Robin Ventura
Encyclopedia
Robin Mark Ventura (icon ; born July 14, 1967 in Santa Maria, California
) is the current manager of the Chicago White Sox
. He is a former professional baseball
player, a third baseman
who played for four major league
teams, most notably for the Chicago White Sox
. On October 6, 2011, Ventura was named manager of the Chicago White Sox
.
in Orcutt, California
, Ventura was a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State University. He led the nation in runs (107), RBI (96) and total bases (204) in 69 games as a freshman in 1986. In 1987, he had a NCAA
-record 58-game hitting streak, breaking the previous record of 47; he also led Division I in RBIs two years in a row. His hitting streak remains the Division I record, though his mark was surpassed in 2003 by Damian Costantino
of Division III Salve Regina University
, who had a 60 game streak. Ventura helped OSU reach the finals of the 1987 College World Series
, although they lost the championship game to a Stanford University
team that included future teammate Jack McDowell
. Ventura collected four hits – including a pair of doubles – in the final game and batted .364 for the series. In 1988 he earned a spot on the gold medal-winning Olympic
baseball team, batting .409 during the tournament. He won both the Golden Spikes Award
and the Dick Howser Trophy
for outstanding collegiate play, concluding his 3-year OSU career with a .428 batting average, a .792 slugging percentage, and 302 RBIs. On July 4, 2006, Ventura was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
by the White Sox, Ventura spent much of at AA Birmingham
before joining the Sox that September. While in Birmingham, he earned a spot in the Southern League
All-Star Game and was voted the league's top defensive third baseman. He was named to the 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
and earned the starting third base role with the White Sox the next spring. While his rookie year was marred by an 0-for-41 slump and 25 errors, his 123 hits were the most by a White Sox rookie since Ozzie Guillén
in 1985; he also led AL rookies with 150 games played. The next year he won his first Gold Glove Award
for fielding excellence, set a team record for RBIs at third base, and led the AL in putouts. In , Ventura won another Gold Glove and earned a spot on the All-Star
team. Following the season, Ventura's half-sister perished in an apartment fire near his home in California; Ventura missed the first three weeks of spring training to be with his family.
saw his batting average drop 20 points to .262, though both his slugging and on-base percentages
rose slightly. Ventura also collected his 500th hit that May and won his third straight Gold Glove, while becoming the first AL third baseman with three consecutive 90-RBI campaigns since Graig Nettles
(1975–78). The White Sox appeared in the ALCS
that year, Ventura's only playoff trip while in Chicago, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays
. Ventura was on the losing end of his fight with Nolan Ryan
, which was voted ESPN's Number One Baseball fight of all time.
In , the strike that year likely prevented him from reaching 90 RBI for the only time between 1991 and 1996. When play resumed in , Ventura had ten errors in the first ten games. He spent some time at first base
that year amid trade rumors, but ended the year with a career-high .295 average, and on September 4 hit two grand slam
s in one game, the eighth player in history to do so and the first since Frank Robinson
in 1970. The next season he won his fourth Gold Glove, reached new highs in fielding percentage
, homers and RBIs, and set team records in career homers by a third baseman (142) and grand slams (9).
When spring training began in the White Sox were picked by many to win their division. In a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium
, Ventura slid into home plate and caught his foot in the mud, suffering a broken and dislocated right ankle. The initial prognosis was that he would be lost for the season. However, Ventura returned on July 24, more than a week ahead of the most optimistic predictions. He collected the game-winning hit that night, and homered in his first at-bat the next evening. The White Sox did not make the playoffs, in part due to the “White Flag Trade
”.
In , Ventura's final season with the Sox, he won his fifth Gold Glove, but only hit .263. His homer and RBI totals were close to his career averages, but the Sox attempted repeatedly to trade him and declined to renew his contract, with owner Jerry Reinsdorf
claiming that he was “deteriorating”.
signed him to a four-year deal. In his first year in New York, Ventura hit .301 with 32 homers, 120 RBIs and made only nine errors. On May 20 he became the first player ever to hit a grand slam in each game of a doubleheader. He and fellow infielders Edgardo Alfonzo
, Rey Ordóñez
, and John Olerud
were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
as the “Best Infield Ever”; However, he injured his left knee in August; when the problem finally came to light, just before the postseason, it had worsened to torn cartilage. He took the phrase "Mojo Risin" from The Doors
' "L.A. Woman
" and made it the rally cry for the Mets that year, meeting Doors lead singer Jim Morrison
's widow Patricia Kennealy Morrison
when the Mets invited her to a game just before the playoffs.
