Jerry Reinsdorf On White Sox Rebuild: 'I Have An Obligation To Do What's Right For The Fans'
(CBS) After years of passing on the long-term view, the White Sox finally elected for a new direction and embarked on a major rebuilding plan this season.
Since December, the White Sox have traded 10 veterans for 18 prospects in a dramatic overhaul of the big league club. They parted ways with Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Adam Eaton, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera, David Robertson and more, adding prized prospects all throughout the organization.
Owner Jerry Reinsdorf, 81, has struggled watching the White Sox lose in the first season of their rebuild. The team is 45-70 entering a two-game series with the Dodgers on Tuesday.
In a revealing story from USA Today, Reinsdorf detailed his thoughts on the rebuild.
"It's tough, very tough,'' Reinsdorf said. "What made it hard for me was my age. I'm 81 years old. How long am I going to be around, right? So why would I want to go for a full rebuild at my age.
"The decision I made was that I can't be a factor in this thing. As the owner of this team, I have an obligation to do what's right for the fans. The real owner of a team is the fans, the owner is a custodian. I will be gone one day, but fans will still be there. So you got to run the team what's right for the fans and not even think about how old I am.
"I do, however, intend to live for a while longer.''
The White Sox now have arguably baseball's best farm system, with a group that includes right-hander Michael Kopech, right-hander Lucas Giolito, outfielder Luis Robert, outfielder Eloy Jimenez, right-hander Dylan Cease, outfielder Blake Rutherford and more. Second baseman Yoan Moncada, baseball's top prospect entering this season, made his debut with the team in July. Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez made his first start with the White Sox last Friday.
Hopes are high that the White Sox can develop into a perennial contender. That's exactly what Reinsdorf envisioned when he agreed to rebuild.
"If we had kept our team together this year and look at the standings,'' Reinsdorf said, "who knows, maybe we could have been a wild-card team this year. But I have no regrets. If half of these prospects turn out to be what they're supposed to be, we'll be able to contend for quite a while. If they all turn out to be what they're supposed to be, we'll have a super team.
"I would love to win another World Series, but what I really want is that when it's time for me to leave, I want this team to be perennial contenders.
"That's what I really want.''