Chicago White Sox Want to Keep Robin Ventura for the Future
The Chicago White Sox have decided to offer manager Robin Ventura a contract extension to keep him in Chicago beyond this season.
According to a report by Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports, the Chicago White Sox have made the decision not to replace manager Robin Ventura. Instead, they will offer him a new contract so that he stays with the team in the future. The team has not made a public announcement.
The decision may come as a surprise to some given the Chicago White Sox’ struggles this year. With a pitiful 76 wins and 81 losses, they seem destined to finish the season in fourth place for the third straight season. The team has not played up to expectations, especially after spending the off-season bolstering their roster with the likes of Brett Lawrie, Todd Frazier, and Austin Jackson.
Those additions, however, have not assisted the team much this year. The starting rotation features stars like Chris Sale and Jose Quintana and has been fine, but the bullpen is nothing special and the offense is average at best. Worse yet, their defense is in the bottom third by many metrics.
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Whether or not this is the manager’s fault is up for debate, and the Chicago White Sox evidently feel that Robin Ventura has done a fine job. Next season would be his sixth at the helm, which would make him just the seventh manager to last more than five seasons with the Sox. Interestingly enough, each of the last three managers for the team has stayed for at least six seasons.
A vote of confidence for Ventura is certainly surprising considering the lack of success the team has experienced under his watch. Their 373-432 record is rather unimpressive, and they have posted a losing record in each of the last three seasons. Given their current record, it is almost assured that this year will be their fourth straight losing season – just the third time in White Sox history.
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Even if the Chicago White Sox offer Ventura a contract extension, it is unknown whether or not he would accept. The 49-year-old has stated that he definitely wants to continue managing, although he never specified that he wants to stay in Chicago. With several teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, and Cincinnati Reds likely to explore other managerial options, Ventura could potentially test the waters of free agency in hopes of finding a better team. This should be an interesting story for White Sox fans to follow as the season comes to a close.