White Sox Choose Pirate Coach Lamont

Gene Lamont became the newest major league manager when he was hired Tuesday by the Chicago White Sox.

Lamont, third base coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, succeeds Jeff Torborg, who quit to manage the New York Mets.

“We wanted freshness, a new guy and not someone recycled,” White Sox General Manager Ron Schueler said.

Lamont, 44, filled the 14th and final major league managerial opening this year and became the fifth manager hired despite having no major league managing experience.

Lamont joins Phil Garner of Milwaukee, Butch Hobson of Boston, Buck Showalter of the New York Yankees and Bill Plummer of Seattle as rookie managers. He managed in the minor leagues for eight seasons before coaching for Jim Leyland in Pittsburgh for six years.

“I can promise only one thing,” Lamont said. “When we start the game, I’ll put in a good day’s work, and our players will be ready to play both mentally and physically.”

Bill Russell, who will manage the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate at Albuquerque, N.M., was one of four finalists for the job.

He said he respected the White Sox’s decision, considered it a compliment that they had been interested in him and thought he would benefit from having gone through the interviewing process for the first time.

“I didn’t know what kind of shot I had or didn’t have,” Russell said. “It would have been a difficult decision if I had been offered the job. I wouldn’t necessarily have taken it.

“I’ve got 25 years in the Dodgers’ organization and feel like I have a good shot at (Manager Tom Lasorda’s) job if I stay, though nothing is guaranteed.”