Robin

Ventura

Ventura was an American League Manager of the Year finalist in 2012 in his first season as Chicago’s skipper. His current deal runs through the end of the 2014 season, though, and apparently he’s not anxious to re-up for more years at this time.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn confirmed as much on Friday. Ventura is currently under contract through the 2014 season, but turned down an offer to sign a contract extension before the 2013 season. They are currently evaluating and making decisions regarding the rest of the coaching staff, which will be finalized on Sunday.

In a frustrating afternoon, Ventura felt that his pitchers were getting squeezed, with Andre Rienzo and Charlie Leesman combining to walk five batters in the first four innings. He certainly got his money’s worth telling De Muth how he felt about the situation at least.

They may have been able to get this one in had it been the regular season, but there’s no need to play through the rain in an early spring contest.

The details of the deal are not known, but Ventura now won’t have to enter the season in the final year of his contract. “There was never really any question in our minds as to who we wanted in the White Sox dugout now and into the future,” general manager Rick Hahn said. Ventura has guided the Pale Hose to a 148-176 record in his two seasons as skipper.

The team has scheduled a press conference for Monday and it looks like we already know what it’s about. The White Sox technically aren’t firing Ventura. They’re just not renewing his contract, which is up at the end of this year. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier this week that the White Sox were planning to bring back Ventura, but apparently they’ve had a change of heart. The White Sox could probably use a fresh face in the dugout after a turbulent year that included a player quitting the team because his son wasn’t allowed in the clubhouse and their best pitcher taking scissors to a bunch of throwback jerseys. Assuming this is it for him, Ventura only had one winning season in his five years behind the White Sox bench.

But the fifth-year manager’s current deal expires at the end of October, so a new contract will have to be worked out. Nightengale calls the desire to retain Ventura a “surprise” given the way the White Sox have underperformed expectations over the last few seasons, but Nightengale then goes on to note that the club’s front office “refuses to blame him for their woes.” Ventura is earning around $1.5 million for the 2016 season.

Rick Renteria, the former Cubs manager, will be introduced as Ventura’s replacement at a press conference Monday morning in Chicago. Ventura said he initiated the conversation about resigning last month and called it a “personal decision,” though it’s probably because he saw the writing on the wall after a tumultuous and highly disappointing 2016. “I enjoy this place,” Ventura said Sunday. “I love this place. At the end, it probably needs a new voice … and I have to be big enough to understand that and go down and voice that.”

They’ll pick things up in the ninth inning at 1:05 on Saturday before Saturday’s regularly scheduled game.

The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 4:10 PM eastern on Saturday as long as the weather cooperates. Johny Cueto will oppose Hector Noesi in Game 1 with Jason Marquis and Carlos Rodon in the nightcap.