Reason for White Sox Turnaround

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...mp;feedID=10338

 

How Ventura's approach leads to White Sox success

July 12, 2012, 10:52 am

 

There’s a new man at the helm this season and the White Sox have taken notice. Or perhaps it’s what they no longer notice.

 

Before they poured out of the home clubhouse on Sunday afternoon, headed for various locales to recuperate during the All-Star break, White Sox players praised rookie manager Robin Ventura for how he has handled the clubhouse.

 

Whereas players were subjected to the fiery, passionate personality of former manager Ozzie Guillen the previous eight seasons, now they play under the more mild-mannered ways of Ventura.

 

Several veterans believe Ventura’s approach has played a large part in the White Sox’ surprising start.

 

Expected to underwhelm and eventually trade off parts to the highest bidder, the White Sox have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises over the season’s first three months. Those veterans feel the way Ventura evenly manages the club, which begins the second half with a 47-38 record and a three-game lead in the American League Central, will pay dividends down the stretch.

 

“It has a different feel and it had that from spring training,” starting pitcher Jake Peavy said. “Robin and his staff, just a different personality. That’s all there is to it. That’s not saying that Ozzie’s (staff) was bad. They did amazing things. But Robin’s very laidback and quiet and Ozzie is very outspoken.”

 

Whereas Guillen, who owned a .524 winning percentage and led the White Sox to a World Series title in 2005, is brash, his former teammate prefers to lay low and pick his spots. First baseman Paul Konerko said the style works because players are smart enough to realize their new manager only speaks when he has a purpose.

 

“He’s not a yeller or a screamer,” Konerko said. “He’s not overmanaging or anything like that. He trusts his players. But I think he set the tone early that, ‘I’m not going to talk a lot, but when I talk, it’s important and everybody listen.’ He can be stern if he wants to. But I think everybody respects him and nobody wants to force his hand in that nature.”

 

Adam Dunn appreciates Ventura on several levels.

 

He said Ventura still connects with players who recognize their rookie manager’s career only ended in 2004. Dunn said Ventura remembers how players feel and his ability to relate goes a long way in the clubhouse.

 

“He understands,” Dunn said. “He’s not so far removed from us as players to where he forgot or he doesn’t remember how it feels. He’ll say stuff on the bench and it’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m feeling,’ or ‘You nailed it.’ That’s awesome.”

 

Dunn also likes how Ventura’s personality is the same, win or lose. An All-Star this season, Dunn said the managerial style is important because of baseball’s streaky nature. He also thinks Ventura’s even-keel personality should benefit a team, which currently features 10 rookies.

 

Dunn expects there will never be outrageous highs or lows with Ventura calling the shots.

 

“You just know what you’re getting each and every day,” Dunn said. “If you’re struggling, he treats you the same as if you’re hitting .400 with 18 home runs. He keeps it. That’s good for the young guys.”

 

Konerko said the new staff’s attitude also brings out the best in he and his teammates. He’s pleased with the effort level put forth by him and his teammates over the first half and believes Ventura’s staff has given them reason to continue to repeat the process.

 

“Everybody wants to show up and play for him,” Konerko said. “That goes for all of our coaches. There’s early work every day and hitting. There’s all kinds of stuff going on every day that’s not fun to do in 100-degree heat or 90-degree heat or cold at the beginning of the year. There has been a lot of that so a lot of credit goes to the coaching staff.”

 

Peavy admits the winning has helped. The team has also received strong contributions from himself, Dunn and outfielder Alex Rios, all whom struggled in 2011 and earn roughly 44 percent of the team’s $97.7 million payroll. Peavy just hopes the team’s winning ways continue.

 

“It’s been a nice change,” Peavy said. “We’ve played very well for Robin and we hope to in the second half and get it done for him.”

[CanOfCorn]

Even today, I will still call the Tigers the favorites in the AL Central. Maybe I am alone on that, maybe not, but they are a way more talented team than the White Sox.

 

At present...the Tigers have more talented PLAYERS. The White Sox, however, have a better TEAM.

 

Hopefully, this translates into an AL Central crown and WS winner....

[hogan873]

“He’s not a yeller or a screamer,” Konerko said. “He’s not overmanaging or anything like that. He trusts his players. But I think he set the tone early that, ‘I’m not going to talk a lot, but when I talk, it’s important and everybody listen.’ He can be stern if he wants to. But I think everybody respects him and nobody wants to force his hand in that nature.”

 

Sounds like the antithesis of Ozzie. I don't know if that's what Konerko was getting at, but it sure sounds that way.

[lostfan]

Last November not long after he got hired Jeff Manto said something to the effect that he'd rather a run producer swing at a close pitch to drive in a runner on 3rd if Verlander was pitching than drawing a walk that sets up a double play to end the inning, people flipped the f*** out. At times people get so wrapped up in sabermetrics and modern trends that they can't see the forest for the trees, the point of the game is still to hit the ball and drive in runs, if you boiled what he said down he basically said situational hitting is more important than drawing walks for the sake of walking.

