Athletes - Robin Ventura

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	Athletes - Robin Ventura

Robin Mark Ventura (born July 14 1967 in Santa Maria, California) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Chicago White Sox. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. An outstanding performer on both offense and defense, he became only the fifth third baseman – joining Ken Boyer, Ron Santo, Brooks Robinson and Mike Schmidt – to hit at least 250 home runs and win at least five Gold Glove Awards. He ranks 14th in major league history with 1887 games at third base, and his six career Gold Gloves place him behind only Robinson (16) and Schmidt (10) at his position. Baseball statistician and historian Bill James, in the 2001 revision of his Historical Baseball Abstract, chose Ventura as the greatest third baseman of the 1990s.

Ventura was selected by the White Sox in the 1988 amateur draft and made his debut the following year. After spending ten seasons with the Sox (1989-1998), he played for the New York Mets (1999-2001) and New York Yankees (2002-03) before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers late in the 2003 season. A patient hitter with a smooth stroke, Ventura was capable of reaching the fences from left-center to the right-field line. Despite a declining batting average late in his career, he continued to contribute with solid glovework, lefthanded power and plenty of walks. As a fielder, Ventura was among the premier players at his position, leading the American League four times each in double plays and total chances, three times in putouts and twice in assists; he also led the National League in assists, total chances and fielding percentage once each. Few were better at charging and fielding bunts bare-handed.

At the conclusion of the 2004 National League Division Series, with the Dodgers eliminated from contention, Ventura announced his retirement from baseball. He finished his 16-year career with a .267 batting average, 294 home runs and 1182 RBI in 2079 games. Ventura also wore knee high socks much of his career, and many will remember him as the opposing player Nolan Ryan put in a head lock.

Early years

After attending Righetti High School in Santa Maria, California, Ventura’s rise to fame began as a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State University. After leading the nation in runs (107), RBI (96) and total bases (204) in 69 games as a freshman in 1986, he had an NCAA-record 58-game hitting streak (since surpassed) in 1987, shattering the previous record of 47; he also led Division I in RBIs for the second year in a row. His hitting prowess helped OSU reach the finals of the College World Series that year, although they lost the championship game to a Stanford team that included future teammate Jack McDowell; Ventura didn't go quietly, collecting four hits – including a pair of doubles – in the final game and batting .364 for the Series. In 1988 he earned a spot on the gold medal-winning Olympic baseball team, batting .409 during the tournament, and 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.

After being picked tenth in the 1988 draft by the White Sox, he spent much of 1989 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 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team, earned the starting third base role with the White Sox the next spring and essentially never looked back. While his 1990 rookie year was marred by an 0-for-41 slump and 25 errors, Ventura proved to be a quick learner. Despite the slump, his 123 hits were the most by a 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. 1992 brought another Gold Glove, a spot on the All-Star team – collecting an RBI double and a single on his 25th birthday – and several league-leading marks in both offensive and defensive categories. It is notable that as a major league player, Ventura was turning initial expectations on their head, as he had been projected to be a consistent .300 hitter, but with only limited power and modest defensive ability.

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Athletes - Robin Ventura

Early years

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