While Chris Getz was an unpopular choice to lead the White Sox front office after Jerry Reinsdorf dismissed Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn, the dissatisfaction stemmed from the lack of a proper and thorough interview process more than anything else. There just wasn't any particular reason to think Getz would be well-suited to reverse the White Sox's course, given that he oversaw a player development system that failed to establish a pipeline to the 26-man roster. Reinsdorf didn't help matters by saying after 23 years of Williams and 11 years of Hahn, he suddenly felt there was no time to waste, just at the moment where he might have to meet new people.
But then you read Britt Ghiroli's story about the brewing discontent in San Francisco with Buster Posey, and realize that there are ways for a noncompetitive selection process could have been more damaging.
While Getz played for the White Sox, he was mostly known as a guy who played for the White Sox. Perhaps that still granted him some sort of special status, but it wasn't one that was wielded publicly. He also worked under the previous administration, which afforded him the opportunity to run headlong into the limitations of the previous front office, and use that firsthand experience to consider a better way of doing things.
Contrast that to San Francisco, where Posey joined the Giants ownership group and its board of directors, won a power struggle over the previous GM by taking over negotiations for a Matt Chapman extension, and then was in charge of the entire thing before anybody could answer questions like "Does he have any relevant experience?" or "Is this actually a good idea?"
Posey’s ascent, unimpeded by an external candidate search, is at least in part a nostalgia play, an enormous risk in an industry that has become careful and data driven. One longtime MLB executive likened the direct jump from player to president to eating at a Michelin-star restaurant, then going to the grocery store to try to replicate the meal yourself.
He doesn’t need the money nor the spotlight that comes along with this job. He has almost nothing to gain. Yet here Posey is, putting his sterling reputation on the line.
“It’s either really admirable or really foolish,” said another rival executive who, like others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. “And we’ll know which when it’s over.”
It makes one realize that White Sox fans are probably lucky that Paul Konerko is content playing hockey and watching prep baseball in Arizona.
Spare Parts
Darrin Jackson has been part of White Sox broadcasts, either TV or radio, for 26 seasons, but most of those years were spent bouncing off of idiosyncratic partners in Hawk Harrelson and Ed Farmer, but it's become readily apparent from his work with Len Kasper that he can credit his longevity to being a great hang.
As the Women's Pro Baseball League gets off the ground, Keith Foulke didn't make it out of the first week. He was the inaugural manager of the Boston Hunters, but he said he had language in his contract that allowed him to spend time in Arizona during the season, but given the season is only one month long, it seems like the league's commissioner wanted somebody more invested.
Going back to the subject of appointed general managers, John Mozeliak is making a pretty big mark on the Angels despite the interim tag, pulling off a big deadline fire sale and firing coaches for being resistant to technology.
Joshua Baez hit the first major league pitch he saw over Wrigley Field's center field wall, then homered twice more to become the first player to belt three in his debut. It was fun seeing Seby Zavala's name surface as researchers tried to put the feat into context, because he's the only other guy to hit his first three homers in the same game.
The Blue Jays have won six consecutive series, even though they sold at the deadline in the middle of it all. As a result, they're just a half-game out of the third wild card spot at 61-64. It's ugly out there, folks.