 

Anyway fast-forward to right now and the Sox OBP is basically the same but they are first with RISP whereas last year they were like 25th. So...

[southsider2k5]

Last November not long after he got hired Jeff Manto said something to the effect that he'd rather a run producer swing at a close pitch to drive in a runner on 3rd if Verlander was pitching than drawing a walk that sets up a double play to end the inning, people flipped the f*** out. At times people get so wrapped up in sabermetrics and modern trends that they can't see the forest for the trees, the point of the game is still to hit the ball and drive in runs, if you boiled what he said down he basically said situational hitting is more important than drawing walks for the sake of walking.

 

Anyway fast-forward to right now and the Sox OBP is basically the same but they are first with RISP whereas last year they were like 25th. So...

 

They seem to be playing to the strengths of their hitters again. The guys that don't take walks, aren't worried about taking walks.

[Cali]

I honestly don't know what I'm rooting for more: The Sox to win the Division or the Tigers to lose it. Because I am so SICK of everyone (Soxtalk and the Media) proclaiming that the Tigers are stil the favorite and at various points in the year that it was gonna be when the Tigers make their run. I just want them to be wrong so bad haha

 

That and all Detroit teams are classless s***bags, so it's not hard to make that leap.

[Jake]

They may have more offensive talent, but they are only outhitting the Sox at SS, 3B, and CF. It's going to take a very significant acquisition for the Tigers to be able to take this division away from the Sox.

 

This post.

 

And the funny thing is that at this point we're getting very nice production from all three of those positions. It's possible that 2/3 or even 3/3 of ours could have better second halves where I find it far less likely that one of their other position players (perhaps Fielder or Avila) will have a surprisingly good second half and outperform one of our guys.

 

Both teams have some uncertainty with pitching, as it always seems to go.

[Balta1701]

This post.

 

And the funny thing is that at this point we're getting very nice production from all three of those positions. It's possible that 2/3 or even 3/3 of ours could have better second halves where I find it far less likely that one of their other position players (perhaps Fielder or Avila) will have a surprisingly good second half and outperform one of our guys.

 

Both teams have some uncertainty with pitching, as it always seems to go.

Whichever team gets healthy has the inside track.

[southsider2k5]

I honestly don't know what I'm rooting for more: The Sox to win the Division or the Tigers to lose it. Because I am so SICK of everyone (Soxtalk and the Media) proclaiming that the Tigers are stil the favorite and at various points in the year that it was gonna be when the Tigers make their run. I just want them to be wrong so bad haha

 

That and all Detroit teams are classless s***bags, so it's not hard to make that leap.

 

Unlike many on Soxtalk, I'd rather be wrong.

[Joxer_Daly]

Unlike many on Soxtalk, I'd rather be wrong.

 

And, in any event, I always think it's better for someone else to be in the spotlight as favourite.

 

Under the radar will suit me just fine if we end up where we want to be at the end of it all.

[Wedge]

This post.

 

And the funny thing is that at this point we're getting very nice production from all three of those positions. It's possible that 2/3 or even 3/3 of ours could have better second halves where I find it far less likely that one of their other position players (perhaps Fielder or Avila) will have a surprisingly good second half and outperform one of our guys.

 

Both teams have some uncertainty with pitching, as it always seems to go.

 

Considering Konerko's apparent wrist injury and Dunn's performance since May, I don't see how it's less likely that Fielder and Young outperform that group than Youkilis, Ramirez, and De Aza outperform Miguel Cabrera, Peralta, and Jackson.

 

We do have a definitive edge at 2B (as unbelievable as that is), catcher, and both corner outfield spots. Assuming good health for all, the likeliest case is that the Sox maintain their edge at those four spots and split the other five.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/13743715-57...ce-anymore.html

 

When manager Robin Ventura became the White Sox’ surprise hire last winter, his relationship with Sox vice president of player development Buddy Bell made Bell his logical go-to guy for advice. A mentor, if you will.

 

One very successful half-season into his first job as a manager or coach at any level, Ventura rarely calls anymore.

 

“No,’’ Bell said. “He doesn’t need a mentor. The game is really slow for him already.’’

 

Having managed nine years in the majors, Bell knows how fast the game moves from that hot seat in the dugout. But Ventura was a quick study when he reported to Bell after he got back into baseball last June as a special adviser, and Bell had no reservations about Ventura defying the conventional wisdom of having a former manager as his bench coach and wanting Class AA manager Marc Parent alongside him instead.

 

“This [Ventura] guy is a little different,’’ said Bell, who had a hand in helping Ventura assemble his staff.

 

Even though Ventura had spent most of his post-playing days being a family man and hadn’t even managed a high school game, Bell said that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, general manager Ken Williams and assistant GM Rick Hahn had few doubts Ventura would handle the on-field aspects of running a major-league team.

 

“I never thought he would struggle with it,’’ Bell said. “He’s a really smart guy who doesn’t miss a whole lot. My biggest concern was the grind, him being such a family-oriented guy, of dealing with the seasonlong grind of media, front office, different moves. That he would understand the grind of it. And I don’t think he knew how dealing with the front office worked. I was a little concerned about that.’’

