**CAREER NOTES**
Was named the 39th manager in white sox history on 10/6/11, replacing former teammate Ozzie Guillen ...
is the 18th former sox player to manage the club ... is the only current manager to be drafted and play with the
club he now manages ... was hired by the sox as a special advisor to then director of player development Buddy
Bell on 6/6/11 ... in that role, he visited each of the White Sox minor-league affiliates throughout the summer,
evaluating player performance and reporting to Bell.
**PLAYING CAREER**
Spent 16 major-league seasons with the White Sox (1989-98), New York Mets (1999-2001), New York Yankees
(2002-03) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2003-2004), playing for a managerial list that included Jeff Torborg, Bobby
Valentine, Joe Torre and Jim Tracy ... won six gold gloves (1991-93, 1996, 1998-99) and was a two-time All-Star (1992 and 2002) ... in 2,079 career games, hit .267 (1,885-7,064) with 294 home runs and 1,182 rBi ... hit
20 or more home runs nine times and drove in 100-plus three times ... hit .340 (64-188) with 18 home runs and
214 rBi lifetime with the bases loaded ... his 18 career grand slams are tied for fifth in major-league history ...
received votes in the most valuable player balloting in 1991 and 1999 ... appeared in five different postseasons
with the White Sox (1993), Mets (1999, 2000), Yankees (2002) and Dodgers (2004) ... Batted .274 (1,244-4,542)
with 171 home runs and 741 RBI in 1,254 games over 10 seasons with the sox ... ranks among the white sox
all-time leaders in grand slams (t1st, 10), walks (5th, 668), home runs (6th), rBi (8th) and extra-base hits (10th,
402) ... recorded 21 career multihomer games and drove in six-plus runs on six occasions with a career high
of eight ... his best season came in 1999 with the mets when he batted .301 (177-588) with 32 home runs and
120 rBi ... his 120 rBi set a club record for left-handers ... hit a game-ending "grand slam" in the 15th inning of
game 5 of the 1999 alcs vs. atlanta to give the mets a 4-3 win ... the grand slam was ruled a single after he
did not touch all the bases ... became the fi rst player in major-league history to hit
grand slams in each game of a doubleheader on 5/20/99 vs. Milwaukee ... suffered
a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle sliding into home plate during
a spring training game on 3/21/97 ... returned to play in 54 games for the white
sox that season ... started a 5-4-3 triple play on 6/6/96 at Boston ... became the
eighth player in major-league history to hit two grand slams in one game on 9/4/95
at Texas (first since Baltimore's Frank Robinson in 1970) and the fourth to connect
in consecutive innings (fourth and fi fth) ... fi nished with a career-high eight rBi,
matching the sox franchise record ... was ejected on 8/4/93 at Texas after charging nolan ryan on the mound ... was named al player of the month for July 1991
... endured a 0-41 slump during his rookie season of 1990 ... was selected in the
first round (10th overall) of the 1988 draft out of Oklahoma State University ... was
signed by Lou and Mark Snipp (white sox).
**MISCELLANEOUS/PERSONAL**
Married Stephanie ... has four children: Rachel, Madison, Grace and Jack ... attended Oklahoma State
University, where he was named college player of the decade by Baseball America and was the third baseman
on Baseball America's all-time college all-star team ... was a three-time all-america selection ... was named
1986 freshman of the year by Baseball America after hitting .469 and was named national player of the year
by the same publication as a sophomore in 1987 when he batted .428 with 21 home runs and 110 rBi ... led
the cowboys to consecutive college world series appearances as a freshman and sophomore ... still ranks
second in college world series history with a .459 average ... compiled a ncaa-record, 58-game hitting streak
in 1987, a mark that still stands ... the streak was snapped during the 1987 college world series by Stanford's
Jack Mcdowell, his future teammate with the White Sox ... capped his three-year career at Oklahoma State by
hitting .391 with 26 homers and 96 rBi as a junior in 1988 ... was the recipient of the dick howser trophy as
college baseball's outstanding player and the Golden Spikes Award, college baseball's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy ... holds the school record with 329 career hits and shares the record for most hits in a season
(116) with Pete Incaviglia ... his jersey no. 21 was retired by Oklahoma State on 2/22/98 ... was a member of
the 1988 u.s. Olympic baseball team ... batted .409 to help team usa win the gold medal in Seoul ... posted
a .380 average with 12 home runs and 77 rBi during a 50-game tour before the summer games ... is the only
manager in major-league history who has won an olympic gold medal in baseball.
**COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT **
In January 2013, made a special visit to Gilda's Club Chicago, spending time
with men and women living with cancer and also participated in a special "gentle
yoga" session with members ... prior to the start of the 2012 season, participated
in the taping of an anti-bullying psa, along with Gordon Beckham, John Danks
and Alexei Ramirez ... was reunited in may 2012 with Ryan Reithel, a former
pediatric cancer patient at the old children's memorial hospital in lincoln park,
whom he first visited at the hospital in 1991 ... made his first visit to the new
lurie children's hospital, accompanied by reithel, as well as alex rios and
hector santiago, and dedicated the new "chicago white sox play area" in the
pediatric oncology floor of the hospital ... appeared in "A Christmas Carol" at Chicago's Goodman Theatre with
make-a-wish recipient Emily Beazley as part of a partnership with the non-profit organization in December 2011
... while playing for the Mets and Yankees, sponsored an annual Robin Ventura All-star Bowling Tournament
to raise money for the new york police and fire widows and children's Benefit fund, inc. ... hosted the Robin
Ventura all-star classic to support the chelsea piers scholarship fund, which allowed underprivileged youths
to attend sports programs throughout the new york city area ... while playing for the White Sox, was actively
involved with children's memorial hospital and the united way ... received honorable mention recognition in
1996 for the USA Weekend most caring athlete award ... made a psa in 1995 to assist those affected by the
Oklahoma City bombing.
2004
Announced his retirement after 16th big league campaign...Ranked third in the National League in pinch-hit RBI (14) and tied for second with three pinch-hit homers...was one of nine National Leaguers to hit two or more grand slams in 2004, giving him 18 in his career which ties him with Willie McCovey for the third most in Major League history behind Eddie Murray (19) and Lou Gehrig (23)...during the season, surpassed Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Dave Kingman, Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx on the all-time grand slam list...became just the ninth Dodger to hit three pinch-hit homers in a season, joining Dave Hansen (7, 2000), Johnny Frederick (6, 1932), Lee Lacy (5, 1978), Billy Ashley (5, 1996), Jay Johnstone (3, 1981), Jose Morales (3, 1983), Bill Skowron (3, 1963) and Olmedo Saenz (3, 2004)...his home run on Aug. 1 at PETCO Park in San Diego marked the 38th ballpark in which he has homered...was part of Major League history when, on Sept. 8, the day after he hit a pinch-hit grand slam, Saenz did the same, marking the first time that a team had a pinch-hit grand slam in back-to-back games...made 25 starts for the Dodgers, during which the team posted a 13-12 record...was one of the most clutch Dodgers hitters, as he batted .347 (17-for-49) with runners in scoring position and .480 (12-for-25) with runners in scoring position and less than two out...reached base in 21 of his 70 pinch-hit plate appearances, as he batted .271 (13-for-61) with eight walks, one sacrifice fly and seven runs scored...played in his 2,000th career game on May 18 at Philadelphia.
2003
Began the season with the New York Yankees and was acquired by the Dodgers on July 31 in exchange for outfielder Bubba Crosby and minor league pitcher Scott Proctor...appeared in 49 games with the Dodgers and collected five homers and 13 RBI, making 25 starts at first base and two starts at third...four of his homers were hit at Dodger Stadium...with the Yankees, he played 89 games and batted .251 with nine homers and 42 RBI...overall on the season, had 19 multi-hit games, including a fourhit game and four three-hit efforts...recorded his 1,000th career base on balls on April 21 off Minnesota's Rick Reed...had the 21st two-home-run game of his career and drove in four runs on April 18 at Minnesota...went 4-for-5 with an RBI on April 27 at Texas...batted .273 (21-for-77) with five home runs and 13 RBI during April...hit .300 (21-for-70) in May...from July 12-30, batted .440 (11-for-25) with five RBI...three days after he was acquired by the Dodgers, he hit first career inside-the-park homer on Aug. 3 at Atlanta...had three RBI, including a two-run homer, on Aug. 9 vs. Chicago...posted a six-game hitting streak, equaling his season high, from Aug. 3-Aug. 9, during which he batted .304 (7-for-23)...just missed his 17th career grand slam when his three-run double on Aug. 19 vs. Montreal hit off the top of the right field wall...finished the game 1-for-2 with two walks and three RBI...slugged a two-run homer off San Diego's Ben Howard on Sept. 14 in the Dodgers' 5-2 win... homered on Sept. 21 vs. San Diego, a solo shot that was followed by homers from Adrian Beltre and Jeromy Burnitz, marking the first and only time in 2003 that the Dodgers hit three consecutive homers.
