Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Mike Vasil confirms the White Sox have a bunch of idiots in their dugout

Episode Date: October 2, 2026

In transition, Leila Rahimi, Mark Grote, Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes were joined by White Sox right-hander Mike Vasil to reflect on the club's run to the American League Division Series, where Chicago will meet rival Cleveland. Vasil has been all season with an elbow injury but has been a major presence for a young club that has surprised many across MLB.

The man of the hour, Mike Vassel. What I need to do to help the team, whatever it is, I'm going to do it. It's really special when you think about what Vass has put into this group. Call me vibes guy, cheerleader, whatever you want to call me. The assistant hitting coach. I'm the DOC, director of culture. You didn't know about this? No, I didn't.

I mean, it makes sense. I was just curious of when it was officially given to you as a director of culture. That's me, director of culture. I'm thinking, you know, I'm the wizard. You know, what's going on here? Eric Scoobble had some words for the White Sox dugout. And Mike Vassel, he is not. Not backing down the magic wand.

Temper's flaring here in Motown. On a daily basis, the energy that he provides our group. We got to get Pope Leo playing Shroken in the Vatican. What do you guys say to Pope Leo right now? Pope Leo, we're praying for you. Please continue to pray for us. Let's get Leo in the dugout for a game. I ingest their nerves, and I keep them with myself.

It's why these guys are so loose. They did it. The White Sox are going to the playoffs. You know, Mike, is there anything like today? No, there's nothing like today, and there's nothing like tomorrow, live in the present. For the first time season series. Burkey, I'm running interviews right now.

Sell a bit for Sean! I love you, Mom. Sorry if you were upset about that. Again, I apologize. Mrs. Burke. Shout out to my mother, Kathy Vassel. Partying like a true white sock, because we party the hardest. Somebody's pouring alcohol down my pants.

Welcome back in on 104.3, the score. This is a transition like no other. It's Rahimi and Grotie. Spiegel and Holmes are in the studio as well. Hello, everybody. And we are pleased right now during this transition segment to be joined by all of those titles, the Director of Culture for the Chicago White Sox, all the stuff. It is Mike Vassel of the Chicago White Sox. Mike, how are you? Thank you for joining us on 104 The Score. Yeah, yeah. Thank you very much. First off, yeah, thank you for having me on. I appreciate playing you guys playing all those clips of everything,

of all I guess my different identities throughout the season. But no, thank you. Always good to be on. Well, thank you. Chris Tannahill, did a great job putting that open together. We appreciate that you're on with us. So that said, I'll pick it up right there. Who do you consider yourself today on the eve of a playoff game against the Cleveland Guardians?

What is your role right now, Mike Vassel? Well, well, you know, this morning when I woke up, I think I decided, you know, I had a big day of throwing for rehab. I decided, you know, maybe I'll be Mike Vassel to picture today and focus on that, you know, rest up, you know, get to bed early tonight. Because tomorrow, you know, I've got to be, whether it's the wizard or the energy guy or dancing in the day, I've got to do something, obviously. So, got to get ready for tomorrow. But today I'm just Mike. Mike, how was the trip back from Houston after the absolute massive celebration in the Astros Clubhouse? Yeah, I mean, that was absolutely electric.

You know, whether it was steady getting, you know, washed down on the tables or, you know, Brenton Doyle's standing on tables, it was wild in there. And, you know, the flight back or the flight here to Cleveland now, let's say, you know, it was a little quiet. let's say guys we're just resting. Everyone is resting, closing their eyes. Mike, if you're the director of culture, do you have assistant directors? Have you deputized anybody along the way?

And if not, who might be eligible for assistant director of culture on this White Sox roster? Well, yeah. I mean, you know, I guess I'm slightly self-proclaimed director of culture, but at the same time, guys have given me rules and things to do

and set stuff up. So, but if I'd had to pick an assistant, I would love to pick Chase, but it's just so hard to get them to focus on one thing at a time. And, you know, he's just very worried about playing second base and, you know, hitting homers and almost passing out rounding the bases. So I would love for him to be my assistant, but as of now, I'm solo. Mike, what does it mean to you that considering the injury, it would have been very, everyone would have understood if you would have walked away and done your rehab by yourself?

What does it mean to you that not only are you there, but everyone has embraced the fact that you're there? Yeah, I mean, I remember, I think it was a day after I found out of getting surgery. Will called me in, and he basically said, he's like, hey, you know, we need you. Like, we need you in the clubhouse, you know, and we both agreed, you know, like, we did not know what it was going to look like. I don't think either of us had any clue what was going to happen. I certainly did not. But what it's turned into, and look, it's not just me. You know, like the entire clubhouse already kind of had that core.

