It’s been a banner week for embattled MLB team owners writing letters to their angry fans.
On Sunday, two days after the White Sox set the MLB record for losses in a season with 121, the team released a letter from owner Jerry Reinsdorf, in which he acknowledged the season as a “failure” and “embarrassing,” thanked fans for continuing to support the team and outlined “bright spots” and next steps for the organization.
The White Sox have been in a freefall since their last playoff appearance in 2021, and fans will understandably be skeptical of Reinsdorf’s promises to turn things around. The White Sox have never been big spenders, and general manager Chris Getz seemed to indicate last week that would not change anytime soon.
Instead, Reinsdorf seems to be focusing on internal improvement, which includes the search for a new manager. The White Sox fired Pedro Grifol on Aug. 8 after less than two years at the helm, shortly after a 21-game losing streak. Former MLB player Grady Sizemore was named interim manager, and he’s expected to be in consideration for the full-time gig.
Reinsdorf also tried to call attention to “reasons for optimism about our future,” like the Double-A Birmingham Barons winning the Southern League title and the Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers reaching the finals of the Carolina League. The White Sox are 11th in MLB’s latest farm system rankings.
“Whether said out loud or written in a statement, words are easy,” Reinsdorf wrote. “I understand we need to show our progress through action, and I commit to you that everyone associated with the White Sox is focused on returning this organization to the level of success we all expect and desire.”
White Sox fans have been waiting for “progress through action” for a long time, and it’s unlikely they’re holding their collective breath after the franchise’s latest blunders.
