(670 The Score) White Sox general manager Chris Getz emphasized that the decision on whom to hire as the club’s next manager will be his choice rather than chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s.
“It’s my decision,” Getz said on the Mully & Haugh Show. “I can’t wait to get down to work today. We’re beginning to get organized with these candidates and get that process started.”
The question was top of mind given how one of the White Sox’s recent managerial searches went. In October 2020, Reinsdorf hired longtime friend Tony La Russa as the White Sox’s new manager – against the wishes of then-general manager Rick Hahn.
In a decision that was then Hahn’s, the White Sox followed that up by hiring Pedro Grifol as their new manager in November 2022, a few months after La Russa stepped aside due to health reasons. Grifol didn’t last long on the job, as the White Sox fired him Thursday in the midst of a nightmare season in which they’re an MLB-worst 28-89.
Now, it’s on Getz to find the right leader for a club that’s in the early stage of another rebuild, one that’s going poorly. Getz wants to hire a new manager from outside the organization who’s currently in a coaching role. He doesn’t plan to hire someone who’s currently out of the game.
“It’s still evolving, but there’s certainly is some truth to the pool of candidates we’re going to be targeting,” Getz said.
“We’re going to be targeting people that are in uniform in organizations other than the White Sox. There are a lot of bright people that aren’t currently with other organizations or in uniform or that are managers that are just out of the game for a year or two … but this is a criteria that we’ve put together, and we’ll start there.”
670 host David Haugh specifically brought up former White Sox manager and current NBC Sports Chicago analyst Ozzie Guillen’s name. Getz shared high praise for Guillen but indicated he doesn’t fit the mold for what these young White Sox need.
“I still need to focus on what’s best for the White Sox,” Getz said.
He’s confident he can find the right person.
“I’m looking for people that are willing and eager to take on this challenge,” Getz said. “I’m convinced there are people that are going to want to be a part of this.”