They had to wait out a 68-minute rain delay in the ninth inning, but the Chicago White Sox did eventually lose for the 41st time in 56 games Tuesday night (TOR 7, CWS 2). They have baseball's worst record by four games and the 15-41 start is Chicago's worst in the franchise's 124 seasons. It's not even close: the next worst record through 56 games is 18-38 in 2018.
The ChiSox are in another rebuild even though their last rebuild ended only a few years ago. They've been to the postseason twice in the last 15 years and their $123.1 million Opening Day payroll ranked 20th among the 30 teams. That's down from $181.2 million last year. The White Sox are one of two teams to never give out a $100 million contract, joining the Oakland Athletics.
Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf wants to win, at least according to manager Pedro Grifol. Here's what Grifol told the Chicago Sun-Times about Reinsdorf:
"I've known Jerry for a year and a half," Grifol said. "Nobody wants to win more than he does. I know that for a fact because I'm the one who gets phone calls, and I talk to him. I get text messages. He is 100% committed to winning. And he is extremely knowledgeable about the game of baseball.
"He's not just a fan. The questions he asks, he knows exactly what's going on. He knows the game. You're not in the game for 44 years, around 1,000 coaches, sitting in on meetings and listen and listen and listen and watch and watch and not know the game. He's passionate, he's extremely competitive."
Of course, Grifol is not going to come out and rip the man who signs his paychecks and will determine whether he sees the third year of his three-year contract in 2025. And I'm sure Reinsdorf wants to win deep down inside somewhere. Nobody wants to win more than he does though? Laughable. "Jerry wants to win badly" would have at least been plausible.
There is ample evidence to the contrary. Reinsdorf also owns the NBA's Chicago Bulls, and despite their rich history and playing in literally Chicago, they've paid luxury tax only once in team history (2013-14). Reinsdorf was a central figure in the MLB collusion of the 1980s and tried to break the union during the 1994-95 players' strike. He is as anti-player as any owner in sports.
"Sports is a business of failure but the fact that you finish second or third or fourth it doesn't mean you had a bad year." Those were Reinsdorf's words during a panel last May. The most charitable reading is Reinsdorf is saying you can have a bad record and still have a successful season if young players emerge. That kind of thing. What the White Sox need to happen in 2024, basically.
Reinsdorf's history suggests he meant something more like "as long as you hit your profit goals, a bad record is OK." I don't begrudge Grifol for praising his boss. He's doing what he needs to do to remain employed. But the last 20 or so years of White Sox baseball and Bulls basketball tells us winning is not Reinsdorf's top priority. It is plainly obvious.
