2 freshly fired manager replacements for Tony La Russa

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 05: Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox looks on prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 05, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 05: Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox looks on prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 05, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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The Chicago White Sox are in a bad way. So far this season, they have been one of the most disappointing teams in Major League Baseball. You can even make an argument that they are the number one most disappointing team of the season.

There are a lot of things to blame for this issue. Rick Hahn didn’t give this great core the depth that they need to succeed. The best players on this team have had very up and down seasons so far as well. It is also a team that is both poorly coached and managed in every way.

Unfortunately, the one who deserves the most blame so far is Tony La Russa. He has done a very bad job managing this team. The lineups are bad almost every single night. Each in-game strategy decision seems to be questionable. La Russa is also having a hard time running the bullpen.

We know that La Russa was not Rick Hahn’s choice as the coach. He probably wasn’t even on Hahn’s radar but owner Jerry Reinsdorf wanted to right a wrong from multiple decades ago. It is honestly a shame to see it work out this way.

The White Sox could consider a new manager if Tony La Russa was let go.

It is unlikely that La Russa would ever be fired for obvious reasons but you never know. He could also resign at some point because it is so obviously not working. Anything can happen in this crazy game.

If the unthinkable did happen and they were looking for a new coach, there are a bunch of candidates out there. There are two freshly fired managers for the White Sox to consider as they could really help this team get back on track:

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Joe Girardi

Joe Girardi could be someone that the White Sox want to replace Tony La Russa.

The Chicago White Sox needs a change much like the Philadelphia Phillies did earlier this year. Things have gone better for them since firing Joe Girardi but it was pretty obvious that the struggles weren’t his fault beforehand.

They are a team loaded with designated hitters playing out of position. They also have a very bad bullpen and a mediocre starting rotation. Girardi was only able to do so much for them when he was there. That doesn’t mean he would be a bad coach elsewhere.

Now, Girardi certainly isn’t an ideal candidate for the long term. However, he is someone who can come in and bring a nice managerial presence to replace Tony La Russa in the short term. He might bring just enough freshness to get this team going in the right direction.

Girardi has played in Chicago as a member of the Chicago Cubs for a long time. He has also won a lot as both a player and a manager. The experience that he brings is something that can help the White Sox but La Russa also has similar experiences. The biggest positive would be getting a different voice in there because what they have isn’t working.

(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /

Joe Maddon

Joe Maddon is someone that makes sense to replace Tony La Russa right now.

Firing guys named Joe seems to be the thing for Major League franchises so far this season. Like Joe Girardi, Joe Maddon isn’t the ideal long-term solution for the White Sox but he would make so much more sense than Tony La Russa after being fired this season.

Also like Girardi, Maddon’s shortcomings with the Los Angeles Angels weren’t all his fault. We have seen the same story with Angels for a long time now. Mike Trout has been there for a long time and no long-term success has come from it.

Now, they have Shohei Ohtani who might be the greatest baseball player who ever lived and their pitching was still mostly awful. That team needs a lot more than a manager to get it turned around.

Maddon has already had managerial success in town as he helped the Chicago Cubs end their World Series doubt in 2016. He is clearly comfortable living in Chicago which would be an added bonus. He is clearly someone that could help this team take the next step.

Obviously, as mentioned a few times already, neither guy is the perfect long-term solution for this team. However, Tony La Russa has got to go. If that were to happen, bringing in one of these two guys for the rest of the season can really help them.

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