TODAY: The Angels have granted the White Sox permission to interview La Russa, Nightengale tweets.
OCTOBER 12: Despite earning their first playoff berth since 2008 this season, the White Sox have decided to make major changes in their dugout. The team parted ways with manager Rick Renteria and longtime pitching coach Don Cooper on Monday, leaving at least two significant holes in its coaching staff.
When discussing the White Sox’s vacancy at manager with reporters Monday, GM Rick Hahn said the club plans on finding someone with recent championship pedigree to replace Renteria, and that person’s likely to come from outside the organization, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Unsurprisingly, then, former Astros manager A.J. Hinch has emerged as a possibility, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.
Hinch helped lead Houston to a championship in 2017, but that accomplishment has been marred by a sign-stealing scandal that caused Major League Baseball to suspend him for this season and Houston to part ways with him after last year. But Hinch’s suspension will expire after the World Series, and he has already drawn interest from Detroit – a Chicago AL Central rival that’s also looking for a manager – so he could get back in the game in short order.
It also wouldn’t be shocking to see Alex Cora – Hinch’s bench coach in ’17 – receive consideration, but the White Sox haven’t shown interest in Cora yet, according to Nightengale. Cora also had to sit out this season, but he is only two years removed from winning a title as Boston’s manager in 2018.
There also seems to be a possibility that the White Sox won’t opt for a recent major league manager to fill the role. Rather, one of their former skippers, 76-year-old Hall of Famer Tony La Russa, could be their answer. In an unexpected twist, the White Sox plan to reach out to La Russa, reports Nightengale, who adds that the position intrigues the four-time Manager of the Year. Since managing the White Sox, Cardinals and Athletics from 1979-2011 and combining for three World Series titles (one in Oakland, two in St. Louis), La Russa has worked in the front offices of the Diamondbacks, Red Sox and Angels. As Nightengale notes, La Russa is close friends with White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
I’m not buying any of these 3 as potential managers for the Sox. Hinch & Cora for obvious reasons. LaRussa, I can’t see it. He’s been away from the dugout too long (not to mention his age doesn’t help).
Though I think they should hire from outside, I wouldn’t be totally surprised if McEwing gets the job.
La Russa coming back would be insane but super cool haha
Insane but super cool? So would Heidi Watney returning to manage the Red Sox. It would be fun to watch, but I wouldn’t want to see it!!
PLEASE DO NOT GET LA RUSSA OVER HINCH OR CORA
That wouldn’t be my ideal candidate list. If those are my 3 choices though it’s hard to see LaRussa not being the best choice.
Is this the Onion?
Lol
“Is this the Onion?”
Very close
Hinch, Cora, I thought the White Sox would have learned something from the 1919 World Series. Enough with these 2 cheaters. They should have been banned for life.
But you’re okay with Keuchel playing for the Sox. Every single team has done these things just none as blatantly as Cora and the Astro players did.
Hey Steven, My logon is Brooklyn1953.. It would take quite an effort on my part to care about whatever the Sox do. I do think that the Astro players that cheated got away with their crime against baseball. Hinch had no control over his team. Allowing Cora and Beltran to run this scam was something he should have stopped. Cora & Beltran lost their jobs, for now, they’ll be back, which is also B/S. The players, who were good players, took advantage of the situation and should have been, at the very least fined a substantial amount of money..
Nightengale is never right never
All he reported is that they will reach out.
I don’t want TLR anywhere near my team.
Good thing you don’t own any teams than.
LaRussa is currently a Special Advisor to Angels owner Arte Moreno… a scary proposition to be sure.
As an Angels fan, I strongly encourage the White Sox to take LaRussa… please.
0 = fastball, 1 = changeup, 2 = slider, 3 = curve…
As a Sox fan, I want none of them. As a baseball fan, I want none of them. Would rather see what McEwing is capable of then see any of these 3 guys lead this team.
I don’t want any of those guys lol.
La Russa would not last 1 season managing modern baseball. This isn’t 1989 anymore.
1989 was a fun year in sports.
@Persky
Up until the WS earthquake.
That’s true. Most of these modern players wouldn’t last a season in 1989.
He did win a World Series in 2011.
Tony La Russa won World Series titles in 2006 and 2011 with the Cardinals, well past his first one with the A’s. Those last two in St.Louis are a long way beyond 1989.
If Ron Washington is up for another gig, I would go after him. He clearly has had an impact in Atlanta, and has won everywhere he’s been. Also old school but understands new school.
All three of the listed options are underwhelming for various reasons
Ozzie Guillen is also available!
