Renteria looks ahead with White Sox, not back at Cubs

On and off the field, major-league baseball can be a cruel game.

Rick Renteria is living proof, and he is still a bit stung after being fired as the Chicago Cubs' manager after only one year on the job.

Not long after guiding an up-and-coming team to a 73-89 record in 2014 and getting a vote of confidence from Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein for a return this past season, Renteria was canned after Joe Maddon became available.

"It would be foolish for anybody that's doing something and have given themselves to a task to not feel like you get the wind blown out of you a little bit," Renteria said Wednesday.

But having been in the game since 1980 - when he was a first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates - Renteria understands how things work.

"I think everybody knows the business has different things that arise," said Renteria, who sat out last season but is back as the Chicago White Sox' bench coach. "I'm totally and completely happy with the opportunity the Ricketts family and (general manager) Jed (Hoyer) and Theo and everybody in the organization extended to me. To get on the field as a manager with the Chicago Cubs, it was great experience.

"Anybody that's been in that arena knows change sometimes occurs, even as abruptly as it might have seemed. Things happen. There were a lot of kids over there on that club this year and a lot of people I worked alongside of over there that deserve to have as much success as they possibly can.

"There are no hard feelings. When you step away from it a little bit and you reflect, it's just a business. It's just baseball. It doesn't take away from anything that I believe we brought to the table at the time. I'm looking forward to moving on."

When he was replaced on the North Side, Renteria said he heard from Maddon.

"Joe reached out, gave me a call," Renteria said. "I texted him back. There was really no need for us to speak. He was going through a lot with that whole transition with the Cubs. Again, obviously, everything went very, very well and we're very happy for everybody that was there."

From his home in San Diego, Renteria kept an eye on the Cubs as they advanced into the playoffs under Maddon and moved to the National League championship series.

"It was a great year for the Chicago Cubs," Renteria said. "I was very, very happy to see all those kids have success. Like anybody, you're always pulling for a lot of those guys because you saw them, you had them. You can't guarantee, but you kind of can see the skill sets they brought to the table.

"You've got to commend everybody that was there, that helped them along their way and helped them obtain what they did."

After taking this past season off, Renteria is thrilled to be back in the game as White Sox manager Robin Ventura's bench coach.

"To be honest, as this is finally done and official, I was talking to my family here and saying, 'I'm kind of getting excited about just working with players, just being out there on the field again,' " Renteria said. "When you talk baseball, when you've been in this for a while, there are a lot of things you want to be able to impart.

"Obviously, we all know the game is always going to be about the players, but hopefully we as coaches and staff can impart something that will help them move forward. Hopefully that's what I'll be able to do as part of the new staff here."

Ventura does not personally know Renteria that well, but he is happy to have him in the Sox' dugout.

"His reputation and everything else, it has always been top notch," Ventura said. "You are always looking at the guy's reputation, what he's bringing to the table, bringing it into our clubhouse as well as our coaching staff.

"You are always looking for quality people, and Rick has been up there. Anytime people are mentioned, Rick's name always is at the top. We've always thought highly of him. It's not like he doesn't understand what's going on in the clubhouse."

With Ventura entering the last year of his contract on the heels of three straight losing seasons, Renteria already has been linked as his likely successor.

"It is what it is, and we'll deal with that as we go along," Ventura said. "I don't look at that as we are always looking over our shoulder. We have stuff to do and that's what he's here to do."

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