 

With his team in first place in the American League Central heading into the second half, which begins Friday night at Kansas City, Ventura appears to have it figured out. His managing has kept postgame second-guessers at arm’s length. His handling of day-to-day off-field decisions has drawn rave reviews from players.

 

“He’s always calm,’’ team captain Paul Konerko said. “He manages people well. He knows how to talk to people. A lot of the things a manager does are not just about the game. During the year you have to make calls on workouts, batting practice, little things.’’

 

In other words, little things that matter a lot to players.

 

“He’s good on all of those with good, common-sense calls that make sense to everybody,’’ Konerko said. “That’s what a manager does. He’s smart.’’

 

Bell wasn’t surprised to hear that.

 

“He respects the players, and he respects the people in the organization,’’ Bell said. “He respects the job everybody has, which is really nice. He doesn’t hold himself up on a pedestal. That’s refreshing.’’

 

Whether that translates into wins and losses is difficult to quantify. It does translate into a work environment that’s conducive to productivity, and Ventura’s players have been so successful that Ventura’s name has been dropped in midseason manager of the year conversations.

 

His No. 1 asset?

 

“The way he handles people,’’ Bell said. “I played for quite a few managers and the ones who were really bad weren’t honest. This guy is respectful and he’s honest.

 

“He has a great sense of humor. He doesn’t take himself all that seriously. And he never complains about anything. He’s really a legit, honest guy.’’

[Jake]

Considering Konerko's apparent wrist injury and Dunn's performance since May, I don't see how it's less likely that Fielder and Young outperform that group than Youkilis, Ramirez, and De Aza outperform Miguel Cabrera, Peralta, and Jackson.

 

We do have a definitive edge at 2B (as unbelievable as that is), catcher, and both corner outfield spots. Assuming good health for all, the likeliest case is that the Sox maintain their edge at those four spots and split the other five.

 

ADA outperforming Austin Jackson isn't all that far fetched. Alexei outperforming Peralta IMO already happened and will likely happen in the second half. Youkilis outperforming Cabrera is far less likely and would require an injury in all likelihood, though there once was a time Youk was an MVP type player so if he wants to channel that (while not being a Cabrera-esque defender), I'm all for it.

 

I don't see Young outperforming Dunn. At all.

 

Fielder has a chance because he is a good player and as you said Konerko has been off and/or injured for a while.

 

 

 

 

[YASNY]

Three points inspired by posts on this thread:

 

1. Extra set of eyes remark regarding Ventura ... With Robin being a solid lefty hitter, has he had input the resulted in the resurgence of Dunn and A.J. ... also De Aza's success. Could be, but we'll never know.

 

2. Rios resurgence. I think it's because he's back in RF where he's comfortable.

 

3. Honestly, I forget number 3 but I'll say this. Robin has done a masterful job of putting players in a position to succeed. Switching Reed to closer has helped both pitchers involved. All 3, if you include Thornton in the mix. Also, not giving up outs offensively and defensively. This is HUGE! And the fundamentals have been much better compared to recent seasons.

[fathom]

Three points inspired by posts on this thread:

 

1. Extra set of eyes remark regarding Ventura ... With Robin being a solid lefty hitter, has he had input the resulted in the resurgence of Dunn and A.J. ... also De Aza's success. Could be, but we'll never know.

 

2. Rios resurgence. I think it's because he's back in RF where he's comfortable.

 

3. Honestly, I forget number 3 but I'll say this. Robin has done a masterful job of putting players in a position to succeed. Switching Reed to closer has helped both pitchers involved. All 3, if you include Thornton in the mix. Also, not giving up outs offensively and defensively. This is HUGE! And the fundamentals have been much better compared to recent seasons.

 

I'd like to point out the fact Ventura didn't have Alexei bunt last Friday vs Toronto in a 1-0 game with runner on 2nd, no outs (5th inning). Instead of playing for one run, Ventura let Alexei swing away and the Sox ended up scoring 3 runs in the inning on a lot of hits that would have been outs if the infield wasn't playing in.

[lostfan]

This team used to routinely give up outs, leading the majors all the time with stupid baserunning, ill-advised steal attempts, fundamental mistakes, unnecessary or blown bunts, etc. It's the main thing that drove me CRAZY about Ozzie Voldemort He Who Shall Not Be Named. The Sox went from always doing it to almost never doing it.

[lostfan]

Three points inspired by posts on this thread:

 

1. Extra set of eyes remark regarding Ventura ... With Robin being a solid lefty hitter, has he had input the resulted in the resurgence of Dunn and A.J. ... also De Aza's success. Could be, but we'll never know.

 

2. Rios resurgence. I think it's because he's back in RF where he's comfortable.

 

3. Honestly, I forget number 3 but I'll say this. Robin has done a masterful job of putting players in a position to succeed. Switching Reed to closer has helped both pitchers involved. All 3, if you include Thornton in the mix. Also, not giving up outs offensively and defensively. This is HUGE! And the fundamentals have been much better compared to recent seasons.

LOL everyone let's laugh at the old guy.