A White Sox Fan’s Plea to Jerry Reinsdorf: Just Sell the Team!

The latest south-side development is just one in a long string of disappointments for followers of the Chicago White Sox.

I don’t buy any of it. By now, I know better as a fan. 

It was reported by The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli that owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to the idea of selling the Chicago White Sox. 

Sure, I believe he had discussions with Music City Baseball ownership group head Dave Stewart. But do I think any of this will come to fruition? 

Emphatically, no. 

Let’s not forget who Dave Stewart is friends with from his playing, coaching, and front office days: Tony La Russa. And who is Reinsdorf’s right-hand man these days? Not Rick Hahn or Kenny Williams, no. Chris Getz? Forget it, he’s just a cog in the system.

La Russa remains right by Reinsdorf’s side. Remember about ten years ago when La Russa and Stewart ran the Diamondbacks organization into the ground together? Loyalty is one of the premiere characteristics everyone loves in a boss. But this sort of allegiance to the wrong people, well it’s getting old for White Sox supporters.

History of Moving Threats

So let’s not overreact too much here. We know how this goes and saw it 36 years ago. Reinsdorf playing the corrupt Illinois political system because he didn’t want to fork out the money himself.

In June of 1988, state lawmakers were under pressure from then Governor and notable White Sox fan, Jim Thompson, to approve a stadium deal in the last hour of the House floor spring session. Reinsdorf was threatening to move the team to Tampa Bay if he did not receive public funding for a new stadium. Legislators caved and passed a $150 million subsidy.

Reinsdorf got his wish and the Illinois taxpayer was forced to pay for a new ballpark. 

It was later reported that the clock on the floor was unplugged to cheat the midnight deadline in order to get the legislation passed. Gotta love fair and impartial politics. 

Reinsdorf used Florida as leverage back then and is trying to use Nashville in the same way these days. His cigars have less smoke blowing from them compared to this so-called Dave Stewart deal.

It’s sad. He’s applying the same strategy which he uses to field a team; tactics way behind the times. 

Someone should tell Reinsdorf the political climate is not the same in Chicago as it was over thirty years ago. Policies have changed, new offices are held, and fandom is anything but the same. He thinks he’s going to force the Illinois taxpayer into a publicly-financed stadium yet again?

To benefit from the common man? Those days are over. 

Jerry’s Way or the Highway

After all, how much can the common person truly take? Reinsdorf just produced the worst singular product of all-time on the field in 2024. 

I hear a lot of talk about his loyalty to colleagues. But where is his devotion to Sox fans?

When his team was in a window of contention between 2020-2022, the chips were never shoved all-in. He continued to handcuff his baseball executives amongst the countless unnamed workers in their baseball operations department who owned more modern methods of running the club.

For as critical as I was pertaining to the front office, there was an Oz hiding behind the curtain.

A roadblock to any sort of free agent freewill. Sure their executives made mistakes along the way, who doesn’t in the game of baseball?

I’m still not over the Jake Burger trade. Kenny Williams, I’m looking at you. 

And Getz receiving below the consensus market value for three of their best players at this year’s deadline? This can be seen as a reflection of Reinsdorf and his habit of hiring inexperienced GMs. The trade that Getz made just so happened to help the Dodgers win the World Series.

There’s a reason this franchise is one of the two teams across all of MLB that have failed to produce a single $100 million-plus contract.

Every general manager working under the 88-year-old has been handcuffed by an overarching attitude of Reinsdorf being the smartest guy in the room; the mark of a poor leader.

A Different Kind of Fan

The Nashville move isn’t going to happen. And if it does, fine. That would mean Reinsdorf had pulled the sequel to John Fischer’s saga in Oakland, giving the ultimate middle finger to the fans who stayed loyal to the team despite rarely having a good reason to.

But if there is one way to gain a tiny bit of respect back and be remembered in more of a positive light, Reinsdorf will need to pick the correct buyer. Someone who will spend money on players and hire the correct analytical department to compete in the current baseball landscape. 

And to me, that makes the most sense. 

Why does Reinsdorf want to deal with these headaches? He’s long past his glory days with Michael Jordan and cornered at every angle. Even the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire are racing him to new stadium deals. Those teams are more realistic with such momentum. Mr. Reinsdorf is not.

He only wants a new stadium because of the way real estate trends around ballparks have shifted. Now it’s all about how much area you can develop around the stadium. That may be correct for the crosstown Cubs, where fans go to any game no matter what their record shows.

Such an idea is foreign to White Sox fans.

Many wonder why the idea of a new stadium is even being pondered in the first place. Guaranteed Rate Field is not old compared to most stadiums and the game day experience is wonderful.

The tailgates are popular for several people, not to mention the fantastic stadium food. Fans walk around and enjoy the atmosphere, myself included. Why fix what is not broken?

Sure the ball park is not geographically-located in the best way but that’s the issue Reinsdorf is missing. If he repeatedly put a good product on the field and paid for talent, there would be no need to look for the answer of a new stadium and surrounding economic advantages.

Fans are more than fine with the current ballpark. All they want is a competitor.

These same fans appreciate good, quality baseball and will show up when such a product is on the field. This is proven when looking at ticket sales and year-to-year performance. Grace fans with whatever that team was this past season, people don’t show up. And that’s why Sox fans are special. A rare group who gives back what they receive.

Did nobody see what just happened in Oakland? The raw emotion that many fans showed as they packed the Coliseum one last time was something to witness. That day didn’t only show the sadness of fans, it showed a piece of their culture dying. 

Chicago fans want anything but what happened in Oakland. Just because the Sox had a historically bad season, people forget about their amount of supporters. The south side owns an enormous fanbase with deep, historic roots in America’s third-largest metropolitan area. So is Reinsdorf really going to sell to someone who will take the team out of such an enormous market? 

I’m skeptical.

What’s Next for the White Sox?

In my opinion, this is all one last-ditch effort before Reinsdorf sells the team to someone with the highest bid. I see right through his antics.

After all, we all know he loves a good deal more than anything. And if people think that several bidders do not exist for the club, they’re misinformed about the demand to own a team. Just look at how much interest the Minnesota Twins have gained ever since they went up for sale last month.

It’s important to note that Reinsdorf has told his children to pick up as many minority shares in the team as possible. So when he goes, they will be able to get the most bang for their buck. He has publicly stated directions for his son, Michael Reinsdorf;

Keep ownership of the Chicago Bulls and sell the White Sox. 

With that being said, I dare him to sell to a Nashville-motivated group. I dare him to shift towards a market that is significantly smaller. The leverage play will not work this time. Nashville wants an expansion team, not the White Sox. 

I’m calling your bluff, Jerry.

The game has changed. Whether Reinsdorf likes it or not, there’s no escaping this on-the-field mess while getting a new stadium publicly financed at the same time. Save whatever is left of your legacy in Chicago and give some of the loyalty back to the people. Search and evaluate for a buyer who puts winning at the top of their to-do list. 

Only then will hope will be restored in this terrific fanbase. Only then will White Sox aficionados rejoice.