Despite his injury, Ventura provided the game-winning, bases-loaded, two-out single in the eleventh inning against the Pirates on the final weekend of the regular season to propel the Mets back into the wild card chase. In Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS
, with the Atlanta Braves
up 3-2 in the fifteenth inning, a bases-loaded walk to Todd Pratt
forced in the tying run and brought Ventura to the plate. Ventura hit a home run into right-center field. Pratt, however, did not see the ball leave the park and ran back to first base, hoisting Ventura into the air and lugging him off the field before he could round the bases. The hit was officially scored an RBI single, commonly referred to as the "Grand Slam Single
". The Mets eventually lost the series. He won his first NL Gold Glove that fall, bringing his career total to six.
In , still recovering from off-season surgery on both his knee and right shoulder, he only hit .232 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs. He spent part of July on the disabled list with inflammation in his repaired shoulder, and was plagued with errors; but rebounded to hit .320 with three homers and 13 RBIs in the last two weeks of the season. When the Mets reached the World Series
, he hit his only World Series home run against the Yankees' Orlando Hernández
. In , he batted .237 with 21 homers and only 61 RBIs.
. In , Ventura batted .247 with 27 homers and 93 RBIs, the eighth time he topped 90 RBI. He was selected to his second and final All-Star team, along with all other members of the Yankees infield. In that year Ventura had the lowest fielding percentage of all third basemen in the major leagues at .941. The Yankees lost the Division Series
that October, where Ventura hit .286 with four RBIs. In , he was platooned at third base with Todd Zeile
, another former Met. Ventura struggled through the first few months of the year; by late July he had only nine homers and 42 RBIs. He tied Shea Hillenbrand
for the major league lead in errors by a third baseman, with 23.
and Scott Proctor
. On August 3, he hit an inside-the-park home run
in Atlanta for his first home run as a member of the Dodgers
. He spent most of the remainder of the season on the bench.
Re-signed by LA in December, Ventura entered with a chance to be the Dodgers' starting first baseman, but that changed during the last week of spring training when new general manager Paul DePodesta
traded for Cleveland
outfielder Milton Bradley
. This set off a domino effect
that ended in Ventura being relegated to a bench role as a backup infielder and pinch hitter. He had a game-winning RBI in the second game of the season against the San Diego Padres
. He only hit five home runs in the season. Two of them were pinch-hit game-winning home runs: on July 17, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
and on August 1, against the San Diego Padres
. He also hit his 17th career grand slam on August 29, against the New York Mets
and his 18th career grand slam on September 7, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
. Ventura made his pitching debut on June 25 during a blowout loss against the Anaheim Angels
, allowing a single amid three fly ball outs. The Dodgers made it to the NLDS
but lost in four games. The Dodgers went a perfect 10-0 in games that he hit a home run. Ventura retired after the season due to arthritis
in his right ankle.
as an anchor.
Ventura returned to Shea Stadium
for the final game on September 28, 2008 for the closing ceremonies, with ex-teammates Edgardo Alfonzo
, John Franco, Todd Zeile
, and Mike Piazza
.
on October 6, 2011, succeeding interim manager Don Cooper
(who succeeded Ozzie Guillen
for two games). Ventura is the 17th former White Sox player to manage the club.
. In 2010, he worked as a color commentator for the Little League Southwest Region Finals
on ESPN
along with Carter Blackburn
.
Note: Schmidt also had one 90-RBI season as a first baseman; Jones had two 90-RBI seasons as a left fielder.
Third basemen with highest career slugging average
(Minimum 1500 games at 3B)
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
) is the current manager of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. He is a former professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
who played for four major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
teams, most notably for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. On October 6, 2011, Ventura was named manager of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Early years
After attending Righetti High SchoolErnest Righetti High School
Ernest Righetti High School is a public secondary school in Santa Maria, California, USA, serving students in grades 9-12 The school is part of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...
in Orcutt, California
Orcutt, California
Orcutt is an unincorporated township located in the Santa Maria Valley of California, and a census-designated place; it is in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Orcutt is named for William W. Orcutt, the manager of the Geological, Land and Engineering Departments of the Union Oil...
