White Sox break productive camp, but will it make a difference in 2023?

MESA, Ariz. — The White Sox boarded a plane Tuesday for Houston, leaving the first spring training of Pedro Grifol’s managerial career in the past — and the 2022 season even further behind.

As Grifol likes to say, a season can’t be won in spring training, but it can be lost there. Attention to detail, emphasis on communication, getting drills right and accountability were the focus points for a team that played .500 ball last season.

And the Sox’ 81-81 record in 2022 felt and looked 10 games below .500. That will happen when expectations are high. Sox people — from the front office to the marketing department to the fans in the stands and on social media — are calling it the most disappointing season they can remember. That’s an accurate assessment, considering the 2022 team was supposed to be in the thick of a contention window after two consecutive postseason appearances.

With Grifol emphasizing work segments of five to seven days, the objective in camp was concentrated focus on immediate tasks.

‘‘I’ve loved Pedro’s approach,’’ right-hander Lucas Giolito said after his final spring-training tuneup Sunday. ‘‘First and foremost, having open communication with every player and putting us in our group — starting pitchers, relief pitchers, position players. Having different types of goals and expectations for each group, I feel like we’ve met all those for spring, and now we get to move forward into the season.’’

Grifol’s camp emphasized the little things, such as pitchers’ fielding practice, pitchers’ slide steps and intentions to control an opponent’s running game, hitting the cutoff man, secondary leadoffs and not missing signs. Seven top players were absent during the World Baseball Classic, so that wrinkle had to be managed, too.

General manager Rick Hahn lauded Grifol’s communication skills when he hired him, and players clearly know what is expected of them.

None of this is to say all of those things were absent under former manager Tony La Russa the last two seasons. And the Sox were not the only team to emphasize fundamentals, execution and communication in camp, of course. But whether such attention makes a noticeable difference will begin to be seen when the Sox open the season with a four-game series Thursday against the World Series champion Astros.

‘‘All in all, I think the intensity level was good, the work was good,’’ Grifol said before the Sox’ final Cactus League game Tuesday against the Cubs. ‘‘We’re still working on things. Maybe that’s just me and my mindset. We’ve always got to find a way to get better.

‘‘I don’t think you’ll ever see me or hear me say, ‘Yeah, we’re there,’ because there’s still mental mistakes being made. We’ve just got to continue to tighten things up and get better as we go.’’

Much was said early in camp about the Sox not pulling together last season. Motivated by their 2022 failure, players came to camp with an edgy aim to make amends, be accountable and stick together.

On Sunday morning, with most of the clubhouse cleared out, the starting rotation of Giolito, Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech and Mike Clevinger sat in a circle, talking.

‘‘I’ve really enjoyed [Grifol’s] approach as far as being very focused, creating that good culture, bringing everyone together, working for a common goal,’’ Giolito said.

‘‘He’s got the right mindset,’’ first baseman Andrew Vaughn, who hit his second home run of the spring Tuesday, said of Grifol. ‘‘He’s got us all pulling together; that’s the biggest thing. We’re all pulling from the same rope. We’re all ready to go.’’

Will all of it make a difference?

‘‘Just watch us play,’’ Grifol said. ‘‘Give us a chance. Watch us play and develop your opinions on this year, nothing in the past.’’