3 changes we'd already make to the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are off to a really rough start. They are 5-8 through the first 11 games which is just not good enough. There are a lot of issues with this team that need to be addressed right now.
There are still a lot of injuries that the team is dealing with which is the biggest problem but there are still some changes that can be made to make this team better.
It is a roster loaded with talent but they need to be put in a better position to succeed in the long term.
These are the changes that we'd like to see new manager Pedro Grifol make as soon as he can before it is too late:
1. The use of Andrew Benintendi
Andrew Benintendi needs to not be in the middle of the batting order.
The Chicago White Sox gave Andrew Benintendi the richest contract in the history of the franchise. That is kind of pathetic but he has been a very good Major League Baseball player in his career and he deserved to be signed.
The problem is that he is not even close to a power hitter in this league so he has no business in the middle of the batting order. He should be in a part of the order in which he is expected to keep the line moving. He isn't often going to hit the big home run with multiple men on base.
Benintendi will get going if he is put in a better position to succeed on a much more regular basis. He shouldn't see third in the order ever again. First, second, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth is best for him.
2. Gavin Sheets should never play outfield
The White Sox don't need to ever have Gavin Sheets in the outfield.
Gavin Sheets can be a very good power-hitting lefty in the Chicago White Sox lineup. This team lacks left-handed hitters so having him around has been nice for that reason alone.
Sheets is also just an all-around good person that is nice to have on the team. However, there is one major flaw to his game.
Sheets is a terrible outfielder. He isn't even really that good of a first baseman but that is his natural position so it is likelier that he will improve there.
He is not good to the point where he trips and falls if he gets a bad initial read on the ball. He should be the designated hitter whenever he is in the starting lineup and he should be taken out after any pinch-hit appearances unless he is going to first base defensively. The outfield just isn't for him.
3. Pitching management
Pedro Grifol needs to be much better with his pitching management.
The Chicago White Sox have a better manager right now than they did last year. You can't get much worse at managing from a baseball point of view than Tony La Russa in his second stint with the team so as long as Grifol gets the team to try hard and have good vibes, they will be a better team.
The vibes have been slightly better and the team looks like they want to actually be there which is nice to see.
However, the pitching management hasn't been much of an improvement so far this year. Pedro Grifol seems to love Jake Diekman way too much and he is overused.
The way that he has used the bullpen following the starter hasn't been good so far so we'll see if that is able to be improved. It is something, like everything on this list, that needs to change as soon as possible if the White Sox are going to go far in the regular season this year.
Next. The 15 worst contracts in Chicago White Sox history. dark