CAREER SUMMARY: Has enjoyed a productive 15-year Major League career, having played for four different teams: the Chicago White Sox (1989-98), New York Mets (1999-2001), New York Yankees (2002-03) and the Dodgers (2003)...in 1,977 big league games, has amassed 1,848 hits, 289 home runs, 335 doubles and 1,154 RBI...has earned six Rawlings Gold Glove Awards at third base (1991-93, 1996, 1998-99)...has been named to the American League All-Star team twice (1992, 2002)...leads all active Major Leaguers with 16 grand slam home runs, tying him with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Dave Kingman for sixth place on the all-time list...needs one to tie Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams for fourth place...is one of just 11 Major Leaguers to hit two grand slams in one game as he did so on Sept. 4, 1995 at Texas...finished sixth in National League MVP voting in 1999...has appeared in the postseason four times in his career, including three League Championship Series and one World Series (Mets, 2000)...Dodger Stadium last season became the 37th different ballpark in which he has homered...only four players in Major League history have homered in more parks: Fred McGriff (42), Ellis Burks (41), Mark McGwire (39) and Sammy Sosa (38)...has appeared at all four infield positions at various points during his big league career...is one of 13 active Major League players to have drawn 1,000 walks in his career...was the 10th overall selection in the June 1988 First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox...played just one minor league season, 1989 at Double-A Birmingham...selected by Baseball America as College Baseball's Player of the Decade for the 1980s after a stellar threeyear career at Oklahoma State University, where he put together an NCAA-record 58- game hitting streak as a sophomore in 1987...member of 1988 United States Olympic team that won the gold medal in Seoul, South Korea...made his Major League debut on Sept. 12, 1989 at Baltimore and collected his first hit in his second plate appearance, a single off Olympic teammate Ben McDonald...also recorded his 1000th career hit off him on Aug. 17, 1996...his first big league homer came off Boston's Roger Clemens on April 18, 1990 at Comiskey Park.
2002
Provided stability and production from the third base position, batting .247 (115-for-465) with 27 homers and 93 RBI in 141 games (130 starts at third base)...his 27 home runs were the third-highest single-season total of his career...hit 16 of his 27 homers on the road...was selected by Manager Joe Torre to participate in his second career All-Star Game (also 1992 with the Chicago White Sox)...was fourth-inning defensive replacement at third base and was 0-for-1 on July 9 at Milwaukee...hit 250th homer of his career in April 4 win at Baltimore...hit two-run home run on May 17 vs. Minnesota, becoming the 19th player to hit a home run into the center field "black" section of remodeled Yankee Stadium in the regular season...pinch-hit for Ron Coomer in eighth inning on May 26 at Boston and hit three-run home run, his third career pinch-hit homer and first since May 21, 2000 vs. Arizona with the NY Mets...hit game-winning two-run homer in the 10th and was 1-for-3 with two walks on June 14 at Shea Stadium...hit 16th career grand slam on July 28 at Tampa Bay...hit solo homer and was 1-for-4 on Sept. 11 vs. Baltimore before being ejected by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the ninth inning after arguing a called third strike...hit .286 (4- for-14) with two doubles and a team-high four RBI in four Division Series games vs. Anaheim.
2001
Posted a .237 (108-for-456) average with 21 homers and 61 RBI in 135 games with the New York Mets...fashioned his 19th two-home run game (Rocker and Ligtenberg) at Atlanta on April 3...hit a pair of two-run home runs, the last one giving the Mets a 6-4 victory in 10 innings...became the first Mets' player to have two home runs on Opening Day since Bobby Bonilla on April 6, 1992 at St. Louis...hit his 15th career grand slam on May 1 vs. Houston (Powell)...his five grand slams as a Met tied him for first on the Mets' All-Time list...recorded his 1600th career hit with a home run off John Burkett at Atlanta on July 1...his solo home run against Rich Loiselle at Pittsburgh on Sept. 19 gave him the 1000th RBI of his career...in his final 21 games, he was 19-for-66 (.288) with seven doubles, 10 runs scored, three home runs, 11 RBI and 13 walks.
2000
Batted .232 (109-for-469) with 24 homers and 84 RBI in 141 games...ended the season on a high note by hitting .320 (16-for-50) with three home runs and 13 RBI in his final 16 regular-season games...hit his 14th career grand slam on April 18 vs. Milwaukee (Navarro)...knocked in six runs at Pittsburgh on April 16 for his third time as a Met...had six RBI on June 28 at Florida and July 31 at Chicago...hit his second career pinch-hit home run (a solo shot off Mike Morgan) vs. Arizona on May 21...finished tied for eighth in the NL with 12 intentional walks...tied a Mets club record (done many times) with two sacrifice flies vs. Colorado on Aug. 17...batted .167 (8-for-48) with two homers and eight RBI in 14 postseason games.
