Reports from earlier today removed a couple of names from consideration as the next White Sox manager, though the team’s search continues to be seemingly pretty fluid. Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz is a new name in the mix according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post (links to X), while interim manager Grady Sizemore is still in the running and Tigers bench coach George Lombard is also no longer a candidate.
Since the White Sox and Marlins are the only teams currently looking for a new skipper, many of the same candidates are appearing in both searches, with Albernaz’s name the latest crossover. Albernaz has already interviewed in Miami and is considered one of the favorites for the position, as he has previous working relationships with both president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and assistant GM Gabe Kapler.
Like the White Sox, however, it isn’t yet entirely clear how close the Marlins might be to making an actual hire, or if any other candidates might still emerge. Lombard and Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough both interviewed with Miami and are apparently still under consideration for that job, even if Chicago is moving in another direction.
Albernaz (who turns 42 later this week) just completed his first season in Cleveland, after working as the Giants’ bullpen/catching coach over the 2019-22 seasons. This makes him a known quantity to White Sox pitching advisor Brian Bannister, who was San Francisco’s director of pitching for the last three of Albernaz’s seasons in the Bay Area. The Giants job marked Albernaz’s first role on a big league coaching staff, as he spent the previous five seasons as a manager, coach, and coordinator in the Rays’ farm system.
The 2024 season was also Sizemore’s first time on a Major League staff, and his first pro coaching job at any level. After Pedro Grifol was fired in August, Sizemore was something of a surprise choice as Chicago’s interim manager, and he led the team to a 13-32 record in the final stretch of what ended up as a singularly disastrous 121-loss season. GM Chris Getz said Sizemore would continue to be a candidate within the team’s search for a full-time bench boss, but Sizemore’s coaching contract runs through the 2025 season, so he might well be back anyway in some capacity if he isn’t retained as manager.
The list of known candidates still in the running for the White Sox position include Sizemore, Albernaz, former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, former Angels manager Phil Nevin, Rangers associate manager Will Venable, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, and Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso.
No chance they get Schumaker. They’d be lucky to get Nevin. Maybe Venable would be willing to take on that mess for his first shot, but you gotta believe all those guys would prefer the Marlins job. Marlins may even get interest from Maddon.
Nevin? Only if they want to keep losing. Nevin tanked it in L.A. Can’t forget how he practically led the team in a brawl and injured 2 important players.
It’s probably going to be Grady
It really honestly should be. It should be someone familiar with the organization, a new manager, someone who also doesn’t necessarily want to be a manager, which Sizemore has been reported to be, because it should be someone who knows that they’re in for a long few seasons and is more just interested in player development. Because whoever becomes their next manager should know, that if they sign up for 3 seasons, they’re likely looking at 300 losses on their resume.
A rebuilding team is one that is going to have losing seasons. But I mean, a team coming off of setting a record for losses that a lot of people didn’t expect to be broken, I don’t even think qualifies as being called a rebuilding team yet. That’s just a really bad team.
Sizemore knowing the organization a bit, players who’ve been coming up with it and all, and having at least already making it so that last season didn’t end worse than it already did. Might as well give him like a 2 year deal while you get the rebuild started.
Then after the 2 years, maybe you do something similar to what Milwaukee has, where you hire a new manager, but Sizemore is in a role like Rickie Weeks is for Milwaukee. But is being done for different reasons. If Sizemore doesn’t necessarily want to be a manager long term, it allows him to step back a bit while still being present to help the team move forward.
We all know how JR makes decisions and as long as TLR is in the sidecar I’m not sure how Descalso isn’t being talked about as the favorite especially since it feels difficult to convince Schumaker to do it
The Sox need to get creative and have an AI manager for the next few seasons. Just feed it old videos and interviews of managers to teach it how to give nothing responses to the media like real managers and baseball lifers. They’ll get the same results as an actual manager on the field.
Whomever takes the job should be trained in martial arts or self defense as well as a concealed carry holder so they can actually get to the park to do their job. It’s hard to find candidates willing to risk their lives commuting to Guaranteed Rate
good job. can’t believe someone was able to post such rubbish online and think they were clever.
talk baseball, not some tired old cliches.
That’s a way better list of candidates than I thought we’d be looking at. The low amount of actual jobs that are available may have played a role. Given a choice between the Marlins and White Sox I think the correct answer might be C, None of the above. You’re not getting any money for yourself or for players in either case.
Hey, ChiSox! I’m willing to manage the team this year. I’ve managed little league teams before and play beer league. I should fit right in. Just understand that I’ll be a hot commodity over the winter so don’t wait too long.
I don’t see any attention-grabbing names on these lists. Better just re-up Sizemore. He, at least, has the ears of the younger players.
I’m not sure why Sergio Santos isn’t talked about for the Sox. He just guided their AA franchise in Birmingham to the championship over superior Cubs & Rays clubs. The guy was a converted SS, showing he had the perseverance to adapt after changing positions, becoming a cold as nails closer. Now he’s an intense leader that had full respect from their top prospects.
Santos is flat out their best option imo.
He beat Tennessee after the Cubs moved half the team to AAA but it was still an accomplishment. Even with the guys the Cubs brought up from High A They continued to rack up wins they just ran out of pitching which was Birmingham’s strong suit. The Sox need a Manager who has experience handling P’s as that is the strength of the Sox farm right now and will be the strength of the team going forward. They’re building the right way and if Getz makes a couple of smart deals for his major chips( Crochet and Robert), They can speed this up for the right manger. I said it before I think this is a perfect opportunity for Tommy Hottovy if the Cubs are dumb enough to move on from him if Counsell gets to hire all his Brewer friends back.
Don’t really understand anyone wanting this job. Not even for the experience, must need the money or ego lift.