Aug. 31--Robin Ventura was asked, in so many words, if he was having fun yet?
The White Sox manager has seen his team fall short of expectations through 129 games, going 61-68.
"It can be a grind and you go through it. But, yeah, I enjoy coming in here every day," Ventura said with a straight face before watching his team edge the Mariners 6-5 in 11 innings Sunday to earn a split of the four-game series.
Ventura was the surprise choice to manage the Sox to start the 2012 season. His record is 282-333. How much does he enjoy the gig now?
"I don't know if you could say more, but you enjoy it," he said. "You look at your life, the things you've done as an adult and this is ... I've been around this pretty much my whole adult life. This is what it is and you're used to this."
The fans at U.S. Cellular Field generally have been patient and have not expressed their discontent as vocally as fans of other sub-.500 teams in other cities might. But that doesn't mean Ventura doesn't hear the occasional boos.
"Oh, we have," Ventura said. "Don't doubt that. I understand their frustration. We had some high expectations and (when) you don't reach them, it can be very frustrating. That's part of sports."
The Sox appeared destined for another painful loss Sunday in front of 28,031 fans before a two-out throwing error by Mariners shortstop Brad Miller allowed the tying run to score in the bottom of the ninth. In the 11th inning, Tyler Saladino delivered an RBI single for the winning run.
Ventura says he still enjoys the adrenaline rush of competing as a manager, as he did as a player.
"That's part of what's in you from when you played to when you grew up, all of that," he said. "It's a different way of doing it than playing. But you enjoy it. ... Having done other stuff in the game, you don't hurt as much when you lose if you're not in uniform and you don't feel as good when you win. And that's something that when you're in uniform, you take it home with you."
The Sox are all but out of the wild-card chase, but Ventura is undeterred.
"You can go home miserable, but I've always believed you wake up every day and get to create your own attitude that day," he said. "There's worse things you could be doing, believe me. Every day should be a fun day, no matter how miserable you go to bed.
"You better be able to wake up and get a good attitude and be ready to get after it today."
September call-ups: When rosters expand this week, among the Sox additions will be a starting pitcher, very likely Erik Johnson.
"There's not much reason to bring a guy up here if he's not going to be able to start a game," Ventura said. "So he will get mixed in at some point."
fmitchell@tribpub.com
