Getz urges White Sox to ‘make best of’ lost year
-
Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz knows his team is staring down a record number of losses this season, but he’s urging his players to “make the best of it” as they draw closer to 120 or more defeats, the modern record for losses in a single season.
“I think if you would have told me we were going to end up flirting with the record I would have been a little surprised,” Getz said on Monday afternoon. “Now if you would have told me prior to the year that we would have ended up with over 100 losses, 105, 110, I wouldn’t have been as surprised. But this is the cards that we’ve been dealt at this point. You try to make the best of it, and I think it’s an opportunity to embrace the situation that we’re in.”
The White Sox are 33-112 with 17 games remaining on the schedule. Their .228 winning percentage has them on pace for 125 losses. The 1962 Mets, the modern record holders for most losses in a season, were 40-120. The question of whether the White Sox will surpass that mark has morphed from an “if” to a “when.”
Getz is hoping the tough times will give way to better days in the future.
“As someone that grew up in Detroit, we saw the Tigers in 2003 with 43 wins and three years later, we’re in the World Series,” he stated. “I view it as kind of the frustrating part of the story, but I also know that the future’s looking bright and it’s going to make it just that much sweeter once we get there.”
Much of the White Sox’s season has been by design, beginning with trading their best pitcher, Dylan Cease, to the San Diego Padres on the eve of the season. In doing so, they turned over their entire starting rotation and nearly their entire pitching staff from a season ago. In July, they moved capable starter Erick Fedde to the St. Louis Cardinals, and closer Michael Kopech was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their other top arm, Garrett Crochet, essentially took himself off the trade market due to usage demands and has been on a pitch count throughout the second half.
Chicago is 6-40 since the All-Star break. Early in the year, the White Sox also dealt with a spate of injuries to their position players, most notably infielder Yoan Moncada, who hasn’t played since April 9. Luis Robert Jr. and former outfielder Eloy Jimenez also spent time on the injured list — just as they have over the past three seasons.
Getz was asked for both a favorite memory of the year so far and what he might remember most as a negative moment.
“I’d say my favorite memory is making the decision to have Garrett Crochet be a starter this year, and then naming him the Opening Day starter,” Getz said. “He showed the organization and certainly baseball what he’s capable of doing. That’s certainly the brightest memory.
“In terms of the memories that perhaps I want to forget, I can’t say that there’s one that really stands out. I think that there’s a lot to learn from for our players and our staff and personally, and all you can really do right now is apply those learnings to the future.”
One of the early offseason tasks for Getz will be to hire a new manager after the team dismissed Pedro Grifol last month, not long after it broke a 21-game losing streak. The front office is still in the information-gathering stage of the process, but Getz reiterated that the White Sox will hire a permanent manager from a pool of candidates who are in uniform but outside the organization.
“You have people inside and outside the organization that can be of help whether it’s through the referral process or gathering more background information,” Getz explained. “I’d say it’s fairly broad with the involvement.
“It’s going to be my decision, the baseball ops decision and we’re excited about the next Chicago White Sox manager.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Connor McDavid continues setting records and moving up scoring lists.
McDavid had two goals and an assist in the Edmonton Oilers‘ 5-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night, passing Jari Kurri for second all time in points in Edmonton history. McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner for league MVP and five-time scoring champion, now has 1,044 points in his 10-year career and trails only Wayne Gretzky on the franchise list.
Kurri had 1,043 points in his 10 years with the Oilers, playing on a line with Gretzky for much of it. Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, had 1,669 points in nine seasons in Edmonton.
“Quite a remarkable feat,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “For him to go up the scoring list as quickly as he has, and within an organization that has had so many significant players. I’ve seen so many remarkable things from him. He’s a tremendous player and great teammate. I said I wouldn’t be surprised anymore just because he surprises you so often over these years, but it’s a nice feat for him and the guys are very proud of him.”
McDavid’s second goal was of the highlight variety. He shot the puck from a tough angle, lifting it over Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson without much room.
McDavid didn’t speak to reporters after the game. He was involved in a collision with Minnesota forward Marcus Johansson in the second period in which McDavid’s elbow hit Johansson in the face. There was no penalty called, but it drew the ire of the Wild.
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren practiced with the team on Wednesday for the first time since his upper-body injury on Friday.
He will travel with the team to Ottawa but is still on injured reserve and isn’t eligible to play in Thursday’s game against the Senators. Lindgren, 31, can be activated on Saturday, when Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Not quite ready with being on the IR and that, but another positive step being on the ice today,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said.
Lindgren took a hit to the head and left the Capitals’ home game against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. In the first minute of the second period, he was struck in the side of the head by Montreal’s Nick Suzuki, who was checked into the goalie by Brandon Duhaime. The game resumed, but Lindgren was pulled approximately two minutes later, and the Canadiens went on to win 3-2 in overtime.
Lindgren is 10-8-2 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 21 starts.
He has a career record of 63-47-14 with a .277 GAA and .907 save percentage in 131 regular-season games (123 starts) for the Montreal Canadiens (2015-20), St. Louis Blues (2021-22) and Capitals.
Washington forward Sonny Milano participated in his first full practice since sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 6 against the Nashville Predators. Milano, 28, wore a non-contact jersey as he continues his recovery. Milano has played in three games this season.
He has 137 career points (62 goals, 75 assists) in 313 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2015-20), Anaheim Ducks (2020-22) and Capitals.
WASHINGTON — A bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday.
The ongoing effort, which included the bill being first introduced in October, needed to be submitted for consideration again in the 119th Congress.
Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., reintroduced the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act in the House along with co-sponsors Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., Mike Quigley, D-Ill., and Bill Keating, D-Mass. Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reintroduced it in the Senate.
USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said he encourages fans to contact their congressional representatives to express their support for the bill’s passage. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league enthusiastically supports the legislation.
February marks the 45th anniversary of the Americans beating the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal on home ice in Lake Placid, New York.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports10 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway