Tim Anderson still without a team; Yasmani Grandal signs with Pirates

Tim Anderson

When the White Sox fired former general manager Rick Hahn and promoted Chris Getz into the position, one of the key questions posed to Getz was, "How are you different from Hahn?"

Actually, I think there are some differences. What I'm about to say is speculation here, but I think Getz handled Tim Anderson's situation much different than Hahn would have.

Getz declined Anderson's $14 million contract option for 2024 and let the former All-Star become a free agent. Then he brought in a glove-first shortstop in Paul DeJong. 

I believe Hahn would have picked up Anderson's option and bet on him having a "bounce-back year." Hahn had a lot of difficulty moving on from his beloved "core players," even when reality was slapping him in the face. Accordingly, Hahn lost his job.

As we sit here on the evening of Feb. 12, two days before pitchers and catchers report, Anderson is still without a team. I feel as though this confirms Getz made the right choice not to pick up that option. Anderson isn't worth a $14 million contract coming off the worst season of his career, and clearly, 29 other teams feel the same way as the Sox.

It stinks to have to talk bad about Anderson, because he was a good player for the Sox from 2019 through the first two months of 2022. But since Anderson suffered a groin injury against the Cubs on Memorial Day weekend 2022, he's never been the same player.

After June 1 in 2022, Anderson played only 39 games and delivered just five extra-base hits -- four doubles and one home run. His batting average plummeted from .356 down to .301. His slugging percentage took a massive nosedive. He was slugging .503 at the time of the aforementioned injury against the Cubs. He finished the year at .395, after suffering a hand injury Aug. 6 that cost him the rest of his season.

We know the story in 2023. Anderson homered only one time in 524 plate appearances. He batted .245/.286/.296. There was no power in his swing whatsoever. You could almost knock the bat out of his hands at times. Even in his prime, Anderson was never a plus defender, and he struggled in the field, as well, in 2023. 

In past seasons, Anderson's good bat covered up for any defensive problems, but what happens to a bat-first player who can't hit the ball with authority anymore? Well, he's still a free agent on Feb. 12. That's what happens.

Rumors have tied Anderson to both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins. I don't have any bad feelings toward the guy. I hope he gets a job soon. But I'm good with him no longer being a member of the White Sox.

I'm just not sure what Anderson does well at this stage of his career. What role can a team trust him to play? I don't have an answer for that.

Grandal to Pirates

Speaking of players in decline, former Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal agreed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.

I'm somewhat surprised Grandal is hanging on for another year at age 35. He was really bad for the Sox the past two years -- a .570 OPS in 2022 and a .647 OPS last season. Grandal hit only five homers in 2022 and eight homers last year, after totaling 23 home runs for the Sox in 2021.

Injuries have taken their toll. Grandal is arguably the slowest runner I've ever seen in baseball. Yes, I'm taking both Paul Konerko and Greg Luzinski over him in a race. And Grandal's defense declined to the point where there was talk that Sox pitchers preferred to throw to Seby Zavala.

This is another example where I'm good with a player no longer being a member of the White Sox.

White Sox send Oscar Colas to Triple-A Charlotte

Remember when the White Sox opened the season with rookie Oscar Colas as their starting right fielder in the middle of an alleged contention window?

Yes, that was a major mistake, and it's the type of misstep that contributes to a general manager's firing. Indeed, former general manager Rick Hahn is fired.

But while Hahn is gone, Colas remains in the organization. However, the 24-year-old Cuban outfielder's future is in doubt after he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte for the second time this season before Monday's game against the Kansas City Royals was postponed.

Colas got off to a brutal start in April. He was sent to Charlotte the first week of May, after batting .211/.265/.276 over the season's first month.

He was brought back to Chicago on July 4. Since then, he's batting .219/.253/.331. His on-base percentage is actually lower in this bigger sample, and while we've seen a slight increase in slugging, no one is excited about four home runs and seven doubles over a two-month period from a player whose power is supposed to be his carrying tool.

The Sox are 19-47 in the 66 games Colas has started this season, and he's weighing down the team with more than just poor offense. 

Colas has been called out multiple times by manager Pedro Grifol for his poor decision-making in the outfield. On Sunday, he threw to third base on a single to right, failing to retire a Detroit runner who was headed to third, and allowing the batter to take an extra 90 feet into second base. On a later play, Colas nearly decapitated second baseman Elvis Andrus on a collision in shallow right, turning what should have been an out into a double.

This comes on the heels of a big mistake in the bottom of the ninth inning last Tuesday in Kansas City, when Colas threw to second base on a play where he needed to throw the ball toward home. The Sox eventually lost that game in walk-off fashion.

A lot of fans are very angry about the demotion of Colas, believing the Sox are bullying a younger player. 

But guess what? Colas isn't a big leaguer. Nobody likes his .571 OPS, but with the team out of the race, you could live with that if the player were correcting his mistakes and showing competence in other facets of the game.

Unfortunately, Colas is a poor hitter, a bad baserunner and an even worse defender. He should not have been the right fielder at the start of the season. He should not be the right fielder now, and he should not be the right fielder at the start of next season either. 

As Sox fans, we've been screaming about the need for more accountability. Well, here's some accountability for a player. Good. Now apply the same standards to the more veteran players on the team, who have been dogging it far too often.

The Sox need to make more decisions like this.

Catcher Carlos Perez is taking Colas' spot on the roster. The Sox also optioned pitcher Edgar Navarro to Triple-A Charlotte and recalled pitcher Deivi Garcia.

Lazy, insular White Sox promote Chris Getz to lead baseball operations

Jerry Reinsdorf

For those who know me personally, you're well aware of how profoundly meaningful White Sox baseball is in my life. Being a Sox fan is a central part of my identity.

While I'm aware that there are more important things than baseball, there's no getting around the fact that the White Sox are part of the connective tissue of my existence. Some of the best friendships I have in my life were formed through a shared interest in Sox baseball, and the sense of community that exists within the fan base.

So, having said all that, it was a weird feeling earlier this week when I made the decision to opt out of the auto-renewal for the 2024 season ticket plan. The Sox invoiced us Tuesday, and I immediately filled out the form and effectively said, "No thanks, not now." 

