Ostrowski: Who will be the Sox' next manager?
Robin Ventura is under contract to be the White Sox' manager for two more weeks. Giving him a contract extension shouldn't be up for discussion, but the Sox operate in a different fashion than most of the baseball world.
Looking at Ventura's resume, he probably shouldn't have been the skipper this season. On Sept. 19, 2012, the Sox had a three-game lead in the AL Central with just over two weeks left in the season. They choked to a 4-11 finish and the south siders haven't sniffed the playoffs since.
The White Sox are 74 games below .500 with a 288-362 record going back to that 2012 free fall. Major League Baseball started the 10-team playoff format in Ventura's first season managing. He's 0-for-5.
It doesn't matter what you believe the value of a baseball manager is. There isn't an argument for keeping Ventura around. There isn't one team that has accepted this level of failure and stuck with the same guy.
Only eight managers have held their position with the same team longer than Ventura has with the Sox. Half of them have a World Series ring(s). Bruce Bochy, Joe Girardi, Mike Scioscia, Ned Yost. Cubs fans remember Terry Collins taking his Mets to the World Series last year. Clint Hurdle and Bob Melvin each have three playoff appearances. Buck Showalter's club made an ALCS and has been at least .500 the last five seasons. There's your eight.
Mike Matheny was also hired in 2012. The former catcher has managed the Cardinals to the postseason in his four previous years, including the World Series in 2013.
Where will the White Sox look?
Sox TV analyst Steve Stone told 670 The Score's "Hit & Run" baseball show that he expects an answer on Ventura's future very soon. "I have to believe that's the first decision because that will make a determination on just exactly what else you want to do going forward."
Stone also elaborated on how the process usually works when teams have a vacancy. "The selection of a manager is usually cyclical in baseball. If you have a fiery guy, you're going to come in with a very measured manager next. Almost without exception. If you have that low key manager, you're going to fill in with a fiery guy. That's just what happens."
The White Sox managers over the last 19 years back up Stone's observation. From Jerry Manuel to Ozzie Guillen to Ventura. Let's not remind each other of the Terry Bevington era.
Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez and Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr were rumored to be in the running before Ventura was hired. Alomar also reportedly declined an interview request to be Ventura's bench coach before Rick Renteria was hired.
But the Sox like to surprise and prefer to keep it in the family. Smart money could be on a member of the 2005 World Series champions. A.J. Pierzynski hasn't hidden the fact that he would love to be a manager. Aaron Rowand was brought back into the fold as a minor league instructor last year. A couple of fan favorites with personalities very different from Ventura.
• Joe Ostrowski is a co-host of the "Hit & Run" baseball show from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on WSCR 670-AM The Score with Barry Rozner. Follow him on Twitter@JoeO670.