All summer long on the South Side of Chicago, the cries for Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the White Sox grew louder and louder in the very literal sense.
The latest decision to let beloved play-by-play man Jason Benetti go should make those cries even louder.
The sentiment has been there for years, of course, but beginning with the ill-fated decision to hire his old pal Tony La Russa to guide the team’s equally ill-fated rebuild to the finish line, chants of “Sell the team!” had become as much of a tradition at Guaranteed Rate Field as the seventh inning stretch or fireworks after home runs.
Fans paid for billboards outside the park and flew banners inside it demanding Reinsdorf just give it up already. The 87-year-old seems to have taken that as a challenge.
You think you have it bad, now? You think our decision-making is problematic? Just wait.
Here’s your new general manager, Chris Getz, a man who failed so poorly at developing a farm system for the White Sox that he could only fall up.
Don’t like that? Don’t worry, Getz is poaching from the Kansas City Royals — the only franchise more woebegone than Chicago in the American League Central — to advise him.
Still not done complaining? Ok, say goodbye to Tim Anderson. We’ll dump him without even trying to learn if his bad 2023 was an aberration or see if there’s trade interest for him at any point next year. Dylan Cease is on the block, too.
The war of attrition took a drastic turn on Thursday morning when the team announced Benetti is leaving to join the booth of the rival Detroit Tigers.
One of the top voices in sports is coming to the 313!
Renowned broadcaster @jasonbenetti has inked a multi-year contract to be our television play-by-play announcer.
🔗: https://t.co/lqtPaadLPw pic.twitter.com/anVDU1x8wO
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 9, 2023
Benetti is a born-and-raised South Sider. A man who grew up rooting for the White Sox and someone who instantly engaged fans with intelligent discussion, silly antics and fun brain teasers that made tuning into games worth it — even when there was no reason to care about the players on the field.
When Hawk Harrelson retired, landing Benetti felt like a godsend. He was the complete opposite of a broadcaster who had become more catchphrase than person. Someone who revived Steve Stone in the analyst seat next to him and proved the former Cy Young winner could still have fun at the ballpark. Benetti knew, above all else, the show was not about him and yet he still found a way to elevate every major moment.
The final outs of no-hitters thrown by Lucas Giolito and Carlos Rodón immediately come to mind. So do the less extraordinary accomplishments throughout the season, like when another Luis Robert Jr. robbery in centerfield was met with “Outrageous, 88!”.
Even spring training games were worth tuning into when Benetti was on the call. As his national profile grew stronger with gigs calling college football and basketball, the Olympics and ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, it was impossible not for Sox fans to feel a sense of pride.
“He’s ours.”
Now, he’s theirs. A damn Detroit Tiger.
Dear @whitesox fans,
You’ve spent 8 years making me feel welcome and loved and appreciated. And I love you dearly.
I will always cherish you and your passion and joy. You mean more than you know to me.
Thank you for filling my heart.#IsItRaining Yes, as I type this.
— Jason Benetti (@jasonbenetti) November 9, 2023
How much worse can it get for Chicago? The limit does not exist.
Hell, at a sports business conference in Los Angeles, Reinsdorf got up on stage admitted the best strategy was to just be decent until September to keep fans coming out. He ranted about being at the mercy of the “dumbest” owners around the league who had the audacity to spend money on quality players.
If we’re being completely honest. the clock is ticking on Reinsdorf’s tenure whether he sells or not. He’s 87, remember.
The real shame of it is that when that day does come, when the Sox broadcast clicks on for the first time without Reinsdorf occupying the owner’s booth, they’re going to want to have someone with heart summarize the highs and lows, the World Series and rebuilds and the muscle of Reinsdorf on those few days when he did care.
No one was better suited for the job than Jason Benetti.
Sox fans rightfully lost it
All of the mistakes the Sox have made? This one is the worst. Benetti makes even the worst games enjoyable. https://t.co/FSX8H7mpYN
— Maggie Hendricks (@maggiehendricks) November 9, 2023
I would LOVE to say that the White Sox have no idea what their fans really want. But that’s not anywhere close to being true. They know.
They do not care.
This is wonderful news for Jason and I’m glad he can move on to an organization that will value his immense talent.
— Shane Riordan (@shane_riordan) November 9, 2023
I think that about does it for me with this organization. ✌🏽 https://t.co/4TqwiqQwES
— Laurence Holmes (@LaurenceWHolmes) November 9, 2023
The #WhiteSox fumbled Jason Benetti
Taking Ls on and off the field https://t.co/drlE46AL3O
— Herb Lawrence (@Ecnerwal23) November 9, 2023
So when are the White Sox going to overhaul Marketing and Fan Engagement? https://t.co/ef9x9rdLgY
— Josh Nelson – Sox Machine (@soxmachine_josh) November 9, 2023
There is not an organization on Earth, sports or otherwise, run worse than the White Sox
— Man-Soo Lee 💙🤍 (@palehose05) November 9, 2023
Jason Benetti also personally DMed me to wish me luck on the bar exam and congratulated me when I told him I passed.
This is a brutal gut punch. Brutal. https://t.co/bymdIxWDeS
— Spaghetti 🍝 (@SpaghettiC11) November 9, 2023
The White Sox are such a dumpster fire they can't keep the one thing they have going for them from leaving for the Detroit Tigers. https://t.co/yKM1jIlSut
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 9, 2023
The amount of times his commentator on other games would bring up his Sox job/fandom was noticeable. It was free marketing for a team that can’t figure out how to market their own team
— Ricky Burke (@RickyB_708) November 9, 2023
I understand not wanting to pay TA $14 million. I don't understand not being willing to pony up for the actual face of the franchise. You had the gold standard and you handed it to the Tigers.
I predict their next savvy PR move will be to announce no more fireworks at games. https://t.co/mWiuC3QDCI
— Lindsey Willhite (@WillhiteLindsey) November 9, 2023
I just got off the phone with a broken-hearted #WhiteSox fan. He has been a fan for 80 years, yes 80. While the team problems on the field bothers him, the news of losing @jasonbenetti is the last straw. The Sox have lost that fan.
— Cheryl (Raye) Stout (@Crayestout) November 9, 2023