Right now, I can't stomach what the Sox have become, on or off the field. We haven't enjoyed going to the ballpark for the past two years, and I don't have any hope that things are going to change anytime soon. Thus, it is time to reevaluate the decision on how to best spend those disposable dollars that typically go to the White Sox. I've been a season ticket holder for 19 seasons. 

I can't say for certain that I'm out for 2024, but at minimum, I'm delaying the decision until after the holidays, so I can see what direction the team goes this offseason.

The lazy, insular promotion of Chris Getz to lead baseball operations, a decision that owner Jerry Reinsdorf announced Thursday, is NOT a good start.

I commend Reinsdorf for finally moving on from former senior vice president Ken Williams and former GM Rick Hahn, both of whom were fired last week. That decision was welcome and overdue.

But whatever goodwill that came from that decision was lost when Reinsdorf simply promoted Getz, the team's player development director, who has been with the organization for seven years and is part of the problem.

There's a lot of stuff that could be said about this, but I'm going to offer you five takeaways:

1. Reinsdorf didn't conduct a legitimate search. This is the most galling part of the equation. During Thursday's press conference, Reinsdorf admitted that he didn't interview anyone else. This was an opportunity to reshape the future of the organization, and that opportunity has been kicked away because the owner was too lazy to conduct a thorough search.

Reinsdorf's reasoning: He "already knew" the candidates that were on his alleged list and didn't need to interview them. Here's my question for Jerry: "What about the people you DON'T know?" By failing to look outside the walls at 35th and Shields, Reinsdorf most likely missed a chance to meet the person most qualified for this position.

I understand Reinsdorf is 87 years old, and perhaps he doesn't have the energy to conduct such a search. Too bad. If that's true, then sell the team to someone who will care enough to put in the time and effort.

2. Getz wouldn't even have gotten an interview with 29 other franchises. What exactly is on Getz's resume? He's been in charge of player development for seven years. Can you name me one impact player the Sox have drafted and developed? Are there any mid- or late-round picks that have become surprise contributors? Have the Sox had any diamonds in the rough emerge? 

The Sox farm system has been ranked in the bottom half of the league for the past three or four years. There isn't a track record of success here. Are there teams out there that would clamor to add Getz to their organization? I don't believe so. I don't think he'd get an interview from any other team, if they had an opening to lead baseball operations. With the Sox, Getz gets the job without any interview process. This is ludicrous.

3. "Knowing" Sox players should not be considered a strength. Reinsdorf said Thursday, “Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience within our organization to this role. Most importantly, he knows our players, both at the major league level and in our system, knows our staff and is familiar with all aspects of our baseball operations department."

Actually, no, knowing the players is not the most important thing. The Sox are desperate for a fresh set of eyes to come in here and look at some old problems. Getz is not that. I wanted someone who has no personal relationship with any of the players, who won't have a problem getting rid of some entitled guys who are considered sacred cows in the organization.

The Sox don't need continuity. They need change.

4. The Sox are foolishly treating manager Pedro Grifol as an untouchable. During his introductory press conference, Getz contradicted himself. He said that no one is untouchable. Moments later, he declared that failing manager Grifol will be back for the 2024 season. Why? The guy is 53-81, and in case you haven't noticed, his team is getting blown out a lot lately. And if you haven't noticed, that means you're not watching, and I don't blame you for that.

The Sox have 28 games left in the season. What if they go 4-24? Reinsdorf spent time Thursday talking about how this has been the worst year during his time as owner of the Sox. Fair enough, but you know it's not over yet, right? The evaluation period isn't over yet. It continues for another month. Yet Getz has already declared Grifol safe, no matter how terrible of a job he does the rest of the way. 

5. Reinsdorf thinks the Sox can contend in 2024, LOL. Reinsdorf said he didn't want to go outside the organization because that person would need a full year to evaluate everything, and then 2024 would be lost. He claimed that Getz is the person best suited to author a quick turnaround and get the team back in contention next year.

All you can do is laugh.

Take a look at the roster, Jerry. Among position players, you have Luis Robert Jr. and a collection of overpaid scrubs. The projected 2024 starting rotation consists of Dylan Cease, who is having a rotten 2023, Michael Kopech, who has taken steps backward this season, and a host of replacement-level arms.

The Sox have almost nothing in place. Good luck fixing this by next March.

This Week in White Sox Baseball!!!! (7th Sector of Hell Edition)

Guaranteed Rate Field

One thing that I've learned being a White Sox fan: Don't ever say it can't get worse. It probably will.

Last year at this time, we were ready for the season to be over. The team was mired in mediocrity, on its way to an 81-81 finish in a year that was supposed to conclude with playoff baseball. 

Those were the good ole days in comparison to this, and it goes far beyond the team's 52-79 record on the field. Here's a log of some of the things we've endured in recent days:

Aug. 21: White Sox announce plans to explore relocation, either within the city of Chicago and its suburbs, or possibly even Nashville.

Aug. 22: Senior vice president of baseball operations Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn are fired, after years of underachievement.

Aug. 23: Rumors circulate that owner Jerry Reinsdorf will promote farm director Chris Getz to the GM spot, and hire failed former Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore in some sort of role to assist Getz.

Aug. 25: Two fans are shot in the left-field bleachers at Guaranteed Rate Field, while watching the Sox get blown out by the league-worst Oakland Athletics. 

Aug. 27: Rumors circulate that the Sox are considering three places for relocation: near the United Center on the West Side, Soldier Field, or the Arlington Heights location the Chicago Bears recently purchased.

Aug. 28: Reports indicate the gunshots Friday night most likely did not come from outside the stadium, meaning that someone managed to sneak a gun past security at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Good grief, this is all crazy. Any one of these topics could be a blog post. But I'd like to just make a few quick reactions. I don't think these problems are going away.

On the GM search: I really wish the Sox would conduct an external search for the best possible candidate, instead of just promoting Getz and hiring Moore, who worked with Getz and manager Pedro Grifol in Kansas City. This is just more cronyism. Sure, Moore has a 2015 World Series title on his resume. That cannot be taken from him, but he also presided over 13 losing seasons in 17 years in Kansas City. Why are the Sox trying to emulate the Royals anyway? Kansas City is the one team in the AL Central that's even worse (at least on the field) than the Sox.

Further, if things have gotten so bad (and they have) that you need to fire the top two men in your baseball operations, why would you just promote the guy who is either third or fourth in command? Wouldn't it be both obvious and imperative that a new voice is needed?

