If there was any doubt the White Sox would ditch Rick Renteria as manager, think again. Rick Hahn announced Tuesday night that Renteria's contract has been extended, but declined to specify the details.
Disaster averted. Renteria must have smelled Joe Maddon's departure from Wrigley Field next season and hurried to solidify his status as the White Sox manager. At this stage, it appears Renteria won't have to worry about Joe swooping in for another dose of glory after next season. But there is another Joe hanging out in the market waiting for a managerial opening in Chicago. Joe Girardi apparently declined to go further into the interview process with the Reds because he is waiting for a job in Chicago to open up. Despite a few fans' expectations that Girardi would join the Sox it doesn't seem likely that will happen after Renteria has been extended. The Cubs might as well hand Girardi the analytic spreadsheet now. Renteria sticking with the White Sox is good news. I was asked a question this morning on the Shawn and Maya in the Mornings show about what I wanted to see from Renteria this season and who knew my answer would be so relevant today? Renteria has built a rapport with the young nucleus of White Sox players and they seem to respond to his managerial style. The rallying cry "Ricky's boys don't quit" didn't just appear from a general malaise. He has control of the clubhouse and as the young players develop he will have a golden opportunity to raise these guys into versatile ball players. Despite his proclivity to bunt (something I truly love), his next step is to manage a team through a winning season. Free agency is already teaming with rumors and if a mere few of them come true he will have a formidable lineup with megastars like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado that easily put them in the contending column. But the other side of that coin is managing egos, something he hasn't had to deal with his last two seasons. We'll just have to take this one step at a time.
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