This afternoon, before the White Sox’ final homestand of the season, Chris Getz spoke with the media to address the team’s historic season, their managerial search, 2024-25 free agency, and much more. Here’s a recap of anything you may have missed.
White Sox fans “don’t deserve this” – but team not expected to spend big in free agency
Getz started by being pretty candid about the state of the team, stating point blank that fans don’t deserve the product that was put on the field this season.
However, perhaps acknowledging at the same time how much work there still is to be done with the team, Getz was non-committal about the team’s free agency approach this offseason, except to say that they won’t be spending near the top of free agency. So, more Erick Fedde-type signings, rather than a pursuit at Juan Soto, should be expected.
Part of the reason likely comes down to Getz admitting what he didn’t last offseason: the White Sox are in fact in a rebuild. And, if you like a call-back to Rick Hahn quotes, Getz provided his today:
“All of our focus is for the long term health. We’re clearly in a rebuild. When you’ve got this many losses, one thing it does provide is clarity and direction on where you do need to go as an organization. There’s situations that front offices have endured before where you’re stuck in the middle and perhaps you’re stuck in mediocrity and you don’t know how to get out of that, where we stand right now, it’s very clear that we’ve got some work to do and the pathway out of that is to be healthy underneath the organization.
Grady Sizemore in consideration to be team’s next manager
Despite his record in the 30+ games as the team’s interim manager, Grady Sizemore has apparently impressed Chris Getz and the front office. While Getz had recently said that the White Sox would anticipate hiring someone from outside the organization who is currently in uniform with another team, today Getz went out of his way to acknowledge that Sizemore had earned himself consideration for the position.
However, Getz reassured the media that this will be a thorough search, likely to conclude by late-October or early-November.
As for managerial qualities, Getz is looking for a partner who is willing to “rise to the challenge” of overseeing the development and re-creation of the worst team in modern baseball history. Certainly a tall task for whoever is interviewed throughout the process.
“Grady’s [Sizemore] in consideration. He has a lot of traits that we’re looking for, but we certainly want to go through a full process before we make any sort of decision…. He’s done a very good job from our evaluation, and we feel like he deserves to be in consideration. I can’t say that he’s got a leg up on anyone, because it is going to be a deep process and we’re going to find someone that’s the best fit for us. But he deserves to be in the conversation.”
Other News and Notes
- Silverio, 67, serves as the Senior Advisor to Latin America Operations for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He previously spent 35 years in the Kansas City Royals organization, coaching at the major league level from 2003-2008. He has been with the Pirates since 2011.
- Not mentioned in this clip: according to Getz, the team’s analytics department is going to be in for a large overhaul – though it is still unclear what this means. It’s not exactly unexpected following The Athletic’s report of the team’s history of disarray in the analytics department that has kept them behind industry standards for some time.
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Featured Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
If it’s Grady well as a 44 year fan from buffalo ny I am truly done. I can’t take this anymore from this organisation
It will be Grady…. no decent candidate will come to this toxic land of Reinsdorf. Not unless overpaid and given full autonomy. And, that isn’t going to happen with Ebenezer Jerry and TLR lurking in shadows. Grady will work cheap and take the experienced learned and go off to better pastures when the opportunity presents itself.