(670 The Score) During the course of his four years as White Sox manager, Rick Renteria was tasked with developing the young talent in the organization and instilling values at the big league level.
Renteria accomplished that, helping the White Sox create a winning expectation and guiding them to a postseason berth in 2020. He oversaw the development of young prospects into core pieces and has garnered American League Manager of the Year consideration for his work in leading the White Sox to a 35-25 record this season.
But now Renteria is out as manager of the White Sox, his tenure with the team over after what general manager Rick Hahn called a "mutual" parting of ways. Renteria was 236-309 over four seasons in Chicago, leading the White Sox to a playoff appearance that ended in disappointment with a loss to the Athletics in the wild-card round this past season.
"This is not how we wanted this to end," Hahn said Monday morning after Renteria's exit was made official. "We wanted this to end with Ricky leading us to championships. That was the intent from the start. Over time -- and through various candid, and quite frankly, personal conversations about where this organization is, what our time horizon is, what we need to do in October and get to that ultimate goal -- it became evident that it was time to make a change."
Renteria, 58, wasn't made available for comment by the White Sox, and the team's statement on the managerial change didn't include remarks from him. After the White Sox lost to the Athletics in Game 3 on Oct. 1, Renteria said he was "almost immediately" looking toward 2021 with the team.
This end for Renteria came in similar fashion to his departure from the North Side of Chicago. In October 2014, the Cubs fired Renteria after just one season, making a change at the managerial position as they rose from a rebuilding team to a perennial contender. The Cubs saw an opportunity to hire Joe Maddon, who led them to four playoff appearances and a World Series title over five seasons in Chicago.
The difference is Renteria was fired by the Cubs when they were on the cusp of becoming a playoff team. He had already led the White Sox there, though their berth did come in the expanded 16-team format.
Renteria's decisions in the Game 3 loss to the Athletics led to more criticism of his in-game strategical tactics, which had been called into question long before the White Sox were a playoff contender. Renteria was viewed by many as the manager who could take a team to the playoffs but not lead one to a World Series title, something Hahn denied as part of this change.
"I don't know if I'll ever be able to really clear that misconception," Hahn said.
What's clear is the type of manager whom Hahn covets to lead the White Sox forward. He's seeking a proven winner on the playoff stage, somebody who can take this talented team and put it in the best position to win a World Series championship in 2021 and well beyond.
While previous managing experience in the playoffs isn't a prerequisite, Hahn sees it as "ideal." That means former World Series-winning managers A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora -- both having lost their jobs and been suspended for the 2020 season amid the fallout of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal in 2017 -- could be leading candidates for the White Sox.
"This is a team a team that should reasonably have championship aspirations," Hahn said. "And quite frankly, we should be viewed as a very desirable landing spot for a potential manager.
"We're looking for that right fit to lead us to that next step."
The White Sox won't consider Ozzie Guillen, the manager of their 2005 World Series championship team, as a replacement for Renteria. Team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf informed Guillen of that decision on Monday, with the White Sox not viewing Guilen as the "right fit," Hahn said.
Longtime pitching coach Don Cooper was also let go Monday in what Hahn also called a "mutual" parting of ways. The White Sox will leave the fate of the rest of their coaching staff up to the next manager.
The White Sox will likely find their next manager from outside the organization, Hahn said, and there are a number of intriguing candidates available. The interest certainly should be mutual to lead an organization poised for championship contention in the years to come.
"This is an opportunity for us," Hahn said.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.