Sizemore's winding journey from AL Central rival to Sox coach

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Grady Sizemore played a role during the greatest season in White Sox franchise history, although the left-handed-hitting outfielder never suited up in Chicago.

Instead, he was hitting for power, hitting for average, stealing bases, and tracking down baseballs for Cleveland during the 2005 American League Central race. It wouldn’t have been quite the same accomplishment for one of the more underrated World Series champions if Sizemore and his talented teammates didn’t cut the White Sox lead from a massive 15 games on July 25 to a mere 1 1/2 games as late as Sept. 24.

The White Sox three-game sweep in Cleveland to close out the 2005 regular season knocked their division rival from the playoffs, and was part of the 16-1 White Sox run to a World Series title.

But those facts are from Sizemore’s productive playing days with talented Cleveland teams. In the present, Sizemore is the new Major League coach on manager Pedro Grifol’s 2024 White Sox staff.

He has moved to the one-time rival.

“I didn’t envision that,” Sizemore said on Thursday evening when asked if he ever saw a White Sox coaching position in his future. “I didn’t have this on my bingo card for sure.”

“He was a guy, I looked at it, [who] had four years straight of 700 plate appearances,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “To inject that type of mentality into our ecosystem, so to speak, is going to really bode well for us. It was very clear that Grady’s going to be able to really connect with a lot of our players.”

Sizemore retired after a 10-year career in 2015, playing for four teams, including eight seasons in his prime for Cleveland. The 41-year-old worked in Cleveland’s player development system in ’17, but while he wanted to be a part of baseball, his heart wasn’t really in it as Sizemore also wanted to be home with his three young kids.

“So, I just kind of could tell I wasn’t committed like I should have been,” Sizemore said. “I took a break and as time went on, I wanted to see if I could get in the door somewhere.”

That opportunity came through a working relationship and friendship with D-backs director of player development Josh Barfield in 2022, with Sizemore living in Arizona and working within the organization. Barfield moved on to become White Sox assistant general manager under Getz, presenting an in-road for Sizemore’s present opportunity at the big league level.

What responsibilities will Sizemore have as part of Grifol’s nine-person staff? Grifol has given Sizemore latitude in his work.

“I’ll try to help out as much as possible,” Sizemore said. “Pedro has given me a little freedom to work with the outfield, the baserunning and on the hitting side -- whatever else there is.

“It’s preparation. I can be an asset and try to be an extra body, an extra set of eyes and ears for whatever they need. Try to pick my spots and be useful and helpful in any way I can.”

There have been numerous offseason staff meetings with the five new coaches for the upcoming 2024 season, and Sizemore readily admits he’ll rely on his co-workers who have been coaching for years to guide him as he continues learning the craft. He’ll draw from his on-field success to help his White Sox charges once he watches them work, watches them play and gets to know them.

“This is the next step for me. I’m all in,” Sizemore said. “I enjoy this side of it. It’s exciting. With the limited time I’ve had working with young guys, it’s a good feeling to be able to help guys and give guys teaching or advice or a hint here or there.

“I hope I can add to that and help turn the organization around and get into the postseason. That’s all we want to do.”