On stadium relocation: The Soldier Field idea is absolutely awful. That place is a dump, and there's a reason the Bears are looking to get the hell out of there. Because of its status as a historical landmark, there are limits on what you can do architecturally. Not to mention, that place is impossible to get to. The traffic sucks. The parking sucks. All of it sucks. Romanticize the lakefront all you want, but nobody is going to care about the "beautiful view" or the "Chicago skyline in the distance" when there's only 4,000 people in the stands on weeknights, because fans have decided that it's too big of a pain in the ass to drive to Soldier Field after they get off work.

I'm open to the United Center neighborhood idea. I love going to Blackhawks games. I'll go to Sox games in that area, too. Great!

I'm open to the team staying at 35th and Shields. I've been going there for years. Great!

I'm open to the team moving to Arlington Heights. That location is 4.5 miles from my house. Now I can come on weeknights after work. Great!

Soldier Field? Screw that, and screw anyone who thinks that's a good idea.

On the safety issue: I attended Saturday night's game. I was undeterred by the incident Friday, although I acknowledge it's a terrible look for the Sox. If they want folks to feel comfortable going to these games, they might want to think about upgrading those metal detectors -- immediately. Judging by the looks of them, I don't think the Sox have the latest technology.

Me personally, I don't spend my life worrying about what could go wrong. Gun violence, allegedly deadly viruses, domestic terrorism, whatever. I'm not afraid of any of it. Whenever one leaves the house, there's always a chance that something could go wrong. Hell, you could get in a fatal car wreck on your way to the grocery store. Does that stop you from buying food? Of course not. 

Our risk calculation has gotten way out of whack in this society over the past three years. I'm not going to stop my life because of various things that could potentially kill me. Yes, I'm aware there is a non-zero chance that I could be gunned down inside or outside the ballpark. I just don't care, because that chance is so small that it isn't worth thinking about it. 

My advice: Continue living your life. Don't give up the things you enjoy out of fear. One day it will be over for all of us. That's a fact, but don't sweat it.

See you at the ballpark on the next homestand.

White Sox fire Ken Williams, Rick Hahn

The announcement came during the dinner hour Tuesday night, and I almost spit out my pasta from the shock: The White Sox fired executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn. You can read the report from MLB.com's Scott Merkin here.

On the one hand, this needed to happen. I'm as pleased as I am surprised. That said, it's not a good sign when the highlight of your entire baseball season is seeing executives get fired, even though both Williams and Hahn have earned their dismissals.

The Sox were 49-76 going into Tuesday's play, and as Williams said in Merkin's story, "We have underachieved. This is what happens."

Thing is, this was the easy part for chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. The hard part is finding the right people to fix all the problems with the Sox. It's difficult not to be skeptical of this 87-year-old owner, who hasn't hired a baseball executive from outside of the organization in decades. 

How will he conduct the search? And who will help him with the search? Hopefully, it's someone other than his buddy Tony La Russa.

On the whole, this was a good day for Sox fans. The organization is crying out for new leadership. That, it will get. The question is whether it will get good leadership. That is the important part, and it remains to be seen.

White Sox reportedly conducting 'series of internal interviews'

I've mostly stayed away from discussing the 2023 White Sox here because, let's be honest, it isn't sane to care about the day-to-day results anymore. The team is 48-75 entering Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies.

But it's worth noting when Bob Nightengale reports something on the Sox. Of all the national baseball reporters, he seems to have the most direct line to owner Jerry Reinsdorf and senior vice president of baseball operations Ken Williams.

Here's his Sunday notebook. Most of this story is about baseball movies, but if you scroll down to the "Around the basepaths" section, the top item deals with the Sox. It reads:

"The Chicago White Sox are conducting a series of internal interviews to determine whether dramatic changes are needed inside the front office or the coaching staff. This has been one of the most disappointing and painful seasons in chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s tenure. 

"GM Rick Hahn has one year left on his contract while manager Pedro Grifol has two years remaining."

This is interesting on two fronts. First off, we rarely know contract lengths for non-players in the Sox organization. For whatever reason, somebody high up in the organization was OK with all of us finding out how many years Hahn and Grifol have left on their deals. 

What does that mean? We can only speculate.

Secondly, a "series of internal interviews"? What exactly does that mean? Are they all interviewing each other? How bizarre, but what do you expect from the Sox? 

This reminds me a little of asking politicians to vote for term limits. Good luck getting someone to say, "Yes, I deserve to lose my job." That doesn't happen often in the real world.

Here's the thing: The 2023 season started with Hahn outlining high expectations and talking about deep October runs. The Sox are light years away from that. As a matter of fact, they are now tied for the third-worst record in baseball -- they and the Rockies are both 48-75 entering Sunday's head-to-head matchup.

You don't need "internal interviews" to know dramatic changes are necessary for the Sox. You only need to know they fell way, way short of the bar they set for themselves.

Former White Sox outfielder AJ Pollock headed to Seattle

AJ Pollock

Former White Sox outfielder AJ Pollock has agreed to a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners worth $7 million, according to recent reports. 

You may recall that when the offseason began, Pollock's future was one of the big questions surrounding the Sox. Would the veteran accept his $13 million player option to remain in Chicago? Or would he opt out and take a $5 million buyout?

Pollock opted out and entered free agency. From a purely financial standpoint, he cost himself $1 million with that decision. He's got the $5 million from the Sox. Add the $7 million from Seattle, and that's a total of $12 million -- which is less than $13 million.

But from Pollock's perspective, perhaps the chance to choose his own team was worth giving up the $1 million. He never asked to come to Chicago -- the Los Angeles Dodgers traded him to the Sox for Craig Kimbrel last spring training, in a deal that really didn't pan out for either side. 

Had Pollock opted in with the Sox, there's a pretty decent chance he would have been traded to parts unknown this offseason. He could have ended up on a non-contender in 2023, or in a place where he would have had limited playing time.

After posting a career-worst .681 OPS in his age-34 season with the Sox in 2022, it's not unreasonable to think Pollock wasn't part of Sox GM Rick Hahn's plans for this season.

He probably knew that, so he opted out to keep control of his fate, even if it cost him some money. You can make a case that it worked out for everybody: Pollock chose his landing spot and signed a contract with an AL West contender in Seattle. The Sox saved $8 million when Pollock walked away, and that money was used to sign Andrew Benintendi, an outfielder that appears to be a better fit on the South Side at this time.

