The epitaph for this Chicago White Sox season was delivered Wednesday evening by starter Lance Lynn.
“Nothing surprises me, especially when you play like (bleep) all year,” Lynn mentioned after a loss to the Cleveland Guardians in one in every of their worst performances all 12 months.
The Guardians’ three-game sweep put the Sox getting ready to elimination, and shortly we’ll discover out what they’ll do to make sure subsequent 12 months just isn’t a repeat.
As everybody is aware of by now, the Sox don’t function like most groups. Sometimes who is as necessary as anything in getting — and conserving — a job on this group. So who will keep and who will go is anybody’s guess.
General supervisor Rick Hahn is on the most well liked of sizzling seats regardless of a rebuild that appeared to be on course till the regression this season below a supervisor he didn’t select.
With the tip of the season at hand, right here’s a take a look at a number of the key personnel who presumably will probably be evaluated by government vp Ken Williams and, if he stays, Hahn.
Manager
Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf hand-picked Tony La Russa as supervisor in 2020, relieving Hahn of the accountability with a view to rent his buddy. Reinsdorf, in an announcement asserting the hiring, denied that situation.
“His hiring is not based on friendship or on what happened years ago, but on the fact that we have the opportunity to have one of the greatest managers in the game’s history in our dugout at a time when we believe our team is poised for great accomplishments,” Reinsdorf mentioned.
No one purchased it, and La Russa has been a controversial determine from Day One, getting the lion’s share of the blame for the lackluster 2022 season.
La Russa left the group Aug. 30 for a heart-related concern with one month left in his second season and stays in limbo. He reportedly is signed via 2023, however that additionally stays unsure. If they need, the Sox might use the well being concern as a cause to maneuver on from the second La Russa period, which by most requirements was a bust.
Reinsdorf can have the ultimate say, nonetheless.
Coaching employees
Hahn was allowed to rent pitching coach Ethan Katz after the 2020 season to exchange Don Cooper, whose sell-by date had been prolonged for years by Hahn and Williams. Cooper managed to outlast managers Terry Bevington, Jerry Manuel, Ozzie Guillen and Robin Ventura and was let go the identical day as supervisor Rick Renteria after the 2020 playoff loss to the Oakland A’s.
Katz oversaw a employees that completed second within the American League in 2021 however ranked seventh getting into Friday with a 3.88 ERA. He would look like protected below any change in managers and even might be thought of as a candidate to exchange La Russa.
Miguel Cairo, who performed below La Russa in St. Louis and was a particular assistant in Cincinnati to La Russa’s former boss and buddy Walt Jocketty, was employed as bench coach two years in the past. It was a shocking transfer contemplating Cairo had by no means managed at any stage and was solely an interim bench coach with the Reds for part of the 2013 season.
The Sox appeared to reply when Cairo changed La Russa as appearing supervisor.
“Since Aug. 31, they decide to play, they decide to battle,” Cairo mentioned after Thursday’s loss.
But the Sox failed to point out up within the largest sequence of the season and are again to 2 video games over .500. Cairo stays a managerial candidate if La Russa is out, however a poor end might override his sizzling begin.
Hitting coach Frank Menechino changed Todd Steverson after the 2019 season and remained on La Russa’s employees. Steverson was later rehired in 2021 as a particular assistant to Williams. The Sox are second within the majors in hitting (.260 common) as of Friday however twenty second in house runs (140) and twenty ninth in walks (367). If the Sox want a scapegoat for this mess, Menechino can be a probable candidate.
First base coach Daryl Boston, a Williams rent in his tenth season on the employees, seems protected. Joe McEwing, who had a tricky season teaching at third, might be changed for some poor selections, notably the horrible ship on Yasmani Grandal that resulted in a left knee harm.
Shelley Duncan, the son of La Russa’s buddy and longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan, was employed as analytics coordinator in 2020. Ironically, La Russa as soon as mentioned in Arizona using analytics was “an important preparation tool, (but) if you let it interfere with the decision-making of your manager and coaches, you’re going to be easier to beat.” The overuse of Leury Garcia steered La Russa didn’t prioritize analytics.
Player growth
Assistant GM/participant growth Chris Getz might transfer up if Hahn is pressured out or moved to a different place. Ken Williams Jr., the son of the VP, was promoted to assistant director of minor-league participant growth below Getz in 2020 and will substitute Getz if he strikes up.
The backside line is that nobody ought to really feel protected after a season like this.
But Reinsdorf is thought for his loyalty, so speculate at your individual danger.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com