The March to 100 is on for the Chicago White Sox, who proceed to search out new methods to lose.
Avoiding 100 losses received’t be supervisor Pedro Grifol’s acknowledged aim. No one has advised him the season is over.
But it little question might be on his thoughts day by day for the subsequent 22 video games, starting Friday in Detroit, the place the Sox begin a three-game collection.
The Sox want 9 wins to keep away from reaching the tragic quantity, they usually might need to do it with out Michael Kopech within the rotation. Kopech was scheduled to go Saturday in Detroit, however the Sox starter is listed as TBD after Kopech’s newest walkfest.
After Kopech did not final two innings Sunday in a loss to the Tigers, Grifol stated there was no speak of utilizing him as a reliever the remainder of the best way.
“You just can’t find starters like that with that kind of stuff that’s proven they can go deep in games and still go through an order three times,” he advised reporters. “We need to do no matter it takes and exhaust each useful resource we are able to to ensure he stays a starter.
“A reliever, that’s down the road after everything’s been exhausted. We’ll think about that at that time. But right now, we haven’t discussed that at all. We need him to start.”
Perhaps emboldened by a vote of confidence from new common supervisor Chris Getz, who stated on his first day that the first-year supervisor would return in 2024, Grifol on Wednesday answered a query about Kopech’s standing by principally telling reporters he didn’t really feel like discussing it.
“We’re still in the process of, not figuring out what we’re going to do, but we’re still in the process of communicating — not with Kopech — but as an organization, to see what we’re going to do,” he stated. “Why? That’s going to stay internal.”
What has modified since Sunday?
Who is aware of? Stay out of White Sox enterprise.
As former Sox slugger Frank Thomas stated on Wednesday’s pregame present on NBC Sports Chicago, controlling the media is what this group is all about. The change of deck chairs from Ken Williams and Rick Hahn to Getz apparently hasn’t modified the workforce’s philosophy. Kudos to the Big Hurt for declaring what the remainder of the Chicago media all the time have recognized.
Whether Kopech will get moved to the bullpen or shut down can be Getz’s name. And it might be Getz’s second main choice after assuring Grifol he can be again. Touted as a core participant within the rebuild after arriving from the Boston Red Sox farm system within the 2016 Chris Sale commerce, Kopech might discover his long-term future with the Sox unsure.
His removing from the rotation would depart Dylan Cease and Mike Clevinger as the one remaining starters from opening day. Cease additionally has had a subpar season, and the Sox put Clevinger on waivers on the finish of August, a choice Getz made earlier than he was formally employed as GM.
The Sox discovered what they in all probability knew — that Clevinger was undesirable by any postseason contender, regardless of a 2.31 ERA over his final six begins main as much as the waiver choice. No one needed one of many hottest major-league starters for the stretch run? Imagine that.
Clevinger then was bombed in his first begin after being pulled off waivers, permitting eight runs on 12 hits in 4 innings in opposition to the Tigers. If he and Cease don’t pitch as much as their expertise degree, the trek to 100 losses appears inevitable.
The final time the Sox misplaced 100 video games was 2018, going 62-100 within the second yr of the rebuild beneath supervisor Rick Renteria.
“As far as the numbers, they are what they are,” Renteria stated after they reached 100 by shedding to the Minnesota Twins on the ultimate day. “I have to reflect on how we got to that point and some of the things we have to do to correct it and move on.”
Grifol’s job won’t be in jeopardy, however making an attempt to promote season tickets with a Getz-Grifol tandem in place after 100 losses received’t be simple. Before 2018, the Sox’s final 100-loss season got here in 1970, once they completed 56-106 beneath three managers, together with Don Gutteridge, who was let go on Sept. 2 after asking for assurance he can be again in 1971.
The Sox already had contacted Chuck Tanner in regards to the managerial job however stated they must wait a few weeks to announce their choose.
“The newspaper boys ought to have a lot of fun guessing now, shouldn’t they?” Sox government Leo Breen advised the Tribune, oblivious to the embarrassment of the historic season.
The Sox got here near 100 losses beneath supervisor Robin Ventura in 2013. During a horrid September, Paul Konerko stated avoiding the mark was essential however not as a result of it modified anybody’s outlook on the season.
“You don’t want that notch in your belt,” Konerko stated. “But additionally I don’t suppose it clicks over from 95 losses to 100, the place someplace the outline of your yr adjustments. But you attempt to keep away from 100 for no different purpose than for the people who find themselves right here subsequent yr.
“It’s almost like putting (the record) on the next year. It’s going to be bad, and there are going to be questions either way. … But this hasn’t been a good year.”
Hahn insisted in August of that yr the Sox weren’t discussing a rebuild: “We’re not in a position to either, one, write off any season, or two, (question whether) we have to because we already are starting with a nucleus of young pitching that puts us ahead of the game and accelerates the timetable for turning things around.”
Famous final phrases.
With 94 losses on Sept. 24, the 2013 Sox wanted just one win of their remaining six video games to keep away from the century mark. They promptly misplaced 4 straight earlier than beating the Kansas City Royals on the second-to-last day of the season to make sure no worse than a 99-loss season.
That workforce completed 7-21 in September. The 2023 Sox began the season 7-21.
That’s recognized within the enterprise as White Sox symmetry.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com