We'll see how it plays out as 2023 moves along.

White Sox closer Liam Hendriks diagnosed with cancer

White Sox closer Liam Hendriks announced on social media Sunday that he has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

"My treatment begins [Monday], and I am confident that I will make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible." Hendriks said in his Instagram post. "I know with the support of my wife, my family, my teammates and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with the treatment and care from my doctors, I will get through this.”

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn released the following statement:  

“Our thoughts and reactions at this time are for Liam the person, not Liam the baseball player. I know the entire Chicago White Sox organization, our staff, his teammates, and certainly White Sox fans, will rally in support of Liam and [wife] Kristi during the coming months. Knowing everyone involved, especially Liam, we are optimistic he will pitch again for the White Sox as soon as viable. In the meantime, we all will do everything in our power to support our teammate and his family as they face this challenge, while also respecting their privacy.

“We do not expect to have any updates on Liam’s playing status prior to Opening Day at the very earliest.”

Hendriks, 33, has made the American League All-Star team in each of his two seasons with the Sox. He led the league with 38 saves in 2021 when the South Siders won the AL Central Division championship. He followed that up with 37 saves and a 2.81 ERA over 58 appearances for the Sox in 2022.

Once spring training begins, we'll have plenty of time to speculate about how the Sox will deal with Hendriks' absence on the field. For now, the best thing to do is wish Hendriks well as he begins treatment, and pray for his return to full health.

Cleveland Guardians address need for designated hitter

Josh Bell

The Cleveland Guardians won the AL Central Division title in 2022, but it wasn't because they received good production from their designated hitters.

In fact, Cleveland DHs combined to bat .217/.276/.309 with only eight home runs and 57 RBIs last season. That's poor, given that whichever player you put in that spot in supposed to be able to hit.

The Guardians moved to address that weakness Tuesday, signing veteran switch-hitter Josh Bell to a two-year contract worth $33 million. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the 2023 season.

Bell split time between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres last season. He was traded to the Padres midseason as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto deal.

He finished 2022 with .266/.362/.422 slash line, with 29 doubles, 17 home runs and 71 RBIs.

In other words, he performed better than all the Cleveland DHs combined. So, yes, I think this is a smart move by Cleveland.

I saw a lot of my fellow White Sox fans melting down on Twitter after this signing was announced. The reaction is somewhat understandable because, hey, the team that whooped your ass in the division last season just got better.

That said, it isn't like the Sox should have bid on Bell. They don't need anymore 1B/DH types, and while Bell is a good player, he wouldn't fit on the South Side of Chicago from a positional need standpoint.

I commend the Guardians for getting better. Of course, the problem from my perspective isn't what Cleveland is doing. The problem is what the Sox aren't doing. So far, Sox GM Rick Hahn gives the impression that he's sitting around watching the world go by.

Bellinger, Haniger also sign

A couple of free agent outfielders signed with new teams Tuesday. Cody Bellinger is joining the Cubs on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. Mitch Haniger is now with the San Francisco Giants after agreeing on a three-year, $43.5 million contract.

These signings also contributed to Sox fan angst, as we all know the Sox need outfielders. Obviously, these moves mean there are two fewer options available on the board, although I'm not sure either one of these two guys would have fit on the South Side.

Bellinger is still a good defensive outfielder, and he could help any club on that side of the ball. He will certainly make the Cubs a better defensive team. The question mark is his bat. Bellinger won the 2019 National League MVP award as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he's not been the same hitter the past three years after suffering a shoulder injury. He had a .654 OPS and 78 OPS+ plus last season, meaning he was 22% below league average.

Injuries limited Haniger to 57 games last season with the Seattle Mariners, and again, I'm not a huge proponent of signing injured guys -- although Haniger's production was fine when he was healthy. He had a .736 OPS and a 114 OPS+, meaning he was 14% above league average as a corner outfielder. 

Mainly, I look at these deals and come to the conclusion that it's going to take anywhere from $14 million to $20 million per season to sign a competent starting corner outfielder. The Sox need to do that this offseason, but until proven otherwise, I'm bracing to hear that they "weren't comfortable" going to those lengths for any of the available players.

If that's the case, the Sox should get "comfortable" with finishing second or third in the AL Central again next season.

Jerry Reinsdorf's statement on Jose Abreu inadvertently summarizes history of White Sox baseball

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf released a statement after longtime first baseman Jose Abreu signed a three-year contract with the Houston Astros:

Here's the part that stands out to me: "Unfortunately, hope is not always translated into reality."

Hmmm ... Doesn't that sum up what we've been looking at these past few years with the Rick Hahn rebuild? Heck, doesn't that inadvertently summarize the entire history of White Sox baseball?

There's been plenty of time spent selling hope, but not much of it has brought results in reality.

Oh, the irony.

Sources: Pedro Grifol will be named next White Sox manager

Pedro Grifol was one of the first candidates to reportedly interview for the White Sox's managerial opening. Almost a month later, there's yet to be a report that he's been eliminated as a candidate, and now sources are saying he'll be the last man standing.

Buster Olney of ESPN was first to report the news Tuesday, and many others have confirmed that Grifol is expected to be the next Sox manager.

Who the heck is Pedro Grifol? Good question. The short answer is he's been working for the Kansas City Royals since 2013, most recently as the bench coach. But up until he was named as a candidate with the Sox, I had never heard of him.

As I've mentioned before, I wasn't really sure who I wanted the Sox to hire. I was more sure of what I didn't want:

1. I didn't want the Sox to promote someone internally.
2. I didn't want the Sox to hire a retread who had worn out his welcome somewhere else.
3. I didn't want the Sox to hire one of Jerry Reinsdorf's cronies to manage the team.

In that regard, this is a success! While I can't say I'm excited about Grifol, I'm not outraged either, because the Sox at least hired someone from outside the "family," who will bring some different ideas to the organization. Whether those ideas are winning ideas remains to be seen, but I'll take comfort knowing the Sox didn't make the insular hire that I expected.

Grifol, 52, is a bilingual Miami native with Cuban heritage. He has some managerial experience in the Dominican and Venezuelan winter leagues. His strengths are said to be his communication skills, preparedness and ability to manage personalities.

