Getz-Venable partnership a natural fit for White Sox

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CHICAGO -- Before the search for a White Sox manager began full throttle after the 2022 season, there were individuals in and out of the organization who thought Chris Getz might be a good hire for that role.

Getz, of course, became the White Sox general manager on Aug. 31, 2023, after running the Minor League system and player development since 2017.

In Will Venable, the White Sox have another addition possessing high baseball acumen, with the knowledge and sensibilities to operate in both important roles. Those similar character traits could make for a good fit, although it’s extraordinarily early in their process together.

“It will be very collaborative,” said Rangers senior advisor of baseball operations Dayton Moore in a recent talk with MLB.com concerning these two people who he knows very well. “I always thought Chris Getz could be a manager someday. I thought he could be a general manager someday. Will Venable -- and I told [Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young] this last year -- he’s got the skill set to be not only a manager, but a general manager.

“You have two guys who are very qualified to do a lot of different things in the game. Their personalities will work well together. They are both very thoughtful. They will be very consistent in their behavior, so they are not going to catch either one of them off guard. There’s not going to be some reaction that nobody expects. They are individuals that typically respond instead of [reacting].”

Moore guided the Royals to the World Series in 2014 and ‘15 as general manager, winning the title in ‘15 with Getz a part of Kansas City's front office as a baseball operations assistant of player development. Moore also worked closely with Venable, who was the associate manager for Bruce Bochy for two seasons, during which the Rangers claimed the franchise’s first championship in 2023.

This fit runs deeper than Getz and Venable. It’s about Getz bringing in assistant general managers Josh Barfield and Jin Wong, senior advisor to pitching Brian Bannister and director of player personnel Gene Watson last season, along with David Keller to run international scouting and Ryan Fuller as the director of hitting this past year.

Getz, 41, has reorganized a research and development division in his ongoing attempt to upgrade the infrastructure, while he’s also building the team talent-wise from within. There’s a great deal of work ahead to rise from 222 combined losses over the past two seasons, including 121 in 2024 to set a single-season Modern Era record (since 1901), but at the core lies the bond between manager and general manager.

“There’s so many decisions that go into every day as a general manager, and what I’ve noticed in this short period of time is I’m comfortable calling Will about any one of those subjects and talking it through,” Getz said. “That’s what I was looking for. I was looking for a partner in this, and it’s a pretty good sign that it’s already as natural as it is.”

“He’s joining a very bright front office, led by Chris Getz,” said Moore of Venable. “Will Venable wants to join them in that great challenge of getting the White Sox back to the respectability that Jerry Reinsdorf demands and ultimately win another World Series championship. I know that’s how Will Venable is wired.”

A first-year manager brings its share of inherent trials and tribulations, especially for a team focused upon developing young players more than having designs on purely winning. But Venable, 42, has strong communication skills that will set the tone.

“Look, the key to all of this is can you deal with people?” Moore said. “What I love most about Bobby Cox was how he dealt with people, how he made people feel, and I can’t remember anything about his strategy. What I love about Ned Yost is how he made people feel, his competitive nature. What I love about Bruce Bochy is how much he interacts and loves people. And that’s the characteristics that Will has.

“There will be a learning curve with this. That’s where you give each other a little grace along the way and let him evolve and let him develop. But I believe he’s joining a situation where he can be aggressive, he can be fearless, and he can partner with Getzie and that front office and Jerry and work together to build something special and just keep getting better and better.”