Now that Tony La Russa has resumed his retirement, the White Sox can go back to being … the White Sox.
Does that make you feel any better?
It apparently delights Rick Hahn, whom we all know had nothing to do with the disastrous decision to bring back La Russa, but can be held accountable for stockpiling first basemen and designated hitters in a misguided survivalist tactic. Facing questions this week about his own job security, Hahn broke into more of a smile than a sweat.
“If it ever got to the point where I felt like I wasn’t the right person in my role, I’d step aside,” Hahn said. “And I’m lucky enough, again, to have the support [from chairman Jerry Reinsdorf].”
Ah, there it is, the support of Jerry Reinsdorf. In the sports world, this is the golden ticket that only a precious few enjoy. Their paychecks carry the logos of the Bulls and White Sox. Hahn and Ken Williams — remember him? — get a free pass because Reinsdorf adores them.
Forget a fanbase that was enraged this season after enduring a flawed rebuild that was six years in the making. For all that pain and cash, the Sox went .500 in baseball’s weakest division. Those angry fans surely will show their frustration in the form of empty seats at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2023. Hahn and Williams are liked by Jerry — in the same way La Russa was treasured — so they’re safe. Fans will just have to wear it.
Reinsdorf surprisingly broke down two years ago and cut loose John Paxson and Gar Forman — the Bulls’ equivalent of Williams and Hahn. That reluctant move came at the urging of son Michael, who handles business for Jerry on the Bulls side in a role that remains vacant on the Sox side.
So Hahn and Williams will be rolling along next spring training in their respective golf carts, snickering and ducking responsibility along the way.
“There’s only 30 of these jobs and I’m fortunate enough to be able to do this in my hometown,” Hahn said. “Whether we won this division by 10 games or lost it by 10 games, I’m ridiculously blessed to be able to have this opportunity.”
In the Sox’ messed-up world, winning the division by 10 games or losing it by 10 really doesn’t matter either way.
You certainly can’t fault Hahn for hiring La Russa. That was 100% Reinsdorf’s decision. But Hahn gets blame for assembling a fundamentally flawed roster that couldn’t stay healthy and was exposed for being dangerously shallow.
He laid out this week a make-good plan that includes promised change for next season. Raise your hand if you believe those changes will lead to success.
Hahn has been with the Sox since 2002 and became general manager in 2013, when Williams was kicked upstairs to a loosely defined role as executive vice president. Hahn’s a likable guy with an impressive resume that includes New Trier High School, Michigan undergrad and a law degree from Harvard.
When major-league teams were scrambling to replicate the Boston Red Sox’ recipe for success under then-general manager Theo Epstein, an Ivy League diploma weighed more heavily than a baseball background.
Hahn, who also has an MBA from Kellogg, was originally tasked with handling contracts. Agents preferred dealing with him over Williams. General managers — after Williams’ disastrous Shouldergate deal with the Blue Jays — also gravitated toward Hahn.
When Hahn became a hot Ivy League wunderkind in baseball circles — being courted by the Cardinals and Pirates — Reinsdorf fought off the suitors by giving him the GM title before the 2013 season.
On the Chicago sports landscape, every other major-league team — Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Sky and Fire — have changed general managers during Hahn’s tenure. And what has he done to deserve such solid job security?
Hahn had losing seasons from 2013 to 2019, a winning record in the pandemic-shortened forgettable 2020 season (35-25), one division title in 2021 (93-69) and a 2-5 postseason record. Overall, the Sox have gone 700-817 (a .461 winning percentage) during Hahn’s tenure. Evidently, only the pandemic could make the Sox look good.
And now Hahn is again telling Sox fans: Don’t stop believin’.
“I’m not looking to stand up here with a blindfold and a cigarette just for fun,” he said during La Russa’s going-away party. “We have to believe that we’re capable of getting ourselves to the level we need and be able to critically look at things that we didn’t do well in the past …”
And?
“Find a way to get better,” he continued, “and have faith in ourselves that we’re the right people.”
Jerry couldn’t have said it any better.
