Former Cubs coach Will Venable will be named White Sox manager

Will Venable played nine MLB seasons, mostly for the San Diego Padres.

He retired from playing following the 2016 season and in September 2017 he was named a special assistant in Theo Epstein’s Cubs front office. That position lasted only a couple of months, as in November 2017 Venable was named the Cubs’ first-base coach. He spent two seasons in that position, then served as third-base coach in the abbreviated 2020 season.

After 2020, Venable left the Cubs to become the Red Sox’ bench coach. He spent three years there and spent the past season as the “associate manager” under Bruce Bochy with the Rangers. (“Associate manager” appears to be a fancy title for “bench coach.”)

While naming new managers is frowned on during the World Series, the news of Venable being named White Sox manager leaked on Tuesday:

I’d assume this will be announced shortly after the World Series ends, whenever that happens.

Venable was well-respected when he was a Cubs coach and certainly has the credentials to be a good manager. But so did Pedro Grifol when he was named White Sox manager, and you know how that worked out. A valid point is made here:

All new managers say something along these lines; it’s part of the job. What remains to be seen is whether the rest of the White Sox organization will give Venable the support — and players — he needs to succeed.

Let’s put it this way. It can’t get worse for the White Sox. Can it?

Best of luck to Venable as he takes on this new position. He’s gonna need it.