White Sox GM Rick Hahn: Patience please

Over the winter, general manager Rick Hahn turned over almost half of the 25-man roster.

And, obviously fed up with back-to-back losing seasons, Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf green-lighted a flurry of expensive additions, boosting the payroll from $90 million in 2014 to just under $120 million this year.

Given all of the effort - and cash - it's not at all surprising that Hahn is still riding out the Sox' sluggish start.

"While we've had some foils along the way, some weaknesses have shown up along the way; we've also shown that they're not only correctable, but that these players have the ability to play at a higher level, and it's just a matter of getting there more consistently," Hahn said before the Sox opened a six-game homestand Friday night against the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field, winning 4-3. "We just got through essentially what was a meat-grinder of a road trip, a real tough stretch with 18 games in 17 days where we wound up going 9-9, and then a tough 11-game road trip where we ended up going 5-6.

"And while none of that is where we need to be in terms of an extended period of time, it is a pretty solid way to get through a very tough stretch on our schedule. Now obviously is the time for us to put that behind us and start making some progress and get closer to the top of the division."

The Sox are running last in the AL Central and, even though two-thirds of the season remain, fans have been destroying the team on social media outlets for weeks.

Manager Robin Ventura? He should be fired.

Catcher Tyler Flowers? Release him.

Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija? Trade him.

Third baseman Conor Gillaspie? See Flowers.

Hahn looked a bit weary Friday, but he said it's still too early to make changes.

"This is baseball," Hahn said. "Things happen. We've played, what, 55-60 games? You've still got over 100 games left. I'm certainly not stunned by anything. Are we disappointed with some of our play thus far? Absolutely. We all had high hopes and we still have high hopes.

"But these things happen over a stretch. Again, we feel right now the arrow's pointing up. We just went through a very difficult stretch and while we didn't set the world ablaze with the record, we held our own. We played in some tough environments, primarily on the road, and got through it strong. Let's see what the next 30 days have to hold for us, because right now we feel guys are starting to come around. The team is gelling a little bit more and we think brighter days are ahead."

If the Sox are still spinning their wheels around July 4, look for Hahn to start turning many of the off-season additions into subtractions.

"There's no magic date or anything specific in mind where we have to make a declaration that we are buyers or sellers or that we are in this or out of it," Hahn said. "We've seen a lot of clubs make healthy second-half runs and force the issue even later than that, after mid-August, and get themselves right and get hot and get in (the playoffs).

"We still have some time. We feel like the arrow is pointing up right now and let's see where we are at in another month or so. If we are still sputtering around, as we don't expect to be, then maybe start being a little, start looking a little closer at different contingencies or you start being a little more stunned at where the team sits at that point."

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