The Chicago White Sox are shaking up their coaching staff. On Wednesday, James Fegan of the Athletic reported that hitting coach Frank Menechino and catching instructor Jerry Naron were not going to be returning to the club. Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times also reported that Joe McEwing will not be asked to return.
Many fans wanted Menechino to be on the chopping block after a disappointing offensive season in 2022. The White Sox offense ranked 22nd in home runs, 19th in runs scored, and 18th in slugging percentage and OBP. They also had the second fewest walks in front of only the Tigers.
The 51-year-old spent two years as the hitting coach of the Marlins and coached in the Yankees and Chicago farm systems before getting promoted to the big league club. Over the course of Menechino’s three-year tenure, the White Sox posted solid numbers. The White Sox lack of plate discipline was also concerning. They ranked ninth in run-scoring and park-adjusted hitting (105 wRC+) for the last three seasons combined. But their home run output slowly declined all three seasons, which ultimately led to his departure.
McEwing has been a staple in the White Sox dugout for the past 11 years. He served as the third base coach for seven years, including the last two seasons under La Russa. He caught some flack for some aggressive sends that killed multiple rallies throughout the seasons. However, he also was instrumental in Tim Anderson’s development at shortstop.
Narron was the first major-league instructor the White Sox staffed dedicated to catching. He lasted two seasons on the coaching staff. Before coming to Chicago, he’d previously been the bench coach in Arizona and Boston. He will be remembered for his fancy lineup cards that he filled out before every game. Narron was responsible for Yasmani Grandal’s new one-knee stance behind the plate. Despite Narron’s departure, Grandal will likely continue to use the stance in the wake of his injury problems.
Cleaning house on the coaching staff is a present surprise for a team in desperate need of a reset. The White Sox have a reputation for keeping coaches around longer than most teams. Don Cooper survived through three different managers, while Joe McEwing remained with the organization for 16 years.
But this has already been a unique offseason. Pedro Grifol is an out-of-the-box hire for the White Sox. Before Grifol, the last five managers all had previous ties to the organization. It will be interesting to see how much input Grifol has on the rest of the staff.
Having the new manager fill out his staff is common practice in the MLB. Reports indicate that Curt Hasler and pitching coach Ethan Katz will be the only coaches retained from the previous staff. Charlie Montoya was hired to be the bench coach. Daryl Boston is expected to be released, while Miguel Cario’s fate has yet to be determined.
They will all be missed at the park. Am sure the future success of the Sox will be predicated on adequate replacements. Give my regards to Tony. From a fan of 70 years.