, Ventura was a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State University. He led the nation in runs (107), RBI (96) and total bases (204) in 69 games as a freshman in 1986. In 1987, he had a NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
-record 58-game hitting streak, breaking the previous record of 47; he also led Division I in RBIs two years in a row. His hitting streak remains the Division I record, though his mark was surpassed in 2003 by Damian Costantino
Damian Costantino
Damian Costantino is an American baseball player who set the record for the longest hitting streak in National Collegiate Athletic Association baseball history, with a 60-game streak that ran through the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons playing for the Division III Salve Regina Seahawks and broke the...
of Division III Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University is a university in Newport, Rhode Island. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, the university is a Catholic, co-educational, private, non-profit institution chartered by the State of Rhode Island in 1934. In 1947 the university acquired Ochre Court and welcomed its first class...
, who had a 60 game streak. Ventura helped OSU reach the finals of the 1987 College World Series
1987 College World Series
The 1987 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 29 to June 7. The forty-first tournament's champion was Stanford University, coached by Mark Marquess. The Most Outstanding Player was Paul Carey of Stanford University. This CWS was best known for...
, although they lost the championship game to a Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
team that included future teammate Jack McDowell
Jack McDowell
Jack Burns McDowell is a former Major League Baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, McDowell won the American League Cy Young Award in 1993. He was nicknamed "Black Jack."...
. Ventura collected four hits – including a pair of doubles – in the final game and batted .364 for the series. In 1988 he earned a spot on the gold medal-winning Olympic
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
baseball team, batting .409 during the tournament. He won both the Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
and the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
for outstanding collegiate play, concluding his 3-year OSU career with a .428 batting average, a .792 slugging percentage, and 302 RBIs. On July 4, 2006, Ventura was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
Chicago White Sox
After being picked tenth in the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft1988 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
by the White Sox, Ventura spent much of at AA Birmingham
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
before joining the Sox that September. While in Birmingham, he earned a spot in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
All-Star Game and was voted the league's top defensive third baseman. He was named to the 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
and earned the starting third base role with the White Sox the next spring. While his rookie year was marred by an 0-for-41 slump and 25 errors, his 123 hits were the most by a White Sox rookie since Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
in 1985; he also led AL rookies with 150 games played. The next year he won his first Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
for fielding excellence, set a team record for RBIs at third base, and led the AL in putouts. In , Ventura won another Gold Glove and earned a spot on the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team. Following the season, Ventura's half-sister perished in an apartment fire near his home in California; Ventura missed the first three weeks of spring training to be with his family.
saw his batting average drop 20 points to .262, though both his slugging and on-base percentages
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
rose slightly. Ventura also collected his 500th hit that May and won his third straight Gold Glove, while becoming the first AL third baseman with three consecutive 90-RBI campaigns since Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...
(1975–78). The White Sox appeared in the ALCS
1993 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1993 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, IllinoisThe ALCS opened at Comiskey Park with a battle of aces, as Toronto threw Juan Guzmán against Chicago's Jack McDowell, the eventual 1993 American League Cy Young Award winner...
that year, Ventura's only playoff trip while in Chicago, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. Ventura was on the losing end of his fight with Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, which was voted ESPN's Number One Baseball fight of all time.
In , the strike that year likely prevented him from reaching 90 RBI for the only time between 1991 and 1996. When play resumed in , Ventura had ten errors in the first ten games. He spent some time at first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
that year amid trade rumors, but ended the year with a career-high .295 average, and on September 4 hit two grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
s in one game, the eighth player in history to do so and the first since Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
in 1970. The next season he won his fourth Gold Glove, reached new highs in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, homers and RBIs, and set team records in career homers by a third baseman (142) and grand slams (9).
When spring training began in the White Sox were picked by many to win their division. In a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium
Ed Smith Stadium
Ed Smith Stadium is a baseball field located in Sarasota, Florida. The stadium was built in 1989 to replace Payne Park as a Spring Training and Minor League Baseball site. In 2010, the Baltimore Orioles began playing spring games at the ballpark.-History:...
