Add Jose Abreu to the list of disgruntled stars that have left the White Sox and have felt disrespected by the front office. On Tuesday, Steve Greenberg dropped an article in the Chicago Sun-Times where Abreu said the White Sox 'weren't a real family, along with a few other quotes throwing veiled shots at the organization.
His quotes have prompted backlash from White Sox fans questioning how good of a leader the franchise icon really was during his nine years on the South Side.
Abreu said he felt disrespected by the White Sox's offer for the 2023 season. He knew the team was trying to transition to the Andrew Vaughn era at first base. Vaughn's performance in the outfield added a sense of urgency to the transition. The 24-year-old is a promising young hitter drafted as a first baseman. Another season of puttering in right field was not in the cards for Vaughn, and Abreu could read the writing on the wall.
"When you're at a place where maybe you're not being respected to the point where you think you should be, you just have to go somewhere else," Abreu said.
The seeds of discontent were planted by the front office long before the 2023 off-season. Daryl Van Schouwen's of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the White Sox's decision to re-sign Abreu the last time he reached free agency was made by Reinsdorf. Following the 2019 season, the front office "was not 100% behind" re-signing Abreu to a long-term deal.
Jerry Reinsdorf intervened. Abreu proceeded to win AL MVP the following season and slashed 289/.366/.489 with a 137 wRC+ during the duration of the extension. Abreu hit 30 home runs in 2021, then led the team with a .304 batting average in 2022.
However, during that time, the White Sox hired Tony La Russa, who turned into a weekly sideshow of distractions. Abreu was also in the middle of one of the most unlikeable teams in White Sox history in 2022. The positive vibes from a 2021 AL Central Championship were quickly washed away by a beatdown in the ALDS, then an uninspiring 81-win effort the following season.
By all accounts, the clubhouse was toxic and showed with their play on the field. It's easy to see why the man who once said if the White Sox didn't resign him, he would resign himself suddenly wanted to find greener pastures.
"I think sometimes talking about the past can bring a lot of animosity," Abreu said in Greeberg's article, "but I think the best way I can out, it is just that we weren't a real family. And I'm hoping maybe [the Sox] can get to a situation, they can get to a situation where a lot of the guys there do deserver to be in a good situation, they can have it there and be able to win. But I don't really have too much more to say about that."
Abreu also threw one last jab at the White Sox by comparing them to the Astros.
"These guys here, they're a real family," he said. "Obviously, I can see why the Astros organization has had as much success as they've had in the last couple of years."
Many have used these comments to point the finger back at Abreu. The argument is that if he was the leader of the clubhouse, he should have been trying to fix these issues instead of bailing to Houston.
Saying that Abreu is a lousy leader is ridiculous. It's important to remember Abreu never called himself a leader. His teammates and coaches did. His work ethic was unmatched. He was often the toughest player on the field and produced at an elite level. Abreu was always a class act and never complained despite having plenty of reasons to.
The 2014 Rookie of the Year also helped recruit Luis Robert to the White Sox. When Eloy Jimenez first joined the team, his locker was placed next to Abreu's. He is also universally respected by everyone he has played with.
Don't just take my word for it. His replacement at first base will tell you everything you need to know.
"You just gotta watch him," Andrew Vaughn said when asked about Abreu. "Watch what he does every day. It's special, and it truly shows."
Lucas Giolito offered a similar sentiment.
"He's so much of what makes this team, this team, and he's done just amazing things on and off the field ever since I've been here and had the pleasure of being his teammate," Lucas Giolito told reporters after the season.
You could look back at every season for the last nine years and find a similar quote from a coach or teammate. All Abreu did was try to help the franchise win a World Series. If he wants to air some dirty laundry now that he is out of town, so be it. Three All-Star seasons, three Silver Slugger Awards, an American League MVP, 1,445 hits, and 863 RBIs give him every right to do so. He said what the organization ignored, but every fan already knew. The team was dysfunctional.
There are lots of dysfunctional families. The burden to fix them can't be placed solely on the family member who isn't contributing to the chaos. There were other veterans in that clubhouse.
Maybe he never learned English (newsflash picking up a new language is hard) or was the most vocal leader. But he set the standard. For almost a decade, the rest of the organization refused to follow his lead.
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