Without much to celebrate, White Sox ready to take stage for fan fest
A convention is about doing business, networking, sitting in seminars. That was last weekend, hosted by the Cubs.
A fest is a party, a place to have a great time. So what exactly is there to celebrate at this weekend's SoxFest?
The future does look brighter, but as far as the 2025 season, the White Sox look worse on paper than they did a year ago.
The best player from last year's 121-loss squad, pitcher Garrett Crochet, is gone. The team's highlight free-agent additions are pitcher Martin Perez and utility infielder Josh Rojas, maybe outfielder Mike Tauchman for fans of former Mid-Suburban League stars.
So let the party begin? Maybe new manager Will Venable taking the first swing at a pinata would be fun.
“I realize fans may not be stimulated by hearing about infrastructure growth and building a new academy in the Dominican Republic and refining different areas of the organization,” general manager Chris Getz said Thursday, “because they want to see wins at the major-league level. I understand that.”
The plan is to have a limited celebration of the 2005 World Series champs, though the only players listed as attending are Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Freddy Garcia. A.J. Pierzynski wrote on social media this week he was not invited. That's no fun.
That's not to say the White Sox are going about this the wrong way. Thanks to their impeccable timing, the Sox will choose 10th in this year's MLB Draft due to newly enacted “anti-tanking” rules. Getting a top-five draft pick in 2026 when restrictions are off is a high priority. Landing their own version of a player like Bobby Witt Jr. would do wonders for the rebuild.
It's possible this season won't look much different from last year. At the same time, a more typical performance by outfielder Luis Robert Jr. or a faster start by Andrew Benintendi could go a long way toward making the team more competitive.
“There are going to be moments where you get frustrated,” Getz said. “But that's where Will and the staff come in and can take advantage of those teaching moments.”
Getz wants the fans to get excited about the future. The top two left-handed pitching prospects in the minors, Oswego native Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will be at SoxFest, as will three minor-leaguers acquired from Boston in the Crochet trade — Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth; and Downers Grove North grad George Wolkow, rated the Sox' No. 9 prospect.
“For our fans, we've got a really talented group that's coming,” Getz said. “You look around and you can start seeing a lot of pieces for a really competitive team.
“I hope our fans at some point understand that this is going to pay off long-term. To be able to watch these guys take another step forward … is something to be excited about. At the end of the day, it needs to start happening.”
Getz said most of the off-season's “heavy lifting” is complete. In other words there might be another transaction here and there, but the roster is mostly complete.
Last year, starting pitching was a relative strength, but now Crochet, Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde are gone. The bullpen and rotation spots are essentially an open competition.
After spending all of 2024 in Triple-A, Colson Montgomery told reporters he expects to be the White Sox' starting shortstop this season. Getz wouldn't commit to that, but there aren't many other options.
Getz didn't rule out trading Robert, but after last year's miserable campaign, it would make sense to see if the center fielder can improve on his demand first.
The Sox are planning a four-hour presentation both Friday and Saturday. The two sessions will be similar, featuring music, comedy and a “State of the Sox” panel. The 2005 reunion is Friday, the segment focused on prospects is Saturday, along with a discussion of Sox history.
Sounds like more of a backyard get-together than actual festival.