There is a lot to like about the Chicago White Sox's search for a new manager. It is just hard to pinpoint who is the team's top target.
SoxMachine.com's Josh Nelson and James Fegan have reported the team has cast a wide net and is trying to whittle their list down. However, Fegan has also reported the club hopes to talk with more candidates from teams still in the playoffs.
That is a good thing.
General manager Chris Getz should take his time and talk to as many candidates as possible. He should also not rush the decision.
He really does not need to have a manager in place until after the World Series concludes and the offseason kicks off.
Pinpointing a candidate he might be leaning toward has been hard to figure out.
Local baseball beat reporter 670 the Score's Bruce Levine reported early in the process that Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough was the top target. He recently reiterated that again.
#Dodgers 1B coach Clayton McCullough is still a serious candidate for the #WhiteSox managerial job per @MLBBruceLevine. He noted that George Lombard and Will Venable have already interviewed.
— James Fox (@JamesFox917) October 19, 2024
New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that Texas Rangers associate manager Will Venable is the top target. USA Today's MLB insider Bob Nightengale has reported for a while now that former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker is the favorite.
Schumaker is available after the Marlins allowed him out of his contract after two seasons where he won NL Manager of the Year in 2023 after guiding the team to an unlikely playoff appearance.
There are reports that interim skipper Grady Sizemore will be given serious consideration to have that interim tag lifted.
Of the four most favored names, Schumaker or Venable would be the best. Schumaker has the resume and has had success with a dysfunctional franchise.
Venable is highly regarded to the point that he is assumed replacement in Texas whenever Bruce Bochy decides to retire. It seems unlikely he would leave a competent franchise like the Rangers where he is the assumed successor.
However, his interviewing with the Sox could mean he does not want to be patient as there are only 30 of these jobs and if the Rangers have another losing season, his star could diminish.
McCullough does come from the Dodgers organization, but choosing him over Schumaker or Venable feels like a missed opportunity.
Not having a consensus top candidate should not be a concern right now. A well-laid-out process to identify the best person for the job is. Right now, it appears Getz has set up a good one.