Robin Ventura: Chicago White Sox Made Shocking, Disappointing Hire

Robin Ventura is the choice of the Chicago White Sox to succeed Ozzie Guillen as manager.  Ventura takes the helm after an underwhelming 79-83 record behind poor hitting, above average pitching and poor decisions by Guillen.

How shocking is this hire by White Sox general manager Kenny Williams and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf?

Guillen was a surprising hire when he took the job, however, he did have some coaching experience.  Ventura has no major league—or even minor league—coaching experience.  Ventura had been the special adviser to player development director Buddy Bell since June 6.  Also, Ventura was an assistant manager at a high school. 

Williams' statement after the hire was mind-boggling:

"

I wanted someone with very specific criteria centered around his leadership abilities.  Robin Ventura was that man.  His baseball knowledge, expertise, professionalism, and familiarity with the White Sox and Chicago and his outstanding character make him absolutely the right person to lead our clubhouse and this organization in the seasons ahead.

"

Granted, Ventura is a very knowledgable baseball person.  His 16 years of professional ball-playing gained him great knowledge.  He likely gained great familiarity with the White Sox organization while playing and while serving as special adviser to Bell.

That's the extent of the qualifications.  The expertise factor doesn't measure up to other people on the list, such as Terry Francona and Dave Martinez.

Francona has a track record of success from his eight seasons managing the Boston Red Sox.  He won two World Series.  Francona lifted a huge monkey off of the Red Sox's back when they won the 2004 World Series.  That relieved the Red Sox faithful of horrible karma.

Maybe Reinsdorf didn't want Williams to put up the money for Francona.

Martinez has gained great experience as bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays.  He has learned a great deal about baseball strategy from Joe Maddon.

Maybe Martinez wasn't Reinsdorf's kind of guy.

Sports Illustrated writer Jon Heyman told 670 WSCR AM that the reporters should ask why the White Sox didn't hire someone with coaching experience, as well as why the White Sox didn't hire a minority.

Reinsdorf is known for cutting edge minority hires, such as Guillen, the first Venezuelan manager in Major League Baseball, and Williams, one of few black general managers.

This was akin to hiring Vinny Del Negro as the Bulls head coach.  The Bulls are another Reinsdorf team.  Del Negro was personnel director for the Suns before being hired.  Del Negro had no coaching experience before being hired by the Bulls.

Relatively speaking, Ventura is even lower than Del Negro was on the personnel ladder.

The managerial search was very publicly covered.  The candidates were well known.  Now, Ventura wasn't on the list.  Not even the most creative mind could have imagined the White Sox choosing Ventura.

Make no mistake.  This was not entirely Williams' discretion.  Reinsdorf told him what money he could spend on the manager.  Often, Reinsdorf allows very little money for manager or coaching hires.

For Williams and Reinsdorf, they have loyalty in Ventura.  This is a former White Sox player.  Ventura will wear his White Sox pinstripes proudly.