With the 2016 baseball season wrapping up today, the White Sox announced that they would hold a press conference Monday morning and speculation is they will announce that manager Robin Ventura will not return in 2017.  Earlier in the week, reports surfaced that the team was willing to extend Ventura’s contract if he wanted to return, but Ventura refused to announce his intentions, preferring instead to wait until the season comes to an end.  In his five seasons as manager heading into today’s finale, Ventura has put up a 375-434 record, including 4 straight losing seasons following an epic September collapse in 2012 that cost the team a division title.

Former Cub manager and current White Sox bench coach Rick Renteria is expected to be named as Ventura’s replacement.  How much control he will have over his coaching staff and what direction the team will go next year are unknown at this point.  But, this move looks to be a step in the right direction.