Help wanted: Will White Sox hire the right manager this time?
The White Sox are searching for a new manager again.
This time, they're hoping to get it right.
The return of Tony La Russa did produce 93 wins and a trip to the playoffs last season, but there was seemingly one controversy after another and that spilled into this year.
While disgruntled fans chanted "Fire Tony" on a regular basis at Guaranteed Rate Field, La Russa couldn't pull the Sox out of a season-long tailspin.
There was serious doubt about the Hall of Fame manager returning to the Sox in 2023, but it became a moot point in late August.
La Russa took a medical leave of absence for a heart issue and never came back. He officially stepped down on Oct. 3 and said he was also being treated for another health concern.
"I think some people thought I did all right, some people didn't," the 78-year-old La Russa said of brief stay in the White Sox's dugout. "It's academic now because of the health."
Before Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf pulled rank and brought in La Russa two years ago, general manager Rick Hahn said the "ideal candidate is going to be someone who has experience with a championship organization in recent years."
That seemed to be code for hiring former Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who ultimately landed with the Tigers.
What is Hahn looking for this time around?
"I think having managerial experience is a positive," he said. "That said, you can also get good experience being a bench coach or adjacent to a manager. Ultimately, we want someone who played a key role in a winning organization, that was an important part of their on-field decision making."
That sounds awfully familiar.
Bruce Bochy is emerging as the favorite to become the Sox's new manager, but he's far from a lock.
On the plus side, Bochy managed the Giants to World Series wins in 2010, '12 and '14. Managing San Diego before moving to San Francisco, Bochy got the Padres to the playoffs four times, including the 1998 World Series.
But the 67-year-old Bochy has been out of the game since 2019 and - like La Russa - he's has some heart issues.
Fredi Gonzalez, Joe Girardi, Joe Maddon and Mike Shildt are all former managers that Hahn might interview.
Matt Quatraro (Rays), Joe Espada (Astros) and George Lombard (Tigers) are bench coaches that fit Hahn's criteria. Before spending the last two seasons in Detroit, Lombard went to the World Series three times in five years as the Dodgers' first base coach.
Hahn has already said White Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo has earned an interview after going 18-16 as acting manager in place of La Russa.
Sandy Alomar Jr. and Carlos Beltran are two more names to watch, although Alomar might move from Guardians first-base coach to manager if Terry Francona steps down due to health reasons.
Ozzie Guillen remains a popular candidate to return to the Sox's dugout, where he won the 2005 World Series.
Guillen was not interviewed after Rick Renteria was fired following the 2020 season. Will he be now?
"It is not in my plans," Guillen said on NBC Sports Chicago, where he's been working as an analyst. "I don't know if it's in the White Sox' plans. If they think I can help them for next year, I'm very open to listening."
Will Guillen get a chance?
"I'm not going to get into specifics of candidates," Hahn said. "I sort of laid out the general parameters and you can go from there. I think the ideal person to fit what we are looking for, given where this team is, does have recent experience in some role in a dugout contributing to a team that is having success."