White Sox manager Rick Renteria uses intel from upstairs, but lineups are all his

GLENDALE, Ariz. — For a third time in the first handful of Cactus League games, White Sox manager Rick Renteria on Thursday penned a starting lineup he has in mind for Opening Day:

Tim Anderson, SS; Yoan Moncada, 3B; Jose Abreu, 1B; Edwin Encarnacion, DH; Nomar Mazara, RF; Eloy Jimenez, LF; Luis Robert, CF; James McCann, C; Leury Garcia, 2B.

Encarnacion, a late scratch because of back stiffness, was replaced by Nicky Delmonico. When switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal returns from a sore calf soon, he’ll likely move Mazara down to the lower third of the lineup, but that’s how it might look.

“Yes, exactly,” Renteria said.

Renteria used 143 combinations last season, but he has better personnel this year and wants a more set lineup.

It will be his lineup, not the front office’s, although Renteria uses analytics he receives from above.

“We have great dialogue, very open,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “Ricky is extremely inquisitive and wants to know the rationale behind recommendations. He asks for recommendations on certain things and in the end knows he has the latitude to trust his gut.

“He’s the one down there putting the guys in the best position to succeed. And he’s the one with the ability to look in their eyes and see if there’s a level of confidence to get the job done in a certain instance. Statistically or matchup-wise, it might say do X, but he chooses to do Y because of what he sees in the player, the health, the mental state, the confidence of an individual on a given night. That is part of why you have a manager in the dugout. So it’s on him to deploy the guys in the best manner to succeed.”

Hahn said more often than not Renteria’s lineups “go with the numbers.” When he goes against them, Hahn has no quibble.

“He always has a rationale for why he makes a certain decision,” Hahn said. “And that’s his job.”

Fry says he’ll resume soon

Left-hander Jace Fry took four days off while dealing with a sore lower back but plans to resume soon, he said.

“Just a sore, tight lower back,” Fry said. “It feels good. I’ve been throwing again and plan to get on the mound at the end of this week. We’re not really worried about it.”

Gio updates

Probable No. 5 starter Gio Gonzalez (shoulder) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session, his first of the spring. Renteria expects Gonzalez to be ready for the start of the regular season. Likely Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito (chest muscle) threw a bullpen session and said he’s scheduled for live batting practice early next week.

Konerko visits camp

Looking healthy and as young — if not younger — than during his playing days, Paul Konerko visited the clubhouse and back fields. He said he is enjoying coaching his son’s travel baseball team and is developing a fan-like appreciation of baseball he didn’t have as a player.

“I never understood when I was player, why do people listen to all of this stuff?” he said. “Why does it matter? It’s all about between the lines, but once you’re outside of it, it is fun to hear all these debates and kind of hear it all.”