But I think, you know, at the same time, you know, it's never fun to sit out a year with an injury. But at the same time with me having all this time on my hands and not playing, it freed me up to, you know, give it my all in the clubhouse and really focus on trying to get back and make sure everything's right and the energy's there. and honestly, you know, the guys themselves, too, with the way the brand of baseball we play represents who we are in the clubhouse as well. So it's just the whole thing in its own way. It's just been so special. Absolutely. And we are talking to Mike Vassel here on 104.3, the score is transition. I'm Mark Grody.

We've got Layla Rahimi. We've got Matt Spiegel. We've got Lawrence Holmes. And we're all here for you. It's like a press conference right now. Dick Vital, Dr. Joyce Brothers. We're all here. Everybody is here.

Who, by the way, Mike, who won the celebration? Other than yourself, who was the MVP of the celebratory locker rooms this year? Yeah, you know, it's so difficult. So first off, when you got those goggles on and people are spraying champagne, you're pouring beer everywhere, you kind of go blind for a bit, and it's just like a, you're frantically running around, just trying to find more alcohol to, like, dump on somebody's face. So it's really truly a free-for-all in there.

You know, obviously, Mune with his interviews, it's just like, it's endless laughs. You know, you can watch those back over and over and over again. You know, Mune's up there. You know, obviously, Vargitts and Sammy have got their little thing going. They like to bark like little chihuahuas on camera, so that's always good. That's always fun. But once again, you know, Eric Fetty's shirt off going wild. like both times she has been absolutely electric in the clubhouse.

So it's just been, you know, those are the times where it's like you want to just keep doing it again and again and again. It's been awesome. Well, and Mike, I think what we've seen, too, is we knew that the potential for this type of celebration was there with this White Sox team. You've been bringing it all season long. But now the rest of baseball is getting to see this. You know, you guys are going beyond viral in the celebrations and even the one you just had in Houston. What do you think of just the attention and the commentary that you've seen about what you guys are doing and the attitude that you're bringing to baseball right now?

Yeah, you know, it for us, like, this has been us all years. So I think for us, it's like, you know, it's no surprise. But, you know, I was talking to Sean Burke about it. And we're kind of just like, I can't believe now. You know, it also represents our team. Like we're also this naive. Like we have no, we were like, oh, of course we're just going to be ourselves. nobody's thinking, oh, wow, this is nationally covered, you know,

playoff series in Houston, first playoff series we've won since 2000. Like, none of us are thinking that, and I think that's why it's so fun, because it's truly organic. But at the same time, you know, you turn on the TV, you go on social media, they're like, oh, wow, people are really starting to pay attention to this. So I think obviously it's fun for everyone. But it's not going to stop. Like nobody's going to change for any reason.

It's literally who we are. I think of anything, the guys are happy now. It's like, yeah, like, this is what we've been saying. This is who we are, and now, you know, the rest of the country gets to see it, and that's what's been so fun about it. That's what feels kind of awesome for Chicagoans. Like, we've gotten a sense of what you guys are, and now everybody else is getting a sense for it and throwing their videos out there.

All right, you mentioned Sean Burke. It was nice that you stood up for Sandy Burke, as you have for Kathy Vassel in the past. What does celibate for Sean really entail? Do you need help with this movement? I'm not sure that we'll offer, but what's the goal of celibacy for Sean Burke, if you could explain? Well, yeah. So obviously I'm running a live, you know, post-game celebration interview, and Anthony Kaye likes to stroll over and say celibate for Sean, obviously, in his quote, that he had no girl. Right.

Now, what Sean does outside of the field, look, you know, I don't got a GPS tracker on him. I don't know what he does. But firstly, I think it'd be hilarious if we started a celibate for Sean movement. Because debatably, maybe he would find, you know, a nice young lady that he might end up with someday because of this. Because he truly is just, you know, he's a nomad, you know. Yeah, but just to be clear, is the idea that if we're celibate, Sean is more likely to find a young lady? I don't understand what the goal is here of the movement.

Yeah, I don't exactly. I think it's more of just a, you know, let's say Sean's celibate for the playoff run. Let's just go with that. Okay. I can't say that everyone in Chicago needs to say celibate for Sean throughout this playoff run. I think that'd be a little bit of a big ask.

