Despite playing better baseball of late, the White Sox still have a long way to go regarding their reputation as an organization. The Athletic recently conducted an anonymous poll consisting of over 100 players, asking for their opinions on the reputations of each MLB team. And while it is not surprising, players' perception of the White Sox right now is rough to say the least.
Gold Standard Teams
Many of the teams with good reputations in the eyes of players are ones you would expect. The Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, and Cubs fall into this category. When asked to elaborate, the respondents had many of the same answers about why they feel these teams are the gold standard. Winning culture, successful player development, luxurious accommodations, exceptional treatment of family members, and historical team traditions were some overlapping themes among the anonymous MLB players surveyed in this poll.
White Sox Organizational Reputation Crisis
Unfortunately for the White Sox, they were nowhere to be found in the above category. In fact, they were on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. 31 players surveyed believe the White Sox have a bad reputation, with nobody arguing for the contrary. Even the Marlins and Rockies are viewed more favorably, according to this survey. Only the Athletics graded out worse than the White Sox, generating 39 responses of having a poor reputation from the player's perspective.
The White Sox having a bad reputation is not rocket science or a new development. After two straight 100+ loss seasons, including a record-setting 121 losses last year, it would be shocking if any player thought positively of them. A few players elaborated when asked why they feel the way they do about the White Sox.
"It's just a dumpster fire through and through."
"They lost the most games in history last season. I mean, why would you want to join that team right now?"
It is hard to argue with them. They aren't wrong.
Positive Changes Taking Place
Despite their poor reputation, the White Sox have made positive organizational changes recently. Brian Bannister and Ryan Fuller were recently hired as the Directors of Pitching and Hitting, respectively, and the organization's analytics department was reportedly "reorganized" and "rebranded" late last year. Will Venable was also hired as manager this past offseason after learning from Bruce Bochy, one of the best managers in the business. Additionally, recent reports have stated that an ownership structure is now in place for Justin Ishbia to gain controlling interest of the team from Jerry Reinsdorf as early as 2029.
White Sox Poor Reputation: The Long-Term Ramifications
The team's current core is slowly taking shape. Progress is starting to show on the field at both the MLB and minor league levels. However, the team will need to bring in outside reinforcements to take the next step, and this upcoming free agent class features several intriguing fits for the team moving forward. But it is fair to ask why any player of significance would want to join the White Sox in their current state. Virtually any other team would offer them a better chance to win, not to mention an environment with a better reputation. The White Sox poor reputation could haunt them for the foreseeable future, particularly in their endeavors to attract desirable established players to play for them.
Long Rebuilding Process Ahead
The White Sox are undoubtedly on the right track across the board moving forward. After years of neglect and toxicity, the organization hit rock bottom in 2024. They are slowly on the way up again and taking positive steps to mend their damaged reputation. However, player polls like this show they still have much work to do to regain respect in the MLB landscape. The turnaround in perception will not happen overnight.
