Kenny Williams lauds Rick Hahn, who expresses no interest in Cubs GM job
Rick Hahn is going to be a major-league general manager at some point.
The White Sox' assistant GM is highly regarded throughout the game, and Hahn nearly landed the New York Mets' job last off-season.
When the Cubs cut ties with Jim Hendry on Friday, Hahn became the popular choice to emerge as the new general manager.
Hahn, who graduated from Harvard Law School before earning an MBA from Northwestern, has been Sox general manager Kenny Williams' assistant for 11 seasons.
“I've made no secret about it, Rick Hahn is, to me, one of the most qualified men to assume the position moving forward,” Williams said. “What Mr. (Tom) Ricketts does is his own business. He's a guy that's had a lot of success in business and in his world, and his world over there is none of my business at this point in time. But if he called for a recommendation on Rick Hahn, I absolutely would give him my highest.”
As has been the case in the past when linked to GM jobs, Hahn declined to express any interest.
“Like everyone else here, my focus is currently on the 2011 White Sox,” Hahn said. “Questions about my personal future can wait for another time.”
Humber placed on DL:A day after being hit above the right eye by a Kosuke Fukudome line drive, White Sox starting pitcher Phil Humber was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday.Humber wanted to stay in Thursday's game against the Indians, and he didn't want to go on the DL. But he realizes a head injury is nothing to mess with.#8220;It's definitely not what I want,#8221; Humber said. #8220;I definitely want to be out there pitching and competing. But at the same time, it's not my decision. They're looking out for me as well as the team.#8221;Josh Kinney, a 32-year-old relief pitcher, came up from Class AAA Charlotte to take Humber's roster spot. Kinney was 6-3 with a 2.77 ERA and 14 saves in 49 appearances with Charlotte.Kinney debuted for the Sox against the Rangers and was impressive, pitching 3 scoreless innings and striking out six.Comeback trail:A.J. Pierzynski is going to hit off a tee Saturday as he begins rehabbing a fractured left wrist that landed him on the disabled list.#8220;The biggest thing is that we did a bunch of stuff (Thursday) and there were no residual effects,#8221; Pierzynski said. #8220;There was no new pain, there was no new soreness, there was no crunching and creaking in there, which is what they worried about when I started doing stuff.#8221;Eligible to come off the DL on Aug. 28, Pierzynski has apparently been told he won't be activated until Sept. 1.#8220;If I come back before Sept. 1, before rosters expand, you have to make an extra move to coincide with that,#8221; Pierzynski said. #8220;It's only a three-day difference so it's not a huge deal. There aren't a lot of games left but I understand the move and why we're doing what we're doing.#8221;All Dunn:Adam Dunn wasn't in the starting lineup Friday, but a 4-for-11 #8220;surge#8221; hiked his batting average to .168 from .161.#8220;It looks like he's of the mindset now that he's going to try to take what they give them, and that's not a bad place for him to be right now,#8221; GM Kenny Williams said. #8220;He's willing now to forego some of the power just to knock a ball into left field that's on the outer portion of the plate.#8221;As for Dunn not working on his swing in the off-season, Williams said that's not a factor.#8220;That's easy, #8216;OK, let's find a reason; let's find an excuse,'#8221; Williams said. #8220;I'm very careful to point the finger at that and say, #8216;That's what is going to start you off better next year.' I think with that six weeks of spring training, (heck) that's seemingly enough to get it going.#8221;Oz on Hendry:Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is friends with Jim Hendry, and he was sorry to see him fired as Cubs general manager.#8220;He got fired before the draft, and he shows how much class he has to stay with the organization, to help them get better and make the organization move on without him,#8221; Guillen said. #8220;He's a better man than me. If that happens to me, I get fired, I leave the same day. If somebody told me you're going to get fired at the end of the season, I would say: #8216;No, I am getting fired today.'#8221;BBA40002544Sox starter Philip Humber reacts after being hit by line drive off the bat of ClevelandÂ’s Kosuke Fukudome on Thursday. The Sox placed Humber on the 15-day disabled list.Associated PressBBA