White Sox officially part ways with EVP Ken Williams & GM Rick Hahn

In a move that many thought was long-overdue, the White Sox will look to a new leadership team to steer them back to their winning ways of old. PIC:

It's been a dismal year for the White Sox, and it only became more turbulent with today's news. The organization announced Rick Hahn, its general manager, was relieved of his duties on Tuesday, along with executive vice president Ken Williams.

Both Williams and Hahn have had long tenures with the White Sox organization. Williams, before his EVP role, had been with the franchise since the '90s; he joined the team as a scout in 1992, and served in a variety of capacities in baseball operations throughout the rest of the decade. Williams was named the GM of the Sox in 2001, where he served until 2012. He ultimately was replaced by Rick Hahn, a former sports agent who was purged by the White Sox in 2002. Both, of course, were with the team for their 2005 World Series Championship.

The White Sox, who were forces in the mid-2000's amidst the rise of Paul Konerko, Mark Buehrle, and Scott Podsednik, along with the mature phases of Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome, had no shortage of success over the past few decades. But they never sustained any consistent playoff success, having only been to October baseball five times since the turn of the new century in 2000.

Despite a solid 93-69 year in 2021, it's been a frustrating last few seasons for the White Sox and their fans. They've finished 2nd or better in only 3 of the last 11 seasons, have seen multiple stars depart for greener pastures, and have had one of the most confusing managerial tenures in recent history. Now, with a 49-76 record, the White Sox leadership has clearly made the decision to move on in search of a different approach.

The past few months have been frustrating for Sox fans to say the least. Tim Anderson, once thought of as the star of the future, humiliated himself on the national stage in a brawl against Jose Ramirez. Yoán Moncada has had similar fortunes; his career as a former blue-chip prospect simply hasn't met expectations. And the pitching has been nothing short of dismal; Dylan Cease is just about the only valuable asset they have after Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito were both traded away.

We'll see what new voices the White Sox bring in, but it's clearly a step in the right direction for restoring a winning culture on the South Side of Chicago.