Solidarity. For him. Yeah, for him, we can do that. That is asking a lot. Mike, in your career, like, you've opened, you've been in the bullpen. I think that what's fascinating about this team is part of the way that Will has been able to handle this. And guys have, like, sublimated their egos and been like, if he needs me to be an opener, if he needs me to go two innings, how did he convince this clubhouse that that was going to be the best thing for this team? Yeah, you know, like we, I remember in spring, we had like a big,

pictures meeting and he kind of just sat everyone down. He's like, hey, look, like, this is, we're going to run stuff out. You know, we're going to run guys out in tough situations. We're going to ask for you guys do some things you might not want to do or not might not feel comfortable with. But at the same time, what I learned last year is like

pitching in all those roles, like now, as we see now in the playoffs, you're on the road. Like, every, every guy is kind of pitch in every situation. So it's like, you know, you look at Hagen Smith very early in his career. He's at Rigley. pitching an extra in X-Rinix. I know Pete Crowe got him on that one, but like it now for him, you know, I'm sure like

that moment right there is huge because now he's going out and he's throwing such crucial innings for us. So I think it's almost like, you know, a big part of this team that you need to be able to run guys out there in different situations and see what you got and, you know, ask guys to perform. And I think it's been great. And last year doing it, I loved it because it was the coolest thing ever. on any given day I could throw three

I might get a close I might get a save that day I might throw four it was just like it was like fun you know it's like rush roulette Mike other than the fact that Sam Antanachi as you said

had the little barking thing going to the little Rottweiler thing or whatever the heck was going on and the allergies to the champagne party is he one of the greatest pain in the butts to the opposing teams that you have seen this year watching the white side and watching Antonacci all year?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, when you see him, like, walk up to the plate, and if I'm an opposing pitcher, especially if, like, let's see you get two clean outs, and he gets up there, you're kind of just like, oh, my God, like, you don't want to deal with him. Nothing about him. He's going to put up a tough at bat.

He's going to, and the thing is, too, is at any given time, like, he will make you pay. And, you know, obviously he started off really well, the league started pitching different. He started just again. Like, he's just so intelligent, scrappy, like, hardworking guy, but he's truly a pain in the ass as a hitter. Like, that's the guy you do not want to see. And then, Mike, I know Sam also said to Burke Fletcher famously with a deadpan sense of humor. We've got a bunch of idiots in the dugout. You're in that dugout. What do you think that means to you?

Well, you know, I take that quote lightly, but he's not wrong. We truly have. have a bunch of idiots in the dugout. It literally, I wish there was almost like a pan over to the dugout too after Chase's home run. It almost looked like there was like just a wrestling match in the dugout after he hit it. I don't even know what was going on. Guys were like pushing each other. It was like a scene out of like Animal House or something.

Like it was just nuts. Our dugout is truly a pre-for-all. And, you know, Will said it before. It's one of our superpowers. Like the ability to have a professional baseball team that is so, like naive, but also just absolutely insane. And having our dugout like that is a huge part of what we're doing because it keeps everything loose.

It's like, look, we're playing baseball, right? Like, it's not like we're going in on a, you know, Navy SEAL special opt mission. Like, we shouldn't put more pressure on ourselves. The game's hard enough. Like, let's have fun. Let's go out there to do our thing, you know? So that's why it's been so awesome. That's why it's perfect that you're on the score

and frankly perfect that you're in transition right now. where it's the four of us. We're changing between shows, and we're just a bunch of idiots, like just making jokes of each other and trying to make each other laugh. With that in mind, all year long, we've been imagining the Pope's Hall of Fame room

that he has somewhere. There's a stone room with a big stone door where he watches White Sox games, and as you said in the open, maybe listens to Stroke in the Vatican. We don't know. Don't you think the perfect end of this thing is if you guys are to win a World Series,

forget the White House celebration. It's a Vatican It's a Vatican team celebration where he shows you guys the Hall of Fame room where he's been watching games all year. Your thoughts, Mike Vassel. Trust me, I have thought of this before. I talked about this with people. I've said when this happens, it happens.

We're going to the Vatican. And like, it's either that or I don't know what he would have to do to make happen and get to the parade, but one of the two would be absolutely insane. At the same time, like, with the way the year's gone, I can't even put that as like a non-possibility because it could happen. Because you never know with it. Like, nobody ever knows what's going to happen with this team every day when we walk in the locker. That's the best part.

So trust me, I've thought of that, and I think it'd be unbelievable. The blackouts are back. I like that the White Sox are bringing out the blackout games from days gone past. What do you expect 35th in Shields to be like when you guys make it back there for? game three. Yeah. So obviously our fans, I think what's cool for us too is like we want and we know they will be, but we also want the fans to kind of be like the way we are.

Like absolute madhouse. And like that, that also is what I expected to be. But we have talked about if we get like all year, we want a playoff game at the rate. Like we want this bad. And now that it's happening, absolutely. Mayhem, pandemonium. Like, we want people going insane. And that's what I think it'll be.

