CHICAGO – When Joe Crede was drafted in 1996, Robin Ventura was entrenched at third base for the White Sox. Crede often has mentioned since then that Ventura was his gold standard.
Last night, Ventura said Crede needs to find another role model.
“He’s better,” Ventura said before the White Sox beat the Astros 7-6 in Game 2 of the World Series. “He’s definitely stronger and faster and things like that.
“I don’t want to label him with any bad things that I had. But he’s been doing great. I hope he does better. I hope he’s here longer.
“When you’re on a team that gets this far – for a team that’s been around this long and not had this success – it’s nice to see somebody stay here and maybe put up some numbers so maybe they can retire his number.”
Ventura was a two-time All-Star who won six Gold Gloves in a career spanning 1989-2004, including stints with the Mets and Yankees. Crede, a fifth-round pick, hasn’t been an All-Star or won a Gold Glove, but has been phenomenal since the start of the ALCS.
“This is a great experience for him to lead into next year,” Ventura said. “It’s part of growing up, and some of this is going to help him for confidence and expectations and things like that.”
Ventura played alongside Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen, and he always knew Guillen would make a good skipper.
“I think every pitching move that was ever made, he was giving his two cents one way or the other,” Ventura said of Guillen. “And he’s a great multi-tasker. He knew everything that was going on in the stadium. He kind of has eyes everywhere.
“As far as just personal stuff or body language and stuff like that, he senses that stuff really well.”
Ventura, now 38, doesn’t see himself coaching or managing anytime soon. He did some brief TV work and visited the White Sox earlier this year.
Does Guillen want him on his staff?
“No, but you never know what he’s going to say – so don’t believe it,” he said with a laugh.
Ventura, who played for the Mets from 1999-2001 and the Yankees from 2002-03, thinks the White Sox could supplant the Cubs as Chicago’s favorite team if they win their first World Series since 1917.
“I mean, it would be hard to argue it,” he said. “I noticed today a lot of White Sox stuff while walking around town.
“Having spent some time here, it wasn’t always that way. It’s pretty gratifying to walk around and see that.”