Grifol impressed by mentality, effort in early workouts

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The pitchers and catchers portion of the 2024 White Sox Spring Training workouts will move to full squad practice on Monday at Camelback Ranch.

Though, many of the position players already are in camp, as is the case for numerous teams around baseball.

“Tomorrow is structured. We’ve got the team thing going now,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “They were here, and actually they were pretty impressive. They were working together.

“They’ve done some things as a group, on the field, off the field, so they’re coming together nicely. … We’re ready to go for them tomorrow.”

Grifol expects a different feel with all of his charges officially in Arizona and in uniform.

“Just getting these guys together, having the whole camp out there on the field and stretching together, moving around together and working with each other,” Grifol said. “We’re going right into team PFPs [pitcher fielding practice], and that was the plan.

“Our plan was to get the pitchers ready to go, all the intros with our fundamentals, and then have one intro tomorrow with the position players, then ramp them up for the next four days. Then we’ll slow it down and get really technical. But for the next four days, we’ll be going at a high energy level.”

No speech needed
Grifol isn’t a fan of delivering one big pre-workout speech for the 70 players in camp. Instead, he’s already started his message in small groups.

“I've done all the pitchers and the catchers. So I get a chance to be in a room with them,” Grifol said. “By myself, looking them in the eyes and letting them know what's expected and I prefer it that way.

“I'm not a big fan of big speeches in front of a lot of people. I did it last year and that's not something that I wanted to do again. I want to take a different approach, which I think is more effective, just to keep it a little more intimate and just send that message of how important our message is as an organization.”

That message basically is the same for everyone, but every group message takes on its own personality, according to Grifol.

“The one with the catchers, we have seven of them,” Grifol said. “That took on a whole life in itself because I played that position. So I got deep into that message and what [I] expect from these guys.”

Jesse Scholtens, accountant
The White Sox social media team asked certain players to present a fun fact about themselves during this first week of Spring Training. Right-handed hurler Jesse Scholtens answered with the Master’s in Accounting he finished this past offseason.

“They said ‘fun fact,’” Scholtens said with a smile. “Accounting is not too fun but I guess the Master’s part makes up for it.”

Scholtens, 29, began work online toward his Master’s when he was home during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, thinking he might be at the tail end of his baseball career. He did the work through Golden Gate University and chipped away at it as he returned to the diamond in ‘21.

So, is accounting in his future whenever baseball is complete? Not necessarily.

“I can’t say I was ever interested in it. It was just something that came naturally, the numbers and getting stuff set up,” Scholtens said. “Then I thought, ‘You know what? If I didn’t enjoy it, maybe I should double down and get a Master’s.’

“Nothing has changed. We are hoping to be able to make something out of baseball. If [nothing] else, it could help me get into coaching at the college level if I choose to go that route. Or it’s a CPA option and I can do family taxes.”

Third to first
• Garrett Crochet threw a live BP session Sunday and earned strong praise from Grifol.

• Pitching coach Ethan Katz, who has been home dealing with a family matter, could return to the team Monday.

• Right-handed pitcher Edgar Navarro has been sidelined by right arm soreness. He’s the only camp malady, according to Grifol.