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Levine: Robin Ventura Won't Bow To Detractors

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Frank Sinatra's song " My Way" is a fitting way to describe White Sox manager Robin Ventura and his approach to the job. Ventura has always been a team guy with clear conviction of that is what's right for the 25 men on a team is right for him.

Finding emotion on the exterior of Ventura is just about impossible. He's the type of person you don't ever want to play poker with, as he keeps an even keel in almost all situations, with a few exceptions here and there once in a great while.

Ventura's of his inward thoughts is many times mistaken for not caring or being able to stay in the moment. When hired, Ventura was thought to be the perfect fit, a manager marking the departure from Ozzie Guillen's in-your-face managing style. The hope of White Sox management was that Ventura's way, with a more calculated approach to communicating a message, was needed after the eight years of outward fire and brimstone.

A guest on WSCR radio's "Inside the Clubhouse" on Saturday, Ventura was as upfront as he ever has been about the way he tries to motivate a club while protecting the sanctity of the locker room.

"I have always been like this, what is really important to me and how I find value as to what I do," Ventura said. "It is important to be who I am inside the clubhouse. In there, I might be loud and more emotional and say things in a more pointed way. Inside the clubhouse is always going to be different. I have always taken the sanctity of the clubhouse very seriously."

The 48-year-old Ventura is human like anyone else. He gets his feelings hurt and seems concerned when people suggest the fan base might not understand his passion.

"I try to keep as much of the communication here within our group," Ventura said. "If you have to wear it because people don't think you're passionate or emotional, that goes with the job. I am not going to compromise or dance for anything else. That part is very important to me, so I will always do that."

I asked Ventura if booing or fans not supporting him is a concern.

"What gets to me is the way we play or if we are not playing well," he responded.

"That parts gets to you. Again, what is important is how I react to the players in here. The outside stuff is there and will always be there. You can come here any day of the week and have 40,000 people disagree with what you're doing or not doing. That part comes with the territory. I am comfortable in my own skin enough to do what I think is right."

Ventura is in the last year of his contract. Now in his fifth season managing the White Sox, his record is 334-389. Chicago is currentl 37-38, seven games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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