South Side Sox Podcast 124 — The Smartest Guy in the Room

Somehow, GM Rick Hahn took a press conference dedicated to Tony La Russa’s surprisingly graceful bow from active managing and turn it into a season-in-review shitshow of tone-deaf proclamations and empty promises.

Brett Ballantini is joined by Jordan Hass, Allie Wesel, Dante Jones, Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and Joe Resis to discuss the turn, which we all knew was coming — just perhaps not today, of all days.

• We had zero additional reaction to the news that Tony La Russa was actually gone as White Sox manager. It was pretty well covered yesterday, so on to the main event!
• While knowing that Hahn will be spending it perhaps makes it OK for him to temper expectations for 2023 payroll, given the GM’s gaffes, the idea that he’s gonna stitch a silk purse out of this roster and minors system just smells like more “oh well, we tried” sentiment
• Journalism 101: When the GM piloting the worst stretch of White Sox baseball in at least eight decades that if he didn’t feel he was the right person for the job he’d step aside, you MUST follow up with a question that presses him to tell fans what he feels his strengths are in the job. Because, well, they are NOT OBVIOUS
• As Joe highlighted, Rick could not stay away from fan-blaming, with the odd response telling us that just two years ago, the management (uh, Rick, you’re talking about yourself) was up for awards, and won a division a year ago, etc. The deer-in-headlights act — as if managers (remember that guy who has YOUR NAME, Rick, Renteria?) and GMs don’t routinely get canned in spite of very fresh successes — is weak
• As Brett broadly brayed over and Melissa succinctly brought out, Hahn’s habit of talking down to fans in spite of well knowing how intelligent White Sox fans are is simply the wrong play. We in fact dedicate this podcast to you, Rick, in hopes that 2023 can be the Year of Respecting Fans
• Speed round: Presuming the White Sox remain mired in mediocrity, will the next chant be Fire [MANAGER] or Fire Rick? Dante and Allie went off the board with their answers
• Super speed round: Another fun guess at who the next White Sox manager will be. No Drake LaRoche this time, at least

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