Studies emerged last October that longtime White Sox majority proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf was contemplating promoting his controlling curiosity within the staff, and that Reinsdorf was in talks a few attainable sale to an possession group fronted by former massive league pitcher and govt Dave Stewart. There hasn’t been any information on that entrance within the intervening months, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote {that a} sale isn’t taking place. The 89-year-old Reinsdorf “has made it completely clear to associates that he has zero curiosity in promoting so long as he stays in good well being,” and “he has rebuffed all of minority investor Justin Ishbia’s requests to buy controlling curiosity of the staff.”
The latter level is especially noteworthy, as Ishbia and his brother Mat have been seen because the lead candidates to purchase the Twins till about six weeks ago, when the Ishbias reversed course and as a substitute regarded to extend their minority share within the White Sox. Staff VP of communications Scott Reifert made it clear on the time that this “has no influence on the management or operations of the Chicago White Sox and doesn’t present a path to regulate” for the Ishbias, and Nightengale’s report would seemingly additional quiet the hypothesis that Reinsdorf is trying to transfer on from the staff he has owned since 1981.
Reinsdorf’s lengthy tenure is highlighted by the 2005 World Sequence, which marked the primary Sox championship (and the primary baseball title in Chicago as a complete) since 1917. Past that signature achievement, nonetheless, the Pale Hose have solely sporadically been contenders over Reinsdorf’s four-plus many years, and the membership has topped the .500 mark solely six occasions since that World Sequence 12 months. Most lately, after all, the Sox posted the worst report in fashionable baseball historical past, and one can solely hope that final season’s 41-121 debacle is the low level of what seems prefer it’ll be one other prolonged rebuild.
Reinsdorf’s possession type has lengthy confronted criticism on many fronts, mainly associated to a relative unwillingness to spend regardless of enjoying in a big market. Per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Sox payroll did rank seventh in baseball as lately because the 2022 season, however that marked Chicago’s solely look inside the high 10 over the past 14 years. Andrew Benintendi’s five-year, $75M deal from the 2022-23 offseason is the most important contract the White Sox have ever given to a participant, and Reinsdorf’s longstanding status as a hawk in labor talks has solely added to the notion that the Sox aren’t keen to closely spend money on participant salaries.
With each the White Sox and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls (Reinsdorf’s different staff), the proprietor has been recognized to each take a heavy hand in entrance workplace enterprise whereas additionally using longtime confidants in key govt roles. Whereas holding trusted workers in place may naturally be seen as an indication of loyalty, the flip aspect of Reinsdorf’s method is that his groups are sometimes accused of insularity, which retains the golf equipment from absolutely embracing newer developments or views. As an example, when the White Sox have been searching for a brand new GM in August 2023, then-assistant basic supervisor Chris Getz was promoted into the highest job after Reinsdorf seemingly had a quick or non-existent seek for exterior candidates.
All of this to say, South Facet followers will not be enthused by Nightengale’s report, given how Reinsdorf’s recognition in Chicago might be on the lowest level of his possession tenure. There have additionally been some rumblings that Reinsdorf may even be open to transferring the White Sox if he can’t get his desired new ballpark project within the South Loop space launched, because the staff’s lease at Charge Discipline is up after the 2029 season. Commissioner Rob Manfred downplayed the thought of the White Sox transferring an interview final October, however Chicago followers won’t been completely comfy till there’s a agency plan in place for the staff past 2029.
