If La Russa's run as White Sox manager is over, does Cairo keep the job?

Tony La Russa can't do anything right.

When he was in the White Sox's dugout this season - last year as well for that matter - most fans were not happy.

La Russa hasn't managed the Sox the past three weeks due to a heart issue, but the detractors remain livid, feeling like he's creating a distraction simply by being around at times.

There's an obvious solution to all this. Already admitting that "health is nothing to mess with," La Russa should step down as his 78th birthday approaches.

He has nothing more to prove, so why not?

The guess here a week ago is La Russa does not manage again this season. That still stands.

What about next year?

"I think it's way too soon for that," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "Look, we've been trying to navigate the last few weeks under unique circumstances and I think the team has done very well. But as for what lies ahead for next year, it's simply too soon for that."

If Hahn does have to conduct a search for a new manager, it could be a quick one.

Thrown into a difficult situation, bench coach Miguel Cairo has not only stepped in for La Russa, he's stepped up.

"Miggy obviously deserves a great deal of credit," Hahn said.

The Sox are going to have their hands full trying to catch first-place Cleveland, but at least they have a shot.

Give Cairo a lot of credit for that, particularly for the fiery speech he gave Sox players after a 9-7 loss to the Royals on Aug. 30, his first game as acting manager.

"He's been great," starting pitcher Dylan Cease said. "He's shown leadership and has been keeping the energy high. He's been solid."

Cairo was a relative unknown before replacing La Russa, but he does an interesting resume.

After playing 17 major-league seasons as an infielder, the Venezuela native worked as a special assistant for the Reds under general managers Walt Jocketty and Dick Williams for five years.

"That's something I was interested in," Cairo said. "Walt Jocketty gave me the chance to be assistant and I got to be in all those meetings and see how they make moves and how they do other stuff, all the moves, the 40-man roster and all that stuff. It was interesting. I really wanted to learn all the sides."

From 2018-20, Cairo was the Yankees' minor-league infield coordinator. La Russa, who managed Cairo for four years with the Cardinals, called his former player after the 2020 season and asked him to be the White Sox's bench coach.

"You cannot pass on that," Cairo said. "That was Tony La Russa, Hall of Famer, and that's the best one to learn from."

Cairo has been a quick study as the Sox's acting manager, and he is definitely a candidate to keep the job if La Russa does step down or is not retained.

Would Cairo be a lock to stay on as manager?

As Hahn said, it's too early to tell.

There are plenty of experienced candidates that will be available, including Joe Girardi, Bruce Bochy, Mike Scioscia, Joe Maddon and Ron Washington.

Two bench coaches - the Rays' Matt Quatraro and the Astros' Joe Espada - come from winning organizations and are definitely worth a look.

If the Sox opt to move on from Cairo and hire from within, Class AA Birmingham manager Justin Jirschele is the likely choice.

Former catcher A.J. Pierzynski has expressed interest in coming back and managing the White Sox. He'd be a popular hire.

As for Ozzie Guillen returning to the dugout, he was not interviewed after Rick Renteria was fired following the 2020 season and no longer looks like a match.