MESA, Ariz. — Darrin Jackson learned a lesson last season.
“Never to say that it can’t get worse,” Jackson said.
When the White Sox lost 101 games in 2023, “I said it can’t get worse,” Jackson said. “Boy, was I wrong.”
By 20 games worse, but who’s counting.
But Jackson, before calling the first of 10 games on radio alongside play-by-play partner Len Kasper Saturday, a Sox 7-3 loss to the Cubs in their Cactus League game featuring teams he played for, says he “optimistic” about the coming season.
Jackson pulls no punches, so he’s not giving a company line, even though he works for the Sox. Watching young talent develop is what wants to see, and he wants to see it at the major league level.
“I’m optimistic getting a chance to see some of these youthful, more energetic players in spring training,” Jackson said. “I hope they get opportunities during the year. That’s the big thing. I want to see the young talent here.”
Jackson broke in with the Cubs as a rookie in 1985. He reels off the names of Greg Maddux, Jamie Moyer, Shawon Dunston, Damon Berryhill and Mark Grace whom he played with, a group that won a division in 1989.
“Give them experience now,” Jackson said. “This is how you build your future, get them here together and they learn to win together and that’s how you build a championship, with the sprinkled in veteran and have positive influence. That’s what I want to see.”
The Sox saw left-handed hitting shortstop Colson Montgomery homer against Cubs lefty Caleb Theilbar after lefty Justin Steele struck him out in the first inning.
“Especially after the first at-bat to make his adjustment and come back and have a nice swing like that, great to see from Colson,’’ Sox first-year manager Will Venable said after his first game.
Montgomery, who also stepped back and to his right to make a play to start a double play with second baseman Chase Meidroth, will get every chance to win a job and continue developing in the majors.
“Had a really good scouting with [hitting coach] Marcus [Thames] and he just threw it where I was looking,” Montgomery said. “I was trying to get the runner over, no outs, guy on second. I was trying to do the job. But when it was 0-1, I still got my A swing going. So, that’s what happened.”
Montgomery’s plan worked out. Belief in the Sox’ overall plan is mixed at best, after the last rebuild fizzled after two postseason appearances. General manager Chris Getz is overseeing this one.
“I think they have a plan and know what they want to execute,” Jackson said. “And I have to wait and see what that plan is. I have an idea. When I talk to Chris, he kind of keeps it close to the vest.”
In any case, “you have to evaluate if these guys can play defense at a higher level, minimize mistakes and at the same time keep getting better.
“That comes with experience. Young players, we saw [outfielder] Dominic Fletcher think he could throw out everybody in the world [last season], missing the cutoff, doing all this crazy stuff in the first half before he got under control and made better decisions.”
Fletcher finished with 10 defensive runs saved, second among right fielders.
“Mistakes that happened early were corrected,” Jackson said.
A deep fly ball bounced off left fielder Oscar Colas’ forehead, and Medroith misfired on a play at home for an error. Bobby Dalbec, who has been around, got picked off on Thielbar’s lefty move to first.
It’s early. Time for corrections to be made.
“Really happy with the way we competed today,” said Venable, who soaked in his first ‘game’ experience as a manager during the national anthem before getting down to business.
There’s more business in the coming days.
“Excited to make our adjustments and move on to the next one,” Venable said.