White Sox Broadcaster John Schriffen Misses the Pitch

On Tuesday night, the Chicago White Sox first overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft, right-hander Shane Smith, who the Milwaukee Brewers left unprotected, made his Major League debut. It wasn’t under normal circumstances. For once, the White Sox made headlines in a good way, as their starting pitching has dominated to begin the season. They are only the fifth team in MLB history to have four starters pitch at least five innings without allowing an earned run.

It is a tough act to follow for a rookie making their Major League debut. However, Smith was up to the task, twirling 5.2 innings of two-run baseball. He exited with two runners on base after issuing back-to-back walks with two outs. The White Sox bullpen faltered in what could have been a momentum-building opportunity.

But the bullpen wasn’t the only part of White Sox baseball that missed an opportunity last night.

In the third inning, with the White Sox leading the Twins 1-0, White Sox announcer John Schriffen made some comments that stirred up fans. Sideline reporter Brooke Fletcher brought up the work of Rob Friedman, a.k.a. Pitching Ninja, concerning the White Sox pitchers who met with him to discuss new pitch grips. Schriffen responded by saying that Friedman’s account isn’t a source of analysis for him.

Mixed Message

It's fair to question the phrasing of the comment. It came across as dismissive, as if Friedman’s account were just another random internet presence. In reality, Pitching Ninja is highly regarded by players, coaches, and analysts alike. 

The account caught wind of Schriffen’s comments and shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter), drawing the reaction from Sox fans that you’d expect. It even caught the ire of the White Sox’s pitching czar Brian Bannister, another well-respected voice in the industry, who defended Friedman.