While in Kansas City, he held assorted roles, including hitting coach, quality control coach, catching instructor and bench coach. When the Royals were at the height of their powers in 2014-15, Grifol was serving as the catching instructor. In fact, Grifol was a catcher as a player, where he reached the Triple-A level before fizzling out.

Of note, the Royals also had a managerial opening this offseason. They opted to hire former Tampa Bay bench coach Matt Quatraro. This will lead some to ask the legitimate question: If the 97-loss Royals didn't consider Grifol a managerial candidate, then why did the Sox? 

I'm reluctant to hold that against Grifol, as all his superiors in Kansas City -- including team president Dayton Moore and manager Mike Matheny -- just got fired. It stands to reason that the new regime in Kansas City would want to bring it its own guys, and that's not necessarily a commentary on Grifol's fitness for a manager's job.

We're also hearing that former Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo is going to be hired as the new Sox bench coach. Pitching coach Ethan Katz is expected to be retained, but other members of the Sox coaching staff could be shown the door, according to a tweet from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Worth noting: None of this is official. No formal announcements can be made on a day when a World Series game is being played, so we'll have to wait until the the next off day -- or the end of the series -- before we hear from Sox general manager Rick Hahn. But it appears that these reports Tuesday are coming from multiple credible sources. 

3 things I don't want in a White Sox manager

Me with Ozzie Guillen in 2019

Who will be the next manager of the White Sox? Rumors were flying this weekend, and as you might expect, the situation is clear as mud.

There are reports out there that the Sox are poised to name Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada their next manager. It's also been reported that Espada is a candidate to manage the Miami Marlins.

Then, of course, there's the gossip about Ozzie Guillen allegedly getting an interview. Depending on who you ask, Guillen has either a) already been interviewed, b) will be interviewed this week, or c) would be a candidate for the job only over Ken Williams' dead body.

I've been amazed by how many Sox fans want Guillen to return to the manager's office. That 2005 nostalgia runs deep for every South Side baseball fan, but we can't allow that to get in the way of our better judgment. The World Series title was 17 years ago. Guillen has been out of baseball since 2012, and let's not forget how his previous tenure with the Sox ended in 2011.

I'd rather not rehash the 2011 season, in fact, so I won't unless Guillen somehow gets the job.

I'll be honest and say none of the managerial candidates I've heard tied to the Sox thrill me. I'm more in the "Rick Hahn screwed this up" camp than the "Tony La Russa screwed this up" camp. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad La Russa is no longer the Sox manager, but I don't think any manager could have covered all the flaws in Hahn's roster construction.

So, I'm not sure what I'm looking for in a Sox manager. I just know these are the three things I do not want:

1. someone promoted from within (sorry, Miguel Cairo)
2. a recycling of an old guy who wore out his welcome somewhere else (sorry, Joe Maddon)
3. someone who is a friend of Jerry Reinsdorf (sorry, Ozzie)

There are lot of things getting in the way of Espada taking the job. First of all, he might want to manage in Miami. Second of all, if the Astros win the World Series, Dusty Baker could retire. That could put Espada in line for a promotion with his current club. Third, Espada used to work in the New York Yankees organization, and he could be a managerial candidate there if the Yankees decide to move on from Aaron Boone.

It's also possible that Espada is Hahn's guy, but Reinsdorf is going to intervene in the process and name Guillen manager.

Hey, that's happened before, right? In the past managerial search, Hahn wanted to hire A.J. Hinch. Then Reinsdorf intervened and appointed La Russa. 

It's the White Sox, so expect something weird to happen, until they prove otherwise.

Shut up, Rick Hahn!

Rick Hahn

Didn't it seem as though the White Sox were always destined for 81-81? 

By my count, they were at exactly .500 on 28 occasions during the 2022 season, so it's fitting that they ended up at, well, 81-81.

The Sox briefly pulled their record over the .500 mark by winning the first two games of their season-ending three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. Alas, the Twins won, 10-1, in Wednesday's series and season finale, sentencing the 2022 Sox to .500 for all eternity.

This team has earned that fate, because they arrogantly thought they could defend their 2021 AL Central title with minimal effort. The Sox always had that "No worries, we got this attitude," and it was to the point where I often thought, "I don't think they've got this. They just think they do." 

The "big run" was always said to be right around the corner, but it never came. There was always "time" to make a push until there wasn't time. The Sox were an arrogant, overconfident team, and that starts with general manager Rick Hahn.

I've lost track of how many times he's spoken of "competing for multiple championships." He's said it so many times that it's become a cliche. Other phrases such as "talk to me after the parade" and "World Series or bust" have been used time and again.

Here's my reaction to all that talk: Just shut up, Rick Hahn. 

The Sox are not the Houston Astros, the New York Yankees or the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Sox are not in the playoffs every year. They have never even won their division two seasons in a row in their 122-year history. You don't get to say "World Series or bust" unless you are a perennial power that knows it will be playing in October on a near-annual basis.

The Sox are simply not that team. They shouldn't be worried about anything other than trying to win their next game, and this whole strategy of "playing the long game" and "trying to have guys rested and ready for October" blew up in their faces this season. There is no October baseball to be played in Chicago. At least not playoff baseball.

It should be humbling, but Hahn's quotes from his end-of-year press conference Monday still projected arrogance. Here's a statement that caught my attention:

"Two years ago, our baseball operations department was getting nods for executive of the year. A year ago we won the division by whatever, 11 or 12 games, and this year we were picked for being in the World Series, and now we’re being asked if we should be in our jobs."

Guess what, Hahn? You're damn right we're asking whether you should be in your job!

You've been the general manager for 10 years, and you've had a grand total of two winning seasons. TWO!!! And one of them was a pandemic-shortened 60-game season where your team ran out of gas and blew the AL Central title in the last 10 days of the schedule.

Your regime has produced a grand total of two playoff appearances in 10 years, and two playoff wins -- one in 2020 and one in 2021. The Sox still haven't won a playoff series since 2005.

In your 10 years on the job, the Sox have gone 700-817. That's a .461 winning percentage. GMs who win at such a low level generally don't stay employed for a full decade. 

You have no idea how lucky you are that you work for Jerry Reinsdorf, who never fires anybody no matter how incompetent they are. And you sit there and smugly assert that you're above reproach because you've managed one division championship during your tenure -- and that one division championship team got its ass summarily kicked in the first round of the playoffs.

