Getz looking forward to minor-league baseball's return
Chris Getz has nothing against Schaumburg. He's just looking forward to getting back to North Carolina and Alabama this summer.
That's where the White Sox's minor-league teams are located - Class AAA Charlotte, high A Winston-Salem and low A Kannapolis in N.C. and Class AA Birmingham in Alabama.
The coronavirus pandemic wiped out the entire 2020 minor-league season, forcing major-league clubs to find training sites for prospects closer to home.
The Sox settled on Wintrust Field, which is where the Schaumburg Boomers normally play Frontier League games. That didn't happen last year.
The Cubs used their Class A facility in South Bend, Indiana, for summer camp.
"I feel like we did make the most of the situation in Schaumburg," Getz said Wednesday during a video call. "I'd say the most difficult thing looking at last year was certainly not being around the majority of our minor-league players. That's why I'm so excited to at least have the potential of having a minor-league season to be around these guys.
"I know they're salivating at the opportunity to go out there and show us what they're capable of doing. I know our staff feels the same way."
Director of player development since 2017 and a former second baseman for the White Sox (2008-09), Getz added assistant general manager to his title Wednesday.
With his fingers predictably crossed in these uncertain COVID-19 times, Getz said he's looking forward to White Sox minor leaguers arriving in Arizona on April 1 for a monthlong spring training before moving into a shortened season.
"We feel like there is a structure in place, certainly with the caveat that it could be changing, (that's) just the world that we're living in," Getz said. "But we're planning for an April spring training for our minor-league players and hopeful for a May opening day, or mid-May opening day for our season at the minor-league level.
"That structure has been discussed and so our staff here within the front office, the player development staff, we're planning for all those things with knowing we can adjust. We learned last year that you've got to adjust quickly, so we'll remain nimble."
MLB has scaled back minor-league affiliates, and the Sox will have only four teams this season.
"It's challenging," Getz said. "Our staff has done a really nice job of staying in contact with our players that we haven't been around. Technology has certainly been a friend, we've been able to provide stuff to players to at least provide some feedback for them and also some measurables to create more purpose in their work.
"We feel like we've maximized what's been given to us, but we know at the end of the day the most beneficial way to develop these players is having them play games and be around our staff and be professional baseball players.
"That's what they've signed up for and hopefully we can provide that."