Managers Craig Counsell of the Cubs and Pedro Grifol of the White Sox meet with umpires prior to their spring training game at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., on Friday. (John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times)
MESA, Ariz. — With each stepping stone of spring training, Pedro Grifol gets farther away.
The first day of camp helped him move on from the White Sox’ 61-101 disaster, his first as a major league manager, of a year ago. And nine days later Friday, game uniforms were worn and a baseball game played, against the crosstown rival Cubs at the North Siders’ home park in Mesa.
“Are you going to ask me something about last year?” Grifol said a couple hours before he shook hands at home plate with new Cubs manager Craig Counsell, semi-officially designating that last season is history.
“I already turned [the page].”
Finally, a game to put 2023 in the rear-view mirror.
Grifol will try to prove that his hiring to replace Tony La Russa before last season was a good decision, the results notwithstanding. He faces an against-the-wind trudge with a thin starting rotation that could lose its ace if Dylan Cease gets traded, a bullpen full of question marks and a lineup that added no upgrades after scoring fewer runs than anyone in the majors with the exception of the hapless Oakland Athletics.
Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, whose focus these days is getting a new ballpark for the franchise, cut payroll and gave new general manager Chris Getz the keys to oversee a another rebuild, one not as drastic as the recent teardown under Ken Williams and Rick Hahn that flopped and got them fired but an organizational do-over nonetheless.
Trumpeting a “play FAST” acronym (fearless, aggressive, selfless, technical) throughout camp, Grifol has effusively praised his team’s work ethic and growing number of good clubhouse guys. Stay tuned to see how far it boosts them in the standings.
Above the field in the NBC Sports Chicago broadcast booth, John Schriffen admitted on air to being “nervous” working his first game as the new play-by-play voice alongside analyst Steve Stone, who predicted a different and improved Grifol, not to mention a 10-game improvement from last season.
Senior adviser La Russa, the Hall of Fame manager who has observed workouts all spring, finding his seat, passed behind the booth and offered this: “Our boys are looking good” in camp.
Minutes later, 40-year-old reliever Jesse Chavez, assigned to pitch the first inning of the Cactus League season as he aims for one last season in the majors as a non-roster invitee, looked anything but, getting shelled for six runs on six hits including four for extra bases. Chavez, who posted a 1.56 ERA with the Braves last season, gave up a home run to the second batter, Christopher Morel.
The four regulars brought by the Sox to Sloan Park were new middle infielders Paul DeJong and Nicky Lopez, new catcher Martin Maldonado and first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Dominic Fletcher, acquired in a trade with the Diamondbacks three weeks ago and a good bet to start in right field, started in center with veteran non-roster invite Kevin Pillar – vying for a job as the fourth outfielder – in right.
An emphasis on improved defense was made clear in the offseason, and on a day when the Sox managed four hits, including an opposite field homer by first base prospect Tim Elko (who slugged 28 below Triple-A levels last season), a sound defensive effort may have been the best thing Grifol saw. Third base prospect Bryan Ramos made a couple of nice plays.
“The first day of spring training I knew I needed to talk a little about it [2023],” Grifol said. “It’s important. It did happen. That was it. Today’s game we can bookmark it, but I haven’t had one thought cross my mind today about 2023. I’m just looking forward to starting the season now. These games are important to us, they really are.”
Thirty-three more Cactus League games and 162 in the regular season to go.
Cubs 8, Sox 1
• Outfielder Peyton Burdick was claimed off waivers from the Orioles and right-hander Matt Foster transferred to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster Saturday. Burdick, 27 on Monday, hit .182 with one homer in 14 games for the Marlins last season.
• Reliever John Brebbia, expected to be sidelined for a few weeks with a right calf strain, suffered the injury turning to the mound during live batting practice Thursday. “I finished the BP, didn’t affect my stuff, which is great,” Brebbia said Friday. “Moving side to side is fine, but front to back isn’t.” The Sox are hopeful Brebbia, who is wearing a boot and using a mobility scooter to get around, is ready Opening Day but he’ll be sidelined at least two weeks although able to throw.
• The regular starting pitchers such as Dylan Cease, Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, Michael Soroka, won’t get starts until later next week, Grifol said.
• On deck: Mariners at Sox, 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Glendale, NBC Sports Chicago, 1000-AM, TBD vs. Justin Anderson.