Jerry Reinsdorf sauntered by the Chicago White Sox clubhouse Saturday afternoon as a bunch of reporters waited in useless by Tim Anderson’s locker.
As he handed, the Sox chairman instructed us to provide you with some good questions.
“Sure,” I mentioned. “Come on over.”
Reinsdorf smiled and mentioned to contact Scott Reifert, the Sox senior vice chairman of communications and gatekeeper to the chairman. It was the 86-year-old Reinsdorf’s distinctive approach of claiming, “No chance will I talk to any of you.”
The final time I recall Reinsdorf answering a query about his crew in a bunch setting was through the 2019 winter conferences. When I requested if he was optimistic concerning the Sox strikes for 2020, he replied: “I’m tired of being optimistic and then seeing my optimism was misplaced.”
There are many questions we’d wish to ask Reinsdorf concerning the state of the Sox, a crew that was constructed to be a World Series contender however is struggling to recover from .500 because the canine days of August arrive.
Here are seven of these questions:
Are you continue to optimistic the Sox could make the World Series?
While nonetheless in competition, the Sox are nowhere close to the crew everybody anticipated to see again in March. “We’ve got to get a bunch of wins to really say we’re in contention,” supervisor Tony La Russa mentioned Saturday.
Does Reinsdorf imagine they’ll activate a swap in October in the event that they win the unhealthy the American League Central? La Russa identified his 2006 St. Louis Cardinals received all of it after 83 regular-season wins, however this crew has proven no indicators of a miracle end.
Why aren’t the Sox one of many most important bidders for famous person Juan Soto?
Only one participant would immediately ease Sox followers’ ache over the dreadful first 4 months of the 2022 season. That participant is Soto, the Washington Nationals outfielder who turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract provide and is being shopped by Nats President Mike Rizzo. The San Diego Padres and Cardinals are two of the reported pursuers, whereas the Sox aren’t even talked about.
While the Sox don’t have a prime farm system, their window for profitable is open and so they have a number of major-league-ready — and inexpensive — property, together with Eloy Jiménez, Andrew Vaughn, Michael Kopech and Garrett Crochet. It is mindless the Sox couldn’t compete with the Padres for Soto. Or does Reinsdorf not suppose it’s worthwhile to accumulate Soto as a result of the possibilities of paying him to remain after 2024 are slim and none?
Are you happy with La Russa’s managing this season?
OK, we already know the reply to that one. Next.
Will La Russa return as supervisor in 2023 if the Sox don’t make the postseason?
Normally this may be a query for normal supervisor Rick Hahn, however since Reinsdorf was the one who employed La Russa within the first place, it clearly could be his name. We know La Russa received’t be fired by Reinsdorf for a second time, however he may transfer right into a front-office position and nonetheless have a hand within the crew’s future, giving somebody youthful an opportunity to get this crew on observe.
The actual query is whether or not Reinsdorf could be keen to sacrifice one other 12 months with La Russa as supervisor, figuring out how polarizing he’s with the fan base. Does he imagine La Russa’s managing has something to do with the Sox malaise, or does he put all of the blame on the gamers?
How protected is Hahn?
While Hahn did a stellar job on the primary a part of the rebuild, ending it off has been a problem. Injuries have been an element, however this Sox crew has been lackadaisical on protection and the basepaths, whereas the bullpen Hahn constructed has been disappointing.
Reinsdorf has not fired a Sox GM since Larry Himes in 1990, when he mentioned Himes acquired them from Point A to Point B. “We need to get to Point C,” Reinsdorf mentioned. “It’s our opinion that Larry Himes is not the best person to get us to Point C — a world’s championship.”
GM Ron Schueler resigned in 2000 to make approach for Ken Williams, who acquired to Point C in 2005 earlier than being booted upstairs after the 2012 season to make approach for Hahn. Now they’re again at Point B.
Is Anderson nonetheless the face of the Sox?
Reinsdorf has spent a lot of the final 4 a long time coping with his athletes’ missteps, from Scottie Pippen’s refusal to enter a Bulls recreation to Frank Thomas strolling out of Sox camp due to the “diminished skills clause” in his contract to varied Dennis Rodman antics. Anderson is simply the newest.
The hottest Sox participant has been suspended twice within the final 12 months for making contact with an umpire, together with a three-game suspension Saturday that he appealed. The Sox created their “Change the Game” advertising and marketing marketing campaign round Anderson, who starred in an Adidas advert in 2019 wherein he declared: “Baseball is boring. Watch me change it.”
Anderson had a one-game suspension for flipping off a fan in Cleveland lowered to a nice. Earlier this season on social media he instructed Sox studio analyst Ozzie Guillen, the previous participant who managed the 2005 champions, to “stfu” after Guillen criticized La Russa for sitting Anderson within the second recreation of a doubleheader in Cleveland.
Is that the change Reinsdorf is on the lookout for?
Are you as pissed off by the 2022 season as most Sox followers?
Former Miami Marlins President David Samson mentioned in 2019 that Reinsdorf as soon as instructed him ending second was the way in which to go: “He said, ‘You know what, here’s my best advice to you: Finish in second place every single year. Because your fans will say, ‘Wow, we’ve got a shot, we’re in it.’ But there’s always the carrot left. There’s always one more step to take.’”
The Sox launched an announcement saying Reinsdorf had “no recollection” of constructing the comment and that he “always considered the second-place team to be the best loser.”
The Sox stay within the postseason hunt regardless of their mediocre play. Is {that a} adequate carrot for 2023? How lengthy is Reinsdorf keen to attend to win one other championship?
Inquiring minds need to know.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com