I think it's going to be absolutely crazy. Especially the way we're doing it, too. We went on the road, the road team in the wild card to advance. You know, all the other home teams won. Now we're on the road again. We come home. It's going to be wild. Mike, thank you so much for joining all of us here on 104-3, the score.

Thank you also for entertaining us. and White Sox fans this entire season and may the season continue to continue, sir. Thank you. Yes. Yes. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you for having me on. Absolutely. That is gentlemen and lady,

the one and only, Mike Vassel. That was beautiful. That was perfect. When you think about it, a lot of really good baseball teams have a director of culture, just not usually designated, and not usually a guy whose only job is that, be it Tim Bus, the Strength Coach,

for the 2016 Cubs. It's a good comp. That was his gig, and they all went to him for stuff like that. It's not usually an injured guy. It's not usually a guy who's injured and is there and is allowed. So your question, Lawrence, as to the inclusion and the acceptance, that's a big deal. It is a big deal. And like coming through with it and kind of setting up, like, all right, this is what's

in bounds, this is what's out of bounds for you to do this. And now it's just kind of become this thing. Anthony Rezzo pointed that out on the latest edition of the Rizzo and Rock. podcast. He talked about the very thing. Like, these guys usually are not with the team. They're away rehabbing. You know, we've talked about that how many times when a guy goes away. And so for him to be there, for a vet Lake Rizzo to recognize that, I think is a pretty

big deal too. And just Vassel's a very special dude. My friend Rob Bradford, who covers the Red Sox in Boston's, like said, right when they got him, like, you don't understand. This is one of the most entertaining and interesting and fun and smart guys that he's ever covered. You might be a good pitcher, too. Rule 5, we'll see.

We'll see. Same rule 5 draft as Shane Smith, I think. I believe that's correct. Well, they fixed his arm, so. Vassal? Yeah. Yeah. So who knows? We never got to the bottom of the celibacy movement, though. I think we get any clarity on that?

I think it's solidarity or something, correct? You made it clear that not everybody has to stay celibate, so we're all in good shape. I think that what he's just trying to do is find his teammate a friend. Yes, he just find his teammate a girl. right. Poor Sean had to apologize to his family. That's amazing. The one thing that we didn't get at Texter was asking, did Antinacci officially

get paid to stumble out of the dugout? There's rumors of such things, but, you know, there'll be time to cover it. Oh, by the way, they're playing actually a series of consequence that starts tomorrow. Tomorrow noon, man. Yeah, real early. Real leaping early. Roll out of bed.

Watch a baseball game. So ridiculous. I was like, there's got to be one night game in here, right? No? Well, maybe one of the other series will end early and then like a game four. Could be. Something will be at night. Maybe so. I think that's like a college football window too on a Saturday.

Well, now we're in the 60 days, every day for the next 60 days, there will be a college football game. Yep. I mean, there will be a football game. Oh, yeah. Yes. Some sort of football game. For the next 60 days. Every day for the next 60. That is correct. Even on Tuesday?

Yes. Is that Macion? The Macion stuff starts. Conference USA and Maxion will run games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Don't forget the American. And the American. More Texas with an overtime win last night. Congratulations. Goal and stand on a two-point conversion.

Thank you. Let's go. I did not have a lot of faith at the half. But that's not why we call. Beat Lovy Smith Tulsa. That was fun. The transition guest is a rarity in the history of the radio station. Yeah.

Who do we got on Monday? Who's our transition guests on London? And also, like, warrants, way to ask about the actual games that are coming up here. Because you guys have seen the ticket prices. I love that the 108's going for 500. Let's go. Yeah. I think that the fact that they dug back into the history of the White Sox and said,

let's make this something that is unique to the brand that is the South Side and have the Blackout game. Do it. Like, why not? Have a little fun with it. It'll be cool. place is always awesome when it's sold out. That is for sure. Here's what we got coming up on our show today.

Weezy. He's going to join us at 3 o'clock. McDonough, Connor McKnight, is going to join us at 325. We'll get into some real hardcore, sexy baseball with Connor at 325. Olin Croutes joins us at 4.

Jonah Jackson will join us at 5. Ordinarily he joins us the day after the games. He'll tell you why he didn't join us the day after the game this time. It's a really, really good reason for that. So we're going to take a break, and when we come back, who's the quarterback for the Bears on Sunday?

Tell us. He's not going to tell us. But we'll talk about it after Taney's open, which you know, if you heard the Mike Vasselope, you know, is must listen radio. It's next here on the score.