CHICAGO _ White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he wants the focus on the final game at U.S. Cellular Field this year to be on the players, and so he will put off talking about his job status until after Sunday afternoon's game against the Twins.
From the start of the year through the last week, Ventura has maintained he would wait until the end of the year to talk about his status. Ventura, whose contract expires after this year, is expected to step down and be replaced by bench coach Rick Renteria at a news conference Monday.
Chris Sale, who is among the contenders in the American League Cy Young race, is starting the Sox's final game. Jose Abreu has 99 RBIs and Todd Frazier has 98 RBIs, and both are trying to reach 100.
Ventura said he wants those storylines to stand out.
"Right now guys are still playing for stuff," Ventura said. "We've got guys that are close to 100 RBIs. Chris is in the Cy Young stuff. Today is important for them. Respect the purity of that, to be able to finish it in that way. I'll talk after about what's going on, but for right now, I think that stuff needs to be at the forefront and have everybody focus on that."
Sox outfielder Adam Eaton said he hadn't heard officially about the status of Ventura or Renteria.
"(Ventura) is my manager today and that's how I have to look at it," Eaton said. "He has been awesome to me, and I think everybody in here would agree with that. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. Within the clubhouse and within these walls, he has been tremendous. Communication, instilling confidence in guys and saying what needs to be said in certain instances, I think he had a great balance."
