KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The White Sox are sinking into a dark and troublesome place, but it’s not uncharted territory for Sox manager Rick Renteria.
Losers of seven consecutive games after a 6-5 loss to complete a four-game sweep by the 36-62 Royals on a sweltering hot Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, the Sox have traveled down this rough road before under the third-year Sox field boss.
They lost 100 games in year 2 of the rebuild last season after losing 95 in year 1. But this season – until the All-Star break, that is, was different. Renteria’s team was two games under .500, albeit probably playing above their level with a minus-103 run differential and bad starting rotation.
And now, seven games into the second half of the season, it feels like old times again.
“There is no magic,” said Renteria, who was ejected for the fifth time this season – for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Adam Hamari – in the second inning.
“But there is no better solution than winning a ballgame to put you back on track.”
When that will happen, stay tuned. Until the Sox (42-51) get home Monday for a 10-game homestand against the Marlins (35-58), Twins (58-36) and Mets (44-51), it won’t get easier for a team slogging through its worst stretch of the year without shortstop Tim Anderson and left fielder Eloy Jimenez. They play the 56-41 Tampa Bay Rays three times this weekend to finish off a 10-game road trip is changing the tenor of what had been nice stepping stone season in the rebuild.
The Sox need a jolt, but Renteria’s job is not in jeopardy. The front office believes he’s not only the right man at the helm for the rebuild, but beyond. They believe he’s the right guy for times like these.
“As we said at the start of this process, we believed Ricky was the right man not only for the early stages of it but also for when the time arrived that we were ready to contend for championships,’’ general manager Rick Hahn said. “Over the past few years, his strengths as a teacher, as a communicator, as someone who helps forge a new culture, have been called upon repeatedly, and he’s executed those important elements of the rebuild extremely well.’’
If and when the time comes to win, “those those skills will remain important,” Hahn said. “But his ability to put the players in the best position to succeed and to maximize the win potential of our rosters will be moved more towards the forefront.”
The Sox current roster Renteria is working with, arguably with too many AAA and AAAA players on the field and pitching staff, invites bad runs like this. Soft-tossing left-hander Ross Detwiler, a 31-year-old journeyman, failed to last three innings in his third start Thursday, allowed eight hits over 2 1/3 innings including home runs to Cheslor Cuthbert and Jorge Soler in a five-run third that erased a 3-0 Sox lead.
Detwiler (7.02 ERA) did not get a swing and miss.
Dylan Covey (one run over 2 2⁄3 innings), who relieved Detwiler, pitched better couldn’t get a grip fielding a bunt with a play at home, and when he turned to first for an out but second baseman Yolmer Sanchez was late covering. In the same inning, shortstop Ryan Goins (who would later make two excellent plays) let a routine grounder go through him for an error.
It’s been that kind of losing streak.
Renteria can be a pat-on-the-back or kick-in-the-butt kind of manager in times like these, but the kicks are rarely given in public.
”I’ve also had meetings in the dugout, which thankfully none of you guys get to see,” he said. “Everything that needs to be addressed is always addressed. Whether it’s lack of effort or lack of focus we do a good job trying to cover it.
“I’m not an excuse guy. Play better. It’s like the guy who comes in and says why aren’t you using me as much? Play better. So we as a team have to play better and do the things we’ve done since the beginning of the season and turn it around.”
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