Venable's Hardwood Blueprints Meet the October Pressure Cooker
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The White Sox manager is using Princeton basketball tactics to navigate the postseason, but the real test arrives in Game 5.
Look, I've seen every kind of manager in this game, but Will Venable is playing a different sport entirely. As the Chicago White Sox sit five wins away from the World Series, as The Guardian first reported, the man at the helm isn't just calling plays—he's running a fast break.
According to reporting from The Guardian, Venable is leaning heavily on his history as a shooting guard for Princeton University from 2001 to 2005. He wasn't just a body on the court; he was first team All-Ivy League and once dropped 21 points on Duke. Now, he's treating the diamond like a hardwood court. Venable told The Guardian that the Princeton offense—defined by read-and-react decisions, precise passing, and constant movement—taught him the value of spacing and timing.
**OPINION: It's a beautiful theory on a clipboard, but baseball isn't a game of set plays, and the postseason is a pressure cooker that melts most blueprints. We'll see if these basketball concepts hold up when the game is on the line in Game 5.**
That influence is most evident in how the White Sox are handling their arms. The Guardian reports that instead of the traditional playoff approach of riding a starter for six-plus innings, Venable is managing matchups rather than innings. He is treating his pitching staff like a basketball roster, utilizing combinations and short bursts to put players in positions where their specific skills offer the greatest advantage.
Beyond the X's and O's, the "Steady Eddie" approach—as designated hitter Andrew Benintendi describes it—has fostered a culture of confidence. The Guardian highlights how this trust manifested in Game 2, where the White Sox secured a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Rookie Braden Montgomery, who struggled against lefties in the regular season with a .430 OPS, delivered a go-ahead opposite-field double in the sixth inning. Montgomery told The Guardian he would "run through a wall" for Venable because of that trust.
Other players have felt the impact of Venable's leadership. Catcher Kyle Teel credited a conversation with Venable for helping him snap out of a hitting slump, while shortstop Colson Montgomery told The Guardian that Venable's outward confidence is contagious.
It is a staggering turnaround for a franchise that lost 121 games two seasons ago. Even after a tough 102-loss campaign in Venable's first year as manager in 2025, the club bounced back to finish 84-78 this season. Venable attributes the shift to a partnership with General Manager Chris Getz, noting that their values and plans for winning were perfectly aligned.
Now, the White Sox have a chance to seal their spot in the American League Championship Series on Wednesday if they can take down the Guardians in Chicago. The basketball tactics have worked so far, but the real test of the Princeton system begins now.