Pedro Grifol can read the writing on the wall. With the losses and public scrutiny mounting, he is slowly watching his first and possibly only MLB manager opportunity slip through his fingers.
Former White Sox general manager Rick Hahn threw Grifol into the deep end. The lifelong baseball man and former Royals bench coach sold fans on a vision of a team that played fast and came to the ballpark prepared to compete every night. After the first month of the season, it became apparent that he was not ready for the job. Now Grifol is flailing to stay afloat and looking for a lifeline.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported over the weekend that Grifol had a private meeting with White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsorf and general manager Chris Getz to discuss the future of the team. The meeting came after growing speculation over Grifol’s job security. Reinsdorf ultimately decided not to fire Grifol before their three-game series in Minnesota, a series that ended in a White Sox sweep. Despite the losing streak growing to 20, Grifol was still on the team charter to Oakland.
That may be thanks in part to Grifol’s ass-kissing of Reinsorf before the start of Sunday’s game. Grifol told reporters that Reinsdorf is an “absolute winner” and “competitor” who is “not content.” He added that he is an “incredible owner, an incredible man” and talked about “how much he loves Chicago and how much he loves those fans.”
To be fair to Grifol he is doing what most people in his position would do. But the comments don’t resonate with a fan base who has watched Reinsdorf operate for the last three decades. Actions speak louder than words.
Entering Monday’s series opener against Oakland, the White Sox are 60 games under .500. According to ESPN, this is the earliest date into a season that a team has been that many games under .500 since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders who reached the mark on August 1.
With the franchise record of 14 consecutive losses shattered and the all-time MLB record of 23 in sight, there is nowhere to hide for Grifol. Before the White Sox were just a laughing stock in the box score. The actual product on the field was limited to the few fans who were able to stomach it on a nightly basis. Now their ineptitude has caught the attention of the national media as every game is a chance to make history.
It’s hard not to feel a little bad for Grifol. After replacing a Hall of Fame baseball person, he is trying his best with a poorly constructed roster that got even worse after the trade deadline. His bullpen has blown 28 saves, the most in the MLB. The White Sox 38% save percentage, is also the worst in the MLB and the only team who is less than 50%. The team is also batting just .217 with a -247 run differential, by far the worst mark in the MLB, while the defense has the fourth most errors. There are only so many buttons Grifol can push. Grifol getting axed will briefly appease the South Side fans, but it won’t solve their issues. The issues in the organization run much deeper than Grifol.
However, Grifol’s 88-188 record at the helm in his first two seasons is a black eye that is hard to overlook. He has failed to get the most out of his players, build any trust with the fan base, and show any meaningful progress as the season has gone along. It is not a matter of if he will be fired but when. When he does he will have a compelling case as the worst manager in MLB history.
