Ventura to return as manager in 2016

CHICAGO -- Robin Ventura will return for his fifth season as White Sox manager, general manager Rick Hahn said prior to Friday's 2-1 win over the Tigers.

The team is finishing off its third straight losing season under Ventura, although the prior two campaigns were rebuilding years in which it would have been difficult to win.

"Nobody takes it harder than we do," said Ventura, who is under contract through 2016. "I grew up a White Sox person. I became an adult as a [member of the] White Sox. So it's important to me. I take it personal, and it's hard especially when it goes like this. Nobody wants this to turn around as much as I do."

"I guess the message at the end of the day is about nobody here cares more about getting us back to win a championship as quickly as possible as the people making these decisions," said Hahn, echoing Ventura's sentiments. "If I didn't feel, if we didn't feel as an organization, that Robin had the ability to be a championship-caliber manager, he wouldn't be here."

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Hahn emphasized that he believes Ventura is the right man in charge, citing a combination of factors: Tremendous communication, creating the right environment for players to maximize their abilities and giving the players the right information to succeed.

"Any manager, no matter how strong or what the win-loss record is, you're going to have some tactical disagreements between 7 and 10 o'clock at night," Hahn said. "Whenever there have been those disagreements, we've been able to talk through the specific issues and understand the rationale behind them.

"A big part of the managerial job, though, happens in those other 21 hours a day. And Robin's strengths are in that communication and in the environment he creates with those players, to allow them to maximize their abilities. Again, there is room for improvements, both from a tactical standpoint as well as from even off-the-field standpoint, and Robin's aware of that and he's embracing the opportunity to show that improvement, just as the rest of us who need to improve, myself included."

Although Hahn declined to comment on contracts of others in the management team, it is believed that many have only the 2016 season left on their deals, just like Ventura.

"It's important at the end that we put ourselves in the best possible position going forward, and as we sit here today, we feel like we are in that position," Hahn said. "As we sit here going forward, we feel confident that it's the right bunch to put us back where we want to be."