Respect The Game: Grifol Promises Aggressive Baserunning

Six years ago, Rick Renteria took the stage at SoxFest and addressed the fans for the first time since getting promoted from bench coach to manager during the offseason. He told the crowd there for opening ceremonies that his players were going to make the fans proud while wearing a White Sox jersey by respecting the game and giving 100 percent effort at all times.

Renteria lived up to his word. He proceeded to bench players during spring training games for not running hard to first base. Then the White Sox hired Tony La Russa, who had more of a lassie-fair approach about running hard to first base.

He encouraged certain players not to run hard to preserve their legs. As it turns out, the list was over half of the starting lineup. He preached respecting the game when it applied to bat flips but never hustling. Late in the season, it was clear that certain players had quit.

It appears the White Sox have finally found a happy middle ground in Pedro Grifol. Much like Renteria, he wants to see the effort, just in a more reasonable and measured approach. It's refreshing to see. Rick Renteria teams never mailed it in, even when they were in the midst of a rebuild. Unlike Renteria, Grifol has been handed a roster ready to win. The front just office hopes Pedro's in-game decision-making is better than Renteria's.

"There's a level of respect to the game for people who pay to watch the game," Grifol told reporters Tuesday. "I'm not asking them [on a] ground ball to the pitcher to give me 100% down the line, but give me a good effort. Give me a good effort till the play ends. And if it happens to end before you get to first base, OK, then you can shut down a little bit. Just give me a good effort.

"Give us, our organization, our culture, the effort that we're looking for. And that's what is preached to them."

The baseball season is a grind. It is unfair to ask players to be going all out during every play of every game. However, you never know when a kid in the stands is taking in a game for the first time. Or if a hard-working blue-collar worker is trying to forget about his troubles by slinging back booze and enjoying some quality baseball at 35th and Shields. Or if a family of four is traveling from out of town to watch their favorite player. Grifol believes that the White Sox owe it to them to put their best foot forward, saying that fans deserve it and that kids are watching, "learning from the way we play the game."

"I've heard all the philosophies in the last four, five years," Grifol said. "You know, save your legs. But at the same time, you have to respect the game, your teammates and your organization, and the fans that come out to watch."

Grifol has placed an added emphasis on being aggressive on the base paths as well. In 2022 the White Sox ranked 24th in stolen bases and 29th in triples. It's not like the White Sox lack speed, just aggression. Things are about to change under Grifol's watch.

Last season the Royals led the MLB in triples and ranked sixth in stolen bases, with Grifol as the bench coach. The White Sox have much more talent on their roster than the Royals. With that type of assertiveness, they may be able to steal a few more runs as well as wins.

"I envision our team taking advantage of 90 feet whenever it's given to us," Grifol said. "Whether it's on a ball in the dirt, a base hit to the outfield, sometimes you can't force these things. But when they present themselves, you have to be ready to take it.

"What kind of baserunning team are we going to be? Opportunistic. You give it to us, we're going to preach taking it. And as far as running hard down the line, that's expectation."

It's a new era on the South Side. The White Sox are throwing it back to the "Go-Go White Sox" era of the 50s, hoping it will result in another pennant.