Brain Trust

Hats off to White Sox GM Rick Hahn. He’s making me nostalgic for ex-manager Tony La Russa and last year’s coaching staff. Has there ever been anyone more in over his head than La Russa’s replacement, Pedro Grifol? The Sox lost, again, last night, 3-2 to the Mariners. Michael Kopech needed 102 pitches to throw 4.1 innings while Sox hitters struck out sixteen times. But never fear, Grifol foot-in-mouth is here. Grifol said after the game that the Mariners “ran some good arms out there” [today’s online Tribune story] and “Our pitching staff has kept us in ballgames. And they continue to keep us in ballgames. We’re fighting hard, but our pitchers have been doing that for quite some time.” One, I don’t need my team always praising the opposition. Two, 4.1 innings is a sign of failure, pure and simple. As for all the strikeouts by his hitters, Grifol offered that, “I need to look at the tape of the game. I’m never discrediting how hard it is to hit at this level.” [both quotes from today’s story on team website] Kopech was hard on himself in speaking to reporters, but that’s not his job; the manager and the pitching coach should be handling those duties. All I see is Ethan Katz taking notes in the dugout. As for hitting coaches Jose Castro and Chris Johnson, they obviously have nothing of value to say. Luis Robert Jr. struck out four times, Jake Burger and Andrew Vaughn three times apiece. If you don’t put the ball in play, you can’t get on base. It’s not rocket science, it’s baseball. Too bad Hahn and company are so clueless.