List For New Sox Manager Already Down To 'A Few Candidates'
By Adam Hoge-
CHICAGO (CBS) You can expect the White Sox to have a new manager sooner rather than later. It might even happen this week.
After Ozzie Guillen was released from his contract Monday night, White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams said he has already narrowed his list of potential managerial candidates down to "a few."
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"I have definite answers to that," Williams said, without naming specific replacements. "I will say very briefly that because of the warnings we've had ample time to dwindle a list down to a few select candidates and we think we can act swiftly. And that accompanies a plan of attack to the 2012, 2013 and 2014 season."
Sources indicate those candidates include White Sox minor league director Buddy Bell, Cleveland Indians first base coach and former White Sox catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. and Tampa Bay Rays bench coach and former White Sox player Dave Martinez.
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It's possible Williams already made his choice. Asked again about his plans for next season, Williams once again said, "I have answers to that question," but didn't elaborate further.
With Williams hinting that a lot of work has already been put into finding the next manager, Bell and Alomar Jr. make the most sense from a logistical standpoint.
Bell is an in-house candidate, making it easy to interview him, while the White Sox have played the Indians seven times this month, which also makes it feasible Alomar could have met with Williams.
Considering Martinez is in the middle of a pennant race and the White Sox haven't played the Rays since April, it appears unlikely the Sox would have been able to meet with the bench coach in person. Still, Martinez is a former White Sox player and maintains a good relationship with the team.
Meanwhile, the same sources indicate Don Cooper will be retained as pitching coach and Greg Walker will step down on his own as hitting coach. Joey Cora is expected to join Ozzie Guillen in Florida.
