WELCOME BACK, JIM THOME!

[caulfield12]

Mark Parent should be the interim manager after the all-star break. Won't happen, but he should.

 

 

 

 

WHY?

[GreatScott82]

Mark Parent should be the interim manager after the all-star break. Won't happen, but he should.

I think Robin will finish the year out but the Sox will likely move in another direction next year. The guy I want as our next manager is Dave Martinez. He has been the bench coach and right hand man to Joe Madden for the past 7 seasons. During that time the Rays have made it to the playoffs three times. Last year they won 90 games and just missed the playoffs.

[flavum]

WHY?

 

Because he had a lot of managerial experience in the Phillies organization. He had a good reputation as a future big league manager. As an interim, they wouldn't be under any obligation to go past this season, so they can give him a trial run and see if they want him as they reload over the next couple years.

[Balta1701]

Because he had a lot of managerial experience in the Phillies organization. He had a good reputation as a future big league manager. As an interim, they wouldn't be under any obligation to go past this season, so they can give him a trial run and see if they want him as they reload over the next couple years.

He's been so involved in the disaster that is this season I want no part of him being given a "trial run". I won't mind if the manager is fired and he's given the interim job this season, but the reason to do that is to explicitly fire the manager to make the point that this management has done a terrible job this season. After this season I want him out just like the manager.

[GreatScott82]

He's been so involved in the disaster that is this season I want no part of him being given a "trial run". I won't mind if the manager is fired and he's given the interim job this season, but the reason to do that is to explicitly fire the manager to make the point that this management has done a terrible job this season. After this season I want him out just like the manager.

Agreed. At this point we might as well let Ventura finish this disaster of a season out though. If Hahn doesn't wake up soon and make some deals to beef up the farm, shed salary and position his team to be competitive in the next couple years- his job needs to be evaluated as well. The dude has done NOTHING. And signing a 16 year old kid still hasn't changed my view on Hahn.

[Jake]

I don't know what you could learn from a manager in the second half of this season. You won't know anything until you start off the season with a guy, where the direction of the team is absolutely clear from the get-go. The second half of this season will be a throw away - not yet rebuilding, but not contending and definitely not winning. The veterans will be gone but reinforcements won't really arrive. Next year, camp will break either in full rebuild mode or in a sort of transitional mode and everyone will know the score and there is a particular way to manage those situations.

[Jake]

Agreed. At this point we might as well let Ventura finish this disaster of a season out though. If Hahn doesn't wake up soon and make some deals to beef up the farm, shed salary and position his team to be competitive in the next couple years- his job needs to be evaluated as well. The dude has done NOTHING. And signing a 16 year old kid still hasn't changed my view on Hahn.

 

How you could even begin to evaluate Hahn is beyond me. Give him the next offseason, at least.

[IlliniKrush]

Assistant TO the regional manager.

[GreatScott82]

How you could even begin to evaluate Hahn is beyond me. Give him the next offseason, at least.

He already has had one winter to piece together a winning team. Lets not forget this team was close to winning the AL Central last year. His job was to maintain talent and to give the team enough to get over that Detroit hump. All he did was sign Keppinger and let Pierzynski walk. Not a very productive winter to say the least. Especially coming off of a relatively successful 2012 campaign. Should we give Mr. Hahn some extra time before we give him a full blown evaluation? YES. However, he has been wayyy too conservative thusfar. Hopefully he can make some moves near the deadline that can help us in the future. So far, Hahn has yet to make his big statement for the team. Yes, he re-signed Peavy but that was a KW inherited player. Its time to be BOLD! Lets move on from the past and set the team up nicely for the future, while at the same time setting themselves up for more financial flexibility to perhaps make a free agent splash or two next winter.

[Balta1701]

He already has had one winter to piece together a winning team. Lets not forget this team was close to winning the AL Central last year. His job was to maintain talent and to give the team enough to get over that Detroit hump. All he did was sign Keppinger and let Pierzynski walk. Not a very productive winter to say the least. Especially coming off of a relatively successful 2012 campaign. Should we give Mr. Hahn some extra time before we give him a full blown evaluation? YES. However, he has been wayyy too conservative thusfar. Hopefully he can make some moves near the deadline that can help us in the future. So far, Hahn has yet to make his big statement for the team. Yes, he re-signed Peavy but that was a KW inherited player. Its time to be BOLD! Lets move on from the past and set the team up nicely for the future, while at the same time setting themselves up for more financial flexibility to perhaps make a free agent splash or two next winter.

If all you told me last offseason was that Konerko was going to implode and finally show his age, I'd have admitted the Sox wouldn't be competing for the Central this year. Hahn wasn't going to be able to replace him or trade him and no one was benching a 15 year veteran for a free agent signing.

