It’s hard to believe that the Chicago White Sox were the 2005 World Champions, topping all other clubs in the majors.
Today, as I gazed at the standings, less than two full seasons later, they’re in dead last in the Central Division, beneath the perennially poor performers, the Kansas City Royals.
The good news is that the Sox are a mere four games out of fourth place. They still have a fighting chance to stave off the shame of becoming cellar dwellers during the off-season.
But they’re not fighting.
With much of September yet to play, there’s little life left in the South Siders.
Foolishly, owner Jerry Reinsdorf has reiterated his support for wacky manager Ozzie Guillen, who is on record for having said he doesn’t want players to be leaders in the dugout. Perhaps that solves the mystery regarding the trades of Frank Thomas, Carl Everett, and Aaron Rowand, soon after the team won the championship in 2005.
They had too much fire in the belly, too much leadership capability. They wouldn’t lay down and die, as the Sox have done in 2006 and especially this year, when they all but phoned in their performances since the All-Star break.
In separate articles I predicted the Sox were entering, minimally a five year slump that could stretch to ten.
It looks like a lock that they’ll certainly miss post-season play for the next 24-36 months if they keep in place their present management, along with their take-it-as-it-comes philosophy.
In the meantime, manager Lou Pinella and the Cubs’ new owners have been showing what some fresh blood and a new outlook can achieve on the North Side.
Maybe it’s time for Reinsdorf to sell?
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books and more than a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is quoted in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week.
President of Clientrelations.com and Customersatisfaction.com, his seminars and training programs are sponsored internationally and he is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40 universities, including UC Berkeley and UCLA.
Gary brings over two decades of management and consulting experience to the table, with the best academic credentials in the speaking and training industry. A Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication at USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies and successful family owned and operated firms.
He can be seen on CNBC at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=417455932# and reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com
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