Nothing of substance has been accomplished here, and I'm tired of hearing about how awesome this team supposedly is going to be. Put up some results for once. That means getting to the playoffs AND winning once you get there.

Until then, shut up, Rick Hahn! 

My last game of the season at Guaranteed Rate Field

I made my 20th and final trip to Guaranteed Rate Field for the 2022 season Monday night. The White Sox came away with an inconsequential 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

In sharp contrast to last October -- when the stadium was filled with 40,000 people dressed in black, cheering on the AL Central champions -- there was plenty of legroom. The announced attendance was 22,891, but that's a joke. There weren't even half that many fans there. 

The Sox are 80-80 with two games to play. It has been a sorely disappointing season that began with postseason expectations. Fans want heads to roll, and while manager Tony La Russa has retired, we're stuck with owner Jerry Reinsdorf, general manager Rick Hahn and Ken Williams, whatever the hell he's doing these days. 

I was listening to the Sox Machine podcast before the game, and Jim Margalus noted that he roots for White Sox fans more than he roots for the White Sox. This comment resonated with me as a healthier way to look at the current situation on the South Side of Chicago.

It's impossible to cheer for oligarchs like Reinsdorf. It's very difficult to like the arrogant mopes who make up his front office. It's even difficult to root for these players, some of whom have been mailing it in for weeks, if not months.

However, it is very easy to like the fans who come to 35th and Shields every year -- sometimes against their better judgment -- to support the White Sox organization. Even if I can't cheer for Reinsdorf, Hahn and all these other idiots, I can root for the day when our White Sox fan community will finally have a baseball team that makes us proud. This hope is what keeps me going.

Fans have been coming to the street corner where I took the above photo since long before I was born, and they'll still be going there long after I am dead and buried. The bond we share as White Sox fans is one that endures through the generations.

That's something we should keep in mind, as this disastrous 2022 season turns into what will likely be an offseason of cost-cutting and discontent. We still have each other, and this storm of hell, too, shall pass.

See you at the ballpark in April.

Guaranteed Rate Field 20 minutes before the game Monday night. The seats filled in a little bit, but yeah, it was die-hards only.

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson out six weeks with hand injury

Tim Anderson

Has anyone heard of a sagittal band before? 

Before today, that term was foreign to me. But White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand. He will undergo surgery Thursday, and the Sox placed him on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday. He will be out for six weeks.

This could be the death blow for whatever hopes the Sox have of winning the American League Central Division, but then again, Anderson has been poor lately.

In the 39 games since he returned from his last injury -- a groin strain suffered Memorial Day weekend against the Cubs -- Anderson has hit .249/.287/.290 with just one home run. That's pretty much replacement-level performance.

By way of comparison, Leury Garcia has the exact same slugging percentage over his past 39 games (coming into Tuesday's doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals). Garcia's slash line over that time period: .237/.273/.290.

Yeah, it's pretty bleak.

The best we can hope for is that, somehow, Sox manager Tony La Russa decides to give rookie Lenyn Sosa a shot to play shortstop on a regular basis during Anderson's absence, and that Sosa makes a quick adjustment to a new level.

To be honest, the bar isn't hard to clear. All he has to do is slug .300, right?

Sosa hit his first career home run Tuesday night, giving the Sox an early lead in an eventual 3-2 victory over the Royals in Game 2 of the doubleheader. Kansas City won Game 1, 4-2, so in true Sox fashion, the South Siders played .500 baseball for the day.

For the season, the Sox are 56-54. Through the first 14 games of this 19-game stretch against losing teams, the Sox are 8-6. That's decent, but not the big run the optimists were hoping for. The Sox are still 2.0 games back of the Minnesota Twins, pending Minnesota's late result against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I was thinking the Sox really needed to go 12-7 or 13-6 during this stretch. That is still mathematically possible, but not likely. The Sox have two games remaining in Kansas City, before a three-game weekend series at home against the Detroit Tigers.

On the current road trip through Texas and Kansas City, the Sox are 3-3. (.500 again!) And in those six games, they've scored only 17 runs. 

Yes, offense is still the problem. The Sox needed GM Rick Hahn to acquire two bats at the trade deadline. Instead, he got none, and with Anderson out, it's fair to say the Sox are playing three bats short.

Even in a weak division, good luck with that.

Talking about GMs with lousy won-loss records ...

Rick Hahn

Today I filled out the 2022 White Sox fan survey, offered by James Fegan of The Athletic. 

Of course, I brought my usual bitterness to the party. When asked for my favorite current Sox player, I replied, "None. I don't like this team." (Seriously, I don't have a favorite player on the Sox roster.)

And I'll be curious to know whether I'm the only respondent who said he wanted the Sox to change GMs. It's no secret I'm not a fan of Rick Hahn, and for whatever reason, many Sox fans do like Hahn. I've never quite understood why. ... Maybe it's just because he's not Ken Williams.

But in any case, this is going to be one of the rare occasions where I bring up football on this blog. I turned in my Bears fan card several years ago, and aside from the Super Bowl, I do not watch NFL games anymore.

However, everyone who lives in the Chicago metropolitan area knows the big sports news from Monday: The Bears fired coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.

In his seven years with the team, Pace compiled a 48-65 record, which pencils out to a .425 winning percentage.

On Chicago sports talk radio Monday, one of the talking heads reacted to that number. He asked, "What other professional sports organization would allow someone that terrible to keep his job for so long?"

Umm ... the Chicago White Sox? Through Hahn's first seven years on the job, the Sox went 491-642. That's a .433 winning percentage. Not much better than Pace and his .425 crap fest, right? 

I guess we should be kind to Hahn and note that through nine years, his clubs are 619-736. The winning percentage is up to a robust .457! And the Sox have two playoff wins under Hahn, and that's more than the Pace can say for his tenure with the Bears!

Rick Hahn's makes uninspiring comments hours before lockout

Rick Hahn

The lockout has begun in Major League Baseball. The sport is now in the midst of its first work stoppage in 26 years. 

I personally don't have a lot of interest in blogging about collective bargaining. It's exhausting listening to both sides try to win a public relations war, and like most fans, I just want it resolved so we can have a 162-game season in 2022.

