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White Sox, Diamondbacks and Rockies: What to Expect from the New Managers

By Bobby Mueller

Dec 7, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria speaks with the media on day three of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria speaks with the media on day three of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

What should we expect from the new managers for the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies in 2017?

The Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies all have new managers running the show in 2017. All three teams finished below .500 in 2016 and none of the three are considered strong contenders in the upcoming season, although the Diamondbacks and Rockies have higher hopes than the White Sox.

When MLB teams hire a new manager, they are usually on the bottom of the roller coaster and looking to improve. Often, a new manager will be brought aboard just as the team has traded away some of their veteran players and are going with a youth movement. They hope the new manager can blend the remaining veterans with younger players and develop the team into contenders.

In the case of the three teams with new men at the helm in 2017, the White Sox are the best example of team in full rebuilding mode. They traded away their best pitcher and position player and stocked their farm system with high-end talent. The Arizona Diamondbacks also traded away one of their best players from last season, but brought back a young player they hope can help the team right away, rather than a few years down the road. The Rockies believe they are further along the path to contention. Rather than trade away talent, they signed a veteran free agent to improve the team for 2017.

All three of the new managers this year are former big league players, with varying degrees of success. One was a utility player who had just one season with more than 100 plate appearances in his career. Another had a scorching “cup of coffee” in September one year then fell flat on his face the next. The third was a 15-year veteran who pitched more than 2,000 innings in his career and won over 100 games.

So what can we expect for these teams and their new managers in 2017?

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