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White Sox: Analyzing Rick Renteria’s Lineups and Other Strategies

By Jon Michael Walters

(Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 07: Manager Rick Renteria #36 of the Chicago White Sox argues with third base umpire Marty Foster after Foster ejected Renteria during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on May 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 07: Manager Rick Renteria #36 of the Chicago White Sox argues with third base umpire Marty Foster after Foster ejected Renteria during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on May 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

White Sox manager’s lineups and bullpen selection have come under scrutiny lately from fans. Here’s an analyzation of the team’s current manager.

Through 35 games into the season, White Sox Manager Rick Renteria has made some puzzling decisions that have raised a few eyebrows.

This includes, but is not limited to, the batting order, the use of the bullpen, and the calls for excessive bunting. We’ll go through each one and see how Renteria’s strategy is affecting the White Sox.

To break it down, let’s start with the batting order for the last two games.

  1. Yoan Moncada
  2. Nicky Delmonico
  3. Jose Abreu
  4. Yonder Alonso
  5. Welington Castillo/James McCann
  6. Charlie Tilson
  7. Tim Anderson (what the heck???)
  8. Yolmer Sanchez
  9. Ryan Cordell

In the leadoff spot, you want a hitter who can get on base, but doesn’t hit for power. You want your power hitters saved until at least the two spot, so they can drive people (who are on-base) in. In the leadoff spot, Renteria placed Yoan Moncada, who does in fact hit for power.

This is a mistake, both given that it wastes his extra-base hit abilities, and that Moncada statistically has hit the best in the two spot for his career. Out of all the players in the lineup, the guy most suited to bat lead-off is probably Charlie Tilson, and Leury Garcia fits the mold as well. Moncada is probably best suited to bat second where they have…

Delmonico? The two spot should go to one of the best, if not THE best hitter on the team, and there’s no way that’s Delmonico. Nicky does have the ability to get on via walk, so if anything I’d rather have Delmonico first and Moncada second.

However, Delmonico really isn’t good enough to even bat in the top five in this lineup, and until he proves otherwise he shouldn’t be batting there. To be fair, he’s just keeping left-field warm for injured Eloy Jimenez, and I would like to see what Jimenez could do in the two-hole. Couldn’t hurt, right?

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