After yesterday’s comeback 3-2 victory, the White Sox will once again look to avoid making history tonight against the Angels. The historic nature of this season has resulted in plenty of news stories coming out surrounding the team and its shortcomings. Today, Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers of ESPN joined Jeff Passan, Ken Rosenthal, Britt Ghiroli, and many others with a peek into the timeline of this season full of disappointment.
Elsewhere, we got news on Colson Montgomery, the Arizona Fall League, Garrett Crochet, and more. Get caught up before tonight’s game!
ESPN’s Olney, Rogers breaks down 2024 disaster month-by-month; discusses La Russa, Hendriks, clubhouse culture
“It was as negative a place as I’ve seen anywhere.”
If you thought the hits to the White Sox organization were done, you were mistaken. Today, ESPN’s Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers released an “inside the White Sox” themed article that gives more details on just how the White Sox reached the point of historically terrible. Some of the highlights (lowlights?) of the article include:
- A clubhouse culture poisoned in part by veterans Lance Lynn, Yasmani Grandal, Joe Kelly, and Kendall Graveman – with Lynn, Kelly, and Graveman among those with a strong aversion to Liam Hendriks
- A horrific story regarding some teammates’ aversion to a celebration of Hendriks upon his return from cancer
- The process by which Chris Getz traded Aaron Bummer in more detail
- Inside Pedro Grifol’s clubhouse – which may have never stood a chance because of the veterans present
- More confirmation of Tony La Russa’s role with the White Sox – and the fact that A.J. Hinch never had the chance to interview prior to the 2021 season
- Trade deadline discussions, inside firing Grifol/naming Sizemore interim manager, and much more
This is truly just a glimpse into the article – it’s free for all to read, and well worth your time.
White Sox send 9 players to Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an extended season of sorts for teams’ minor league players. Whether players are getting more innings due to injuries, more at-bats due to struggles, or simply working through a team’s development timeline, the Fall League gives viewers a chance to take a look at some of the game’s rising stars and get to know some names they probably will hear in years to come.
Today, it was revealed that this year, the White Sox will be sending nine of their minor leaguers to the Arizona Fall League:
- Colson Montgomery, SS
- Grant Taylor, RHP
- Peyton Pallette, RHP
- Eric Adler, RHP
- Andrew Dalquist, RHP
- Tim Elko, 1B
- DJ Gladney, OF
- Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHP
- Michael Turner, C
With over half of the spots going to pitchers, it’s clear that the White Sox view this as an opportunity for some of the rising arms to get higher levels of competition and extend out the number of innings they pitch over the course of the season.
Obviously, this is not the plan for everyone – names like Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith aren’t seen here because it doesn’t make sense for them to continue throwing as it relates to the team’s development plan for them. Players attending the Fall League, including Colson Montgomery, are not expected to be restricted in any way. For Montgomery in particular, he will be looking to build on an overall disappointing campaign that showed life towards the end.
Other News and Notes
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Wow! Lowers my opinion of Lynn, Grandall, Kelly and Graveman. Wish Hendriks all the best in Boston. 💚