| Will Venable | |
|---|---|
 Venable with the San Diego Padres in 2008 | |
| Chicago White Sox – No. 1 | |
| Outfielder /Manager | |
| Born: (1982-10-29)October 29, 1982 (age 42) Greenbrae, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 29, 2008, for the San Diego Padres | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 6, 2016, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .249 |
| Home runs | 81 |
| Runs batted in | 307 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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William Dion Venable (born October 29, 1982) is an American professionalbaseballcoach and former player. He is the manager of theChicago White Sox ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB as anoutfielder for theSan Diego Padres,Texas Rangers, andLos Angeles Dodgers. He also was a coach for theChicago Cubs. He is the son of former MLB outfielderMax Venable and is the older brother of formerNational Football League playerWinston Venable.
Venable playedcollege basketball forPrinceton, where he was the second athlete to earn first-team All-Ivy League honors in both baseball and basketball. In the2005 MLB Draft, the Padres selected Venable in the seventh round; he made his major league debut in 2008. Although he broke into MLB as acenter fielder, he played mostly as aright fielder after his second season. He finished among the top 10 in theNational League intriples four times and instolen bases twice. He has the most MLB careerhits andhome runs of any Princeton alumnus.
Venable was born in 1982 inGreenbrae nearSan Rafael, California at a time when his fatherMax Venable was an MLB player for the nearbySan Francisco Giants.[1][2] Will grew up traveling around the country with his father and also lived inJapan and theDominican Republic.[3]
In high school, Will Venable envisioned himself as more likely to be a professional basketball player than baseball player.[3] Prior to his freshman year, his mother, Molly, objected to him quitting baseball to focus on basketball.[4] As both a high school sophomore and a high school junior, Venable was second-teamSan Francisco Bay Area All-Metro basketball player forSan Rafael High School.[5][6] He was the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL)most valuable player in basketball as a freshman, sophomore and junior.[7][8] As a sophomore, he led his team to the MCAL League Championship.[9][10] As a senior, he gave up the responsibility of beingpoint forward.[11]
Venable chose to attendPrinceton University, not for its academics, but for its tradition of basketball excellence. He respected their tradition of qualifying to participate in theNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament.[12] During his collegiate career, he was a part of teams that qualified for two postseason tournaments, the2002 National Invitation Tournament and the2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.[12] Princeton recruited him as a basketball player. He did not play baseball as a freshman, but his father had directed him toScott Bradley, Princeton's baseball coach, during his recruiting visit.[13]
Venable was the second athlete inIvy League history to be first-team All-Ivy in both basketball and baseball, following fellow Princton alum and futureSan Diego Padres teammate andTexas Rangers co-workerChris Young. Venable played on Ivy League ChampionNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship tournament participants in both sports.[12] He played in two postseason tournaments in both sports and earned aB.A. inanthropology, graduating in 2005.[12]
In basketball, he averaged over 10 points and over 30 minutes per game in his 2002–03 sophomore season through his 2004–05 senior season.[14]
Bradley had left the door open for Venable to come takebatting practice if he ever had the urge. As a sophomore, at the suggestion of his mother, Venable resumed baseball. He posted modest numbers in his first season, but in 2004, he hit for a .344 batting average, earned All-Ivy honorable mention,[12] and was drafted by theBaltimore Orioles in the 15th round of the draft (439th overall).[15] Bradley felt that Major League Baseballscouts undervalued Venable because he did not participate in theCape Cod League for college baseball players. Thus, instead of signing and giving up his amateur status, Venable returned for his senior season and posted a league leading 9 home runs and second-best .385 batting average while earning All-League honors.[13][16] Subsequently, the Padres drafted him in the seventh round (215th overall). He was signed by the Padres' Northeast Scouting Director,Jim Bretz.[13][15][17]
Venable made his professional debut inminor league baseball with theArizona League Padres in 2005. He hit for a .322 batting average in 15 games and was soon promoted to theEugene Emeralds of the Single-ANorthwest League.[12][18]
In 2006, Venable was the Padres Minor League Player of the Year.[19] With his father as a teamhitting coach,[12][19] Venable posted a .314 batting average, .389 on-base percentage (OBP), and .477 slugging percentage for theFort Wayne Wizards of the single-AMidwest League (MWL),[18] which earned him both mid-season and post-season MWL All-Star honors.[20][21] He tied for the MWL lead in runs scored and was among the top four Padre farmhands inRBIs, batting average, andstolen bases.[21][22][23] Among his highlights for the Wizards were his team-high twogrand slams and a five-hit game.[21]
Subsequently, for the 2006West Oahu CaneFires of theHawaii Winter Baseball, Venable posted a .330 batting average, .390 on-base percentage (OBP), and .473 slugging percentage.[24] He won the batting title that season and was named league most valuable player.[12][24] He also led the league in doubles and was second to John Otness in OBP.[24] Before the 2007 season, Venable was listed as the fifth best prospect in the Padres organization byBaseball America,[25] and they named him the #11 prospect in the league. They also named him as aBaseball America Low-A All-Star.[21]
