Ventura: Not Concerned With Low Expectations

(WSCR) While expectations may be low for the 2012 White Sox, rookie manager Robin Ventura isn't concerned with what anyone thinks who is not a part of the organization.

"Because we didn't sign a big, huge free agent, everybody is down about that, but for me, nothing is ever won on paper," Ventura told The McNeil and Spiegel Show on Wednesday. "Some teams look good on paper. I like our guys. Obviously, last year was a down year. You're just looking for guys to come in ready to play. Any time you get that going, a team playing as a team and playing positively, coming to the ball park ready to play, you never know what happens.

LISTEN: Robin Ventura on The McNeil and Spiegel Show

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Venutra said that he plans to take the same approach as a manager as he did when he was a player, and that is to not worry about what anyone says about him or his team.

"As a player, I was more (focused) than I was trying to read everything or care what people thought," he said. "Obviously, I cared what the manager thought, what the GM thought and what the organization was trying to do. Even as a manger, I care about what the players are thinking, the way they come into the ball park, the way they prepare, how they're ready to play -- those are the things I care about more than what somebody is saying outside."

With Ozzie Guillen gone to Miami, the White Sox are now with a much more calm and tempered manager in Ventura -- something he believes won't be an issue.

"Everybody has different levels of being honest and up front and blunt," Ventura said. "I do have that. I'm not going to sit there and tear apart a locker room that a club house guy has to clean up for me, but I am going to be able to address people face-to-face on things I feel need to be addressed. I don't think I have to be the guy that throws and breaks everything. I know people kind of want that, but you never know if it's going to happen."

For the White Sox to succeed this season, it will be imperative that sluggers like Adam Dunn and Alex Rios return to form after forgettable 2011 seasons.

"I've had good years and bad years and I've tried just as hard each year," Ventura said. "You can't put numbers on somebody just because of last year. I'm really looking at guys coming in and being ready to play, having the right attitude. I like out guys. ... (Dunn) is ready to go. I think more than anything, it's having the mental (part) ready to go and kind of dismiss all that stuff that happened last year."