White Sox manager Rick Renteria uses intel from upstairs, but lineups are all his
Renteria plans to stick with a more regular lineup in 2020.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — For a third time in the first handful of Cactus League games, manager Rick Renteria on Thursday penned a starting lineup that could be a hint of what he has in mind for Opening Day:
Tim Anderson SS;
Yoan Moncada 3B;
Jose Abreu DH;
Edwin Encarnacion DH;
Nomar Mazara RF;
Eloy Jimenez LF;
Luis Robert CF;
James McCann C;
Leury Garcia 2B.
When switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal returns from a sore calf soon, he’ll likely move Mazara down to the lower third of the lineup, but that’s how it might look.
Renteria used 143 combinations last season, but he has better personnel this year and wants a more set lineup.
It will be his lineup, not the front office’s, although Renteria uses analytics he receives from above.
“We have great dialogue, very open,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “Ricky is extremely inquisitive and wants to know rationale behind recommendations. He asks for recommendations on certain things and in the end knows he has the latitude to trust his gut.
“He’s the one down there putting the guys in the best position to succeed. And he’s the one with the ability to look in their eyes and see if there’s a level of confidence to get the job done in a certain instance. Statistically or matchup wise, it might say ‘do X’ but he chooses to do Y because of what he sees in the player, the health, the mental state, the confidence of an individual on a given night. That is part of why you have a manager in the dugout. So it’s on him to deploy the guys in the best manner to to succeed.”
Hahn said more often than not Renteria’s lineups “go with the numbers.” When he goes against them, Hahn has no quibble.
“He always has rationale for why he makes a certain decision,” Hahn said. “And that’s his job.”
The Sox host the Mariners at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.
Fry’s back
White Sox left-hander Jace Fry took four days off while dealing with a sore low back but plans to resume soon, he said.
“Just a sore, tight lower back,” Fry said. “It feels good. I’ve been throwing again and plan to get on the mound at the end of this week. We’re not really worried about it.”
Fry said he has dealt with spasms and the back tightening up over the course of his career.
“We kind of had to load back up and gain the arm strength before getting back on the mound. We’re not really worried about it, we know we have it under control and it’s getting better.”
Waiting on the Gios
Likely Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito (chest muscle) threw a bullpen and is scheduled for live batting practice next, he said.
Probable No. 5 starter Gio Gonzalez (shoulder) is not ready for a bullpen yet. Gonzalez continues to throw long toss, work on mechanics and build up shoulder strength, he said.