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CHGO Digest: White Sox fans want Ozzie, Grifol backs Jerry, Angel vs. Caitlin

Patrick Norton Avatar
May 30, 2024
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Happy Thursday, friends!

Is there any former Chicago coach that fans want back in the saddle as much as Ozzie Guillen?

Guillen hasn’t managed in the big leagues since 2012, but that isn’t stopping White Sox fans from loudly pining for the team’s former firecracker manager with “Bring back Ozzie” chants ringing throughout the ballpark on Monday.

It doesn’t even matter that Guillen only made the postseason twice in eight years here.

That’s the Pedro Grifol effect.

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Grifol’s vote of confidence… for Jerry Reinsdorf?

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol sits in the dugout at Guaranteed Rate Field.
May 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol (5) speaks before a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

What would make anybody think Jerry Reinsdorf’s number one priority isn’t winning?

Could it be the White Sox’s approach to big-money free agents every offseason? Could it stem from Reinsdorf hiring his old pal Tony La Russa for the team’s competitive window?

Well, at least one person is staunchly in Jerry’s corner right now: Pedro Grifol. But is Reinsdorf reciprocating that support?

  • Speaking with the Chicago Sun-Times, Grifol said, “Nobody wants to win more than he does. I know that for a fact because I’m the one who gets phone calls, and I talk to him. I get text messages.”
  • Grifol even went as far as to say that Reinsdorf is “extremely knowledgeable about the game of baseball.”
  • But what does the chairman think of his manager with a career 76-143 major league managerial record? It’s less clear. “I feel like I [have his support] but I don’t really focus on that,” says Grifol. “I’m the manager right now. And I’ll do it for as long as they want me to do this, because I absolutely love it.”

📖 READ | CHGO’s Vinnie Duber has the latest clubhouse scuttlebutt stemming from Grifol’s explosive comments last Sunday.

NEXT | White Sox at Brewers — Friday, 7:10 on NBC Sports Chicago


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Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark — Pro Edition

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Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) fights for control against LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese (10) in the fourth quarter in the finals of the Albany Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali. Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird. Michael Jordan vs. Isiah Thomas. Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark?

While the two have downplayed their budding rivalry, it’s difficult to ignore the aura their matchups have brought to the court. Their 2024 Elite Eight clash averaged 12.9 million viewers, and that recognition — along with their skillsets — is instantly translating to the WNBA.

  • Clark is already living up to the hype, averaging 17.3 points per game despite receiving significant defensive attention. However, Reese is balling out, too. Through five games, she leads the league in offensive rebounds per game with 4.8 — a massive strength of hers in college.
  • The Sky also expect to have No. 3 overall pick Kamilla Cardoso in uniform for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in the team’s first preseason game. Cardoso played a pivotal role in South Carolina’s dismantling of Iowa and Clark in the 2024 title game, scoring 15 points and grabbing a whopping 17 (!!) boards.

🏀 TONIGHT | Sky vs. Sparks — 7:00 on Marquee Sports Network

🏀 SATURDAY | Sky at Fever — 11:00 on ESPN


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Join ALLCITY’s Big Drive Energy and your favorite CHGO personalities on the golf course. The Cookout Classic tees off in West Chicago on July 22 — book as an individual, twosome, or foursome today!


Roundup: Ben Brown’s brilliance, Shota Imanaga’s return to earth

TODAY | Cubs at Brewers — 12:10 on Marquee Sports Network


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