1999
Played in 161 games in his first season with the Mets, batting .301 (177-for-588) with 32 homers and 120 RBI...had the lateral meniscus of his left knee debrided on Oct. 22...also had torn cartilage removed from his right shoulder on December 6...both surgeries were performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery by Mets Team Physician Dr. David Altchek...captured his first Rawlings Gold Glove in the National League and his sixth career Gold Glove...led all Major League third basemen with a .980 fielding percentage (nine errors in 452 chances)...became the first player in Major-League history to hit grand slams in each game of a doubleheader on May 20 vs. Milwaukee (Jim Abbott, Horacio Estrada)...hit his third grand slam of the season and the 13th of his career in the fifth inning at San Francisco against Livan Hernandez on Aug. 15...tied Alex Rodriguez and Fernando Tatis for the Major-League lead in grand slams...belted his 200th career home run on Sept. 1 at Houston...named the National League Player of the Week for the period of July 26-Aug. 1, batting .500 (12-for-24) with four homers and 11 RBI during the span...his slugging percentage for the week was 1.083...hit two home runs twice during the year: July 31 at Chicago and June 28 at Florida...his six RBI in the Florida game were the most by a Mets' player since current Dodger teammate Todd Hundley knocked in seven runs on May 18, 1996 at San Francisco...set a club record with 120 RBI by a left-handed batter...Darryl Strawberry held the record with 108 RBI in 1990...hit safely in his first 10 games as a Met from April 5-15, batting .375 (15-40) with 11 RBI...the last Met to open the season with a 10-game hitting streak was Rick Cerone in 1991...batted .153 (6-for-39) with one homer and three RBI in 10 postseason games...belted a grand slam home run in the bottom on the 15th inning in Game 5 of the NLCS to defeat the Braves, 4-3...the grand slam was ruled a single, as Ventura did not touch all the bases.
1998
Completed his 10th season with the White Sox, batting .263 (155-for-590) with 21 homers and 91 RBI while playing in a career-high 161 games...earned his fifth career Rawlings Gold Glove Award at third base...only Brooks Robinson (16) and Buddy Bell (six) have won the honor more times among American League third basemen...handled 447 total chances, most by A.L. third basemen...established a career-high with four triples...collected his 200th career double off Mariano Rivera on June 1 at New York.
1997
Returned from a severely dislocated and broken right ankle to appear in 54 games for the White Sox, batting .262 (48-for-183) with six homers and 26 RBI...suffered the compound fracture and dislocation sliding into home plate in the fourth inning of a Spring Training game vs. Boston on March 21 at Sarasota...was his first career trip to the disabled list...was reinstated from the 15-Day disabled list on July 24...made nine rehabilitation appearances with Single-A Nashville and Double-A Birmingham, batting (11-for-32) with three homers and seven RBI...connected for his 150th career home run on Sept. 18 at Kansas City.
1996
Hit .287 (168-for-586) with a career-high 34 homers and 105 RBI in 158 games with the White Sox...the 34 homers were the eighth-most in White Sox history and the most ever by a left-hander (surpassing Oscar Gamble's 31 in 1977)...won his fourth career Rawlings Gold Glove Award, tying him with Gary Gaetti for third place all-time among American League third basemen...posted a career-high .974 fielding percentage while committing a careerlow 10 errors...also turned a career-high 34 double plays...compiled a career-high 15-game hitting streak from June 23-July 7, batting .333 (19-for-57) during the stretch...collected his 1,000th career hit with a home run off Ben McDonald on Aug. 17 at Milwaukee...connected on his first career pinch-hit home run on May 28 at Toronto...started a 5-4-3 triple play on June 6 at Boston.
1995
Batted .295 (145-for-492) with 26 home runs and 93 RBI in 135 games...became the eighth player in Major League history to hit two grand slams in one game on Sept. 4 at Texas (first since Baltimore's Frank Robinson in 1970) and the fourth Major League player to connect in consecutive innings (the fourth and fifth innings)...the eight RBI were a career-high and matched the White Sox club record...the grand slams were his sixth and seventh with the Sox, setting a club mark...scored a career-high four runs on June 29 at Milwaukee...went 5-for-6 with three doubles on Sept. 23 at Minnesota...the five hits tied his career-high, also done on June 29 at Milwaukee and the three doubles set a career-high...made his first Major-League start at first base on May 7 vs. Kansas City.
1994
Compiled a .282 (113-for-401) mark with 18 homers and 78 RBI in 109 games...had 65 RBI at the All-Star Break...made his Major League debut at shortstop on May 20 at Oakland...hit two home runs for the second time in his career on April 24 vs. Detroit...both homers followed blasts from Julio Franco, marking the first time in franchise history that two players hit back-to-back home runs in the same game...his 22 double plays topped AL third basemen.