, Ventura slid into home plate and caught his foot in the mud, suffering a broken and dislocated right ankle. The initial prognosis was that he would be lost for the season. However, Ventura returned on July 24, more than a week ahead of the most optimistic predictions. He collected the game-winning hit that night, and homered in his first at-bat the next evening. The White Sox did not make the playoffs, in part due to the “White Flag Trade
White Flag Trade
The White Flag Trade was a trade made between two Major League Baseball teams in 1997. On July 31, 1997, the Chicago White Sox traded three major players to the San Francisco Giants for six minor leaguers...
”.
In , Ventura's final season with the Sox, he won his fifth Gold Glove, but only hit .263. His homer and RBI totals were close to his career averages, but the Sox attempted repeatedly to trade him and declined to renew his contract, with owner Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
claiming that he was “deteriorating”.
New York Mets
Ventura departed Chicago in December 1998 when the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
signed him to a four-year deal. In his first year in New York, Ventura hit .301 with 32 homers, 120 RBIs and made only nine errors. On May 20 he became the first player ever to hit a grand slam in each game of a doubleheader. He and fellow infielders Edgardo Alfonzo
Edgardo Alfonzo
Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo a.k.a. "Fonzie" is a former Major League Baseball infielder who most recently played for the Yomiuri Giants. He bats and throws right-handed, and is tall and weighs...
, Rey Ordóñez
Rey Ordóñez
Reynaldo Ordóñez Pereira is a former professional baseball shortstop. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs....
, and John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
as the “Best Infield Ever”; However, he injured his left knee in August; when the problem finally came to light, just before the postseason, it had worsened to torn cartilage. He took the phrase "Mojo Risin" from The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
' "L.A. Woman
L.A. Woman
The band embarked on a tour to promote the album, although it would only comprise two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11 and reportedly went well. The second performance took place at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, where Morrison apparently had...
" and made it the rally cry for the Mets that year, meeting Doors lead singer Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
's widow Patricia Kennealy Morrison
Patricia Kennealy-Morrison
Patricia Kennealy-Morrison is an American author and journalist. Her published works include rock criticism, a memoir, and a series of science fiction/fantasy and murder mystery novels...
when the Mets invited her to a game just before the playoffs.
Despite his injury, Ventura provided the game-winning, bases-loaded, two-out single in the eleventh inning against the Pirates on the final weekend of the regular season to propel the Mets back into the wild card chase. In Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS
1999 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1999 at Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves began their eighth consecutive NLCS with a 4–2 victory over the Mets, defeating a team they left for dead two weeks earlier...
, with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
up 3-2 in the fifteenth inning, a bases-loaded walk to Todd Pratt
Todd Pratt
Todd Alan Pratt is a former Major League Baseball catcher from 1992-2006. He has primarily served as a back-up catcher for most of his career....
forced in the tying run and brought Ventura to the plate. Ventura hit a home run into right-center field. Pratt, however, did not see the ball leave the park and ran back to first base, hoisting Ventura into the air and lugging him off the field before he could round the bases. The hit was officially scored an RBI single, commonly referred to as the "Grand Slam Single
Grand Slam Single
The Grand Slam Single is a reference to the hit that ended Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and one of their biggest rivals, Atlanta Braves...
". The Mets eventually lost the series. He won his first NL Gold Glove that fall, bringing his career total to six.
In , still recovering from off-season surgery on both his knee and right shoulder, he only hit .232 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs. He spent part of July on the disabled list with inflammation in his repaired shoulder, and was plagued with errors; but rebounded to hit .320 with three homers and 13 RBIs in the last two weeks of the season. When the Mets reached the World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
, he hit his only World Series home run against the Yankees' Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
. In , he batted .237 with 21 homers and only 61 RBIs.
