Why would anyone want to come to the White Sox?
It’s a fair question for a team fresh off back-to-back 100-loss seasons, the second of which set a modern MLB record for most losses in a single season at 121. The last manager, Pedro Grifol was fired midway through his second season at the helm, the roster is far from contending, and the team’s best pitcher, Garrett Crochet is about to be traded.
But for Will Venable, the opportunity to manage the White Sox was too good to pass up. He was reportedly a finalist for the Miami Marlins job. However, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin Venable withdrew his name from consideration once he received an offer from the White Sox.
Venable was a highly sought-after managerial candidate. As Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man in Texas, he garnered interest from the Mets but declined an interview. The Cleveland Guardians also showed interest in hiring Venable but many assumed that the former MLB outfielder would stay with the Rangers organization, as the heir-apparent to the manager’s job once Bochy retired. So why the White Sox?
While Venable says he loved his time in Texas, Bochy was still managing at a high level, with no guarantees he would retire anytime soon. The opportunity to manage the White Sox presented him with a chance to move back to Chicago, a city he lived in during his time coaching in the Cubs organization. Venable told MLB Network that the White Sox also gave him a chance to “build something cool.”
White Sox general manager Chris Getz has already begun laying the foundation for an organizational shift. While the product on the field has been lacking, Getz has been restocking the front office with smart baseball minds from other organizations such as Josh Barfield, Brian Bannister, Jin Wong, and Paul Janish. In Venable, Getz feels he has the right man at the helm to build a winning culture.
Venable has said on multiple occasions that he prioritizes being a good communicator. This is one of the traits that the White Sox thought they were getting when they hired Pedro Grifol. Having a manager who can effectively relate to younger players is going to be critical for a White Sox roster that is filled with developing prospects. Venable spent a large portion of his career playing under manager Bud Black. He told MLB Network that playing under Black taught him the importance of clear, honest communication during the grind of a 162-game season.
As for the White Sox abysmal track record the last two seasons, Venable told MLB.com he is focused on the future.
“Every group going into every year has their work cut out for them,” Venable told MLB.com following his introductory press conference. “I’m excited for the challenge that this group presents.”
The 42-year-old skipper spent his first week on the job reaching out to nearly a dozen players as he tried to breathe new life into a struggling organization.
