Triple-A Charlotte Sergio Santos pitched in two seasons for the White Sox.
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Sergio Santos was drafted by the Diamondbacks as a shortstop in 2002 but was converted to a pitcher after six years in the minor leagues, a move that helped him carve out a six-year career as a reliever in the majors, including a closer role for the Sox in 2010-11.
In 2011, Santos made 30 saves and 92 club retirements in 63 0. 33 sleeves. He retired with a 3. 99 MPM, a minor league strike line of 248/. 305/. 393 and 72 circuits in 829 minor league games.
Unknown to him at the time, the two-way experience spruced up his coaching and managing résumé. Familiarity at that level with both sides of the game are not unheard of but are unusual.
“I have the guy’s unique mound attitude for the player on the field. I’m in their shoes,” said Santos, who is promoted to manage the White Sox team’s Triple-A team in Charlotte after having controlled his Birmingham Double-A team in 2024, the first in the organization as a TrainerArray. And I also learned from being in the big leagues the clever tactics of thinking, how techniques of the game. “
After pitching for the Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Dodgers, Santos took over control of the Florida Coast League Yankees in 2022 and Class A Hudson Valley in 2023.
“The Yankees said ‘this is the only role we have’ in the FCL,” Santos told A Zoom on Thursday. “I didn’t know if I was looking to take on the duty of being a manager and everything that went into it. But the more I got into it, given my exclusive career, I was like, “Hey, it makes sense. I never played for a guy who played both positions at a higher level.
After two years in the Yankees’ formula and leading to championship games either years and winning one in his freshman year, the Sox made Santos their manager at Double-A Birmingham last season, when the Barons won the Southern League crown in the first half finished 72-66 and won the league championship.
That earned Santos an interview for the Sox’ managerial post, a job that went to Will Venable, but Santos was promoted to manage the Sox’ Triple-A affiliate at Charlotte.
Although he did not discharge the position he was aiming for, the interview procedure had value.
“Just to sail through it, see what questions were raised, and that sparked a lot of interest in me, I said to myself, ‘If I steered the ship, how would I do it,'” Santos said?”So, it seemed like Triple-A would be a smart pick if it wasn’t a component of the primary leagues.
“For me, it is simple. I had a chance, I took advantage of it, I did not take advantage of it. It’s fine, it’s not the end of the world. Maybe it’s not my moment now. My replacement then focused on the white socks. Organization. I don’t know It was about me or who would be the next manager.
It was a Venable, who had planned the weekend to talk to all the associate managers, keeping them on the same organizational wavelength. Santos assumes his role.
“What better way to prepare players than to be at the point right below where I know there will be a giant organization of players who may not be part of the educational team in the spring, but who will be very vital parts for Chicago next year. ” , said. “This is where my brain adapts and my purpose is to prepare those guys. “
Santos contemplated the rigors of what he knew as a player for 16 years, but after three days of managing he knew it was for him.
“At the time I entered, my brain was done and that is all I need to be,” he said.
Santos helps be undeniable for players and resonates because he releases his minds from “disorder”, which is key in a complicated game based on failure. Become the negative in positive, he says.
“See failure as a means to success,” he said.
When the players he controlled now attack him and tell him that Santos helped them expand and say: “You helped me grow as a man. You helped me deal with adversity in all those other ways,” Santos said. “I felt like I was on the right path and this is where I deserve to be. ”
What happens next is to be seen. White socks are completely inverted in Venable, however, that is the trail of managers, coaches and players. Do your job, see to do it well and see where the chips or which roads can open.
For now, it’s Triple-A Charlotte.
“It will be a little more challenging but nothing I can’t handle,” Santos said.
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