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The Worst Owner in Sports? The case for Jerry Reinsdorf


Kyyle23

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Jerry Reinsdorf would not own a MLB franchise and be a billionare if he wasn't a smart man, but with 10 million (10million!) people in the chicago metro area he could be a lot smarter and a lot richer if he wasnt so small minded. Misplaced loyalty and vindictive grudges have held him back from owning this town. Even with Michael Jordan's legacy he is the most hated, instead of the most loved, man in Chicago. Jerry ask yourself how you want to be remembered.

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1 hour ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Moreno at least has been trying to win his entire tenure. Trying to win is much more valuable than what Jerry has been doing imo.

That said, obviously John Fisher is worse than Jerry. He doesn't spend any money or try to win, he actively forces stars out of town, he tanked the team and stadium in Oakland so he could move the team to Vegas who doesn't even want a team, and he's now playing in Sacramento in a minor league sham of a stadium. He basically ran a public hate-campaign against Oakland and their fans. At least Jerry has the respect to hate us mostly in private.

Jerry has had periods where he invested to win. 

While the A's have had some nice seasons, it's been in spite of Fisher. 

Fisher also moved the team out of Oakland. There were investors ( Bill gates and Reggie Jackson) who wanted to buy the team and keep it in Oakland. Fisher moved the team and stabbed the Oakland fans in the back.

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35 minutes ago, soxrwhite said:

Jerry Reinsdorf would not own a MLB franchise and be a billionare if he wasn't a smart man, but with 10 million (10million!) people in the chicago metro area he could be a lot smarter and a lot richer if he wasnt so small minded. Misplaced loyalty and vindictive grudges have held him back from owning this town. Even with Michael Jordan's legacy he is the most hated, instead of the most loved, man in Chicago. Jerry ask yourself how you want to be remembered.

True...Dr Buss is still worshipped by Laker fans...JR will be demonized (rightly or wrongly) long after he has passed on...

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3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Moreno is at least willing to spend.  Trout would have been a free agent without the large extension if he was a White Sox.  Ohtani left to chase wins more than he did money.

He's willing to spend stupidly.  How many of their big signings, outside of Shohei have worked out?  I don't want someone to spend for the sake of spending.

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1 hour ago, Colome's Hat said:

He's willing to spend stupidly.  How many of their big signings, outside of Shohei have worked out?  I don't want someone to spend for the sake of spending.

It’s pretty easy to have very few failed big signings when you barely make any big signings to begin with and are the owner of one of only two teams left in the MLB that hasn’t given out a $100 million dollar contract.  By cheapskate Jerry’s spending scale, the Sox have done horribly on most of their biggest signings anyways — see Danks, Dunn, Grandal, Keuchel, Benintendi.

Edited by WhiteSox2023
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7 hours ago, Colome's Hat said:

I think Moreno might be worse.  Wasting Trout and Ohtani is criminal.  

How about wasting numerous years of Frank, Ventura, Magglio, Lee, Konerko, Durham, and Valentin?  Wasting two superstars is brutal but so is wasting almost an entire starting lineup of stars or above average power hitters over the years.

Edited by WhiteSox2023
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1 hour ago, Colome's Hat said:

He's willing to spend stupidly.  How many of their big signings, outside of Shohei have worked out?  I don't want someone to spend for the sake of spending.

The argument is whether Moreno is worse that Jerry Reinsdorf, not whether he's a bad owner.  I don't see anyone suggesting Arte Moreno is a good owner for the Angels.   I have a hard time concluding that he's actually worse than Jerry Reinsdorf.

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8 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

The argument is whether Moreno is worse that Jerry Reinsdorf, not whether he's a bad owner.  I don't see anyone suggesting Arte Moreno is a good owner for the Angels.   I have a hard time concluding that he's actually worse than Jerry Reinsdorf.

Exactly. He’s allowed the GM to spend money to try to compete. The deals haven’t worked out. Does that fall more on the guy building the team?

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2 hours ago, Colome's Hat said:

He's willing to spend stupidly.  How many of their big signings, outside of Shohei have worked out?  I don't want someone to spend for the sake of spending.

Mike Trout is pretty all right.

How has not being willing to spend worked out?

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11 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Mike Trout is pretty all right.

How has not being willing to spend worked out?