 

If Hahn had some idea that this level of sloppy, ridiculous, unfocused play was going to happen and did nothing about it then I'd endorse his immediate resignation, but I'm hanging that on the managerial staff.

[GreatScott82]

Assistant TO the regional manager.

LOL NICE!

[GreatScott82]

If all you told me last offseason was that Konerko was going to implode and finally show his age, I'd have admitted the Sox wouldn't be competing for the Central this year. Hahn wasn't going to be able to replace him or trade him and no one was benching a 15 year veteran for a free agent signing.

 

If Hahn had some idea that this level of sloppy, ridiculous, unfocused play was going to happen and did nothing about it then I'd endorse his immediate resignation, but I'm hanging that on the managerial staff.

I agree that most of the blame goes to the manager and staff. However, you have to admit Hahn has been a little too conservative thusfar. I will give Hahn one more full year before I truly evaluate his moves. This trade deadline will be pivotal for the organization moving forward.

[caulfield12]

If all you told me last offseason was that Konerko was going to implode and finally show his age, I'd have admitted the Sox wouldn't be competing for the Central this year. Hahn wasn't going to be able to replace him or trade him and no one was benching a 15 year veteran for a free agent signing.

 

If Hahn had some idea that this level of sloppy, ridiculous, unfocused play was going to happen and did nothing about it then I'd endorse his immediate resignation, but I'm hanging that on the managerial staff.

 

 

And Viciedo regressing, the Beckham injury hurting the defense, Floyd/Peavy injured and Keppinger falling flat on his face the first couple of months (although that was somewhat predictable, but just the extent of fail)...

Edited July 2, 2013 by caulfield12

[Steve9347]

Sure, if he starts in the minors, proves he knows how to manage players and game situations, absolutely.

JUST LIKE ROBIN!

[Steve9347]

Assistant TO the regional manager.

[Balta1701]

And Viciedo regressing, the Beckham injury hurting the defense, Floyd/Peavy injured and Keppinger falling flat on his face the first couple of months (although that was somewhat predictable, but just the extent of fail)...

Some of those we could have worked through, but they did kinda pile up all at once too. I still think we'd be in this race if: Konerko was hitting like he did to open last year and the team was playing defense like it did last year. We probably wouldn't be in first but I bet we'd have a fighting chance at it.

[JoshPR]

Nice, Jim is a class dude

[Chicago White Sox]

Agreed. At this point we might as well let Ventura finish this disaster of a season out though. If Hahn doesn't wake up soon and make some deals to beef up the farm, shed salary and position his team to be competitive in the next couple years- his job needs to be evaluated as well. The dude has done NOTHING. And signing a 16 year old kid still hasn't changed my view on Hahn.

I think SoxTalk has reached a new low with this post. Hahn has been our GM for a total of 8 months. That's 1 offseason and 1/2 of a real season. The lack of patience on this board is beyond incredible. Can we at least wait until after the trade deadline before we start with these empty threats?

[caulfield12]

I think SoxTalk has reached a new low with this post. Hahn has been our GM for a total of 8 months. That's 1 offseason and 1/2 of a real season. The lack of patience on this board is beyond incredible. Can we at least wait until after the trade deadline before we start with these empty threats?

 

 

 

Hahn's style isn't so flashy, he's not leaking stories to the national media or being interviewed everyday with cryptic comments like "the Tigers just put themselves in a better position to contend with the White Sox by trading for Cabrera"...low-key dude, comparatively. Cocky, but in a Mark Zuckerberg-ish way.

 

People sometimes confuse perception with reality, and get caught paying more attention to the sizzle than the steak.

 

So, he gets a pass until the end of 2015.

 

Ventura's really the one who should be under the microscope, and his coaching staff.

[shago]

Does this mean he'll go into the HOF at a White Sox player ;-0

[shago]

I think SoxTalk has reached a new low with this post. Hahn has been our GM for a total of 8 months. That's 1 offseason and 1/2 of a real season. The lack of patience on this board is beyond incredible. Can we at least wait until after the trade deadline before we start with these empty threats?

Fire Hahn!!!!

[Paulstar]

I think Robin will finish the year out but the Sox will likely move in another direction next year. The guy I want as our next manager is Dave Martinez. He has been the bench coach and right hand man to Joe Madden for the past 7 seasons. During that time the Rays have made it to the playoffs three times. Last year they won 90 games and just missed the playoffs.

I would love Dave Martinez just for the glimmer of hope that Ryne Sandburg would eventually become the Cubs manager. That would really spice up the crosstown classic.

