the expansion into social media.

[mvp 78]

I’ve been here for over a decade after the great migration from Boston.com

 

That is some fuzzy math my dude.

 

Can you have the other Hugh login and check your work?

[Hugh2]

That is some fuzzy math my dude.

 

Can you have the other Hugh login and check your work?

 

I’m currently at a “business” lunch. When I get back in the office I’ll check.

 

I forget when they shut down. I thought it was over a decade ago. Feels so long, like a distant dream.

[mvp 78]

I’m currently at a “business” lunch. When I get back in the office I’ll check.

 

I forget when they shut down. I thought it was over a decade ago. Feels so long, like a distant dream.

 

April 2016.

[Hugh2]

April 2016.

 

Yup, wow. I didn't realize it had been only 8 years. Feels longer.

[mvp 78]

@brock_beauchamp

there are three teams i will absolutely not run sites for: the white sox, yankees, and cardinals

 

then a handful of others i don't have interest in but those three are show-stoppers for me

 

Brock, thank you for the Yankees bit. Are you a Cubs fan and that's why you don't like the Cardinals and ChiSox? I didn't think the Twins had a huge White Sox rivalry.

[Brock Beauchamp]

@brock_beauchamp

there are three teams i will absolutely not run sites for: the white sox, yankees, and cardinals

 

then a handful of others i don't have interest in but those three are show-stoppers for me

 

Brock, thank you for the Yankees bit. Are you a Cubs fan and that's why you don't like the Cardinals and ChiSox? I didn't think the Twins had a huge White Sox rivalry.

 

Our managing editor, Matt Trueblood, is a Cubs fan. I'm a Brewers fan so I have other reasons to dislike the Cards. I also just find their fanbase insufferable.

 

As for the White Sox, they're pretty much hated by Twins fans. No idea if it's reciprocal or not, nor do I care. I try not to interact with White Sox fans after they beat up an opposing base coach the *second* time.

[moonslav59]

Our managing editor, Matt Trueblood, is a Cubs fan. I'm a Brewers fan so I have other reasons to dislike the Cards. I also just find their fanbase insufferable.

 

As for the White Sox, they're pretty much hated by Twins fans. No idea if it's reciprocal or not, nor do I care. I try not to interact with White Sox fans after they beat up an opposing base coach the *second* time.

 

I lived in Milwaukee, when the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers. I lived a couple blocks from the old County Stadium and went to several games. I became a huge Tommy Harper fan, and when my family moved to Portland, Maine in the early 70's, the Brewers traded harper to the Red Sox. I switched to being a Sox fan and never looked back. (I'm still a Packer and Bucks fan.)

 

Thanks for taking over and keeping this site active.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I lived in Milwaukee, when the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers. I lived a couple blocks from the old County Stadium and went to several games. I became a huge Tommy Harper fan, and when my family moved to Portland, Maine in the early 70's, the Brewers traded harper to the Red Sox. I switched to being a Sox fan and never looked back. (I'm still a Packer and Bucks fan.)

 

Thanks for taking over and keeping this site active.

 

You chose the Sox because of a single player and stuck with them for decades? That's kind of amazing.

[Hugh2]

I became a Red Sox fan in 1993 watching Scott Cooper make a diving play at 3B.

[notin]

I became a Red Sox fan in 1993 watching Scott Cooper make a diving play at 3B.

 

Scott Cooper? Worst player ever with multiple All Star appearances…

[Maxbialystock]

You chose the Sox because of a single player and stuck with them for decades? That's kind of amazing.

 

His move to Maine was the real reason. Boston is basically the capital of New England. And Portland, ME is just 108 miles from Boston. moonslav now lives in Houston, but also has a home in Maine where he goes every summer.

[Maxbialystock]

Our managing editor, Matt Trueblood, is a Cubs fan. I'm a Brewers fan so I have other reasons to dislike the Cards. I also just find their fanbase insufferable.

 

As for the White Sox, they're pretty much hated by Twins fans. No idea if it's reciprocal or not, nor do I care. I try not to interact with White Sox fans after they beat up an opposing base coach the *second* time.

 

I find it difficult to look askance at any fan base. I do think the Rays fans are screwed by the worst ballpark in MLB and that the A's have a similar dilemma although it's really Oakland and not the ballpark.

 

I also disagree that, by having 30 MLB teams, the quality of play has been watered down. The fact is that more young men and even boys are playing baseball than ever before.

[notin]

I find it difficult to look askance at any fan base. I do think the Rays fans are screwed by the worst ballpark in MLB and that the A's have a similar dilemma although it's really Oakland and not the ballpark.

 

I also disagree that, by having 30 MLB teams, the quality of play has been watered down. The fact is that more young men and even boys are playing baseball than ever before.

 

Rays’ fans are also hurt by a huge chunk of their home population being transplanted Yankee fans.

 

I’ve never been to a game there, but I’ve never heard anything good. I’ve seen the park; it’s right off the interstate in the middle of the city, but I’ve also heard it’s in a bad location. Why days wrong with where out of? I couldn’t tell (last time I was in FLA was in November, 2021, so no games were being played)…

[moonslav59]

Rays’ fans are also hurt by a huge chunk of their home population being transplanted Yankee fans.

 

I’ve never been to a game there, but I’ve never heard anything good. I’ve seen the park; it’s right off the interstate in the middle of the city, but I’ve also heard it’s in a bad location. Why days wrong with where out of? I couldn’t tell (last time I was in FLA was in November, 2021, so no games were being played)…

 

I went to an opening day game in TB, once. We lost in the 9th in the "closer by committee" season. I thought it was kinda nice, there.

 

There will never be a big fan base, there due to Yankee and Sox fans outnumbering available Rays fans.