Ryne Sandberg could coach in Chicago ... with the White Sox

Ryne Sandberg was passed over for the Cubs’ managerial job, but perhaps the Hall of Famer could end up coaching in Chicago after all.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen praised Sandberg during a radio interview today and seemed open to the possibility of Sandberg joining his coaching staff if third base coach Joey Cora leaves to take the Brewers’ manager job.

Here’s a Guillen quote from the interview, via the Chicago Tribune:

Sandberg is a great baseball man and I don’t know him personally, but you need to hire a coach to help you win games. I say Ryno, after so many years playing in the big leagues and managing for a few years in the minor leagues, I don’t see why not, to help you as a bench coach.

Sandberg was named Pacific Coast League manager of the year at Triple-A this season, but said after finishing runner-up to Mike Quade for the Cubs’ job that he planned to pursue a big-league gig for 2011. If nothing else, spending a season as Guillen’s right-hand man would give Sandberg plenty of material if he ever wanted to write a book. Or if he ever wanted to go insane.