(670 The Score) Front office change has finally come to the South Side.
Amid a disastrous season, the White Sox have fired longtime executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn, they announced Tuesday evening. Williams had been with the organization since 1992, starting off as a scout before ascending to higher roles. Hahn joined the organization in 2000, and both had key roles in building the 2005 White Sox into a World Series champion before the franchise experienced great disappointment in the ensuing years.
“This is an incredibly difficult decision for me to make because they are both talented individuals with long-term relationships at the White Sox," chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "Ken is like a son to me, and I will always consider him a member of my family. I want to personally thank Ken and Rick for all they have done for the Chicago White Sox, winning the 2005 World Series and reaching the postseason multiple times during their tenures. I have nothing but the greatest respect for them as people and appreciate the commitment and passion for the White Sox they exhibited over the years.
“Ultimately, the well-worn cliche that professional sports is results-oriented is correct. While we have enjoyed successes as an organization and were optimistic heading into the competitive window of this rebuild, this year has proven to be very disappointing for us all on many levels. This has led me to the conclusion that the best decision for the organization moving forward is to make a change in our baseball department leadership.”
The White Sox will immediately begin a search for what they termed “a single decision-maker to lead the baseball operations department.” They plan to have a new lead executive installed by the end of the season. White Sox assistant general manager Jeremy Haber and assistant general manager/player development Chris Getz will remain in their roles at this time, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported.
Williams and Hahn were fired as the White Sox sat at 49-76 entering play Tuesday evening in a 2023 campaign that began with aspirations of contention. That marked their second straight sorely disappointing season, as the White Sox went 81-81 in 2022 after winning the AL Central in 2021.
Williams and Hahn had been in their current roles since before the 2013 season, when Williams ascended to his executive vice president role and Hahn became even more powerful in day-to-day operations with his general manager manager title. Williams previously had been the general manager from 2001-'12.
Since Williams took over as the lead executive in 2001, the White Sox have made the playoffs four times. The did so while winning the championship in 2005. They also did so in 2008 and 2021, when they lost in the American League Division Series. They also made the postseason in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when they lost in the wild-card round.
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker