It would have been difficult, even for the most experienced broadcaster, to fill the large shoes of former Chicago White Sox play-by-play voice Jason Benetti.
Benetti, a Chicagoland native, replaced Hall of Fame broadcaster Hawk Harrelson on the South Side and called White Sox games in the booth alongside Steve Stone from 2016-2023.
With a witty charm and an uncanny feel for the big moments, Benetti quickly endeared himself to the fanbase and became just as revered as Harrelson was before his arrival. Benetti turned into an iconic figure of Chicago sports media, as well as one of the best play-by-play broadcasters in the entire country.
A strained relationship with the organization eventually pushed Benetti to pursue greener pastures following the 2023 season. He landed on his feet as the television voice of the Detroit Tigers. Benetti also currently covers college football and basketball with FOX Sports.
Benetti certainly got the last laugh upon his exit, as his departure was another source for the growing angst among White Sox fans. It also left the club with a difficult situation on hand. Not only was the team freefalling towards the bottom of baseball after losing 100 games for just the fifth time in franchise history, but the organization was now forced to sell a disgruntled fanbase on a new play-by-play broadcaster who would inevitably be associated with the new era of White Sox baseball, for better or worse.
Chicago hired former KBO broadcaster John Schriffen as Benetti's successor, and his first year with the team was not received well by fans.
John Schriffen had a rough start as White Sox play-by-play voice
Perhaps Schriffen got a bad rap. Some of the animosity towards him from White Sox fans could have been tied to general frustrations over a 41-121 season. Let's face it, it's not easy to call baseball games and keep fans engaged when the on-field product is deplorable.
That said, there was a clear disconnect in 2024 between Schriffen and the fans watching at home.
Whether it was continued praise of veteran catcher Martín Maldonado while he was batting .119, growling (literally) after a home run from Luis Robert Jr., or his repeatedly forced attempts to make "South Side, stand up" a catchphrase after meaningless wins, Schriffen's broadcasting style was at times both delusionally optimistic and unenlightening.
I like to picture John Schriffen growling right in Steve Stones face pic.twitter.com/Ckk0xU4Hpu
— bson (@bsonnn4) June 29, 2024
He seems to lack requisite knowledge of White Sox history and Major League Baseball at large, and his on-air chemistry with partner Steve Stone pales in comparison to that of Stone and Benetti. Albeit, Schriffen is much better with Gordon Beckham and Dan Plesac.
While things have improved in 2025 and Schriffen has made a concerted effort to better understand White Sox fans, recent reports are hinting at the organization making another change in the booth for 2026.
The White Sox could be making a change in the booth
"As the Sox become worth watching, they need an announcer worth listening to. The organization should replace Schriffen after the season, and there’s a feeling that the Sox might," wrote Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times this week.
Schriffen has a great voice. He delivers a fantastic call every now and then, but I'm not sure that makes up for his lack of feel or the palpably lacking chemistry in the booth.
I tend to agree with Agrest's notion that Schriffen often steps on Stone's toes when it comes to analysis. He has a habit of regurgitating "company lines" from the locker room and repeats many of the same talking points - most of which are usually rooted in toxic positivity.
Admittedly, Schriffen is not my cup of tea, and I do know White Sox fans who enjoy his passion, but referring to Korey Lee as a "star in the making" and mentioning Miguel Vargas' swing change five times per broadcast can get tiring.
Ultimately, it shouldn't surprise anyone if a change is made in the broadcast booth this season. Whether it's Connor McKnight or someone from outside the market named as the replacement, the White Sox are sensibly trying to turn the corner as an organization and rid themselves of the "stink" that was 2024.
It's time for a broadcaster better suited for the third largest TV market in the country.