MESA, Ariz. — The White Sox boarded a plane for Houston Tuesday, the first spring training in manager Pedro Grifol’s managerial career left behind in the distance, and the 2022 season left somewhere even further behind.
As Grifol liked to say, a season can’t be won in spring training, but it can be lost. Attention to detail, emphasis on communication, getting drills right and accountability were the focus points for a team that played .500 ball the year before.
Five hundred ball never felt or looked so 10 games below. That will happen when expectations are high. Sox people, from the front office to marketing departments to the fans in the stands and on social media are calling it the most disappointing season they can remember, an accurate assessment considering the 2022 team was supposed to be in the thick of a contention window following two straight postseason appearances.
With Grifol emphasizing work segments of 5-7 days, the objective in camp was concentrated focus on immediate tasks.
“I’ve loved Pedro’s approach,” starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said after his final spring training tuneup against the Rockies Sunday. “First and foremost having open communication with every player and putting us in our group, starting pitchers, relief pitchers, position players. Having different types of goals and expectations for each group, I feel like we’ve met all those for spring and now we get to move forward into the season.”
Grifol’s camp emphasized the little things like pitchers’ fielding practice, pitchers’ slide steps and intentions to control opponents running game, hitting the cutoff man, secondary leadoffs and not missing signs. Seven top players were absent during the World Baseball Classic, so that wrinkle had to be managed, too.
Communication skill was lauded by general manager Rick Hahn when he hired Grifol, and players have clearly know what is expected from the manager.
None of this is to say all of these things were absent under Tony La Russa the last two seasons. And the Sox were not the only team to emphasize fundamentals, execution and communication in camp, of course. But whether such attention, with a new manager and several new coaches makes a noticeable difference will begin to be seen as soon as Thursday when the Sox open a four-game series against the World Series champion Astros.
“All in all, I think the intensity level was good, the work was good,” Grifol said Tuesday before the final Cactus League game against the Cubs. “We’re still working on things. Maybe that’s just me and my mindset, we’ve always got to find a way to get better.
“I don’t think you’ll ever see me or hear me say, yeah we’re there. Because there’s still mental mistakes being made. We’ve just got to continue to tighten things up and get better as we go.”
Much was said early in camp about the Sox not pulling together last season. Motivated by last season’s failure, players came to camp with an edgy aim to make amends, be accountable and stick together.
On Sunday morning, with most of the clubhouse cleared out, the starting rotation of Giolito, Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech and Mike Clevinger sat in a circle talking.
“I’ve really really enjoyed his approach as far as being very very focused, creating that good culture, bringing everyone together, working for a common goal,” Giolito said.
“He’s got the right mindset,” first baseman Andrew Vaughn said. “He’s got us all pulling together. That’s the biggest thing. We’re all pulling from the same rope, we’re all ready to go.”
Will all of it make a difference?
“Just watch us play,” Grifol said. “Give us a chance, watch us play and develop your opinions on this year, nothing in the past.”
