White Sox GM Rick Hahn shares fans' frustration, disappointment

General manager Rick Hahn addressed the state of the White Sox before the team opened a five-game homestand Wednesday. It being a sorry state on the heels of a five-game losing streak and enough bad statistical data to make a GM lie awake at night, “disappointed, underachieving, frustrated” were the words of choice. Collectively, he dipped into that word pool about a dozen times.

Hahn acknowledged what fans have been voicing in increasingly louder tones by the day. Some have already begun to tune out, and it’s only mid-June.

“When you’re not scoring runs and you’re not catching the ball it is a tough watch,’’ Hahn allowed.

While being somewhat satisfied with marginal improvements in the defense and baserunning over the last few weeks, Hahn cited the offense that ranks last or near the bottom of numerous statistical categories as the main culprit in the team’s 28-35 record going into Wednesday’s game against the Pirates at U.S. Cellular Field. The Sox have scored one run in the last three games and were shut out by the Pirates in each of the last two.

“There does come a point where you can only look at the back of the baseball card for so long and say it’s going to get better,’’ Hahn said. “You need to start seeing some results on the field before you have to start making changes.’’

The trade deadline is July 31, and discussions have already begun in anticipation should the Sox be forced into a position of shedding payroll and moving on to a new plan. Hahn is keeping that close to the vest.

“There’s no real strategic advantage for laying out specifically what’s going to happen and when,” he said.

There is a sizable portion of the Sox fan base that wants a change of managers, but Hahn, who voiced support of Robin Ventura weeks ago, appears to remain in Ventura’s corner.

“From my standpoint, that hasn’t changed,’’ Hahn said. “We are all in this together. Until a player is traded or there’s been a change on the staff or in the front office or with an advanced scout or whatever, we are all in this 100 percent together. We are all accountable together and we are all doing everything in our energy and efforts to put ourselves in the best position to win. Should we get to the point where any of that changes, you’ll know and we’ll explain why.’’

Hahn said that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who opened his wallet during the offseason to sign free agents Melky Cabrera ($42 million, three years, David Robertson ($46 million, four years) and Adam LaRoche ($25 million, two years), not to mention approve a trade for Jeff Samardzija (one year, $9.5 million), shares in his frustration.

“If not more so than any of us feel and any fan feels,’’ Hahn said. “He came in like many of us and many of our fans with high expectations for this year and expectations that haven’t been met and that’s as frustrating as can be.’’

That said, Hahn said the organization “absolutely believes in this team. ”

“I’m talking more in the focus of the matter at hand in terms of trying to win a ballgame. The belief that we are going to be in a position to win a ballgame is there and good. I realize and completely understand and have heard from outside the ballpark the frustration. We share that frustration. Our focus has to be on what the commitment is inside that clubhouse and their focus, their belief and their efforts to win that ballgame on any given night.”