Hell yeah bring him back!!!!!
Why not? He won already a WS for them
White Sox actually ruled him out last week.
where did you read or hear that? Makes too much sense not to consider, for both sides.
Hahn specifically said in his press conference that Reinsdorf had already told Ozzie that he’s not a candidate.
If they replace Renteria with Tony LaRussa they are guano loco…
That’s so dumb. My guess is Hinch to the White Sox and Cora back to Boston.
76 years old? Who’s gonna keep him awake on the bench?
White Sox could bring on Griffey Jr. as a coach.
The newly elected President…..
We’re going to hear Cora’s and Hinch’s name for every managerial position for the foreseeable future. I feel like it’s already a foregone conclusion that they’ll both manage in the MLB sooner than later.
Yes, would take Hinch against the field to become next WSox manager. Easy to envision them throwing big $$ at him b/c the timing is right. Smart/analytical, relatively young and great landing spot for his “redemption”.
Ain’t it amazing how a guy gets fired and suspended for a full season and they has a bidding war for him the next. This is going to be a Brady/Belichick theory. Did Hinch make the players better or did the trash can make hinch better?
Just Hire Jim Layland back. He’s only 75
Others rumored to be in the mix:
Jim Leyland
Tommy Lasorda
Pete Rose
Roy Face
Dick Groat
Renteria gets no respect. He is a solid baseball man. Bochy is not going to the southside of Chicago where you might get shot walking to your car. He will stay in San Diego.
Feel like I *just* read something about San Diego…
He’s content just getting stabbed
I think a manager like Buck Showalter would be a great hire for this particular team. Great baseball man that is good at managing pitching staffs and riding his studs for 162. Buck came into a similar situation in Baltimore for a team that was concluding its rebuilding process and then had a solid 5 year run. If they had not run into a red hot Royals team in 2014 he may have taken them all the way.
Frank Thomas? Konerko? Steve Stone? Ryne Sandberg? Thome?
No, no, no, no, and no.
Don’t forget The Hawkeroo.
What about Sandy Alomar Jr.? Bench coach under a great manager in Terry Francona, steal him from a division rival, no black cloud, and familiarity to the organization.
This is what I am saying for the southsiders. They need to look into Sandy Alomar Jr. I believe he would be a great choice to run this white sox team.
Yep, Sandy will be hired!
Sandy Alomar Jr. is going to replace Terry Francona in Cleveland.
If that’s the case, the White Sox should bring Terry Francona back to the organization. After retiring as a player, Francona spent the next 5 years as a manager in the White Sox minor league system that included a championship with their AA Birmingham affiliate as well as famously being the skipper of Michael Jordan. After an unsuccessful run as the Phillies manager, Francona won two World Series championships with the Red Sox and two Manager of the Year Awards with the Indians with another World Series appearance in 2016 versus the victorious Cubs. Like Rick Renteria, Francona is of Hispanic American ancestry, a bilingual manager and would a great fit on the southside of Chicago with their bevy of Latino players.
Sandy Alomar Jr. will have to wait until after the 2022 season to become the Indians manager. Terry Francona signed a contract extension with the Tribe in April of 2019 that runs through 2022. Francona’s questionable health could speed up his chance to become the Indians manager but surely a managerial offer from the White Sox would take precedence over potentially waiting two more seasons.
Francona is Italian-American.
Thanks for the correction mom. It’s not the first time and might have even involved Francona before. Tito is derived from Latin (giant) and for some reason I want to associate it with Latino’s despite the fact it is a more common nickname among Europeans including Italian and Spanish males.
I don’t know if I believe this. How difficult can it be to find a serviceable manager that the Sox would consider hiring a disgrace like Hinch or Cora? They would open themselves up to so much unnecessary criticism, and for what? Everyone makes fun of Dusty Baker but he got this crippled Astros team to the ALCS, clearly the ChiSox don’t need Hinch or Cora lol
Why not Joe Espada? He was a finalist in a couple of managerial openings last year?
If the Astros come back against the Rays and then win the World Series, Dusty Baker would probably leap to being just behind Bruce Bochy for HOF consideration. Lou Pinella almost made it in the last Veterans Committee vote. Others who should be considered are Terry Francona and Jim Leyland.
I hope whoever they get that they consider keeping Frank Menechino on as hitting coach. He clearly has made much more of a difference than Todd Steverson ever did. There is plenty of time though. No need for hasty decisions
Ron Wotus of the Giants is old school who gets the new analytical game. He has been a bench coach, base coach, and a minor league manager. Over 23 years with the Giants. Three World Series rings. He deserves a shot.
