Ventura Turns Down Contract Extension From White Sox

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 13, 2013 9:45PM

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura confirmed he turned down a one-year contract extension last October. Reports first surfaced Tuesday that Ventura rejected the offer from new Sox GM Rick Hahn so that he could focus on the final two years of his deal.

Ventura attempted to stress he simply wished to focus on the team now and not his future two years away, while maintaining he and Hahn have a solid rapport.

"We have good communication and everything is fine. This is my contract. I was the same way as a player. I'll worry about it at the end of it. I want them to think that in two years I'm still the right guy for the job.

--snip—

“I'm more worried with this team in this spring training than I'm worried about 2015.”

Ventura did push for contract extensions for his coaching staff and believes holding off on an extension until later can ensure they’re extended along with him. Ventura signed a three-deal to replace Ozzie Guillen as manager and guided the White Sox to a surprising 85-77 record and a second-place finish in the AL Central with a squad many experts predicted would be near the bottom of the division. Ventura’s inexperience showed late last season as the Detroit Tigers overtook the Sox to win the AL Central and, eventually, the American League championship.

Hahn concurred that Ventura’s decision to turn own an extension wasn’t a big deal while expressing his wish to see Ventura in Sox pinstripes past 2014.

"My hope is that Robin's here for a long, long time. You can't obviously foresee the future, but I suspect when the time comes that there is a new manager it's that Robin decided personally he doesn't want to continue or he's not the right guy or the best guy to lead the White Sox at that time. My hope is that's far into the future."

Ventura’s handling of the situation served to further contrast his style from that of Guillen, who consistently took to the media to lobby for a new deal or to be fired if former GM Kenny Williams thought he wasn’t doing a good job. Or the distraction to the team he was when he eventually did leave.