Imrem: Another day and Ventura stays

Monday seemed like the perfect time for the Chicago White Sox to fire Robin Ventura.

The Sox had the day off. They just were swept by the Tigers. They were 6-18 in their last 24 games. They fell out of first place. They were in danger of falling out of the division race completely.

If Ventura ever was going to be whacked, now was the time, before it became too late, if it wasn't already.

The Sox need a shake-up bigger than adding pitcher James Shields in a trade with the Padres.

Someone needs to come in and see whether a new voice can ignite slumping slugger Jose Abreu, a new mind can strategize better, a new personality can instill confidence in players who look like they're starting to droop.

Make no mistake: Firing Ventura would be scapegoating, and for better or worse his bosses have resisted the urge.

The Sox still need another starting pitcher, bullpen help and especially a couple of hitters. As currently constructed, a manager has to make this team play greater than the sum of its parts.

So sometimes someone has to be held accountable, even if it's a firing just for a firing.

Monday's countdown felt a little like the day in 1988 when the Illinois General Assembly was considering whether to build a new ballpark for the Sox.

Morning ambled into afternoon and afternoon into evening and evening toward midnight before legislators finally agreed to fund a new ballpark across from the old ballpark.

Monday morning ambled into afternoon and afternoon into evening and, well, Robin Ventura will manage the Sox against the Nationals on Tuesday night.

Baseball managers have been dismissed under less dire circumstances than the Sox are mired in.

But these are the White Sox, meaning that if most teams would do something this team would do the opposite.

Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf might say it's vice president Kenny Williams' call on Ventura, and Williams might say it's general manager Rick Hahn's.

Nobody outside the Sox's circle knows for sure.

What none of them would say is that it's the fan in the stands' call or the analyst in the media's call no matter how loud the howl is.

If it's Hahn's decision, it's likely within the parameters established by Williams. If it's Williams', it's likely within the parameters established by Reinsdorf.

Regardless, Ventura remains, and with Reinsdorf involved anywhere in the process, Sox fans must wonder whether the loyalty issue was at play again.

Reinsdorf is famously - perhaps infamously - loyal to the people he likes, and he likes Ventura.

At some point, however, the loyalty any White Sox executive, manager, coach or player benefits from should shift to the fan base.

Monday would have been a good time for Reinsdorf, Williams and Hahn - in whatever order - to demonstrate that they care as much as Sox fans care.

Those three at the top of the Sox's command chain do care, of course, but the best way to demonstrate it would be to reflect the urgency that the ticket buyer, TV watcher and radio listener feel about the manager.

The Sox might be a .500 team at best and might not be better the next few months with or without Robin Ventura.

But Monday, the perfect time to start finding out, passed quietly.

mimrem@dailyherald.com