What’s in an ideal managerial candidate?
The answer to that depends on the team and its current situation.
As far as the White Sox, we have at least a basic idea of what they’re looking for in candidates to take over in the dugout.
Tony La Russa announced Monday he won’t return as White Sox manager in 2023 due to health issues, marking the end of his two-season return to the team.
The White Sox brain trust has started to meet to discuss potential candidates, and while general manager Rick Hahn didn’t get into specific names, he did discuss some of the attributes the team is looking for.
“Ideally, in the end, the right candidate is someone who has recent experience in the dugout with an organization that has contended for championships,” said Hahn in a press conference Monday.
“Ideally, it's someone who is an excellent communicator, someone who understands the way the game has grown and evolved in the last decade or so. But at the same time, obviously, respect for old school sensibilities is going to be important as well.”
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One common thread between the last four White Sox managers is their previous connection to the team.
— Ozzie Guillen, after playing 13 seasons on the South Side, returned as manager in 2004.
— Robin Ventura, who played 10 seasons with the Sox, replaced Guillen in 2012
— Rick Renteria, Ventura’s bench coach, replaced him as skipper in 2017
— La Russa returned in 2020 after previously managing the Sox from 1979-86
Hahn said Monday having “some sort of connection to White Sox DNA is by no means a requirement” this time around.
However, the team will interview Miguel Cairo after his work as acting manager in place of La Russa.
“We are going to use this opportunity to get different perspectives,” Hahn said. “New way of looking at things, a little different from those who have been a little more insular to the organization.
“Again, we are sitting here on Day 0 or Day 1 of this search, so you have aspirational goals for what you are looking for. Even a handful of names who might fit that mold at least on paper. Once we get deeper into the process, maybe that changes a little bit.
“As we sit here today, we are eager to use this opportunity to get some outside perspectives on this club and ways we can get better.”