From the team’s future in Chicago to their revamped analytics department, the White Sox have remained in the headlines since our last update a couple of days ago.
Let’s run through the latest developments.
Rob Manfred comments on White Sox’s future
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on FS1’s Breakfast Ball on Wednesday and was asked about the White Sox’s long-term future in Chicago. This comes on the heels of last week’s report that Jerry Reinsdorf was discussing a potential sale of the team to Dave Stewart’s group, which has been connected with bringing a team to Nashville.
“Chicago is an anchor city for us. I think that the White Sox are in a difficult situation. I think the location of the stadium is tough, but I have confidence that things are going to work out in Chicago, and that we’re going to continue to have two teams in Chicago.”
via MLB Commisioner Rob Manfred, FS1
Governor J.B. Pritzker rejects proposal for taxpayer money to fund new stadium
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker remains against a proposal that would allow for a new White Sox stadium to be built using public funding.
“A billion dollar investment in a private business – for a private business, rather, that’s owned by wealthy people and is a highly-valued enterprise, it seems like the taxpayers, rightly, should say, ‘Don’t we have other uses for that capital?'”
This isn’t the first time that Pritzker has come out against such a plan. He expressed similar hesitancy this past February when asked about it at an event.
White Sox “reorganize” and “rebrand” analytics department
Matt Spiegel of 670 The Score revealed the White Sox analytics department has started to see change over the last six weeks. The co-host of Spiegel & Holmes said during Tuesday’s show that the group has been rebranded as “research and development” and will be working closely with other departments to bring consistency across the board.
For more info, you can read our full article here.
Rangers bench coach Donnie Ecker out of White Sox manager search
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rangers bench coach and offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker is no longer in the running. He is expected to remain in his current role with Texas.
Ecker, 38, has been with the Rangers since the 2022 season. Before his time in Arlington, he spent two seasons as the hitting coach of the San Francisco Giants and the 2019 season as an assistant hitting coach with the Cincinnati Reds. The former 22nd-round draft pick of the Rangers (2007) also has experience in the player development department with the St. Louis Cardinals.
For more info, you can read our full article here.
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2 questions/points, 1) Is the “research and development” department getting more resources and personnel to tackle an area that the Sox have failed in forever? Or did the old stumble bums just change their name? 2) Did Donnie Ecker remove himself from consideration for the WS job or did Getz end his interest?
The re-brand dept is only 10 staff members in total. This is still the smallest staff in all of MLB. So, Ebenezer Jerry still not putting any resources into analytics. It is a safe bet nothing changes.
No word publicly why Ecker is out… smart money would be not wanting to come to a clown-show and working for inept Getz (aka TLR).