Ventura, Belle gone from White Sox

CHICAGO — Albert Belle and Robin Ventura are gone, leaving a gaping hole in the White Sox lineup.

Hours after Belle signed a $65 million, five-year contract with Baltimore, Ventura agreed to a $32 million, four-year deal with the New York Mets, a source familiar with his negotiations told The Associated Press on condition he not be identified. The Mets would not confirm the signing, but an announcement was expected Wednesday.

“His days of the White Sox are over. It’s unfortunate. He really wanted to stay,” Ventura’s agent, John Boggs, said earlier Tuesday. “But the amount of time and vacillation, he wasn’t surprised. He would have been more surprised if they had bowled him over with an offer.”

Earlier Tuesday, Ventura turned down a final offer from the White Sox, an $18 million, three-year deal with a 2002 option worth $7 million.

“I told him it wasn’t close in years and money and I said, `Is that your final offer?’ ” Ventura told ESPN Radio. “And he said, `Yes.’ And I thanked him for my years in Chicago.”

The loss of Belle and Ventura, who combined for 70 homers and 243 RBIs last season leaves the White Sox scrambling to find offense.

Ventura, who broke in with Chicago at the tail end of the 1989 season, has a career average of .274 with 171 homers. After playing just 54 games in 1997 after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle in a spring training slide, he struggled at times last season, finishing at .263 with 21 homers and 91 RBIs.

But he won his fifth Gold Glove and his quiet sense of humor and leadership will be nearly irreplaceable in a clubhouse of young players.

“It was one of my worst fears. For nine years he’s been a great representative of this organization, and it’s a big loss,” general manager Ron Schueler said. “He was one of the guys we really wanted, especially from a defensive standpoint. Robin has been through a lot the last couple of years and maybe he feels there is a phenomenal offer and the big opportunity to win really quick.”

Belle had 49 homers and 152 RBIs last season and became a free agent because a clause in his $55 million, five-year contract allowed him to if the White Sox did not keep him among baseball’s three highest-paid players.

The White Sox, faltering at the gate the last few seasons, declined to give the moody outfielder a raise and, according to reports, refused to amend a no-trade clause in his deal.

So now, how do they compensate for losing two of their most productive players?

“It will be tough,” Schueler admitted. “I have my ideas. I thought it could happen, so it’s not catching me totally by surprise. I’m going to meet with (manager) Jerry Manuel and (owner) Jerry Reinsdorf and see where we go from here.

“The gate is very important, and we had a lot of empty seats last year. You can’t keep spending money if people don’t come to the ballpark, but I’m not putting it on the fans. You’ve also got to win.”

The White Sox, pushing a youth movement, finished 80-82 last season after a horrendous start. They where 35-51 in the first half and 45-31 in the second.

The loss of Belle and Ventura will have a big effect on Frank Thomas, who struggled himself last season until the final weeks.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to Frank,” Schueler said. “I’ll definitely sit down with him. He may have to bite the bullet for a year or two, but I think we’ll be competitive.”

Associated Press