Ventura keeps disappointment in perspective

CHICAGO -- Of the four seasons with Robin Ventura at the White Sox helm, the 2015 campaign has to be considered the most disappointing for the manager and team.

Ventura's first year in 2012 provided a somewhat surprising run to the top of the American League Central for 117 days, only to have the White Sox lose that lead to the Tigers during the final weeks of the season. The 2013 and 2014 seasons both were aimed at reshaping the team, but the organization went for it in 2015, only to come up well short to date.

But even with the 61-68 overall record and 12-16 August mark following Sunday's 6-5, 11-inning victory over the Mariners, the even-keel Ventura couldn't point out this year as decidedly different from the others.

"They all have their own set … . You continue to grind and look at it and see it from how the players are doing," Ventura said before Sunday's game. "That's a big thing, too. You want to see how these guys develop and move on. So I don't look at it that way. I just look at it as the individual guys."

As is the case for most underachieving teams, the manager takes the brunt of the criticism. Ventura certainly understands the frustration of the fans.

"We had some high expectations and you don't reach them," Ventura said. "It can be very frustrating, you understand that. That's part of sports.

"You just have to keep doing it. It's part of baseball coming in here. You can go home miserable, but I've always believed, you wake up every day and get to create your own attitude that day.

"There's worse things you could be doing, believe me. I think you get to the ballpark and you create that," Ventura said. "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."

Ventura still enjoys the Major League Baseball competition that he has known his entire adult life. And Ventura still enjoys the managerial job.

"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," Ventura said. "This is what it is and you're used to this.

"Anybody that competes, you like that, and this is obviously a different way to do it. But yeah, you still get that. 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 have, you take it home with you."