The Chicago White Sox didn’t particularly goal former main leaguers whereas filling openings on their teaching workers.
But because it seems, every of the 5 new additions has big-league taking part in expertise.
“We just identified guys that we felt had impeccable makeup,” Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol stated throughout a video convention name. “One factor I seen is that these guys are like grinders.
“Each one of these guys brings a little different mindset to what they had to do to play major-league baseball for a long time and be in the game for a long time, which was really intriguing to me.”
The Sox introduced their 2024 workers on Tuesday.
The newcomers embody Marcus Thames, who will attempt to assist the Sox get again on observe offensively after being named the crew’s hitting coach.
The Sox additionally added Jason Bourgeois as the primary base/outfield coach, Drew Butera because the catching coach, Matt Wise because the assistant pitching coach and Grady Sizemore as a major-league coach.
Ethan Katz returns because the pitching coach, Mike Tosar because the assistant hitting coach, Eddie Rodríguez because the third base/infield coach and Charlie Montoyo because the bench coach. Tosar was the crew’s major-league discipline coordinator final season.
Thames would be the crew’s third hitting coach in three seasons, changing José Castro, who changed Frank Menechino. The 47-year-old spent 2023 because the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels.
“He has an incredible ability to relate to all types of players,” Sox common supervisor Chris Getz stated of Thames throughout Tuesday’s MLB common managers conferences at a resort in Paradise Valley, Ariz.
“He has coached in different markets, players with different backgrounds, higher profile, younger players so that type of starter skill set was really important for where we’re headed. That really stood out.”
Powered by Shohei Ohtani’s league-leading 44 residence runs, the Angels ranked third within the American League within the class with 231. They have been seventh within the AL in OPS (.743), eighth in batting common (.245) and ninth in on-base proportion (.317).
The Sox completed tied for eleventh within the AL with 171 residence runs in 2023 and have been twelfth with a .384 slugging proportion. They have been final within the majors with a .291 on-base proportion.
Thames beforehand was the hitting coach for the Miami Marlins (2022) and the New York Yankees (2021-22). He performed elements of 10 seasons within the majors with the Yankees (2002, 2010), Texas Rangers (2003), Detroit Tigers (2004-09) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2011).
He’s labored with the likes of Ohtani and Aaron Judge. Nnow he’ll goal to assist the Sox, whether or not it’s Luis Robert Jr. constructing off a formidable 2023, having gamers like Andrew Vaughn and Eloy Jiménez take the subsequent step or getting essentially the most out of Yoán Moncada.
Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol stated the tandem of Thames and Tosar “makes a good team moving forward.”
Sizemore, 41, enters his first season on a big-league teaching workers. A 3-time All-Star throughout 10 years within the huge leagues, he was a coach for the Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks in 2022. He spent the majority of his profession with Cleveland (2004-11) and likewise performed for Boston (2014), Philadelphia (2014-15) and Tampa Bay (2015).
“Going through the interview process, it was very clear that Grady’s going to be able to really connect with a lot of our players,” Getz stated. “He had four years straight of 700 plate appearances (2005-08). To inject that type of mentality into our ecosystem, so to speak, is going to really bode well for us.”
Grifol stated Sizemore can be a hybrid coach.
“A lot of base running, a lot of outfield stuff, anywhere we need him,” Grifol stated.
Wise, 47, spent the final three seasons because the Angels pitching coach. He appeared in 209 video games (18 begins) throughout elements of eight seasons with the Angels (2000-02), Milwaukee Brewers (2004-07) and New York Mets (2008).
“To get a major-league pitching coach of his pedigree to assist Ethan I think is going to be really helpful,” Getz stated. “They’ve got a built-in relationship from working with (each other) in the past, and it’s only going to strengthen the group, with (senior advisor to pitching Brian Bannister) involved, as well.”
Butera, 40, was the Angels catching coordinator final season and a bullpen catcher in 2022. He performed elements of 12 seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2010-13), Dodgers (2013-14), Angels (2015, ‘21), Kansas City Royals (2015-18) and Colorado Rockies (2018-20).
Grifol described him as “one of the up-and-coming minds in the game.”
“I’m looking forward for him working with the catchers and the game-planning and the game-management part of it that I thought we were really poor at last year,” Grifol stated.
Bourgeois, 41, was the outfield and base operating coordinator for the Dodgers group from 2021-23. He performed in 317 major-league video games throughout elements of eight seasons with the White Sox (2008), Brewers (2009), Houston Astros (2010-11), Royals (2012), Rays (2013) and Cincinnati Reds (2014-15).
“The Dodgers have had a lot of success with development in a lot of different aspects in which he’ll be focusing on,” Getz stated. “Just a talented coach who will really help in a lot of different ways.”
Getz stated the major-league background of the brand new coaches was not important.
“At the end of the day, if players (are able) to respond to coaches, they need to feel like the coach is in their corner and it’s about helping the player,” Getz stated. “In this case, we have guys with playing background and the ability to build those relationships.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com