Well anybody is better than Renteria. I don’t like the idea of LaRussa but he’s not a stupid man, just been away from the dugout for too long probably.
I hope someone like Ozzie perhaps. We’ll see what other names pop up, hopefully someone cooler than these 3. Hinch… no, just because of the sign stealing crap. You don’t want the stigma of all of that.
Ozzie has zero chance of gettng his job back.
Just no on Ozzie. Threw his players under the bus, had profanity-laced tirades with the media, had some rather unpopular political views…at a certain point, the sideshow outweighs the benefits of his baseball knowledge.
LaRussa. Spokesman for the Hall,of Mediocre
I think it’s no coincidence that Hawk Harrelson retired from broadcasting, Sox then hired a lame duck coach and now have a coaching vacancy. He’ll definitely be interviewed and most likely will get hired. Probably just a 2 year contract to give him enough time to win a WS. He was alive when they won in 2005 so he knows what it takes to win a championship.
We can be sillier than that. Fire Hahn. Make Hawk the GM, Tony the manager, and Leyland the third base coach. Let Jimmy smoke in the coaching box. Do it in loving memory of Ursula.
Don’t forget to get Kenny Williams in on the action.
Put Fisk in left field!
Hawk sucked when he was GM.
If memory serves, Tony had the Sox playing good in the mid eighties and then Hawk fired him.
I’m ok with this but insist on Harold Baines being the bench coach and heir apparent to the GM.
I wonder if the Sox would consider either Bruce Bochy or Mike Scioscia — they both have enjoyed World Series success and are considerably younger than La Russa. I also would consider Sandy Alomar Jr, but as the article states, the team’s looking for a manager with postseason success.
Bring back Ozzie Guillen!
To play shortstop.
Put LaRussa in the dugout keep him out of the front office. He is a duel member of the Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame for front office work. He and Dave Stewart killed the D-Backs and that was after Kevon Towers had ran them straight into the ground.
Please take David Bell off the Reds Hands! Lol
Hey guys.
First, not shocked about the Renteria ordeal. Also, McEwing is not going to be the next skipper. Can we all agree? Yes? Ok cool.
Next, Hinch in my mind will never be a manager again. Cora, eh, maybe.
Tony? Let me just say this. I have always been a fan of Tony. The man is smart as a whip. 76, been away? Yeah, but I personally don’t believe he has lost anything. Example, Buck Showalter, went away for a few years, then went to Baltimore and had the most wins from 12-15.
My vote is for Tony. Close to the owner also. I think it’s his to lose. If not, here’s another name….Lee Mazzilli. I think Maz if ever got the chance again he’d be ideal. Again, Tony’s job to lose.
They got the best manager in Chicago now Don t be stupid owner
If the White Sox were in absolute win-now mode maybe LaRussa would make sense, but in such a short sample as this season was its hard to say how close the White Sox are. Plus LaRussa would likely only be a one or two season Manager given his age. Buck Showalter would make sense or maybe John Gibbons if they want a veteran manager to be around a while
I still believe Rick Hahn will name AJ Pierzynski as the White Sox manager!
You don’t say?
Ah yes, let’s discriminate against Tony La Russa, well just because of his age, nothing else, and some here saying “he doesn’t know today’s game”, he was the guy that played the bullpen game first…..But yeah, let’s talk about all those ‘other things’ going on in society today, but if a guy is 76, well ‘it’s impossible that he can or could do a good job’, because I read it on these boards so it must be right. Age discrimination is a thing.
Well said. Some of these commenters will likely be voting for a certain 72-year old Presidential candidate who currently holds a far more important job than that of an MLB manager. As a long time history buff and a die-hard MLB, White Sox and Cubs fan since the early 1960’s I would take Tony La Russa’s law degree and baseball IQ over the ‘intellect’ of the man currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
While I still expect the White Sox to hire a younger manager like Sandy Alomar Jr., it would come as no surprise to me if Jerry Reinsdorf decided his last managerial hire for the White Sox would be the one who sat in the dugout first when he bought the team back in 1981, Tony La Russa. As a fellow senior and a big fan of La Russa’s managing over the years, I would endorse such a move if it did materialize. As for the guy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Boomer says not so much.
It’s not ageism in this scenario. I think it’s unrealistic to hire a 76 year old guy to manage a ballclub full of 20-somethings. And frankly, more younger people need to be given opportunities to lead in our society. The time for passing the proverbial torch has been LONG overdue with that generation.
