Many of us are trying to forget the frustration that was the Chicago White Sox’s 2024 season. Still, for fans like me, it’s hard to stop thinking about how to fix the mess this franchise is in.
Recently, I took a closer look at the much-needed changes within the Sox’s international scouting department, an area where the team has long lagged behind the competition. These moves signal a glimmer of self-awareness from a front office that has presided over one of the worst-performing teams in baseball for more than a decade. But restructuring scouting is just one step, and the bigger issue looming for most fans is the search for a new manager.
Grady Sizemore has been handling the interim role since Pedro Grifol was fired in early August, with general manager Chris Getz promising a thorough search for a permanent replacement. Getz has emphasized that the next manager should have recent dugout experience, a statement that seemingly rules out Sizemore. Still, the question of whether Sizemore keeps the job is secondary to a more critical issue.
Let the Manager Choose Their Staff
Regardless of whether Sizemore gets the job or the White Sox hire an outsider, the new manager needs to be granted the authority to assemble their own coaching staff. This is a decision the organization has mishandled for too long. Coaches like Don Cooper and Darryl Boston have managed to survive multiple managerial changes, and even Tony La Russa had Ethan Katz assigned to him before he was even officially announced as manager in 2020. It’s unclear if La Russa was on board with this decision, but in classic White Sox fashion, it seemed like things were done out of order.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that the entire coaching staff must be wiped clean for 2025. There may be arguments for such a move, but the new manager should have the chance to assess the incumbents and decide whether they fit into their vision for the team. If they do, great—they can stay. But if not, the manager shouldn’t be forced to keep anyone just because they’re already here.
The White Sox have long operated in a way that doesn’t make much sense, and if Chris Getz really wants to prove that he’s bringing something different to the table, he needs to give the manager full control of their coaching staff. While the front office can provide input, the manager should have the final say.
If, for example, the new manager doesn’t feel that Ethan Katz is the right person to guide the pitching staff, they should be allowed to make that change. While Katz has built a solid relationship with people like Brian Bannister, surely Bannister has other connections that could help improve the pitching infrastructure.
Stop Forcing Coaches on Managers
Forcing a coaching staff onto a manager—whether it’s a rookie or someone with experience—is a recipe for disaster. The Sox haven’t seen much success in recent years, and there’s little evidence that the current staff deserves any job security simply because they’ve been with the team. It’s more likely that they are part of the problem rather than the solution.
If Getz is going to trust someone to manage the team for the next few years, he has to trust that person enough to allow them to surround themselves with the right people. Recent changes, like those in scouting, suggest the White Sox are starting to realize that their usual approach isn’t working. Hopefully, this realization extends to the coaching staff and dugout decisions.
Many fans are hoping for a complete reset, wiping away the remnants of the Pedro Grifol era and the Kenny Williams/Rick Hahn regime. I get that sentiment, and I largely agree. But there may still be a few valuable coaches already in the system. However, the decision on whether they stay or go should rest with the new manager—the person whose job will be tied to the team’s success or failure.
Ultimately, if the White Sox truly want to change the culture, they must allow the new manager to establish their own. Forcing holdovers from past regimes onto a new leader only keeps the team stuck in the past. The franchise has made its fair share of mistakes. Let’s hope the recent acknowledgment of those failures extends beyond scouting and reaches the coaching staff at 35th and Shields
Leave a Reply