Chicago White Sox fans want manager Pedro Grifol axed after team swept by Tampa Bay Rays: "The worst manager I’ve ever seen"
Last offseason, the Chicago White Sox cast off a geriatric manager in Tony La Russa, who was caught multiple times by television cameras nodding off in the dugout. They installed a younger manager more in tune with the modern game in Pedro Grifol.
Things were supposed to be different for the White Sox this season. The outfield was shuffled to make it less horrific defensively. The team did lose first baseman Jose Abreu via free agency to the Houston Astros. However, it was believed that the White Sox still possessed enough offense to be successful when paired with a good starting pitching staff.
On to Toronto. https://t.co/6nBgpAsZtF
Three-plus weeks into the regular season, all of those plans have been cast asunder. The Chicago White Sox wrapped up the weekend with a 7-15 record after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.
For the tortured White Sox fan base, there is more than enough blame to go around. When fans are not demanding owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the team, they are demanding that he fires general manager Rick Hahn.
However, as Chicago continues to sink to the bottom of the American League standings, it is the new manager that is finding himself more and more in the crosshairs of fan angst.
Pedro Grifol is quite literally the worst manager I’ve ever seen.
@StonecoldSxnick Completely…utterly…totally overmatched, overwhelmed and by far the worst manager in MLB https://t.co/7daipZT8p3
Pedro Grifol just said he’s not frustrated with this group and how they’ve started.
Jesus fucking Christ
Grifol was hired by the Chicago White Sox to replace La Russa on Nov. 1st, 2022. The Astros had yet to conclude their season before the White Sox plucked Grifol from the Kansas City Royals.
The 53-year-old Grifol had been with the Royals organization since 2013. He was on the team's coaching staff when Kansas City won the 2015 World Series and was the Royals' bench coach from 2020-2022.
Pedro Grifol through 21 games is showing why the Royals didn't promote him.
@StonecoldSxnick Well said…he’s awful. Fire him now…go with McEwing then start fire sail. This team ain’t it. https://t.co/OO9nISVx7R
At least with all of the years in Kansas City, Pedro Grifol is used to losing. #WhiteSox twitter.com/scottmerkin/st…
The American League Central was thought to be theirs for the taking before the 2023 season began. In many ways, it still is. The division-leading Minnesota Twins sport just a 12-10 record. For as awful as the Chicago White Sox played in April, they ended the weekend just five games out of first place.
However, with every loss, White Sox Nation becomes more certain that Grifol is not the man to lead Chicago on a surge to the top of the division.
@things_sox Who would’ve thought, dumpster diving into kansas city’s trash wasn’t the best idea
We just lost the game. The #WhiteSox suck. So bad. Pedro Grifol is a horrible manager. Period. You ain’t winning shit with him. Hahn can go too https://t.co/YaWV9fpzWL
@things_sox I thought Grifol was the man for the job but 21 games into the season and it's looking like he was the wrong choice. His bullpen management has been terrible and we are getting musical lineups again like when TLR was here
On paper, the Chicago White Sox do not appear to be as bad a team as their current record reads. While team leader Tim Anderson is on the injured list, many of the team's sluggers are mired in slumps. Additionally, the pitching staff can't seem to keep balls from going over the outfield wall.
I’m glad Pedro Grifol still thinks the White Sox are “a good team” at least this whole organization is on the same, delusional page!
Chicago White Sox heading to Toronto on Monday
Matters don't get any easier on Grifol and the White Sox. The team travels to Canada to face the heavy-hitting Toronto Blue Jays on Monday for a three-game series. The Blue Jays enter the series with a 13-9 record after taking two-of-three games in their weekend series at Yankee Stadium.