How is “Rule out the 76-year-old because old people can’t relate to 20-somethings, we need someone younger” not ageism
Because I’m addressing Baby Boomers in general. They’re the first and only generation who refuse to retire or groom younger generations for leadership. It’s very self-serving. The country is a mess largely because Babyboomers refuse to step aside with their outdated views on both sides of the political spectrum in this country. It’s not fair to younger people, who by and large will be worse off than their predecessors as a result.
Young people are blank canvasses — no relevant life experience. Nothing more than high investment, no return cry babies.
@ChiSoxCity
Just wondering, should Warren Buffett retire because of his age?
It’s people like you that make society worse, if someone loves to do something, then age, colour, religion, should have no bearing on their potential ability to do a job, but you want people to push off, well just because you have a terminology and word for them, and according to you because of their “outdated views”. How absolutely ridiculous & lacking credibility your opinion is, but you’re entitled to it. La Russa could do the job just as well as anyone half his age, but according to you he shouldn’t be entitled to have an opportunity because ‘he’s old’. It’s your opinion that is “self-serving”. Good day.
Warren Buffet is 90 years old. I’ll leave it at that. Nothing else need be said about this idiotic post.
@ChiSoxCity The only idiotic post is yours. Dusty Baker is 5 years younger than LaRussa, and you, an ‘MLBTR expert’ want to rub LaRussa out just because of his age, and you have the audacity to use the word “idiotic”.
Indeed, Buffett is 90 & is still running a billion dollar company at 90 years of age. Enough said about you and your discriminatory & intolerant bigoted remarks about age & what you term ‘babyboomers’…Your sense of entitlement is a good example of today’s society.
Your bias is showing, the other candidate is older.
Your bias is showing is literally the dumbest phrase and I wish people would stop using it.
I think the phrase “makes too much sense” is dumb but I accept that people will still use it.
Ozzie Guillen
It’s Joe Espada’s job to turn down…He’s been with the Marlins, Yankees and Astros and coached Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Speaks fluent spanish, won’t demand high $$’s, wasn’t implicated in the Astros cheating scandal and Dusty won’t want to step down and hand the job over to him.
Things went from “Hinch and Cora should get the guillotine” to “Bidding war for Hinch and Cora” in a hurry
My first pick would be Bochy if he’s interested. I know it’d mean coming out of retirement, but he’d be handed an undeniably talented ballclub with WS aspirations and he’s been there before. After him, I’d go with Alomar, Jr. Another catcher who’s well-respected, but he also speaks Spanish. Would hate it if they got La Russa, Hinch, or Cora. Even if the latter two have put their cheating days behind them, it’s a bad look PR-wise and could be a distraction, which is not what a young team needs.
Alomar or Visquel, done deal.
Alomar or Visquel, done deal.
Alomar or Visquel, done deal.
Sandy Alomar Jr. is a possibility. Omar Vizquel has no chance since he and the White Sox had already “mutually parted ways” following the 2019 season after he managed in their minor league system for two seasons.
Your probably right I just like Visquel. Thought
he just fits in well with this young team.
Any suggestions for a pitching coach? Maybe see if Buehrle is up to it?
@IronBallsMcGinty
That’s a hard question. I think a relatively younger guy (maybe in his 40’s or early 50’s) who would relate better to the players, though I wouldn’t isolate it to that age range. But at the same time, having a pitching coach with great experience would be very helpful for this mostly young staff.
I think Buehrle would be okay, but I don’t think he would want it. Buehrle seemed like when he wanted to retire, he was going to ride off into the sunset and leave baseball behind. But then again, I never thought Robin Ventura would want to manage a team before he took the job back in ’12, so what do I know.
Personally, I would raid the Rays coaching staff for candidates, given their history of pitcher development and analytics.
@ChiSoxCity Or the Indians. They always seem to have someone else stepping up, which is why they thought they could afford to lose Clevinger.
My choice is easy. Bruce Bochy. The man’s a winner. He’s well respected, tough but fair. He demands players excel at the fundamentals. Bochy’s reputation would also draw any free agents to the team if the Sox desire to go that route this off season which they will likely do. He’s now 65 years and has been away from managing since 2019 when he retired. So it’s up to him he he wishes to get back into “the grind”. If Bochy is interested in returning, he’s the guy. This Sox team has talent. Money to spend and is now a very desirable place to play.
I remember that Ron Gardenhire did a great job with the Twins young teams; Ozzie called them piranhas. Could he do the same for the Sox?
He quit for health reasons with Detroit this year, otherwise would be great choice.
