Reviews emerged last October that longtime White Sox majority proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf was contemplating promoting his controlling curiosity within the crew, and that Reinsdorf was in talks a few attainable sale to an possession group fronted by former massive league pitcher and government 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 occurring. 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 crew.”
The latter level is especially noteworthy, as Ishbia and his brother Mat had been considered because the lead candidates to purchase the Twins till about six weeks ago, when the Ishbias reversed course and as an alternative appeared 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 affect 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 seeking to transfer on from the crew he has owned since 1981.
Reinsdorf’s lengthy tenure is highlighted by the 2005 World Collection, which marked the primary Sox championship (and the primary baseball title in Chicago as an entire) since 1917. Past that signature achievement, nonetheless, the Pale Hose have solely sporadically been contenders over Reinsdorf’s four-plus a long time, and the membership has topped the .500 mark solely six instances since that World Collection 12 months. Most not too long ago, after all, the Sox posted the worst report in trendy baseball historical past, and one can solely hope that final season’s 41-121 debacle is the low level of what seems to be prefer it’ll be one other prolonged rebuild.
Reinsdorf’s possession model 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 not too long ago because the 2022 season, however that marked Chicago’s solely look throughout the high 10 during the last 14 years. Andrew Benintendi’s five-year, $75M deal from the 2022-23 offseason is the biggest 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 crew), the proprietor has been recognized to each take a heavy hand in entrance workplace enterprise whereas additionally using longtime confidants in key government roles. Whereas retaining trusted workers in place might naturally be considered as an indication of loyalty, the flip facet of Reinsdorf’s method is that his groups are sometimes accused of insularity, which retains the golf equipment from totally embracing newer tendencies or views. As an illustration, when the White Sox had been in search of a brand new GM in August 2023, then-assistant normal supervisor Chris Getz was promoted into the highest job after Reinsdorf seemingly had a short or non-existent seek for exterior candidates.
All of this to say, South Aspect 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 might even be open to shifting the White Sox if he can’t get his desired new ballpark project within the South Loop space launched, because the crew’s lease at Fee Subject is up after the 2029 season. Commissioner Rob Manfred downplayed the concept of the White Sox shifting an interview final October, however Chicago followers won’t been completely comfy till there’s a agency plan in place for the crew past 2029.
