McEwing praises La Russa's managerial style

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Joe McEwing has a long and positive history with White Sox manager Tony La Russa.

McEwing’s big league career began with the Cardinals in 1998, when La Russa was managing, and McEwing’s best season out of nine years in the Majors came in ’99. When La Russa retired after winning the World Series in 2011, McEwing interviewed for the Cardinals’ managerial vacancy before eventually taking over as the White Sox third-base coach under Robin Ventura.

So, it was easy for McEwing to join La Russa’s second tenure as White Sox manager, returning to his familiar third-base-coach perch, when La Russa asked. But McEwing’s excitement for this new season doesn’t erase his disappointment for the White Sox parting ways with Rick Renteria, a mentor and true friend, especially as the South Siders move toward prime title contention after a three-year rebuild.

“When Ricky was let go, it was extremely difficult because of all the work that we all put in throughout to continue this process,” McEwing told MLB.com Thursday. “It was extremely difficult because of our friendship. And you just replay all the conversations and time and energy that is put into what got us to this point.

“Ricky is an amazing friend, family member, and baseball individual. Ricky did an amazing job. It was trying times, and he was able to put us in a position to be successful. We reached the playoffs. We fell short of our goal. And you know, in this game, we understand the other circumstances of everything that comes with it. But knowing and understanding that, he’s an amazing baseball guy, an amazing friend.

“I was very fortunate to be able to be next to him as a friend, as a friend to my family, a friend to his family,” McEwing said. “He’s got an amazing family. One I’m extremely fortunate for and the friendship that will continue until the day I die. Like I said, in the beginning it was extremely difficult. We’ve had multiple conversations to where we just continued to bounce stuff off each other and continue to grow on and off the field.”

McEwing served as bench coach during Renteria’s time as manager from 2017-20. After losing 100 games in ’18, the White Sox started to make progress in the first half of ’19 and then reached the playoffs for the first time since ’08 during the abbreviated ’20 season. They were the first American League team to clinch a playoff spot but finished as the seventh seed with a 35-25 mark after a 2-8 finish to the season.

The White Sox made the managerial change shortly after losing a three-game AL Wild Card series to the A’s. On the same day as the Renteria announcement, La Russa was mentioned as the prime replacement choice.

La Russa had not managed since ’11, but according to McEwing, has not missed a step.

“He’s locked into every second of the day,” said McEwing of La Russa. “Detail, detail, detail, detail. And this is where we never stop learning. He asks for information. He asks questions constantly.

“Think about a Hall of Famer who wants to come back to the daily grind of what it takes day in and day out, from the beginning of Spring Training to the end of this season, how much goes into that. And it’s still there. He definitely prepares every individual on how to win every single day, mentally, physically, detail wise. Covers all the bases, dots every I, crosses every T.

“It’s a lot of energy from the beginning of Spring Training to the end,” McEwing said. “That’s how much he loves the game, loves to compete, loves to look for an edge, loves to win. And moreso, loves the friendships and the memories that are created along that journey and path.”

There was a desire by La Russa to maintain continuity with last year’s staff. So, first-base coach Daryl Boston, assistant pitching Curt Hasler and hitting coach Frank Menechino all joined La Russa along with McEwing.

“He’s a disciple of George Kissell and George Kissell always preached ‘Learn, learn, learn,’” said La Russa of McEwing. “At this point, after all the years he’s coached, Joe has excellent knowledge that he turns over to the players about baserunning, infield play, thinking tough at-bats. Now he’s back coaching third, which he’s warned me he gets excited about waving a guy around, but I also know he can do the bench coach. I’m sure he could manage.”

“I never worried about positions or titles or any of that in any arena,” McEwing said. “Your work speaks volumes for what you do and how you go about it. It’s been amazing. There’s energy, there’s passion. There’s commitment to where we ultimately want to be, and that’s having a parade.”