José Abreu is the latest Chicago White Sox great who will end his career elsewhere. But they never really leave ‘the family.’ – Chicago Tribune

Chicago White Sox common supervisor Rick Hahn made a surprising admission Tuesday throughout a Zoom session with the media.

“Earlier at this time, foolishly, I used to be on Twitter,” Hahn mentioned.

If anybody ought to have been avoiding Twitter, it was Hahn, particularly on the day José Abreu was becoming a member of the Houston Astros. No good might come of it, as Hahn absolutely knew.

Hahn has made some extent previously to tell us that Sox Twitter is a poisonous stew of bitterness, but he can’t assist studying these tweets and getting all riled up.

The tweet that foolishly acquired his consideration Tuesday included photographs of former Sox stars carrying uniforms of the groups they wound up with after leaving Chicago: Mark Buehrle with the Miami Marlins, Frank Thomas with the Oakland Athletics, Joe Crede with the Minnesota Twins and Robin Ventura with the New York Mets.

All Sox greats, all ended up with new groups, identical to Abreu with the Astros.

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“All of it seems bizarre and feels uncomfortable, and I assume some solace I take is the actual fact these 4 guys are nonetheless a part of the White Sox household and clearly Jose’s place within the White Sox household will stay safe,” Hahn mentioned earlier than throwing in a quote from his boss, Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, for good measure.

Left unsaid in Hahn’s response to Abreu signing elsewhere was the actual fact three of the 4 former Sox stars he talked about didn’t actually must go.

Crede was the one one whose return would’ve been a serious danger. The true MVP of the 2005 World Collection champions had two main again surgical procedures in his remaining two seasons in Chicago earlier than signing a one-year take care of the Twins in 2009.

However Ventura, Thomas and Buehrle all might have ended their taking part in careers on the South Facet if the Sox had dealt with issues slightly in another way.

Ventura left after the 1998 season, signing a four-year, $32 million take care of the Mets. His agent mentioned the Sox provided a three-year take care of an possibility that assured solely $18 million. Ventura interpreted that as a take-it-or-leave-it contract from GM Ron Schueler.

“It was only one supply,” he advised the Tribune’s Phil Rogers. “‘Right here’s the supply, and for those who don’t take it, that’s it.’ I rejected that one and (Schueler) mentioned that was mainly all he might do. You possibly can’t drive them to need you.”

Thomas, a Corridor of Famer, was pushed out by administration after being injured and lacking a lot of the 2005 season. He thought he was returning for his seventeenth season, however GM Ken Williams had different plans.

When Thomas criticized the best way his state of affairs was dealt with in an interview with the Every day Southtown, Williams, now the staff’s government vp, gave a profanity-laced interview by which he known as Thomas “egocentric” and an “fool” and advised him to “keep out of White Sox enterprise.”

Buehrle left for a four-year, $58 million take care of the Marlins in December 2011 after 12 seasons with the Sox. He mentioned he gave the Sox a remaining probability to signal him and was promptly rebuffed.

Ventura, Thomas and Buerhle all loved numerous levels of success after leaving the Sox, and the staff later retired the numbers of Thomas and Buehrle and employed Ventura as supervisor. Maybe it was higher for each the gamers and the staff that issues didn’t work out. Possibly we’ll quickly be saying the same about Abreu, who’s becoming a member of the reigning champions, and the Sox, who’ve Andrew Vaughn able to take over at first base.

Abreu mentioned at his introductory information convention Tuesday in Houston that the Sox made a “really good” offer. However he didn’t elaborate, and Hahn declined to debate the negotiations. No matter supply was made, it wasn’t sufficient to maintain Abreu, who has mentioned he doesn’t play for cash.

It’s troublesome to maintain gamers for his or her complete careers, and when it occurs these days it’s often a shock. Abreu might’ve been the anomaly however assuredly will likely be a part of the “Sox household” after his taking part in profession and will even get his Sox quantity retired.

Nonetheless, it will be good to see Reinsdorf attempt to maintain one of many faces of the franchise round after letting so many depart through the years. Will it ever occur?

Tim Anderson and Luis Robert are in all probability the most effective present bets. The Sox maintain a $14 million possibility for Anderson in 2024, after which he’ll little question money in like different premier shortstops. The staff’s advertising and marketing division has referred to Anderson as “the face of baseball,” so it is smart the Sox would attempt to maintain him round so long as doable.

Robert is below contract by 2027, together with two staff choices at $20 million apiece in ‘26 and ‘27.

However who is aware of what’s in retailer for both participant?

The Sox household comes and goes. And generally the relations come again once more.