Due to health concerns, all signs point to Tony La Russa and the White Sox parting ways after the season. After a disappointing 2022 campaign, the White Sox need a fresh start.
This starts with the managerial search. If the White Sox genuinely want to shake things up, they must stop hiring people associated with the organization. That means no AJ Pierzynski, Miguel Cairo, and Ozzie Guillen. No former players, no internal promotions. It has to be someone from the outside that can give the club a unique perspective.
So what candidates are out there? Here are some of the best available:
Bruce Bochy
Bochy is a popular choice for White Sox fans. There is a good reason why. During his 25 years of managerial experience, he has compiled a Hall of Fame resume. He won three World Series Titles in San Fransico in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Before taking the Giant’s job, he had a successful stint as the Manager of the San Diego Padres, winning the National League Pennant in 1998 before falling just short of World Series.
The problem with Bochy is that he feels like a younger Tony La Russa. The White Sox will have to bring him out of retirement. Unlike La Russa, he has only been out of baseball for two years. He is managing for France in the 2023 World Baseball Classic but has shown no interest in returning to the MLB.
To pry the 66-year-old out of retirement, the White Sox will have to write a large check, something they don’t like to do very often.
Fredi Gonzalez
Fredi Gonzalez is another former manager. He serves as the Baltimore Orioles bench coach. The Orioles are an exciting upstart team this season, so plucking someone from their staff might benefit the White Sox, who often looked lifeless.
Gonzalez checks a lot of boxes. During his 10-year career as a manager, he posted a .506 winning percentage. He helped lead the Braves to an NL East title in 2013 and finished third in the Manager of the Year voting that season.
Gonzalez has a reputation for being extraordinarily cordial and cooperating with the media, which is essential in a big media market like Chicago, especially after coming off Tony La Russa’s tenure which was a PR nightmare.
The Havana native is also bi-lingual, which is important since the White Sox core consists of mostly Latino players. Having a manager that can connect with them easier is critical.
Gonzales is 58 years old. That is young enough to relate to today’s players and old enough to have learned under Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox. Gonzalez coached third base for Cox’s Braves before getting hired by the Miami Marlins as their manager.
Sandy Alomar Jr.
Alomar Jr currently sits on the staff that edged out the White Sox for the 2022 division title, serving as the first base coach. Not only has Alomar gotten to learn from Terry Francona, but he also filled in as his temporary replacement in 2020. Franco was forced to miss 47 games after undergoing surgery. Alomar passed his first test as a manager with flying colors, leading the Tribe to a 28-19 record.
Having a former divison rival in the dugout will not only help with scouting, but it will also help the White Sox properly address their weaknesses since Alomar was one of the ones game-planning against them for the past several years.
Mike Shildt
Shildt has an excellent resume as a manager. He started in the Cardinals organization in 2003 and stayed there through the 2021 season. He got his first job as a scout and then served a handful of roles before getting a shot to be the interim manager in 2018.
Cardinals brass was impressed with his body of work that season, so they handed him the keys during the offseason. Shildt proceeded to lead the Cardinals to three straight playoff berths. During his four seasons at the helm, he compiled a 252-199 record.
His most impressive accomplishment was when he helped bring the Cardinals back from the dead with a franchise-record 17-game win streak that propelled the Cardinals into the playoffs in 2021.
Despite his success, he was given the axe after the year for what the front office called “philosophical differences.” However, given his winning record, it couldn’t hurt to provide him with an interview.
Carlos Beltran
Is he a cheater? Yes. But if you are not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough. The White Sox didn’t have problems hiring someone with multiple DUIs, so it’s clear they don’t have very high moral standards when it comes to hiring leaders of their ballclub.
Beltran was a great player. In 20 seasons, he had a lifetime .279 batting average, 435 home runs, and 325 stolen bases. The New York Mets hired him to be their manager before news of the Astros cheating scandal broke out.
But Beltran is hungry to return to the game of baseball, speaks both English and Spanish, and has youth on his side at the age of 44.
Alex Cora and AJ Hinch have already returned after their one-year suspensions. Why can’t Beltran do the same?
The White will hire someone who will not talk back or fight the front office. This is what got Ozzie Guillen in so much trouble. The second they figure out the emporer is naked, they are out
Let’s face it… if this is all true; next manager will come from inside the organization or will have deep ties to Reinsdorf. Sox are not going to hire someone they are not familiar with or that could potentially make waves. It will a Jerry yes boy, PERIOD.
I love how the speculative blogger community is picking a new manager. Let’s wait a beat, see if the Sox fire Kenny and Rick and if Jerry stays out of it (instead of offering amends to Gene LaMont and Jerry Manuel) and let’s the GM pick his own guy.