White Sox shockingly name Ventura manager

CHICAGO -- In a stunning move, the Chicago White Sox named Robin Ventura, their former third baseman, to succeed Ozzie Guillen as their manager yesterday.

Ventura, 44 -- who has never managed -- also played for the Mets and Yankees and is somewhat of a Mets folk hero for his game-ending "grand-slam single" in Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series against the Braves.

Ventura spent 16 seasons with the White Sox, and general manager Kenny Williams noted his familiarity with the team's minor-league system. Ventura joined the White Sox front office last June as a special assistant to Buddy Bell, the team's director of player development.

"There was a very specific criteria to our search," Williams said in a teleconference. "A passion for the city and the organization, and a drive to win a World Series championship . . . leadership, a communicative ability that I think will translate well into working with veteran players as well as our young players."

As for Ventura's lack of managerial experience, Williams said, "I don't expect him to be Tony La Russa right off the bat." Williams said the team has identified a candidate to be Ventura's bench coach and will seek permission to contact him today.

Williams said he and Bell approached Ventura after it became clear that Guillen wasn't coming back. Williams said Ventura was "surprised" and "apprehensive" at first.

Ventura said he was taken aback when the offer initially was made. "I'm not one to back away," he said. "I realize I haven't managed, but this is the organization that is going to give me the support to do the job."

Ventura hit .267 with 294 home runs with the White Sox (1989-98), Mets (1999-2001), Yankees (2002-03) and Dodgers (2003-04).