Imrem: Now Chicago White Sox need to build on, not rebuild
Transitioning on Monday from Robin Ventura to Rick Renteria was the Chicago White Sox's first step toward, well, wherever they're going.
You decide whether Renteria, a Cubs castoff, will be a good enough manager for the Sox to close the gap in both the American League Central and Chicago baseball.
Renteria didn't distinguish himself or disgrace himself during his one season with the Cubs. He was just a guy, someone easily dismissed once the Cubs could replace him with Joe Maddon.
Now Renteria has a chance with the Sox to prove that he's more than just a guy, though he'll need better players to do so.
That's where the next step comes in.
The Sox's much-discussed options are to rebuild (acquire young players by trading their current core) or build on (add to that core).
Sox general manager Rick Hahn was noncommital on the club's intentions, so allow me to make a suggestion.
Build on, sir, and try to win next season.
Otherwise, the speculation when the Cubs hired Renteria will be repeated … he'll be gone before the rebuild is complete.
The Sox can't go halfway on a build-on in 2017. It has to be all the way in financially.
The roster isn't bare, evidenced by the fact the Sox have elite starting pitchers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana to trade for a collection of prospects.
Please, though, don't.
Why keep Sale, Quintana, Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and other useful veterans to make a run in 2017?
Because the Sox have the makings of an outstanding rotation of starting pitchers, an elusive commodity in the major leagues.
Add a little more hitting, add a little more defense, add a little more relief pitching … bingo! … the Sox can contend if Renteria knows what to do with them.
Former big-league general manager Jim Duquette recently listed on MLB.com the upcoming off-season's 10 best available hitters.
Duquette mentioned that the Sox would be in the running for two: Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler and Mets second baseman Neil Walker.
Go-go-go for it!
Fowler and Walker, switch hitters who can work the count, would fit nicely at the top of the batting order ahead of Abreu, Frazier and Cabrera.
If you'd rather have Adam Eaton in the No. 2 hole, OK, insert Walker somewhere down with Tim Anderson, a new catcher and whoever the designated hitter is.
Nobody should be eager to break up a pitching rotation that starts with Sale, Quintana and Carlos Rodon - even with nothing better than Miguel Gonzalez and James Shields on the back end.
Let's not even start to get into whether Hahn, Kenny Williams and Jerry Reinsdorf are capable of executing a rebuild.
Nobody can be sure that they can execute a build-on, either, but it should be easier to pull off.
Remember, the Sox considered themselves contenders on Opening Day this season and last season.
Didn't work out and the most glaring of several reasons was Ventura, who always seemed to be pretending to be a major-league manager.
Whether Renteria is any better is debatable, but one certainty remains: Any baseball manager needs quality players.
Considering how good Chris Sale and Jose Quintana are, the White Sox should go all in to build onto their core rather than rebuild it.
mimrem@dailyherald.com