Whatever is going on in the White Sox clubhouse lately it’s not working. So legendary slugger Frank Thomas thinks the team should shake things up. Literally.
“If I was managing this team right now it'd be a torn up clubhouse almost every night,” Thomas said on Wednesday’s edition of White Sox Pregame Live on NBC Sports Chicago. “Sometimes you’ve got to motivate in a different way when you continue to lose.”
A big change the Big Hurt wants to see is more expression from the players.
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“Sometimes when you start losing, it feels like you get down by a couple runs and everyone starts to coast. At this point they need more attitude. I know they’ve got guys in there like Tommy Pham– I know he hates to lose. He will bring attitude in there.”
Host Chuck Garfien agreed that an uptick in urgency from the team would help, noted that what we’ve seen from the White Sox so far might be what we get for the rest of the summer.
“You guys got Andrew Vaughn and (Andrew) Benintendi, they're having career worst seasons, times 10,” Garfien said. “Let's call it what it is. It's really, really bad, and they continue to bat third or second, fourth or fifth.
“You are who you are on June 1, and it’s almost June 1.”
Despite the team’s horrendous 15-42 record, which has them on pace to win just 42 games this year, Thomas believes the White Sox can still turn things around to play respectable baseball for the rest of the year. But the changes need to happen really soon.
“Bottom line is this is the time, right now,” Thomas said. “Either you try to salvage your season or it's gonna be like this the rest of the year.”
The White Sox return to action on Friday night when they head to Milwaukee for a three-game set against the Brewers.