Rumor: White Sox Could Retain Robin Ventura as Manager

By Matt Manetti | Sep 29, 2016

Sep 2, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura (23) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

"Rumors are the White Sox will retain Robin Ventura as manager and offer him a contract extension. Ventura, who took over in 2012, is 373-432 in his career."

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale the Chicago White Sox will retain manager Robin Ventura. The organization wants him back and will leave the decision up to him. Nightengale says ownership and the front office is taking the blame for the team’s lack of success.

According to CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes, the White Sox have not offered Ventura an extension. Any report to the contrary is not accurate. Nightengale never reported an offer was made. You can read all the reports on MLB Traderumors.

Ventura’s tenure as manager has been shaky at best. His .469 winning percentage is the lowest among White Sox managers who lasted three seasons. It looked like he did want to continue managing but he has since changed his stance. He recently said he would wait until the offseason to discuss his future.

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This is quite a surprising turn of events. But it is a very Jerry Reinsdorf like move, if it turns out to be accurate. Despite poor showings the past four seasons, he will be loyal to guys who have been loyal to him. Probably also why there will be no changes made to the front office.

There’s no doubt Ventura was a great player but he has been less than stellar as a manager. He has only had one winning season and it feels like he has lost the locker room. It just doesn’t seem smart to bring him back. Chris Sale went as far to say that he doesn’t stick up for the players.

However, Nightengale says he doesn’t believe any manager would have been successful with this roster. Even someone like Bruce Bochy or Buck Showalter. It’s hard for me to disagree with him but I still firmly believe a better manager wins more games with this roster. However, this roster did have a lot of flaws. Mainly in the bullpen and outfield. The offense was also suspect.

I do give the organization credit for placing the blame on themselves and not solely on Ventura’s managing. It’s clear this roster was not put together very well, but his decisions as manager didn’t help either. He is probably one of the worst tacticians in baseball.

What this organization desperately needs is a fresh start from top to bottom. This means executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn need to go. Ventura needs to go as well. This team needs a fresh voice and new ideas.

The White Sox have been doing the same thing year after year and it hasn’t produced results. All it has done is throw the team into more and more disarray. It’s so bad, we don’t even know who has the final say on team matters. Is it Hahn, who has the title of GM or is it Williams, the team’s executive vice president? Nobody knows.

It’s really tough to envision any scenario in where this happens, so it’s hard to see this team being good anytime soon. Sure, they have some guys in the minors but we have seen this team fail to develop their talent. After all, Gordon Beckham was supposed to be a “can’t miss” prospect.

Sports is all about wins and losses. Nothing else matters. If you don’t win games, you don’t get to keep your job. Unless you’re Jeff Fisher and apparently Ventura. But Ventura shouldn’t get to keep his job after four-straight losing seasons. This is a results-oriented business and his teams have not produced.

What Reinsdorf needs to realize is the sooner he takes control of his franchise and ushers out the people responsible for its demise [Williams, Hahn, Ventura] the sooner we can get back to the glory days of White Sox baseball. Until then, this team will be mired in mediocrity or worse. For all we know 2017 could be a fifth-straight losing season. I’m just wondering how many losing seasons it will take before they make some changes.

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