As the White Sox fell behind the competition in the research and development elements of their operation, general manager Chris Getz looked to close the gap. He had a passion for analytics while working under vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn before he became GM during his time as farm director and assistant GM, so Getz didn’t do so begrudgingly. “We are always learning, that’s the beauty of the game that we’re in,” Getz said at the general managers meetings last week.
“And as technology continues to advance, you look at the game in so many different ways that you get a stronger understanding on how to value players and project on players and put together a balanced roster to make your team more competitive.” Analytics and technology have ushered in the age of early exits for starting pitchers, bullpen games, launch angles, spin rates and much more. The game still most often comes down to executing pitches, plate discipline and avoiding fielding lapses, but smart guys gain an edge and often win.
“To say that I’ve got it all figured out is not true,” Getz said. “I do have a passion for looking at the game in a lot of different ways, and the R&D lens is certainly an area I’ve always gravitated towards. But with that being said, I still appreciate scouting and the development of players.
That remains the core of an organization and you know an R&D department only strengthens all the different buckets, throughout an organization.”.