The only case where JR spent (IMO) was signing Albert Belle...which was done to piss other owners off and he included an out-clause that he knew Albert would use...so maybe that doesn't really count?  I am surprised the league owners don't call JR out for damaging a property that MLB could market!

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1 hour ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

How about wasting numerous years of Frank, Ventura, Magglio, Lee, Konerko, Durham, and Valentin?  Wasting two superstars is brutal but so is wasting almost an entire starting lineup of stars or above average power hitters over the years.

Of all of the stupid ways Jerry has shot his team in the foot, 1994 takes the cake.

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3 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

How about wasting numerous years of Frank, Ventura, Magglio, Lee, Konerko, Durham, and Valentin?  Wasting two superstars is brutal but so is wasting almost an entire starting lineup of stars or above average power hitters over the years.

Yet dumping three led to their only WS title….Magglio/Lee/Valentin

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1 hour ago, Tnetennba said:

Of all of the stupid ways Jerry has shot his team in the foot, 1994 takes the cake.

Also valid.  Moreno never led a lockout that fucked over a potential World Series team of his own to claw back a few bucks from the players.

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I can't imagine the howling that would follow a White Sox pitcher dropping dead from asphyxiation after a fentanyl/oxycodone cocktail provided by team sources. The White Sox had a bad clubhouse with coach/spies throughout the org. Not saying the Sox are squeaky clean, but I don't think they've reached those depths. 

Edited by WestEddy
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On 10/22/2025 at 3:54 PM, Colome's Hat said:

He's willing to spend stupidly.  How many of their big signings, outside of Shohei have worked out?  I don't want someone to spend for the sake of spending.

At least someone spending for the sake of spending would be a step in the right direction.

We built them a stadium for 35 freaking years.  The least they can do is spend for the sake of spending.  I don’t care if Reinsdorf’s pockets are slightly lighter.

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2 hours ago, WestEddy said:

I can't imagine the howling that would follow a White Sox pitcher dropping dead from asphyxiation after a fentanyl/oxycodone cocktail provided by team sources. The White Sox had a bad clubhouse with coach/spies throughout the org. Not saying the Sox are squeaky clean, but I don't think they've reached those depths. 

Knowing what went on in TLRs clubhouses over the years, I wouldn't bet on it.

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23 hours ago, Tnetennba said:

Of all of the stupid ways Jerry has shot his team in the foot, 1994 takes the cake.

Yep, the only proof you need to know that Jerry is a businessman first and a fan second.  He neutered a very good shot at a World Series over money.

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11 hours ago, WestEddy said:

I can't imagine the howling that would follow a White Sox pitcher dropping dead from asphyxiation after a fentanyl/oxycodone cocktail provided by team sources. The White Sox had a bad clubhouse with coach/spies throughout the org. Not saying the Sox are squeaky clean, but I don't think they've reached those depths. 

You never know…

Perhaps Getz will give Clevinger his fourth shot at it next season with a ST invite?  Who knows what goes on during Clevinger’s drug-fueled parties with his best bro Ben Pogofsky?

Edited by WhiteSox2023
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1 hour ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Yep, the only proof you need to know that Jerry is a businessman first and a fan second.  He neutered a very good shot at a World Series over money.

We can talk about wasting Trout's prime, and never winning with two all time greats, but Moreno has spent serious money trying to win. Meanwhile Jerry had a team in first place, coming off an AL West title and an ALCS berth, with the regining AL MVP in the prime of his HOF career, the reigning Cy Young winner, with a legit shot at reaching the World Series, and he shut it all down over money. Winning doesn't matter if it costs too much.

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15 hours ago, FloydBannister1983 said:

I don’t think they wouldn’t have won with Ordonez and Lee.

Agree!  Lee certainly fell out of favor with Ozzie for not hustling (or at least giving the appearance of not hustling) but Maggs left the organization because he happened to get injured in his contract year.  Didn't Maggs only have like 200 or 300 ABs in 2004?  (I guess I could look that up)  The White Sox (JR) are way too afraid to commit to a guy that was injured in the way Maggs was.  It took Maggs a couple of seasons to get back to the guy we loved watching play.  JR wasn't going to pay for a season or two of that.  Just glad it worked out for the White Sox in 2005...for Maggs too (DET paid him well$$$)!

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