CHICAGO – Leading the Chicago White Sox to their first World Series title in 88 years last season also brought manager OZZIE GUILLEN more responsibility. Back in spring training, General Manager KEN WILLIAMS handed the future decisions of the coaching staff to Guillen, and on Friday the third-year skipper had his first casualty.

The club announced that the contract of bench coach TIM RAINES would not be renewed for 2007, and Guillen will conduct a search for Raines' replacement. The news was not unexpected, considering the club announced in mid-May that first-base coach HAROLD BAINES, pitching coach DON COOPER, third-base coach JOEY CORA, bullpen coach ART KUSNYER and hitting coach GREG WALKER all had agreed to multiyear contract extensions.

Of the five, Kusnyer received a two-year deal and the rest three-year deals.

Raines was not included in that group, with Guillen saying he wanted to take a wait-and-see approach. ''Yeah, I'm OK with that,'' Raines responded then. '' Even if I wasn't, what good is it going to do ?'' Raines was originally hired by the Sox on 11 November 2004, with the intent of improving the club in the stolen-base department as well as working with the outfielders.

He served as first-base coach for the 2005 world champions before shifting to bench coach for '06. While Guillen never said why Raines was not given an extension, sources indicated he was not thrilled with Raines' work ethic all the time, even though it had improved over this last season. With the Sox down a coach, Baines could return to bench duties, which would leave Guillen needing a first-base coach. As for speculation Guillen's former teammate ROBIN VENTURA could fill that spot, Ventura said last year he was asked to join the Sox in some capacity but had no interest in returning to baseball.

SPECIAL TO WWW.CANADIANBASEBALLNEWS.COM – 14 November 2006