The White Sox received 5 of their final six video games however couldn’t keep away from historical past, because the 41-121 membership had essentially the most losses of any workforce within the trendy period. In an open letter to followers at the moment, White Sox proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf described the season in such phrases as “a failure,” “embarrassing,” “utterly unacceptable,” and others, whereas noting that “because the chief of this group, that’s my final accountability. There are not any excuses.”
By way of what’s subsequent, Reinsdorf mentioned the workforce is “embracing new concepts and outdoors views” to get issues on observe. “This can embody additional growth of gamers on our present roster, growth inside our system, evaluating the commerce and free agent markets to enhance our ballclub and new management for our analytics division, permitting us to raise and enhance each course of inside our group with a spotlight for competing for championships….When named normal supervisor in 2023, Chris Getz and his employees instantly started conducting a top-to-bottom analysis of our present operations. Chris is rebuilding the inspiration of our baseball operations division, with key personnel adjustments already occurring in participant growth, worldwide scouting, skilled scouting and analytics. A few of these adjustments might be obvious rapidly whereas others will want time to supply the outcomes all of us need to see on the major-league degree.”
Extra from across the American League…
- John Schneider listed catching, bullpen, and energy hitting because the Blue Jays’ largest offseason wants, the supervisor informed The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath and different reporters at the moment. “I feel you want slightly bit greater than only a [catcher] that’s going to play a couple of times every week,” Schneider mentioned, implying that Toronto might be searching for a timeshare associate for Alejandro Kirk somewhat than a backup. Discovering assist behind the plate might be tough in a sometimes skinny free agent catching market, although Kirk’s offensive enchancment within the second half of the season supplies some hope that Kirk can get again to his All-Star kind from 2022. Mainly any enchancment is required for a bullpen that was one of many worst in baseball, however Schneider specified that “I feel that you just want distinctive seems to be and distinctive stuff — stuff that enhances each other, guys that may do various things.” How the Jays handle these wants and a number of other different roster holes might be a problem for a workforce that’s already projected to be over the posh tax threshold, and remains to be largely reliant on such core gamers as Kirk, Bo Bichette, George Springer, and others to be a lot better than they have been in 2024.
- The Rays are one other AL East workforce with an underachieving lineup, and Yandy Diaz unsurprisingly feels that “one or two extra bats” are wanted this winter, the infielder informed Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Instances. Diaz’s personal manufacturing dropped from the highs of his 2022-23 seasons, as a sluggish begin diminished his numbers even when Diaz returned to his regular kind over time. Actually, Diaz’s best month (.879 OPS) got here in September, though he mentioned he was coping with patellar tendinitis in his left knee. Diaz isn’t nervous that the damage would require any surgical therapy, and mentioned “I have to work on my power, my knee and workout routines, and prepare for Spring Coaching, and hopefully every part’s going to be OK.”
- In different Rays information from Topkin, the workforce intends to retain its teaching employees for subsequent season. After all, outdoors elements may complicate these plans, as rival golf equipment routinely interviews Rays coaches for different jobs, reminiscent of managerial or bench coach vacancies.
