Another new face has been added to Pedro Grifol’s coaching staff and it comes in the form of a former division rival. On Monday Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported that the Chicago White Sox hired Grady Sizemore to take on a role as an outfield and base running coach.
Last season the team did not designate a coach for either job and opted instead to have those positions covered by a coach who was already on staff. Daryl Boston worked as the team’s base running and outfield coach for several seasons. After multiple seasons of base running blunders, assistant Charlie Montoyo took over baserunning instruction while Boston oversaw the outfielders in 2023.
Unlike, Montoyo and Boston, Sizemore’s primary focus will be on baserunning and outfield coaching. It is understandable why the White Sox opted to place extra emphasis on each department.
Sizemore is the perfect man for the job. He was a talented defender who also posed a threat on the basepaths. He stole 143 bases with a career-high 38 in 2008. Unlike Boston, he played in the same outfield that his players will be at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Aside from the fact he torched the White Sox as a player, Sizemore does have connections to the organization. He was a teammate of assistant GM Josh Barfield in Cleveland and also spent the 2023 season in the Diamondbacks Player Development System, as a coach. Barfield was the head of the Diamondbacks Player Development System at the time.
Sizemore also spent some in the front office, as an advisor to Cleveland’s player development staff. Cleveland has an excellent track record in player development so adding their former staffers is always a good idea for a White Sox organization that has been lacking in that department.
Many fans are already familiar with Sizemore. He is a three-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, and Silver Slugger winner. During the mid-2000s he earned MVP votes in four straight seasons.
Before injuries derailed his career, Sizemore was considered one of the brightest young stars in the MLB. In 2006 he led the league in runs scored and doubles. After a decade in the MLB Sizemore posted a 27.8 WAR. He also strung together four consecutive seasons in Cleveland with 20 plus home runs, 20 plus stolen bases, and an OPS over .800 between 2005-2008. In three of those four seasons, he drew 75-plus walks.
His career ended with a whimper in 2015. At just 33 years old his defense had deteriorated due to injuries and he was limited to a .665 OPS between 2010-2015.
