WHY I THINK ROBIN VENTURA SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN
By- Damien
In an era clouded with steroid users, Robin Ventura’s name doesn’t really stand out. He wasn’t a walking heap of artificial muscle (he was 6’1”, 185 during his playing days), and he never hit 50 or 60 or 73 home runs in a single season (his season high was 34). Instead of impressing people with one tool power, Ventura made an impact with his consistency in all facets of the game, both offensively and defensively. He was probably the best defensive third baseman of his era, capturing six Gold Glove awards. Ventura was particularly adept at turning the double play, turning in eleven seasons with 20 or more, including 38 in 1998. At the plate, he was a catalyst in the middle of the lineup, contributing around 25 home runs and 80 walks year in and year out. A lefthanded batter, he hit well against both righties and lefties. One could only imagine how many all-star teams he could have made, or Silver Sluggers he could have won, if not for the power hitters who defined the “steroid era.”
Robin Mark Ventura was born on July 14, 1967, in Santa Maria, California. The third of four brothers, who were always playing ball in the backyard, Robin started developing as a player from a very young age. Ventura first made his mark on the national scene in 1986, when he batted .469 as a freshman at Oklahoma State University (setting a new OSU batting mark) and led the nation in runs scored, RBI’s, and total bases. In 1987, Ventura had a 58 game hitting streak, a NCAA record at the time. In 1988, he won both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award. A three time All American, Ventura finished his college career with a .428 career batting average and three OSU career batting records. To cap off his amateur career, he batted .409 in the 1988 Olympics and took home a gold medal.
After his success in both college and the Olympics, everyone expected Ventura to have a long, successful career ahead of him. He was drafted by the White Sox in the first round of the June 1988 amateur draft, and was up with the big club for a cup of coffee by 1989. Ventura reached rookie status in 1990, finishing seventh in the Rookie of the Year balloting, and had a breakout season in 1991, batting .284 with 23 home runs and 100 RBI’s. Proving he was the real deal, he made his first all-star team in 1992. In the midst of all the expansion, strikes, and steroid scandals that riddled the 1990’s, Ventura continued to flourish into one of the best players of the decade, providing the White Sox with stability in an era of uncertainty and instability.
On December 1, 1998, Ventura signed as a free agent for the New York Mets. He immediately made an impact for his new team, batting .301 with 32 homers and 120 RBI’s, leading the Mets to the postseason. Ventura became a hero in Game 5 of the NLCS, recording a walk off hit in the bottom of the 15th inning. With the bases loaded, Ventura deposited a 2-1 offering from Kevin McGlinchy over the fence in right center, giving the Mets a dramatic victory. However, a wild on field celebration ensued, and Ventura was unable to complete his trek around the bases. In fact, only the lead runner, Roger Cedeño, was able to cross the plate, and so the final score was 4-3. Ventura, who never touched second base, was credited with an RBI single.
Ventura had a career year in 1999, but couldn’t produce the same kind of numbers in 2000 (.232 - 24 - 84; I guess Y2K did affect some people). After a similar season in 2001, the Mets decided to let him go - but he didn’t go far, as he landed a deal with the cross town Yankees. Ventura had one last signature season in 2002, hitting 27 homers and making his second and final all-star team. He hung around for two more seasons, still producing in a reserve role, before he retired as a player. Ventura wasn’t through contributing to baseball, however, serving as the White Sox’s manager from 2012 through 2016. He led the team to an 85-77 season in 2012, finishing second in the AL Central.
Although nobody ever advocates for Robin Ventura’s induction into the Hall of Fame, his case is actually quite compelling. He was a strong power hitter, hitting more than 20 homers in nine different seasons and driving in over 90 runs eight times. Ventura also had fine plate discipline, combining an above average walk rate with a below average strikeout rate for a healthy .362 OBP, 95 points higher than his batting average. His .806 career OPS was good for a 114 OPS+, a very respectable figure considering the era in which he played. His OPS+ could have been 125 or higher if not for the steroid eaters. In the field, he posted a .958 fielding percentage at the hot corner, seven points above the league average. He combined a strong arm and sure hands with above average range, helping him to six Gold Gloves. Later in his career, when his legs failed him, he split his time between first and third base, and was above average at both positions. His solid MLB career, combined with what he accomplished as an amateur, make him a worthy member of The Cooperstown Advocate and, hopefully someday, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
LIFETIME STATISTICS
Games career: 2,079 season high: 161 in 1998 and 1999
At Bats career: 7,064 season high: 606 in 1991
Hits career: 1,885 season high: 177 in 1999
Doubles career: 338 season high: 38 in 1992 and 1999
Triples career: 14 season high: 4 in 1998
Home Runs career: 294 season high: 34 in 1996
Runs Scored career: 1,006 season high: 96 in 1996
Runs Batted In career: 1,182 season high: 120 in 1999
Stolen Bases career: 24 season high: 4 in 1995
Walks career: 1,075 season high: 105 in 1993
Strikeouts career: 1,179 season high: 111 in 1998
Batting Average career: .267 season high: .301 in 1999
On Base Percentage career: .362 season high: .384 in 1995
Slugging Percentage career: .444 season high: .529 in 1999
Total Bases career: 3,133 season high: 311 in 1999
Sacrifice Hits career: 33 season high: 13 in 1990
Fielding Percentage career: .963 season high: .980 in 1999 led NL 3B: .980 in 1999
Double Plays career: 430 season high: 38 in 1998 led AL 3B: 29 in 1992, 22 in 1994, 34 in 1996, 38 in 1998
Putouts career: 2,215 season high: 253 in 2003 (Ventura’s season high as a third baseman was 141 in 1992) led AL 3B: 134 in 1991, 141 in 1992, 133 in 1996
Assists career: 3,616 season high: 375 in 1992 (372 as a third baseman) led AL 3B: 372 in 1992, 330 in 1998 led NL 3B: 320 in 1999
DID YOU KNOW?
-finished sixth in the NL MVP voting in 1999 and 20th in the AL MVP voting in 1991
-was a 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie
-hit 2-for-3 with a double in all-star competition
-pitched one game in 2004 (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, GF)
-led the AL with 15 intentional walks in 1999
-led AL third basemen in games in 1992 (157), 1993 (155), and 1998 (161), and led NL third basemen in 1999 (160)
-hit two grand slams in one game on September 4, 1995
-is the only player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in both ends of a doubleheader (May 20, 1999)
-batted .340 with the bases loaded in his career, and hit 18 career grand slams, fifth most in MLB history
-was inducted into the the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame on July 4, 2006
-was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on February 19, 2018
problem with range factor: increased strikeouts
