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White Sox don't wait, name Rick Renteria manager

October 4, 2016 at 2:32AM
Chicago White Sox bench coach Rick Renteria responds to a question after being named the 40th manager of the team, replacing Robin Ventura during a baseball news conference Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Rick Renteria was praised in his one year as Cubs manager before being dumped for Joe Maddon. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Rick Renteria is getting a second chance to manage in Chicago, this time on the South Side.

The White Sox promoted Renteria from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura on Monday, hoping he can help turn around a struggling franchise.

Renteria takes over a team with one playoff appearance since its 2005 championship year. And he gets another opportunity after the Cubs unceremoniously let him go after the 2014 season so they could hire Joe Maddon.

"I'm extremely excited," Renteria said. "It's a little bittersweet because I became good friends with Robin."

The White Sox noted that Renteria is the only Latino manager in the majors and touted his ability to communicate in English and Spanish.

General Manager Rick Hahn said the organization might have found candidates as good — but none better — had it looked elsewhere.

Hahn said Ventura first told him just over a month ago that he thought it was time for the organization to make a change in the dugout. Hahn said there were "personal reasons behind it" and added that Ventura "spoke highly" of Renteria.

Ventura announced Sunday that he would not return, insisting the decision was his and he wasn't pushed out despite five seasons without a playoff appearance.

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Renteria, 54, led the Cubs to a 73-89 record in his lone year and drew praise for his work with their young players. But his tenure ended with an awkward dismissal, with management reversing course once Maddon became available and letting him go after announcing he would return for a second season.

D-backs clean house

The Arizona Diamondbacks fired General Manager Dave Stewart and manager Chip Hale after a season of heightened expectations ended with a 69-93 record.

The team announced it will discuss an appropriate role for Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa in the future. La Russa was hired by the Diamondbacks in 2014, and among his first moves were to bring in Stewart and Hale.

The Diamondbacks had upgraded expectations this season after signing former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to a $206 million contract and trading for Shelby Miller from Atlanta.

Instead, Arizona fell flat again, finishing with its third consecutive losing season.

The Diamondbacks went a combined 148-176 with Stewart and Hale in their jobs. Hale, 51, played 319 games for the Twins from 1989 to 1996.

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Weiss walks away

Walt Weiss is out as manager of the Colorado Rockies after four seasons. In a statement, the team said Weiss decided to step down.

However, he really didn't have a job to come back to because his contract expired after the season finale. Jeff Bridich, who took over as GM two years ago, will now get to select his own manager.

The Rockies finished 75-87 this season, their best record since 2010.

"It was time to move on," Bridich said. "We both put in a lot of work to try to make the relationship work."

Weiss, a shortstop with the Rockies from 1994 to '97, went 283-365 over four seasons as manager.

Marlins fire Bonds

Barry Bonds is out as Miami Marlins hitting coach after just one season.

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Bonds was dropped from the coaching staff, as were third-base coach Lenny Harris and bullpen pitching coach Reid Cornelius, sources told the Miami Herald.

Bonds, the majors' all-time home run king, was hired by owner Jeffrey Loria to bring improvement to an anemic offense, but Miami improved only marginally.

Etc.

• Mark McGwire is getting another swing at the Hall of Fame. The former slugger who admitted using steroids joins Bud Selig, George Steinbrenner and seven others on the Today's Game Era ballot to be considered for election to Cooperstown in December. The ballot is part of changes to the election process announced by the Hall's board of directors in July. Voting from a 16-member committee is Dec. 5.

• Atlanta President John Hart said former managers Bud Black and Ron Washington would be interviewed for the Braves' managerial vacancy.

• Mets lefthander Steven Matz will have the bone spur in his left elbow surgically removed Tuesday.

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