New York Yankees
At the end of the season, the Mets traded him to the Yankees for David JusticeDavid Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
. In , Ventura batted .247 with 27 homers and 93 RBIs, the eighth time he topped 90 RBI. He was selected to his second and final All-Star team, along with all other members of the Yankees infield. In that year Ventura had the lowest fielding percentage of all third basemen in the major leagues at .941. The Yankees lost the Division Series
American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series...
that October, where Ventura hit .286 with four RBIs. In , he was platooned at third base with Todd Zeile
Todd Zeile
Todd Edward Zeile is a former catcher, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1989 to . After graduating from UCLA, where he played as a catcher, Zeile played for 11 Major League teams during his career: the St...
, another former Met. Ventura struggled through the first few months of the year; by late July he had only nine homers and 42 RBIs. He tied Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Matthew Hillenbrand is a professional baseball player who last played for the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League....
for the major league lead in errors by a third baseman, with 23.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On July 31, , Ventura was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Bubba CrosbyBubba Crosby
Richard Stephen "Bubba" Crosby is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees...
and Scott Proctor
Scott Proctor
Scott Christopher Proctor is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent.-Minor leagues:Proctor was drafted in the 17th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets out of Martin County High School, but decided to attend Florida State University,...
. On August 3, he hit an inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
in Atlanta for his first home run as a member of the Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He spent most of the remainder of the season on the bench.
Re-signed by LA in December, Ventura entered with a chance to be the Dodgers' starting first baseman, but that changed during the last week of spring training when new general manager Paul DePodesta
Paul DePodesta
Paul DePodesta is the Vice President of player development and scouting for the New York Mets. He was formerly a Front Office assistant for the San Diego Padres...
traded for Cleveland
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
outfielder Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley (baseball player)
Milton Obelle Bradley, Jr. is a Major League Baseball left fielder who is currently a free agent.-Montreal Expos :...
. This set off a domino effect
Domino effect
The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on in linear sequence. The term is best known as a mechanical effect, and is used as an analogy to a falling row of dominoes...
that ended in Ventura being relegated to a bench role as a backup infielder and pinch hitter. He had a game-winning RBI in the second game of the season against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He only hit five home runs in the season. Two of them were pinch-hit game-winning home runs: on July 17, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
and on August 1, against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He also hit his 17th career grand slam on August 29, against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and his 18th career grand slam on September 7, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. Ventura made his pitching debut on June 25 during a blowout loss against the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, allowing a single amid three fly ball outs. The Dodgers made it to the NLDS
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
but lost in four games. The Dodgers went a perfect 10-0 in games that he hit a home run. Ventura retired after the season due to arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
in his right ankle.
Post-career rehabilitation
Ventura's 1997 ankle injury - a compound fracture and dislocation - also affected his leg muscles, which began to atrophy following the accident. Full strength in his leg never returned, and the daily pain from his ankle and leg contributed to Ventura's decision to retire from baseball. After retirement, Ventura limped badly and was forced to walk with a cane regularly. On November 18, 2005, Ventura underwent an ankle allograft. Following the surgery and rehabilitation, he now walks without pain and without a limp. He also sometimes appears on ESPNUESPNU
ESPNU is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced by, affiliated with and owned by parent network ESPN. ESPNU originates out of ESPN Regional Television's ESPNU (often referred to as The U) is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced...
as an anchor.
Ventura returned to Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
for the final game on September 28, 2008 for the closing ceremonies, with ex-teammates Edgardo Alfonzo
Edgardo Alfonzo
Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo a.k.a. "Fonzie" is a former Major League Baseball infielder who most recently played for the Yomiuri Giants. He bats and throws right-handed, and is tall and weighs...
, John Franco, Todd Zeile
Todd Zeile
Todd Edward Zeile is a former catcher, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1989 to . After graduating from UCLA, where he played as a catcher, Zeile played for 11 Major League teams during his career: the St...
, and Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
.
Managerial Career
Robin Ventura was named the 39th manager for the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on October 6, 2011, succeeding interim manager Don Cooper
Don Cooper
Donald James Cooper is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and the current pitching coach of the Chicago White Sox.-Early life:...
(who succeeded Ozzie Guillen
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
for two games). Ventura is the 17th former White Sox player to manage the club.
