REPORT: Chicago Cubs to interview A.J. Hinch, Rick Renteria again

The Chicago Cubs will conduct second interviews with San Diego Padres’ vice president of professional scouting A.J. Hinch and bench coach Rick Renteria, according to FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal.

One week ago, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Renteria emerged as the Cubs’ clear-cut choice to replace Dale Sveum, who was dismissed in September after back-to-back 96-loss seasons.

February 23, 2012; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer (left) talks to president Theo Epstein (right) during spring training at Fitch Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Renteria managed in the minors for the Floria Marlins from 1998 to 2001. He later served as the hitting coach in 2003 for the Lake Elsinore Storm for the Padres’ organization before he managed the club from 2004 to 2007. In 2007, he moved up to Triple-A and became the Portland Beavers’ skipper and later moved to the major league club in 2008.

Renteria managed the 2013 Mexico team in the World Baseball Classic and worked with Everth Cabrerea, Yonder Alonso, and Alexi Amarista. He was also drafted by the Cubs’ in 1982 and made his debut in 1986, he played three seasons for the club.

Four years removed from his last professional at-bat he was named the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager, replacing Bob Melvin, even though he had never managed a team at any level. He was the youngest person to ever managed and was fired in July of 2010, following a dismal 31-48 start. Overall, the team went 89-123 (.420) under Hinch in 2009-10.

Hinch is considered a failure for those two years, but he may have had just a bad team. He worked with young talent like Justin Upton, Dan Haren, Ian Kennedy, Adam LaRoche, Gerardo Parra, and Edwin Jackson. Other players like Chris Young, Kelly Johnson, Mark Reynolds, Miguel Montero, and Stephen Drew had good seasons under Hinch and saw their performance dip once Kirk Gibson took over the club.

Hinch spent seven years as a major league catcher, a current trend for new managers. This gives him an unique perspective for the game and helped him in his role as vice president of professional scouting for the Padres.

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