 

As far as Hahn goes, I really do wonder how much authority he actually has. I'll be happy when Kenny Williams finally decides to depart from the White Sox.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Paulstar

[LittleHurt05]

I think Robin will finish the year out but the Sox will likely move in another direction next year. The guy I want as our next manager is Dave Martinez. He has been the bench coach and right hand man to Joe Madden for the past 7 seasons. During that time the Rays have made it to the playoffs three times. Last year they won 90 games and just missed the playoffs.

 

 

Working with a great manager proves nothing. There have been plenty of assistants to geniuses who coach somewhere else and fail.

[caulfield12]

“It is nearly impossible to top Jim’s baseball resume with 22 seasons in the game and over 600 home runs,” said Hahn in a release. “When we talked recently about how he could move on to the next stage of his baseball career, an obvious fit was to join this organization, where Jim knows so many people and is immediately comfortable. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this role, and we’re excited to see the impact he will have on both our major leaguers and minor leaguers.”

 

The 42 year old Thome becomes the 11th former White Sox player currently serving as a manager or coach in the organization. He last played in 2012 splitting time with the Phillies and Orioles.

 

“Taking on this new role with the White Sox just seemed like a natural next step for me and my family,” Thome said. “I am excited about the opportunity to make an impact on a major league organization and to work with people I know and respect, like Jerry Reinsdorf, Ken Williams, Rick, Buddy and Robin Ventura. I don’t think I could ask for a better situation than being in Chicago and with the White Sox.

 

...

 

"I think Jim Thome someday will manage a Major League team," Reinsdorf said. "I think he has that ability. He can be a batting coach, he'd be a great batting coach, but someday he'll be a manager. That's what he'll be. Right now, he's going to be helping us out, evaluating the farm system, evaluating the younger players, he'll be here and be a presence in our clubhouse, come to Spring Training and be a presence. I think it'll be a real plus. And someday he'll manage a Major League team."

 

Thome lives with his family in Chicago, which he said played a significant part in the decision, which came to fruition in the the last 2 1/2 weeks or so.

 

"The No. 1 thing in this whole thing is I get to kind of be at home," Thome said. "Being at home, and getting that opportunity to be around my kid, I coach my son in T-ball, and my daughter, she's 10 years old, going to be 11, it's going very quick. So getting this opportunity to stay at home was really, really good, no doubt."

 

Thome ranks among baseball's all-time leaders in home run ratio (4th, 13.76), home runs (7th, 612), walks (7th, 1,747), OPS (20th, .956) and RBI (24th, 1,699). He appeared in in 529 games over four seasons with Chicago, batting .265 with 134 home runs and 369 RBIs. Some of his memorable moments in a White Sox uniform include his 500th career home run on Sept. 16, 2007, against the Angels, and his game-winning solo homer off Nick Blackburn on Sept. 30, 2008, which gave the White Sox a 1-0 victory over the Twins in a one-game playoff at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

"It's given me everything," Thome said of his career in baseball. "It's given me people that I've met, it's given me friendships, it's given me great cities I've played in, relationships. And ultimately, if you treat people well and vice versa and you have those relationships, you sit here in situations like this and get opportunities. This is my home, this is where we live. This means a lot, to be able to come back and be a part of a great organization that has won and wants to win. I think to be a part of it is great."

 

Thome never "officially" retired after finishing his season last year with the Orioles. But he figures to spend time in the front office alongside Bell and Hahn, as well as in the clubhouse alongside veterans like Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko, as well as helping players all the way down to the Minor Leagues.

 

"The thing about Jim is he has put in a career being respected by his peers and being an honest and up-front guy," Konerko said. "When you talk to Jim, you're talking the truth. Jim is one of a kind. There are a lot of guys like Jim in baseball who are good people but can't match the career he's had, what he's done on the field to go with the person he is. To have one of those in the organization, that's very rare."

 

Thome says he does still occasionally pick up a bat, but this opportunity with the White Sox may give him a renewed opportunity to be close to the competition that still calls to him.

 

"If you can give a kid a piece of advice or be around here and somebody asks you a question about hitting or about the game in general and you see them have success, ultimately, that's the biggest accomplishment of all, is giving back to the game and giving back to young players that want that input and want that advice," Thome said.

 

http://www.mlb.com

Edited July 3, 2013 by caulfield12

[ShandyMan]

I agree that most of the blame goes to the manager and staff. However, you have to admit Hahn has been a little too conservative thusfar. I will give Hahn one more full year before I truly evaluate his moves. This trade deadline will be pivotal for the organization moving forward.

 

Conservative? Yeah, because there were absolutely no moves to be made.

 

Trades are rarely made this early before the deadline, he is gearing up for the next ~2 weeks.

 

Last offseason letting AJ go was the right decision, no one could guess that flowers,viciedo, and konerko would be this bad. I for one am happy that he was conservative rather than giving someone like Josh Hamilton another stupid contract to bog us down for another 5 years.