Broadcasting
Venutra has provided color commentary for the College World SeriesCollege World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
. In 2010, he worked as a color commentator for the Little League Southwest Region Finals
Southwest Region (Little League World Series)
The Southwest Region is one of eight United States regions that currently send teams to the Little League World Series, the largest youth baseball competition in the world. The region's participation in the LLWS dates back to 1957, when it was known as the South Region. However, when the LLWS was...
on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
along with Carter Blackburn
Carter Blackburn
Carter Blackburn is an American sportscaster. He currently works for ESPN and ESPNU as play-by-play announcer on various telecasts. By age thirty-one, Blackburn had called the NFL on Fox, NCAA Basketball Tournaments on CBS, and college football on ABC...
.
Highlights
- Golden Spikes Award (nation's best amateur player) (1988)
- 2-time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1992, 2002) - 6-time Gold Glove winner at third base (1991–93, 1996, 1998–99)
- Hit two grand slams in one game (September 4, 1995)
- Only player to hit one grand slam during each end of a double-header (May 20, 1999)
- Hit 18 career grand slams, placing him in a tie with Willie McCoveyWillie McCoveyWillie Lee McCovey , nicknamed "Mac", "Big Mac", and "Stretch", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played nineteen seasons for the San Francisco Giants, and three more for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, between and...
for 5th on the all-time list, behind Lou GehrigLou GehrigHenry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
(23), Alex RodriguezAlex RodriguezAlexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
(22), Manny RamírezManny RamírezManuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
(21), and Eddie MurrayEddie MurrayEddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...
(19). 6.1% of his career home runs were grand slams, the highest ratio of any player with at least 250 career home runs. - Hit a "Grand Slam SingleGrand Slam SingleThe Grand Slam Single is a reference to the hit that ended Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and one of their biggest rivals, Atlanta Braves...
" in the 1999 NLCSNational League Championship SeriesIn Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
against the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(see walk-off home runWalk-off home runIn baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
) - Named American League Player of the Month, July 1991
- Was one of the first class of inductees into the College Baseball Hall of FameCollege Baseball Hall of FameThe National College Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Lubbock, Texas, is a museum operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States...
on July 4, - Inducted into Oklahoma State University Athletic Hall of Fame on October 17, 2009, along with Barry SandersBarry SandersBarry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
, and Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
.
Career rankings
Third basemen with most 90-RBI seasons- Mike SchmidtMike SchmidtMichael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
- 11 (1974–1977, 1979–1981, 1983–1984, 1986–1987) - Eddie MathewsEddie MathewsEdwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
- 10 (1953–1957, 1959–1962, 1965) - Robin Ventura - 8 (1991–1993, 1995–1996, 1998–1999, 2002)
- Pie TraynorPie TraynorHarold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and radio broadcaster. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...
- 8 (1923, 1925–1931) - Ken BoyerKen BoyerKenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
- 8 (1956, 1958–1964) - Ron SantoRon SantoRonald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
- 8 (1963–1970) - Chipper JonesChipper JonesLarry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
- 8 (1996–2001, 2004, 2007)
Note: Schmidt also had one 90-RBI season as a first baseman; Jones had two 90-RBI seasons as a left fielder.
Third basemen with highest career slugging average
(Minimum 1500 games at 3B)
- Chipper JonesChipper JonesLarry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
- .533 - Mike SchmidtMike SchmidtMichael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
- .527 - Eddie MathewsEddie MathewsEdwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
- .509 - Matt Williams - .489
- George BrettGeorge Brett (baseball)George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
- .487 - Ron SantoRon SantoRonald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
- .464 - Ken BoyerKen BoyerKenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
- .462 - Ken CaminitiKen CaminitiKenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
- .447 - Ron CeyRon CeyRonald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
- .445 - Doug DeCincesDoug DeCincesDouglas Vernon "Doug" DeCinces is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the California Angels in 1982 to make room for Cal Ripken Jr. after having begun his career as the successor to Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson...
- .445 - Robin Ventura - .444
See also
- List of AL Gold Glove Winners at Third Base
- List of NL Gold Glove Winners at Third Base
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- Golden Spikes AwardGolden Spikes AwardThe Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
- Dick Howser TrophyDick Howser TrophyThe Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
- Batters with two grand slams in the same baseball game
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of College World Series broadcasters
External links
- Baseball Library - career chronology
- ESPN profile
- Baseball America - selection as greatest amateur player 1981-2001