Hanley: Is Ventura The Next Del Negro?

By Brian Hanley-

(CBS) Will Robin Ventura be a great, or even good, manager?

Time will tell.

Here's hoping Robin isn't baseball Vinny Del Negro: well-intentioned, likable, CLUELESS.

The only thing certain with this shocking hire is Robin, personality-wise, is the anti-Ozzie Guillen.

"This is what we do in baseball,'' former general manager Steve Phillips told Mac and Spiegs Thursday morning. "When we have a fiery, emotional guy, then we go to the kind of quiet, calm guy. When the quiet, calm guy doesn't win games, we go to a fiery guy. That's what we do. We figure, 'Well, let's try the opposite of him and see if that doesn't turn it around.' Every team does it.''

Phillips was talking about the personality of Dave Martinez, the Tampa bench coach many had as the Sox No. 1 target.

But his answer applies to Kenny Williams' hire of Ventura, who has NEVER managed at any level, as well.

That was the only predictable move made by Williams because Sandy Alomar, Jr. is soft-spoken and classy, too.

Then again, no one was going to match Ozzie's larger-than-life presence, bleeps and all.

"I've never looked at Dave Martinez as a major league manager," Phillips said.  "I know that he's with Joe Maddon and Joe Maddon likes him and respects him -- he's the right-hand man to Joe. I just never looked at him as having that sort of presence to lead a team.

"He was always kind of a nice complementary sort of player. I never looked at him as an impact personality. I may be wrong, but he's not somebody that I would've put on my list."

Robin was much more than a "nice complementary sort of player.''

Manager material. Williams' GM future is riding on it.