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No official announcement from the White Sox (who haven’t officially done a thing with the coaching staff besides hiring Tony La Russa and acknowledging they knew he had a new DUI arrest when they hired him), but Lindsey Adler of the Athletic in New York has pegged Miguel Cairo as the new White Sox bench coach:
Miguel Cairo will be hired as the White Sox’ new bench coach, according to a source. Cairo was most recently a minor league infield coordinator with the Yankees.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) November 19, 2020
Cairo did play under La Russa with the Cardinals in 2001-03 and 2007, St. Louis signing him off of waivers (Cubs in 2001, Yankees in 2007) twice. That would suggest Cairo made a pretty good impression on La Russa. Still, with no significant coaching experience, it’s hard to see this as a La Russa call; perhaps Rick Hahn had a short list for his new manager to pick from. (Of course, incumbent bench coach Joe McEwing, who has big fans in Tim Anderson and José Abreu for the dogged defensive drilling he did to improve both players, also played for two seasons under La Russa in St. Louis.)
Cairo played in six different postseasons over his 17-year career, on one World Series team (Philadelphia Phillies in 2009) but seeing no action in the Fall Classic.
Presuming the unconfirmed Cairo and Ethan Katz (pitching coach) hires, the White Sox still need to fill first- and third-base coach spots, as well as assistant hitting coach.