Meet the Team: Jordan Lazowski

Here at Sox On 35th, we boast a talented and passionate team of contributors that provides coverage all year long. To help you get familiar with our staff, we will be rolling out our “Meet the Team” article series throughout the offseason. In this edition, we get to know our Jordan Lazowski.

About Me

Hey, folks! My name is Jordan Lazowski, and I’m the Editor-in-Chief of Sox On 35th. I’ve lived and grown up in the suburbs of Chicago my whole life, and I was raised the right way as a Sox fan. It was after 2005 that I really became interested in baseball – though, in hindsight, I really wish I became a baseball fan just one year earlier…

I’m a 2019 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Applied & Computational Mathematics and Statistics, and a supplementary major in Economics. So, if it’s not abundantly clear, I like numbers and always have. I had the pleasure of serving as a Head of Analytics for the Notre Dame baseball team during my time as a student, and since then, I’ve devoted my love of numbers to either writing my blogs or competing in #SoxMath on the NBC Sports Chicago broadcasts.

Outside of my full-time job as a Data & Analytics Consultant, I help Joe Binder run our page while annoying him as often as possible. I’ve also become a baseball coach in the previous year, serving as an assistant coach where I attended high school, Montini Catholic High School, and as a coach within the Midwest Region for GameDay USA and USA Baseball’s National Team Identification Series.

It’s still up for debate as to how exactly I found Sox On 35th. All I know is that I came across their Twitter profile and their request for new writers while studying abroad in Ireland. I figured I would at least give it a shot, and on that same trip, I wrote my first blog. Six seasons later, I can’t believe the growth we’ve seen on our page and how many talented people we’ve been lucky to add to our staff.

I personally appreciate your support of our page and writers – we couldn’t do it without all of you.

Fast Facts

• Page Role: Editor-in-Chief
• Hometown: Lemont, IL
• Education/Major: Applied and Computational Mathematics & Statistics – University of Notre Dame

Baseball Fandom

• Favorite White Sox Player: Current – Dylan Cease / Former: Paul Konerko (I’ve worn #14 forever for a reason)
• Favorite non-White Sox Player: Current – Joey Votto & Bryce Harper / Former – Dustin Pedroia & Greg Maddux – though Dan Haren and Jered Weaver have won me over multiple times via Twitter. As a former soft-tosser myself, I can certainly relate…

• Favorite Thing About Being a White Sox Fan: It’s a cliche answer, but the online community makes it really cool to be a Sox fan and brings a unique element to the fan experience. I’ve enjoyed being a blogger for the past six seasons without any previous journalism experience, and I think the feedback from the community – good and bad – has made me a better writer and smarter thinker throughout the years.
• Least Favorite Baseball Team: The Cleveland Guardians. Watch one game in 2022 to figure out why.
• Favorite White Sox Uniform: I’ve got what may be a hot take on this one. I’m going with these 1917 uniforms. Specifically, the Red/White/Blue ones. Get that logo on those plain white hats, and we’re in business right there.

• “Mount Rushmore” of White Sox Players: Frank Thomas, Minnie Miñoso, Luke Appling, Ed Walsh. Just missed: Mark Buehrle, Paul Konerko, Luis Aparicio.
• Favorite In-Person White Sox Memory: Carlos Rodon’s 2021 No-Hitter. I’m a superstitious individual, so after about the fourth inning, I didn’t move from my seat for the rest of the game. It’s only crazy if it doesn’t work.

• Least Favorite In-Person White Sox Memory: Honestly, a lot of the games from the 2022 season. It was the first time that I can remember (remember I’m only 25) that I felt there was absolutely no energy in the stadium and no life on the field. The games I attended were mostly losses, and even the wins didn’t feel that great. It was an all-around season to forget.
• Favorite Baseball Movie: Moneyball. Between the movie and the book, it was the first time, as a teenager/young adult, that I realized that two of my passions (Baseball and Math) could be combined.
• Favorite Baseball Stat: Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA). For as many arguments as fans get into about batting average, slugging, on-base percentage, and the like, wOBA tries to combine the strengths of each of those stats while minimizing their weaknesses. By this point, I know what you’re thinking…

• Favorite Ballpark Food: Hot Dog with Grilled Onions. Can’t be beaten – I get it every time.
• Favorite Ballpark: Of the ones I’ve visited, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I’ve seen 9 so far: White Sox, Cubs, Guardians, Tigers, Phillies, Orioles, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Brewers.
• Ballpark You Want to Visit: I want to eventually get to all 30, but the next one on my list is Oracle Park in San Francisco.
• All-time Favorite Broadcaster Call: “Call your sons, call your daughters! Call your friends, call your neighbors!” Absolute chills every time.
  
  The Buehrle Perfect Game became a great memory for me. After it happened, from that point on, whenever I was scheduled to pitch, I would re-watch all 27 outs before the game. It was a reminder that no matter how hard you threw, anyone could be perfect on any given day.

Personal Questions:

• Celebrity Crush: Hailee Steinfeld
• Favorite Fast-Food: Wendy’s Nuggets. I said what I said.
• Favorite TV Show: Current: The Blacklist / Former: Criminal Minds
• If you had to teach one class, what would it be and why? High School Math. I’ve been blessed with great math teachers who inspired me and made me love the class, and I only feel it would be right to help others develop that same love.
• Dream Vacation: I loved Ireland when I went. I’d love to go back and experience it again. I’ve never been a super “outdoorsy” person, but that trip went a long way in changing my mind about that.

• Dream Job: General Manager of a Major League Baseball Team. Yes, I’d even work for the Cubs if given that job.
• Last Concert Attended: I’ve only attended one – Bon Jovi when I was 13.
• Favorite Band/Artist: Zac Brown Band
• Favorite Professional Team Aside from Baseball: The Chicago Bears… Justin Fields is QB1
• Favorite Personal Sports Moment: A close 2nd is my walk-off hit my senior year of high school, but nothing is going to top this:

Follow 

• Twitter: @jlazowski14
• Instagram: @jordanlaz14

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