In the most compelling part of Rick Renteria's first public comments since the Cubs fired him as manager a year ago after just one season, the new White Sox bench coach revealed his interaction with successor Joe Maddon.
Maddon indeed reached out shortly after taking the job with a phone call to Renteria, who opted to respond with a text message.
"There really was no need for us to speak," Renteria said Wednesday during a teleconference.
Sometimes saying nothing says everything.
The less Renteria said during a magical season for the Cubs, the more respect for him grew. While Maddon led the Cubs on a memorable journey that ended in the National League Championship Series, Renteria stayed on the high road at home in California. Repeatedly, Renteria turned down media requests because he didn't want to sound bitter or take attention away from Cubs players.
Not clearing the air with Renteria remains the most un-Joe Maddon thing Maddon has done since coming to Chicago, yet his predecessor never put him on the spot publicly about breaking a baseball code in pursuing a job that already was filled. Even if most everybody in the game understood the Cubs seizing the opportunity to snag Maddon, the biggest reason behind their turnaround, Renteria warranted sympathy he never sought.
Renteria never made it uncomfortable for Maddon or the Cubs front office by whining to reporters about his unexpected plight, never portrayed himself as a victim of circumstance the way many people in his position often do.
"You really don't want that to be the story," Renteria said. "You want the story to be on the positive things going on there. That's a lot of the reason I remained away."
On the day Renteria returned to discuss his role alongside Manager Robin Ventura on the Sox bench, he was gracious, honest and the consummate pro. Renteria actually sounded grateful to the Cubs, who easily could have thanked him in return for showing class handling what Cubs President Theo Epstein called "a moral dilemma."
"I am totally, completely happy with the opportunity that the Ricketts family and Theo and Jed (Hoyer) and everybody from the organization extended to me to get on the field as a manager with the Chicago Cubs," Renteria said. "It was a great experience. Obviously, anybody that has been in that arena knows that change sometimes occurs. As abruptly as it might have seemed, things happen, and there are a lot of kids on that club this year and a lot of people I worked alongside of who deserve to have as much success as they possibly can."
Any hard feelings linger?
"No," Renteria insisted. "You step away from it a little bit and you reflect, it's just a business. It's just baseball. And that doesn't take away from anything I believe I brought to the table at the time."
Asked again about the emotional impact of the Cubs' decision, Renteria sounded like a man whose perspective improved over time. Like a guy as reasonable as he is likable, the upbeat baseball lifer Cubs fans remember.
"It would be foolish for anybody who's doing something, who's giving themselves to a task, to not feel the wind blown out of you a little bit, (but) you take a step back, you regroup," Renteria said. "I'm sure, quite frankly, there was no intent on anybody's side to create a difficult situation. It was what it was."
It was a historic year for the Cubs that Renteria says he enjoyed immensely from afar as all the budding talent he saw developing blossomed at the same time. Committed to steering clear of controversy, Renteria didn't bite on a question whether he would have won as many games managing the Cubs as Maddon -- which, for 98 percent of managers, the answer is no.
"That's an unknown," Renteria said. "For me to now come forward to say I would have done this or that, it really has no place. The reality was I wasn't there and Joe Maddon was there. I'm very happy for all of them."
Renteria's sincerity will mesh well with Ventura, who initiated the idea of working together last offseason. Ventura values the ability of Renteria to communicate with Hispanic players and offer insight to everybody. Hey, hiring a fired Cubs manager worked for the Royals; they just won a World Series after adding Dale Sveum to their coaching staff in 2014. Not that the Sox seem two seasons away ... or three.
So how close are the Sox and how much heat will Ventura feel next season? The thought that the Sox might have just hired his successor never fazed Ventura, who also downplayed any awkwardness of Renteria returning to a city where he once worked 8.1 miles north.
"He's not stained at all," Ventura said. "We're looking at bringing in a quality guy. He had no problems with that. He's coming to do a job. He's not looking back but coming here for the opportunity."
After a year in baseball exile, Renteria just cherishes the chance.
Sports on 11/12/2015