Much of the discussion about the Chicago White Sox manager search has involved retreads — the same, well-known names over and over — while other coaches and minor-league managers are ignored.
Arizona State’s Global Sport Institute studied MLB manager hiring and firing patterns from 2010-19 and found 10 who were fired went on to manage again. Instead of cycling though the same managers and potentially getting the same results, teams such as the Sox would be doing themselves a favor by reaching out to candidates who might not be known in their circles.
Even if they aren’t hired, simply expanding the search, having some conversations and listening to some new ideas could help the Sox. They are still a young, talented team in search of some managerial stability. After two years of Tony La Russa proved fruitless, what is there to lose?
Here are three “let’s try something different” candidates.
1. James Rowson
The Miami Marlins bench coach, 46, was a candidate for the Boston Red Sox managerial opening in 2020.
In his current role, Rowson is known as an offensive coordinator and is second in command to manager Don Mattingly. Rowson has worked as a hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, minor-league hitting coordinator with the New York Yankees, and during his tenure as the Minnesota Twins hitting coach, he helped transform the offense.
Under Rowson’s tutelage, the Twins hit an MLB record 307 home runs in 2019.
2. Pat Listach
Listach, 54, retired from professional baseball in 1998 and since has coached or managed more than 10 teams. Listach worked his way up through the Cubs system from Double-A manager to major-league bench coach in 2011. In 2008, he was named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year. He also has worked in the Nationals, Astros and Dodgers organizations.
In 2019, after joining midseason, Listach led the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League to their first championship, and they qualified for the playoffs the next year as well. Listach currently is managing the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.
3. Lorenzo Bundy
With 30 years of managing and coaching experience, Bundy is an intriguing candidate. He is the manager of the Sox’s High-A affiliate, the Winston-Salem Dash. He was a coach with the Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers and Marlins.
Bundy, 62, is also a veteran of the Mexican Pacific League, having won three championships and been named Manager of the Year twice.
