Like most White Sox fans, I’ve spent the winter trying not to think about the elephant in the dugout—the elephant the Sox are stuck with for three more years, and to whom they still owe $44 million.
Williams told reporters he signed Dunn because of his “consistency.” Dunn did prove remarkably consistent last year, hitting .160 in the first half of the season and .158 in the second half, while whiffing with Herculean efficiency against lefties and righties, starters and relievers, at home and away, in the afternoon and at night, with the infield shifted or tweeting. The Big Breeze was finally benched late in the year, which threatened his pursuit of the club single-season K record of 175, set by Dave Nicholson in 1963. But in the last week of September, he was given one more chance at designated misser. He didn’t disappoint at disappointing, fanning nine times in his last 11 official at bats, giving him 177 Ks in only 122 games.
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On the other hand, the Sox now have a lot of other hands. The hands are attached to arms, young arms, arms with great torquing potential, powered by strong scapular muscles that have, one hopes, only modest arthritis. Arms that have shut down sluggers on diamonds in this nation, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Williams brought in Robin Ventura, the team’s former star third baseman, to replace the departed Ozzie Guillen as manager. Ventura never has managed at any level, but Williams was impressed with his affordability.
