White Sox name ex-Cubs manager Rick Renteria bench coach

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox named Rick Renteria their new bench coach Tuesday and announced that Greg Sparks will be the club's new assistant hitting coach.

Renteria last served as the Chicago Cubs manager in 2014 before he was replaced by Joe Maddon this past season. He also was the manager for Team Mexico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He has three years of bench coach experience with the San Diego Padres from 2011-13.

"His experience as a big league manager and a bench coach on a major league coaching staff, as well as his managerial experience in the minors and former playing career, they were all positives in his favor, as well as his high baseball IQ, communication skills, high energy," general manager Rick Hahn said. "Really, the list goes one with positives in his favor. We are thrilled to be able to add him at this time."

The 53-year-old Renteria replaces Mark Parent, who was let go as the club's bench coach at the end of the 2015 season. In addition to his major-league coaching experience, Renteria also was a manager in the Padres' system for four years and in the Miami Marlins' system for another four years.

Hahn said the White Sox interviewed three candidates before deciding on Renteria. It was reported that Sandy Alomar Jr. declined an interview request.

Sparks, 51, will be reunited with White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson after working in the Oakland Athletics organization for the past 19 years. Steverson was an instructor in the A's system for 10 years before joining the White Sox before the 2014 season.

Sparks is the son of former White Sox first-base coach Joe Sparks, and was a White Sox bat boy in the 1979 season. He was a 12-year minor leaguer after being selected by the Padres in the fifth round of the 1984 draft.