In 2007, Venable batted .278 with a .337 OBP in 134 games for theSan Antonio Missions of theTexas League. This again earned him both mid-season and post-season league All-Star honors.[21] On May 30, he hit for thecycle.[26] After the season ended, he was invited to play for the San Diego affiliate in theArizona Fall League,[27] but he was afflicted withtendinitis in his shoulder and only hit .228.[28]
During 2008spring training, he had two home runs and eight runs batted in his first 12 at-bats.[28] He then posted a .292 batting average, .361 on-base percentage and .464 slugging percentage in 120 games for thePortland Beavers of thePacific Coast League in 2008.[18][29]
Venable had been expected to be a September 2008 call-up, but whenScott Hairston was forced onto the disabled list, Venable was called up ahead of schedule.[29] On August 29, 2008, in his debut, hetripled in his first at-bat and came around to score arun.[30] He was the 25th Princeton graduate to play in the Major Leagues, the first of them who was African-American.[13] In his sixth game, he hit his first MLB home run, on September 4 in a 5–2 victory over theMilwaukee Brewers.[31] His only other home run in2008 was also in a road victory on September 19, in an 11–6 victory over theWashington Nationals. During this game, Venable had his first three-hit performance and first three-RBI performance.[32][33] When Venable batted leadoff for the Padres on September 28, againstPittsburgh, he became the first Princeton batter to oppose a Princeton pitcher,Ross Ohlendorf.[34][35][36] In 2008, Venable accumulated only 110 Major League at-bats,[1] preserving his rookie eligibility.[37] He only played centerfield for the Padres in 2008.[1] After the MLB season, he played winter baseball in theDominican Professional Baseball League, where he struggled.[38]
Although in 2008Baseball America projected Venable as an every day starter for the Padres in 2010,[25] some experts questioned whether he would be a long-term solution incenter field for the team.[39] Venable started the2009 season with the Triple-A Portland Beavers,[40] but he was recalled by the Padres on June 3.[41] His father, Max, served as the Beavers'hitting coach in 2009.[42] Following the July 5 trade ofScott Hairston to theOakland Athletics, Venable sharedright field withKyle Blanks.[43] On July 12 against theSan Francisco Giants, he had his first home run of the season in his first career four-hit game.[44] Between July 30 and August 5, he homered in five of seven games.[4] On August 23 against theSt. Louis Cardinals, he was involved in a bench-clearing incident whenAlbert Pujols thought he threw an elbow while being tagged out.[45][46] In 2009, Venable hit 12 home runs and tallied 38runs batted in (RBI), while primarily playing right field defensively, with some action in center field.[1]
In2010, he finished 8th in theNational League with 7 triples and 9th with 29 stolen bases. He executed somedelayed steals by taking off with the toss back to the mound "when neither infielder is covering second and the catcher is nonchalant with the ball after receiving the pitch."[47] On May 19, Venable moved into the leadoff position in the lineup, and he fell a home run shy of the franchise's first cycle against theLos Angeles Dodgers, going 4-for-5 at the plate after getting a triple in the 1st inning and adouble in the third.[48] On June 23, 25 and 27, Venable hit tie-breaking home runs in Padre victories against theFlorida Marlins andTampa Bay Rays.[49][50][51] On July 3, he went on the 15-daydisabled list due to back problems.[52] On September 29 against theChicago Cubs, he robbed two potential home runs, fromAlfonso Soriano andAramis Ramírez, on deep fly balls.[53] In the game, he achieved his career-high 10-game hitting streak.[54] He also led National League outfielders with 5 errors. He set new career-highs with 13 home runs and 51 RBI. Again, he was primarily a right fielder, also spending some time in left field and center field.[1]
In2011, Venable started slowly, hitting only .205 in April and was eventually optioned to the Triple-ATucson Padres on May 23 before being recalled on June 9.[55] At the time of his demotion, he had no home runs and a .224 batting average in 134 at-bats.[56] He was recalled after going 16-for-58 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs and 3 stolen bases in 14 games.[57] In a minor league game on May 27, he homered twice against theSalt Lake Bees.[58] On July 20, Venable scored 3 runs in the first two innings as the Padres jumped out to a 13–0 lead against theFlorida Marlins.[59] In late July, he missed a few games due to back spasms.[60] On August 10 against theNew York Mets, Venable had four hits, again missing the cycle by a home run when he posted a second double in a ninth inning at bat.[61] On August 21, Veneble delivered a leadoff home run and the game-winning bases-loaded walk-off hit onTrevor Hoffman Day.[62] On September 28, he got his firstgrand slam home run against theChicago Cubs off ofRyan Dempster.[63] For the season, his totals dropped to 9 home runs and 44 RBI with the Padres, and he again totaled 7 triples, this time finishing 10th in the league. He again played mostly in right field.[1]
