The Chicago White Sox essentially entered the shower moved from Old Comiskey Park to the main concourse level above the bleachers at their South Side ballpark, in search of a much-needed cleansing.
There is plenty of caked-on muck developed over the last two seasons. The long process of removing it started Thursday when Will Venable was named manager.
It is a sensible and respected move from a franchise that has been void of them in recent years.
Left to play out now is whether Venable, 42, can last long enough to see through a franchise reconstruction reaching far beyond a roster rebuild.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the World Series title late Wednesday, club president and CEO Stan Kasten was asked his secret to building what has been a wildly successful organization.
Kasten’s answer was to hire the right people and then get the heck out of their way.
The White Sox can learn a lot listening to the disciplined ideals of the current MLB champions.
Venable represents an ideal hire from general manager Chris Getz, who wasn’t exactly considered the sensible choice for his post, given his lack of experience in a position that has so much responsibility for halting the club’s high-speed freefall.
Venable should prove to be a voice of reason, at least when it comes to on-field decisions and developing a sense of unity in the clubhouse.
More agony is on the way in 2025, although the White Sox will be better than the club that lost a modern-day record 121 games in 2024.
Talk about lowering the bar.
“I have an underdog mentality and all the things that come with that, every step of the way in my professional career,” Venable said Thursday, showing that he understands the assignment. “I’ve been on teams that have had to work hard to overachieve and that’s a mindset and mentality that I’m comfortable with. I’ve seen that work at even the highest levels.”
Indications are that the White Sox still won’t spend this offseason. Smart additions will be needed, with some high-upside roster decisions that carry low financial risks necessary.
The first order of business is to spend $5 million. And that will be to make a subtraction, not an addition, as they buy out Yoan Moncada’s $25 million option for next season. At some point, they are likely to trade away outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
Moncada and Robert were supposed to be difference makers from the last White Sox rebuild. That process stalled when chairman Jerry Reinsdorf decided to hire Tony La Russa as manager after the 2020 season. Front-office mainstays Rick Hahn and Kenny Williams later were fired, presumably because they didn’t make Reinsdorf get out of his own way.
The club does have a budding ace in Garrett Crochet, who made just $800,000 last season and is due for a raise in arbitration. Even at that, he will be a huge value in 2025. But Crochet will be one of the most desired targets on the trade market and could bring a windfall the White Sox must consider.
Harder to get out from under will be the three years and more than $47 million still owed to outfielder Andrew Benintendi.
Top prospects close to making a breakthrough are left-hander Noah Schultz, shortstop Colson Montgomery and switch-hitting catcher Edgar Quero. Arizona Fall League participants like right-hander Eric Adler and outfielder DJ Gladney, a Chicago-area native, have shown promise.
“I know we’re going to struggle with some stuff but if we continue to go out there and compete, to work together and focus on the things we know win games and are good teammates to each other then we can overcome a lot together,” Venable said. “You put those things together and you develop a really strong culture.”
Self-awareness is an important trait. It’s hard to come clean without it.
–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media