There was a free agent frenzy in the days leading up to the lockout, with a lot of big names agreeing to contracts: Corey Seager (Rangers), Max Scherzer (Mets), Marcus Semien (Rangers), Robbie Ray (Mariners), Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), Javier Baez (Tigers), Marcus Stroman (Cubs), Starling Marte (Mets) and Chris Taylor (Dodgers), to name a few.

Noticeably quiet during the activity ... the White Sox, who retained utility player Leury Garcia and added reliever Kendall Graveman to the bullpen. Serviceable moves. Both Garcia and Graveman are useful, but neither is the type of player who makes you believe the Sox have a higher ceiling than they've had in the past.

As the lockout begins, and rosters are frozen, the Sox still have gaping holes at second base and in right field. They could probably use another starting pitcher and another relief arm, knowing that Carlos Rodon and Ryan Tepera are free agents. Those two productive pitchers are likely to sign elsewhere, whenever the lockout ends.

General manager Rick Hahn held a press conference Wednesday before the lockout began, and he came off as rather defensive about the lack of a marquee move.

“You can't lose sight of the fact we have a damn good team,” Hahn said Wednesday afternoon on a Zoom call. “We are in a position to compete for a championship next year and beyond by what we have been able to do over the last several years. We have MVP and Silver Slugger candidates throughout that lineup. They are all controllable for an extended period of time thanks to some foresight and proactive work on our end. We also have Cy Young candidates throughout that rotation."

Hahn seems to be in love with his own creation. He thinks the team is better than it is, and it's disappointing that the Sox haven't acted yet to give themselves an improved chance of not only "competing" for a championship in 2022, but also actually winning it.

MVP and Silver Slugger candidates throughout the lineup? Ehh, spare me. The Sox did not have a single player win a Silver Slugger in 2021. And Jose Abreu was the only player to receive an MVP vote -- he finished 14th after appearing eighth on one ballot and ninth on another for a total of five points.

Cy Young candidates throughout the rotation? Well, let's be fair to Hahn -- the pitching was good in 2021, at least during the regular season. Lance Lynn was third in the Cy Young voting, Rodon fifth, Liam Hendriks eighth and Lucas Giolito 11th. 

So, while there may not be Cy Young candidates "throughout the rotation," there are two of them there in Lynn and Giolito. But I don't expect to see Rodon in a Sox uniform next season. I like Michael Kopech, but I'm not convinced that he'll finish in the top five of the Cy Young voting, as Rodon did. It will, after all, be Kopech's first season in a major league rotation.

And Hendriks, yeah, he's the best reliever in the American League, but the concerns in the bullpen are more along the lines of setup relief. The closer situation looks good.

There is really only one thing I can agree with Hahn on right now: The Opening Day roster does not need to be submitted Dec. 1, a fact the GM noted during his press conference. True enough. There are still good players out there in free agency, although none of them play second base. There still could be trades to be made before the season begins.

But as a Sox fan, it's hard to have faith in this regime, which has a history of half-measures, whether it's owner Jerry Reinsdorf not being willing to open up the checkbook, or Hahn not allocating his resources wisely, or leaving gaping holes in the lineup and hoping for the best.

We've been told as a fan base that we should expect October parades. That's all fine and dandy, but I'm still waiting for the day when I look at the Sox roster and truly feel like the team has a legitimate chance to win it all.

White Sox notes: Dallas Keuchel, Lance Lynn, Craig Kimbrel, Liam Hendriks

Dallas Keuchel

The numbers were pretty ugly for White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel in 2021. 

The 9-9 record wasn't so bad, but the 5.28 ERA -- including a 6.82 ERA in the second half -- the 1.531 WHIP and 1.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio, those weren't so good.

Keuchel pitched so poorly that his veteran presence and World Series experience were deemed unnecessary in the playoffs. He was left off the postseason roster.

But as a consolation prize, he collected the fifth Gold Glove Award of his career, as the best defensive pitcher in the American League. He totaled 41 assists and 12 defensive runs saved. He committed only one error, and thanks to his excellent pickoff move, opponents were only successful on two of six stolen base attempts all season.

That's saying something, because opposing teams generally had a lot of success running against the Sox.

Keuchel joins Mark Buehrle (three-time winner), Jim Kaat (three-time winner) and Jake Peavy as Sox pitchers to win an AL Gold Glove.

Lynn a finalist for Cy Young

Lance Lynn won't be winning any Gold Gloves, but he is one of three finalists for the AL Cy Young Award.

In 28 starts and 157 innings this season, Lynn went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 176 while walking only 45. He pitched a complete-game shutout in the Sox's home opener against the Kansas City Royals on April 8. 

The other finalists for the award are Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees and Robbie Ray of the Toronto Blue Jays. In other words, expect Lynn to finish third in the balloting. However, being named a finalist is a nice accomplishment for Lynn, and it proves that the trade last offseason to acquire him from the Texas Rangers was a worthwhile one.

The AL Cy Young winner will be announced Nov. 17.

Sounds like Kimbrel's getting traded

Check out this story from Scott Merkin that includes this quote from general manager Rick Hahn on relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, who recently had his $16 million contract picked up.

“What we have to figure out is whether it makes the most sense to have Craig in a White Sox uniform going forward or is there a better use of that spot and him via trade,” Hahn said.

Hahn is famous for saying absolutely nothing, so when he says there's a possibility that a guy is getting traded, that guy is getting traded.

Here's to hoping Hahn knows there is a market for Kimbrel's services. If the Sox can't get anything of value in return, then they should have just declined the contract option. One thing you don't want to see is the Sox having to eat money to get rid of Kimbrel. We'll see what happens in the weeks ahead.

Hendriks honored

In a surprise to absolutely no one, Liam Hendriks was named the 2021 AL Reliever of the Year.

The Sox closer totaled a league-best 38 saves, while going 8-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 69 appearances. Hendriks struck out 113 batters in 71 innings. He allowed only 45 hits and just seven walks -- resulting in an incredible 16.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

He posted a 0.73 WHIP, and opponents batted just .174 against him.

Carlos Rodon does not receive qualifying offer from White Sox

Carlos Rodon

Left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon did not receive an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the White Sox on Sunday, meaning he will become a free agent.

Rodon, 28, had the best season of his career in 2021, going 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 24 starts. He was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his seven-year career and pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on April 14.

Sox general manager Rick Hahn said during his end-of-season press conference Friday that the team would like to find a way to bring Rodon back, but clearly, that $18.4 million price tag is too high for a pitcher with Rodon's injury history.

