Do Spring Training losses really “not matter?”

MLB: Spring Training-San Diego Padres at Chicago White Sox — The one thing we should be able to count on from the White Sox under a new regime is clean, smart play, win or lose. (No offense, **Sean Burke**, you’ve done nothing wrong but our limited Cactus photos meant you had to illustrate the concept.) | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Perhaps — but how we arrive at those losses sure as hell does

I mean, of course, it’s pretend baseball, and the White Sox could go 1-32 in Cactus League play but still start the real season in a month blessed with an 0-0 record in a five-way tie for first place in the ALC.

But when we read folks much wiser than us tsk-tsking our eye rolls and groans over routine misplays, lazy body language, inability to achieve basic execution because this is “early” or whatever, I’ll push back.

Major-leaguers should be able to roll out of bed at 3 a.m. and

not rush-bounce a throw back in to second base on a single, paving the way for an aggressive baserunner at to speed home (Luis Robert Jr., with a Gold Glove in his trophy case)
enter the game as a pinch-runner and GET PICKED OFF (Brooks Baldwin, otherwise an exquisite baserunner but in a crowded middle infield fight can ill afford such flubbery)
start a game throwing strikes (Shane Smith)
enter a game, even rushed in as a reliever, and throw strikes (Chris Rodriguez)
CATCH THE BALL at a position you are accustomed (Oscar Colás, Miguel Vargas)

The folly of this ragtag rebuild is particularly exposed when Chris Getz is up in the booth speaking during a Cactus League broadcast, pontificating about improved run prevention — as the White Sox defense on the field falls back into fumbles and foibles.

While a very different and far more involved concept, we get a similar sentiment sometimes about the minor leagues, in that MiLB wins don’t “mean anything” and so on.

Well, they play the games for a reason. It’s better to win than not. And as I’m certain is Will Venable’s minimum expectation in helming his first Cactus League season as manager, whether you win or lose, play the right way. If the talent isn’t there, or if the young fellas aren’t quite polished as final products, fine — you got beat. But the White Sox continuing to work Clown Car Baseball into the theme of the 2025 season isn’t anything that will provide inspiration to a Very Patient Fanbase.

It’s early, yeah.

It’s uninspiring, for sure.

We still have the better part of a month to see the changes we need in order to feel like there’s any sunrise coming, at any point, this summer.

We’re watching, White Sox.