FWIW, for those who want Bochy as manager (I’m fine with that), according to NBC Sports Chicago, he’s open to managing again and he will listen to the Sox. Not that this makes him the favorite to get the job, but at least there some substance to that rumor and not blind speculation by someone wanting attention.
I guess we’ll see.
I still say enough with the dinosaurs. Plenty of organizations have found success with younger, more innovative picks to manage. There are plenty of 50, 40 somethings with championship experience.
Agree with ChiSoxCity
Why does old = wrong or bad? I get that some managers, like Renteria, have been against using analytics to make their in-game decisions, but there are others who are more open-minded. Bochy won three titles in five years, the most recent one just six years ago. He gets the best out of his players and he’s much better at managing an actual ballgame than Rick will ever be.
Because you’re hearing it from young people who think they already know everything
With reports circulating that Bruce Bochy is amenable to managing again including with the White Sox, Rick Hahn should immediately offer him the richest managerial contract in MLB history before the Dodgers do the same if they get eliminated by the Braves this week.
Bochy on the Dodgers should finally get them that ring. Seems like every year, they’re on the short-list of WS favorites and we’re picking them to run all over the NL…then every year, they fall just a little short.
If he did not pass away this year, they could have hired Jim Frey. On a positive note, Lee Elia is still available and is only 83. Gene Lamont is probably too young for that job at 73, they need someone with more experience. Joey Amalfitano?
Sure! Just need permission to speak to Joey from the Giants.
Hard to figure LaRussa getting the ok from the Angels to interview and not being the front runner. He doesn’t need to compete with others given his stature in the game. He will get the job. I don’t think it is a good move.
As an Angel fan, I can say…Take him, please!
Better than Hinch or Cora, but that doesn’t make it a good move. And if it’s down to him and Bochy, Bochy in a heartbeat. I’d take Alomar, Jr., over La Russa, too.
On behalf of Angels fans everywhere, I say Go Tony Go! No seriously, go.
Well, the follow up to this article says the Angels have given the OK
Dumpster divin’
As a Giants fan, I have a lot of admiration for Bochy. However, the last five years under Bochy were not good. While the front office took the brunt of the blame, some has to go to Bochy. The Giants performance under Kapler this past season far exceeded 2019.
The Giants roster was AAA, so yeah, the front office was to blame. They’re desperately trying to hide the fact that they’re rebuilding from a fanbase that has grown entitled and impatient over the years. Rebuilds require some lean years of bad baseball, where managers generally are sacrificial lambs 90% of the time.
Recent Championship winner who might be available I haven’t seen mentioned: Ned Yost.
Just a thought.
It’s actually a good thought. Ned Yost mostly managed non-contending teams with the Brewers and Royals which accounts for his .473 regular season winning percentage over his 16-year managerial career. That said, Yost did have a a .710 postseason W-L percentage with his only playoff teams in Kansas City with each reaching the World Series. In 2014, the Royals went 11-4 before losing in 7 games to Bruce Bochy’s Giants. In 2015, the Royals went 11-5 in the postseason and beat the Mets in 7 games.
Yost is just slightly older than Bochy at 66 and considerably younger than presumed favorite Tony La Russa. Like Bochy, Yost is also a former MLB catcher. As a White Sox fan I would be happy with any of these 3 veteran managers along with some younger candidates like Sandy Alomar Jr. or Joe Espada.
I wouldn’t mind that at all. I’d slot him in between Bochy and Alomar, Jr., on order of preference if he becomes available.
Throw a dart, Bochy , Espana, Alomar Jr.
LaRussa no thanks, not touching Hinch or Cora.
I meant Espada.
Oh man, no La Russa, he’s got to be 105 by now
While he sure had some great moments 15-30 years ago and has a lot of great accomplishments on his resume, my last 2 memories of LaRussa are the absolute disaster he and Dave Stewart created in Arizona, and the ridiculous, inexcusable part he played in getting Harold Baines elected into the Hall of Fame. That’s who Tony LaRussa is now. No hiding from that.
Espada ok. None of the other fossils please!!!
To me the obvious choice is Joe Espada…why would you go with a LaRussa when you have the core of this team locked up for the next 3-5 years already.
The LaRussa “scoop” came from Nightengale, so it’s already DOA. Seriously doubt he would even take the interview in the first place
And it looks like you’d be wrong. Update to article says otherwise…
There is always Lloyd McClendon
This guy looks the same for 40 years! Lol
It is going to be Hinch! Everything else is just chaff.
Nooooooooooo!
Off topic but Tim Kanter should get a free luxury suite at GRate Field.
How about John McGraw, he’s a grizzled veteran manager too..