Even in this, his best season, shoulder problems limited Rodon to 132.2 innings -- and that was the most innings he's pitched since 2016. If he had been 100% healthy at the end of the season, he probably would have been the Sox's Game 1 starter in the ALDS. Alas, the balky shoulder kept him off the mound until Game 4, and he went only 2.2 innings in a season-ending 10-1 loss to the Houston Astros.

Educated guess here: Rodon will be elsewhere in 2022.

That's because Hahn also stated Friday that Michael Kopech will be moving into the starting rotation next season. Kopech would join Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Dallas Keuchel. Unless there's a trade in the works, there's no room for Rodon.

A few other notes and thoughts from Hahn's press conference:

What to do with Vaughn and Sheets?

According to an article from James Fegan in The Athletic, Hahn said, "We feel very bullish on the futures of Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets. We envision them playing significant roles on multiple White Sox clubs going forward. We will spend some time over the next few months figuring out what is the best fit for them in 2022. Could be DH possibilities, right-field possibilities. They’re both natural first basemen and we’ve seen how quickly Andrew acclimated to left field. They provided us with good options and flexibility.”

Let me say this: I don't mind Vaughn and Sheets rotating with Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez in some sort of time share at first base, designated hitter and in left field.  

Abreu is entering his age-35 season, and if we're being honest, he ran out of gas in 2021. He homered only twice after Sept. 1, and dealt with numerous nagging injuries. It would be beneficial for him to DH more. He should still play every day, but fewer games at first base are in order. Vaughn and Sheets can fill in.

Vaughn has shown me that he's better in left field than Jimenez. I have no problem whatsoever giving Vaughn some starts in left and using Jimenez as a DH.

BUT, I don't want to see a right field time share involving Vaughn and Sheets. I don't think either of them are good defenders at that position, and Sheets is downright poor. The Sox have ignored defense far too often over the course of my lifetime.

Sign an actual outfielder to play right field, please.

Coaches back, but Allen Thomas is not

Manager Tony La Russa will return in 2022, along with his entire coaching staff. However, the Sox have parted ways with director of conditioning Allen Thomas, who had been in that role for 18 years. Thomas worked for the Sox for a total of 27 years.

The Sox seemingly lead the world in hamstring injuries -- Tim Anderson and Adam Engel had multiple issues in 2021. And Luis Robert and Nick Madrigal suffered catastrophic leg injuries performing the simple act of running out a ground ball.

Hahn said the Sox would be "reimagining" the strength and conditioning department this offseason. I don't know what the hell that means, but in the abstract, I endorse taking a hard look at training techniques after long-term injuries to key players threw a wrench in the season for the Sox.

Catching situation

I wasn't happy with the backup catchers on the Sox roster this year. Seby Zavala can't hit, and while his pitch calling and framing are decent-to-good, his pitch blocking is terrible. Zack Collins is supposed to be a hitter, but he's yet to prove that to me. And I don't have anything nice to say about his defense, frankly.

The Sox really had some problems when Yasmani Grandal had to sit in July and August with a knee injury.

Here's what Hahn said, again in an article from Fegan on The Athletic:

“(Collins and Zavala) both grew from the experience and they both are viable options next year. Obviously with Yasmani as valuable as he is offensively, as well as when healthy, what we get out of him from a defensive standpoint behind the plate, you want to do what you can to protect him and to have him viable over the course of the entire six months, much less into October. So having a backup that we have confidence in and can be a suitable sub for Yasmani when the needed breaks arise, would be of good benefit to us. Certainly have the internal options, we think they’re going to continue to get better and we’ll see how the offseason unfolds.”

Not to be a jerk, but these "internal options" stink. Sign a backup catcher this offseason.

White Sox make flurry of roster moves

Craig Kimbrel

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn finally met the media Friday for his season-ending press conference, and I'll have some reactions and takeaways from that before the weekend is over.

But first, let's go over the roster moves that were announced:

Pitchers Evan Marshall, Jimmy Cordero and Jace Fry were outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte. All three become free agents.

Marshall hasn't pitched since June 29 and will need Tommy John surgery in the offseason. There's some chance the Sox will bring him back on a one-year deal with a club option, if they think he can help them in 2023. The veteran right-hander faces an uncertain future.

Cordero missed all of 2021 after having Tommy John surgery. The hard-throwing reliever was famously overused by former manager Rick Renteria during the 2020 season, and no one was surprised when he ended up injured. It wouldn't be a shock to see the Sox sign him to a minor league deal and take a look at him in spring training.

Fry has never been able to throw enough strikes to stick in the major leagues. I would not expect him back with the Sox in 2022 under any circumstance.

Left-hander Anderson Severino, 27, was added to the 40-man roster before he became a minor league free agent. Severino split his 2021 season between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. He struck out 53 batters over 45.2 innings combined at the two levels. In effect, he replaces Fry as the left-handed reliever who could get called up from Charlotte in the event of a bullpen injury.

Outfielder Brian Goodwin was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte. He is a free agent. He batted .221/.319/.374 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 72 games for the 2021 Sox. Goodwin's production dried up the second half of the season, and a back injury kept him off the playoff roster. He likely does not figure in the 2022 plans.

In an expected move, the Sox declined the $6 million contract option on second baseman Cesar Hernandez. After being acquired in a midseason trade with the Cleveland Indians, Hernandez struggled both with the bat and with the glove. In 53 games with the Sox, he batted .232/.309/.299 with three home runs and 15 RBIs.

Hernandez fell out of favor with manager Tony La Russa to the point that he did not start either of the first two games of the playoffs. That was a clear indicator that he would not be asked back for 2022.

Finally, the first part of the Craig Kimbrel debate is over. His $16 million contract option has been exercised for 2022. The veteran reliever, who was acquired midseason in a deal with the crosstown Cubs, was a huge disappointment with the Sox.

He had a 5.09 ERA in 24 regular-season games on the South Side, and a 9.00 ERA in his three playoff appearances. The poor performance came after Kimbrel posted a dominant first half of the season on the North Side, where he had a 0.49 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 39 games and 36.2 innings.

Does that mean Kimbrel is part of the 2022 Sox bullpen? Don't count on it. He's likely to be shopped in the offseason, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels among the teams who could be interested.

This series of moves leaves the Sox's 40-man roster at 33 players.