Hahn sees your letters, White Sox fans -- and he reads 'em

CHICAGO -- White Sox general manager Rick Hahn understands and feels the pain of the team’s fan base, stemming from the slow start to the 2022 season for the AL Central favorites. He also reads about their angst in the old-fashioned way, with letters sent to his Guaranteed Rate Field office.

“I got some nasty letters this past week,” said a smiling Hahn during a press conference before Tuesday's game vs. the Dodgers, following a 2-4 road trip for the White Sox against the Blue Jays and Rays.

These letters to Hahn are handwritten, as opposed to the voicemails and emails he also receives from concerned White Sox followers. But he has a tip for those who want to vent or even express ideas to improve the team.

Every letter needs to have a return address in order for them to be given to Hahn by Nancy Nesnidal, the executive assistant to the senior VP/GM.

“There's a few frequent fliers whose handwriting is always the same, but the return address and the name is always different,” Hahn said. “I want to see those too.

“They're entertaining bad. I also get a handful of trade ideas and stuff like that. But the nastiness has kicked up over the last two weeks.”

Hahn has yet to respond to any of the letters, he says, though he adds that he came close to doing so last week. Fans can take solace in knowing Hahn reads each one, and then said letter “gets filed.”

“That's part of the gig. And because I used to write letters. Not nasty ones, they were insightful and respectful. But I wrote letters like that,” Hahn said. “The least I can do, if someone is going to sit down and vent.

“[White Sox chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] forwards me them too, which is really considerate of him. Doesn't really forward me the complimentary ones, just the ones about how [bad] his GM is, so I get those. If someone's going to take the time and express their passion, then I'll sit down and read it.”

No trade idea sent to Hahn has directly led to the general manager striking up a deal, and the trade suggestions often focus on the same couple of White Sox players. But those suggestions serve a purpose, as Hahn explained.

“I've been in positions in this job over the years where you've hit a rut,” Hahn said. “And you think, ‘Huh, I wonder what Merle has to say? Maybe he's seen something I haven't seen. Maybe he's got something here.’”