3 amazing options to replace Tony La Russa as White Sox manager
The Chicago White Sox are not the best versions of themselves right now. They have pretty much been a .500 team all season long and we know that they can be better than that. They have stars all over the place and are loaded with talent. The wins should be plentiful.
Tony La Russa was a questionable hire from the second that it happened and things haven’t been smooth at all. There have been bad lineups, questionable strategy decisions, and bad bullpen management from him for a fair amount of time.
How do the White Sox fix this problem? Well, they could do something crazy and make a big splash trade. They could also just make a smart decision and fire the manager. Tony La Russa has been an incredible coach in his career but this isn’t it.
If the White Sox fired him, they could have to replace him right away. They would probably have to have his replacement ready to go right away if it happened mid-season. If this team doesn’t turn it around soon, these three managers would be wonderful replacements:
1. AJ Pierzynski
AJ Pierzynski coming back to the Chicago White Sox would be so cool to see.
It would be cool if the Chicago White Sox brought in one of their all-time great players to manage the team. AJ Pierzynski would be perfect in that role. He has the fire, passion, and love for baseball needed to lead a Major League team.
He was a catcher which is usually a sign of someone who can lead a baseball team. There are a lot of catchers that become Major League Baseball managers and Pierzynski has what it takes. You have to wonder if he ever will do it. The White Sox would be a perfect fit.
Of course, AJ has also won the World Series with the franchise. He knows how hard it is and might be able to lead a team back to that level of success again. This team would look so good with him in the mix.
2. Bruce Bochy
The Chicago White Sox could use someone like Bruce Bochy as their manager.
The Chicago White Sox already hired an older manager that had success back in the day with Tony La Russa. However, that is entirely different than hiring someone like Bruce Bochy who has not been retired for a decade.
He left the San Francisco Giants in 2019 after winning three World Series championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Those teams were so much fun to watch and Bochy got the most out of a very talented group of players. He might be able to do the same with a team like the White Sox.
This guy is going to be a Hall of Famer for what he has done in the world of managing Major League Baseball teams. Those Giants teams will always be remembered for doing whatever it took for them to win the whole thing. They even made things interesting in years that they didn’t win it all.
If the White Sox wanted to pull him out of that part of the country, they would probably have to offer him a fair amount of years and a fair amount of money. That might even not be enough but you just never know. He would truly be a great option.
3. Ozzie Guillen
The Chicago White Sox would look a lot better with Ozzie Guillen in the dugout.
The Chicago White Sox had such great times with Ozzie Guillen. No manager in team history ever had more success and got more out of his guys than him. It was incredible to watch for such a long time. It was so clear that he was perfect for this team.
Honestly, he is one of the best coaches in Chicago sports history. His career is highlighted by the 2005 season where he managed this team to a World Series championship. It was the greatest year in franchise history and he was one of the biggest reasons why.
When he was the manager, he constructed the lineup and used the pitching staff in such a way that helped them get what they needed at the proper time. It seemed like the right person was always in the right place at the right time when he was the manager.
It doesn’t sound like he will ever be the manager of this team again because of relationship strains but that shouldn’t matter. He would be so perfect for the role and it is amazing to think about him coaching this team with the players on the current roster.
Tony La Russa getting fired at all is highly unlikely but it is fair to dream. Everyone wants to see this team maximize their talent and it doesn’t seem like it is possible with things going the way that they are right now. Hopefully, things change one way or another.
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