Joe McEwing moved to bench coach as White Sox name Rick Renteria's staff

Joe McEwing moved to bench coach as White Sox name Rick Renteria's staff

White Sox manager Rick Renteria spent the last year working with Joe McEwing, and he came to the conclusion the new Sox bench coach might be even higher-energy than he is.

"And I didn't think that was possible," Renteria said Friday via conference call.

Renteria said he believes he and McEwing will make a good fit after the Sox announced a 2017 coaching staff built entirely from within the organization.

Director of player development Nick Capra will take over McEwing's former role as third-base coach, and minor-league pitching coordinator Curt Hasler becomes the new bullpen coach. The Sox also will retain pitching coach Don Cooper, hitting coach Todd Steverson, assistant hitting coach Greg Sparks, first-base coach Daryl Boston and bullpen catcher Mark Salas.

McEwing, 44, was former manager Robin Ventura's third-base coach for all five seasons. A former major-league infielder/outfielder for nine seasons, he also managed in the Sox minor-league system for three years.

"He's a hard worker," Renteria said. "He's in there early looking for anything that will give us an edge. His managing experience and coaching experience also allows him an opportunity to be able to serve me well, talk to me."

Bobby Thigpen, who was the bullpen coach for four seasons and with the Sox for 10 years, will be the only departure from the organization.

"We felt it was time to go in a different direction," general manager Rick Hahn said, "and are excited by what both Curt and Nick will bring to the staff."

Despite four straight losing seasons, the Sox didn't look to outside help to shake up the coaching staff, just as they picked Renteria on Oct. 3 from their own staff to be manager. The Sox ranked 13th in the majors in 2016 with a .257 team batting average, tied for 20th with 686 runs scored and ranked 21st with a .727 OPS. Their pitching staff ranked 14th with a 4.10 ERA.

Renteria has spent eight seasons as a coach or manager in the major leagues for the Padres, Cubs and Sox, and he acknowledged Friday he knows others from the outside he could have brought on to his staff. But he said the familiarity he gained with the current group over his year as the Sox bench coach is valuable.

"I became extremely comfortable with them, both in their ability to do their job and take on a new responsibility," Renteria said. "They can continue to grow as coaches and hopefully those things will pay dividends moving down the road."

Capra, 58, has spent 21 seasons in the Sox organization and five as the director of player development. In minor-league roles, he has been the field coordinator, assistant director of instruction, hitting coordinator and a manager in the Sox system for 10 seasons.

Hasler, 51, has been a pitching coach in the Sox organization for 25 seasons and has spent six as the minor-league pitching coordinator.

Capra and Hasler spent time with the Sox in September. Renteria said they attended many of the team's meetings and got a feel for how the team prepares for a series and how they handle information.

"They were able to converse with a lot of players who are here and interact with us as coaches," Renteria said. "It will benefit us all."