White Sox bringing back SoxFest fan convention in 2025
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The White Sox announced Friday that SoxFest will return next year, after a four-year hiatus.
The team hasn't held their annual fan convention since 2019, but it will return on Jan 24 and 25, 2025, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their last World Series championship, and the 125th anniversary of the franchise.
The White Sox have not yet announced where next year's SoxFest will take place.
Manager Pedro Grifol and a few of their players were together for an event at a South Side Boys & Girls Club on Thursday, ahead of spring training next month in Arizona.
"It's great being in Chicago, first and foremost; getting back here and seeing some familiar faces, and seeing some new faces, which is nice too. You know, getting acclimated with some guys, get to know some of them before spring training, and it just feels good to see that baseball's right around the corner," Sheets said.
Sheets and his teammates saw a robotics show with the students while visiting the Boys & Girls Club in Bridgeport, just blocks away from Guaranteed Rate Field.
"It's what it's all about; getting involved with the community, being around kids like this, and this is kind of the fun part of our job. You know, getting outside of the field, and getting off the field, and just being a human. You know, being around the community, getting involved, and I got to do some 3D printing up there, which is really cool. So days like this today are really fun," Sheets said.
Grifol has said there are good vibes around the team heading into spring training.
How do Sheets and his teammates shake off the disappointment of 2023, when the White Sox finished a dismal 61-101, tied for the second-most losses in franchise history, and try to bring a new energy into 2024?
Sheets said it's a chance for the team to prove their doubters wrong.
"We've got a lot of frustrations," he said. "The three years I've been in the big leagues, we've been expected to win, expected to have these great expectations, and this is the first year where people are counting us out, and I think it's up to us to come together, and kind of embrace that, and use it as fuel, and prove a lot of people wrong."
"We're frustrated. Everybody should be frustrated. You know, I can't get on anybody for that, but it's a completely new year. We've got to put that to the side, and forget about that, and just act like it never happened," Sheets added.
With Chris Getz replacing Rick Hahn as general manager, and the team losing several starters from the 2023 team – including shortstop Tim Anderson, catcher Yasmani Grandal, starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Mike Clevinger, and closer Liam Hendriks – there should be plenty of competition to make the Opening Day roster.
Sheets, who has been a bench player at first base, right field, and designated hitter in his first three seasons, said that just means he needs to come in ready to go when spring training begins next month.
"Control what you can control, be in the best shape you can be in, and just get excited to go," Sheets said. "I think I'm in a similar spot as the last couple years, you know, coming in to compete for a job, and I've just got to embrace that, and have fun with it, but just enjoy being back."