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Robin Ventura


Jim Fainter

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Someone mentioned Robin in another post, and I had a few random thoughts about him.

 

What was the deal with him and Manager Terry Bevington? There was some kind of incident on a team bus in which Robin caused a mini revolt or something? I wasn't living in Chi then and didn't have internet, so I never got the whole story. I didn't like what I heard, because a leader of the team shouldn't be contributing to team dissension.

 

I have to think that one of the reasons Bevington was fired was because of his relationship with Robin. I know, there were other reasons, too.

 

I also know the Sox were criticized for letting him go, but they offered him $7 Large per year to re-sign. Isn't that enough? Robin went on record saying he should be paid "Matt Williams like numbers", when Williams was hitting a ton. Robin was not as good as Williams in those days. I thought he was out of line and overrated. I know he had a few gold gloves with us, but I also remember one year at the end of his tenure with the Sox when he was making all kinds of errors. He certainly did not play an error free third base.

 

I mean, he is your basic .270 or so hitter with decent power and Konerko-like speed (I am writing this without looking up his stats). He left us for the Mets, had a great year, and returned to mediocrity. They let him go.

 

Did he have a rift with either Frank or Belle?

 

I don't mean to be bashing Robin, because I pulled for him like crazy when he was with us, but I still think he was overrated. I sensed something about his attitude in his last few years with us. He had a terrible injury in ST one year, but that was his fault, not the team's. If he really had the bad attitude, I have trouble justifying it. Maybe I'm imagining things. If so, I will probably hear about it later in this thread.

 

I look forward to the board's opinions.

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My recollection is that the RV desire and the JR offer were not that far apart. If I am wrong, correct me. I ws angry when we let RV go - he was our career grand slam leader, he hit timely and well, he played more than adequete 3rd base, was a clear fan favorite, and after he left we has the parade of Nortons and their ilk until we got Perry.

 

If I am not right in remembering that the $$s were not that far apart, someone let me know.

 

We should have kept Robin.

 

If he got into it with Bevington, more power to him! Bevington was as stupid a manager as there ever was.

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Robin was a great player and a did a lot for the team when he was here. I miss him and wish I had a chance to see him play more here when I was growing up. Only bad memory I had of Robin is when he went after Nolan Ryan and got his ass kicked :lol:

 

Other than that I really liked the guy. Too bad he is on the Yanks now.

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The first Major League game I went to was on 8-9-97. It was at the Kingdome where the M's were hosting the ChiSox. In the top of the ninth Robin smacked a three-run-job of the facade in centerfield's upper deck!

That is my memory of Robin.

 

I remember last offseason there were rumors of us signing him. I wanted that to happen xo bad. Hopefully Crede will be great and we won't need his services again. Should something happen, I'd love to have him back.

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I do not remember the numbers, but the Sox offer was only a token offer. In fact, I considered it insulting and didn't blame Ventura a bit for bolting. JR made a comment at the time that Robin didn't put buts in the seats... then he came back as a Yankee and got that tremendous standing O. I really hope JR saw that and realized just how popular a player RV was.

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I really hope JR saw that and realized just how popular a player RV was.

Just because a player is popular, that doesn't mean management has to keep him. Sure, if it's fiscally responsible, you do your best to keep fan faves, but otherwise it's a business.

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Ventura was my favorite player of the Sox in my time of living; in term my time of being a White Sox fan (1987-Present). I really liked his attitude and, despite no being able to hit much over .270 on an average season, I liked his power and his heart that he put into ever play. He was a great defensive third baseman and that was something I had always admired in him. It was terrible the day they announced he was going to the Met's. Every time we play the Yankee's, I give him the respect he deserves whenever he steps up to the plate. I miss him hear on thw Whitw Sox and I am sure many others do as well.

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Ventura was my favorite player of the Sox in my time of living; in term my time of being a White Sox fan (1987-Present). I really liked his attitude and, despite no being able to hit much over .270 on an average season, I liked his power and his heart that he put into ever play. He was a great defensive third baseman and that was something I had always admired in him. It was terrible the day they announced he was going to the Met's. Every time we play the Yankee's, I give him the respect he deserves whenever he steps up to the plate. I miss him hear on thw Whitw Sox and I am sure many others do as well.

 

other than my favorites being Frank, Carlton, and Robin, with an edge towards Carlton, please count me in as one who strongly identifies with what you posted !

 

I was so angry when we lost Ventura - he was worth the cost as the heart and soul of the team, as well as all those grand slams -

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:wub: I love Robin too. No matter what team he's on.

 

CWSOX: Thanks for puttin' in some good words for my :wub: beloved Herbert Perry

 

Herbert managed to out do Robin in batting averages when he ended up with an average over .300 a couple of years ago. Herbert was the first 3rd baseman to hit .300 for the White Sox since George Kell about 45 years ago. You can count on "The Milkman" to deliver.

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Bevington got fired because he's an idiot. remember when he walked out to the mound , signaled for a lefty and no one was warming up? that's one of the million f*** ups he had.

another Bevington f*** up - close play, ump makes a call, Bevington charges out and vociferously argues the call and the ump reverses the call - changing if from a class for the Sox to a call against the Sox. Bevington was so clueless, he literally did not know what he was arguing about, and it cost us. :angry:

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:wub:  I love Robin too. No matter what team he's on.

 

CWSOX:  Thanks for puttin' in some good words for my  :wub: beloved Herbert Perry

 

Herbert managed to out do Robin in batting averages when he ended up with an average over  .300 a couple of years ago.  Herbert was the first 3rd baseman to hit .300 for the White Sox since George Kell about 45 years ago.  You can count on "The Milkman" to deliver.

we should have kept Robin. A productive player who is vital to the team's makeup and chemistry and who is a fan favorite who produces solidly at his position with the glove and the bat - that player you keep. Losing Robin was a bigger slap in the face to the fans that White Flag trade, in my opinion - WF was about something at least, dumping Robin was to save a few $$ on a player who derserved being kept.

 

How much Robin meant to the team was shown by the struggles we had at 3rd until we got Perry, and now Crede. It was all about finding a decent replacement for Robin, who we never needed to replace.

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Robin was a great player and a did a lot for the team when he was here.  I miss him and wish I had a chance to see him play more here when I was growing up.  Only bad memory I had of Robin is when he went after Nolan Ryan and got his ass kicked  :lol:

 

Other than that I really liked the guy.  Too bad he is on the Yanks now.

i loved robin but getting his ass kicked by nolan ryan is no suprised. he is a farmer.

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