Cubs to interview Rick Renteria

The Chicago Cubs will meet with San Diego Padres bench coach Rick Renteria regarding the team's managerial vacancy, sources tell ESPNChicago's Jesse Rogers.

Renteria, a 51 year old California native, played 5 seasons in the big leagues during the late 80's and early 90's. He played in a total of 184 games for the Pirates, Mariners, and Marlins, hitting .237/.285/.322. A former first round pick, the infielder played a significant role on the inaugural Marlins team in 1993.

Since his retirement, Renteria has held a bevy of coaching positions. After spending 7 years coaching in the Marlins system, Renteria was hired by the Lake Elsinore Storm of the Padres organization to become their hitting coach in 2003. The following year, he was named the Storm's manager, and three years later, he was promoted to manage the now defunct Portland Beavers in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. In 2008, Renteria earned a promotion to the Padres' big league coaching staff, and ultimately took on his current role of bench coach in 2011.

This Spring, Renteria managed Mexico's national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic, though his squad was eliminated in the first round of the event.

The Cubs' managerial situation has been a hot topic around baseball since the team fired two-year skipper Dale Sveum on the final day of the regular season.

With Joe Girardi's recent extension with the New York Yankees, the spectrum of candidates to be the Cubs' manager next season has narrowed, with many believing the current frontrunners to be Renteria, Padres' executive AJ Hinch, and former Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians manager (and current ESPN analyst) Manny Acta.