The White Sox's Robin Ventura is a finalist for the American League Manager of the Year award. Ventura will be up against the Athletics' Bob Melvin and Orioles' Buck Showalter.

Ventura, who had never managed at any level of professional baseball before 2012, guided the White Sox to a 85-77 record, good for second place in the American League Central. The White Sox entered the season with modest expectations, and managed to remain in playoff contention until the very end of the year.

Ventura played third base for the White Sox from 1989-1998. During his time in Chicago, he hit 171 of his 294 career home runs. He also was selected to one of his two All Star Game appearances, and won five of his six Gold Glove awards. However, his best season came in 1999, the year after he left Chicago, when he hit .301 with 32 home runs and 120 RBIs for the New York Mets.