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White Sox name Rick Renteria bench coach, Greg Sparks assistant hitting coach

The expected coaching moves have both been made. Renteria comes into an awkward situation and Sparks joins the team after being Steverson's replacement at Oakland.

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The White Sox have made official the two coaching moves we've been expecting.  The Sox have named Rick Renteria the new bench coach and Greg Sparks is the White Sox new assistant hitting coach.

Renteria was most recently in Chicago as the Cubs manager in 2014.  Before that he spent six seasons as part of the Padres staff including three seasons as their bench coach. With experience as a major league manager and a Spanish speaker, Renteria takes care of a few things on Rick Hahn's bench coach shopping list.

Sparks comes into the organization as the assistant batting coach. His last job with the Sox was as batboy. His dad Joe Sparks was the first base coach for the Sox in 1979. Sparks was the minor league hitting coordinator for the Oakland organization from 2004 to 2011 when Todd Steverson took over. Sparks became the hitting coach at the A's AAA team and returned to the minor league hitting coordinator job last season.