After earning his first victory as the White Sox's interim manager in style --- routing the Yankees Monday night, 12-2 --- Grady Sizemore is excited about the potential for his future in baseball.
Is he hoping to become a permanent manager?
"I hope so," he told reporters before Tuesday's game.
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Sizemore took over as the team's interim manager after the organization announced last week they dismissed Pedro Grifol, effective immediately. After Monday's win, he was brimming off of his first victory after taking two consecutive losses to the Cubs during his first couple of games.
"I was just happy. I was excited," Sizemore said Tuesday. "After talking to my family and everything I watched the game again and I fell asleep watching the game. It doesn't really feel real at this point. But I'm just proud of those guys, proud of the way they played, proud of the way they've handled their business since all of this.
"I am having fun. Last night was a great example of that. These last three, four days have been some of my happiest and most fun games in baseball."
Just last year, Sizemore held a $15-an-hour internship with the Diamondbacks, which was set up by White Sox assistant GM Josh Barfield. When Barfield made the move to Chicago, he recommended Sizemore for a coaching position. And after the slot opened up for an interim manager, Sizemore got his break.
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MORE: Grady Sizemore went from $15-an-hour intern to MLB manager in less than a year
While he hopes his time as interim manager could snowball into a permanent position, that might not be possible with the White Sox. After dismissing Grifol, general manager Chris Getz was adamant about the search outside the organization for the team's next manager.
"We are focused on candidates that are currently with other organizations and in uniform," Getz told the media last Thursday.
"I think it's important to bring in a new voice, a fresh voice that's been too exposed into areas of this game that we don't currently have in our organization. (I'm) very curious and excited to learn more about some of these individuals, and then we'll get it to the finish line and name the next manager. I feel like it's a fairly basic structure, very open-minded but I certainly look forward to getting it started."
Sizemore's presence in the organization isn't the only drawback of his application. He's also fairly inexperienced since beginning his post-playing career in MLB, too.
He had a great playing career that saw him earn three All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award. Sizemore retired in 2015 after a phenomenal 12-year playing career.
In 2023, Sizemore went to Barfield, as aforementioned, in Arizona with the hopes of joining the organization. All of the positions were full, so Sizemore accepted a $15-an-hour internship with general manager Mike Hazen.
When Barfield came to Chicago, he helped get Sizemore a job on Grifol's coaching staff. Now, he's in the midst of his first real experience as a manager. But it's fairly obvious his experience isn't what the White Sox hope for in their next manager.
Last time around, the White Sox opened the door for consideration to some of their staffers, including bench coach and once interim manager Miguel Cairo. The White Sox went with Grifol, but they gave insiders a shot. But remember, that was during the tenure of then-GM Rick Hahn and Vice President Kenny Williams.
Knowing there's a chance of discouraging in-house staffers with the idea of becoming the team's permanent manager, Getz was direct in his need to be candid with his current employees.
"I think naturally there's the human element of what uncertainty brings people and the anxiety that can be presented because of that," Getz said. "But I need to be honest. I want to be direct. And I think with the status of our major league club, most people understand the approach. But the best that I can do is be upfront, answer any questions that they may have, and just be available. And that's the type of leader I try to be."
Sizemore's hopes of becoming a permanent manager one day might have to wait, especially if his eyes are set on becoming the White Sox's next skipper. But right now, he's content with that.
"I didn't come in here with that goal set in mind," Sizemore said of becoming a manager. "I really just want to make an impact on these guys and do my best for them. It's just one day at a time. Tonight we have the Yankees and we're just trying to get ready for that."