In2012, Venable andChris Denorfia formed a platoon in right field, with Venable getting most of the starts against right-handed pitchers and batting .270 against them.[64] Venable made 80 starts in right, appearing in a then-career-high 148 games for the year. When not starting in right, he made occasional starts in center and left field and pinch hit 26 time. On May 15, Venable had a single, double and triple by the fourth inning against theWashington Nationals, but his 4-hit effort again fell short of the cycle.[65] On May 23, Venable had his sixth career leadoff home run and added a single in the second inning and a double in the fourth against theSt. Louis Cardinals. He ended up one hit shy of the cycle for the fifth time, this time lacking a triple.[66] On June 3, Venable suffered a strainedoblique muscle and left the game,[67] missing four more games with the injury. Venable finished the year batting .264 with 9 home runs and 45 RBI. He collected 8 triples, finishing 9th in the league, and also committed 7 errors, tied for first among NL outfielders.[1]
Coming into2013, Venable was again expected to platoon with Denorfia in right, but injuries to center fielderCameron Maybin and left fielderCarlos Quentin expanded his playing time.[68] He made 68 starts in right and 52 in center and played in a career-high 151 games. Venable entered the season with 401 career hits, 48 shy ofMoe Berg's record for the most hits by a Princeton player. Venable's 46 home runs were already a school best.[69] Venable won theNational League Player of the Week Award for the week of August 12–18. During the week, Venable tied his single-game career high with 4 hits, joined the Padres' 100-steal club, hit a walk-off home run, made a home run stealing catch and surpassed his previous career best hitting streak by 5 to 15. It marked his first Player of the Week Award, as he hit .406 (13-for-32) with two home runs, two doubles, a triple and seven runs scored.[70][71] On September 13,David Hale, who graduated from Princeton in 2011, made his major league debut for theAtlanta Braves, and it became the second Princeton vs. Princeton batter-pitcher matchup in major league history. Hale struck out Venable and eight other Padres in his debut for the Braves, setting a franchise debut record.[34][72][73] Venable was voted the Padres' Most Valuable Player for the 2013 season by local baseball writers and other media members as he became the 8th player in Padres history to record at least 20 home runs and 20 steals in a season.[68] For the year, Venable hit .268 with 22 home runs and a .796on-base plus slugging, all new career highs. He also stole 22 bases and finished tied for fifth in the league with 8 triples.[2]
On September 2, 2013, Venable signed a two-year contract extension with the Padres to keep him in San Diego through the 2015 season.[74] Venable batted .224 with eight home runs in the 2014 season. His batting average, .288 on-base percentage, .325 slugging percentage, and 38 RBIs were all career lows for a full season.[75] During the 2014–15 offseason, the Padres acquired outfieldersMatt Kemp,Justin Upton, andWil Myers, shifting Venable into a reserve role.[76][77] For the Padres in 2015, Venable hit .258 with six home runs, 10 doubles, and 11 stolen bases through mid-August.[78]
On August 18, 2015, the Padres traded Venable to theTexas Rangers for catcher Marcus Greene and aplayer to be named later. On August 21, the Rangers sentJon Edwards to the Padres to complete the trade, after Edwards clearedwaivers and could be traded.[79] The Rangers needed another outfielder to supplement players likeJosh Hamilton, who had dealt with injuries in the past.[80] Venable was not a benefit to the Rangers, batting .182 with three doubles as his only extra base hits in 82 plate appearances.[1]
On February 28, 2016, Venable signed a minor league contract with theCleveland Indians.[81][82] On March 27, Cleveland released him.[83] The next day, Venable signed a minor league contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[84] On June 11, Venable opted out of his minor league deal with the Phillies and became a free agent.[85]
On June 14, 2016, theLos Angeles Dodgers signed Venable and added him to their major league roster.[86] He appeared in six games for the Dodgers and had one hit (a double) in 10 at-bats before he was designated for assignment on June 24.[87] He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to the Triple-AOklahoma City Dodgers the next day.[88] On July 1, the Dodgers brought Venable back to the active roster whenJoc Pederson was placed on the disabled list.[89] On July 7, he was again designated for assignment,[90] and on July 11, he again accepted an outright assignment to Oklahoma City.[91] He had one hit in 19 at-bats for Los Angeles and played in 46 games for Oklahoma City, where he hit .276/.343/.404 with four home runs and 25 RBI.[18] Venable elected free agency following the season on November 7.[92]
On September 6, 2017, Venable was named a special assistant toChicago Cubs presidentTheo Epstein.[93] Venable served as the first base coach of the Cubs in 2018 and 2019.[94] For the 2020 season, he became the Cubs third base coach.[95]
On November 20, 2020, theBoston Red Sox named Venable their bench coach.[96] On May 29, 2021, Venable managed his first MLB game, filling in forAlex Cora in a game against theMiami Marlins, as Cora was inPuerto Rico to attend the high school graduation of one of his children. The Red Sox won, 3–1.[97] On November 16, 2022, Venable was hired by theTexas Rangers to be an associate manager alongsideBruce Bochy.[98]
On October 31, 2024, theChicago White Sox hired Venable to be their manager following the firing ofPedro Grifol during their41–121 season, which broke the MLB record for most losses in a season. Venable replaced interim managerGrady Sizemore.[99]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chicago Cubsfirst base coach 2018–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chicago Cubsthird base coach 2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Boston Red Soxbench coach 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
