The Rangers announced Will Venable is joining their coaching staff, working under new manager Bruce Bochy as associate manager. The former big leaguer had been working as bench coach with the Red Sox.
Venable, 40, has spent the past five seasons working on a big league staff. He served as a base coach with the Cubs from 2018-20. Venable, who had interviewed for a managerial vacancy in Boston during the 2020-21 offseason, ended up being tabbed as bench coach under Alex Cora — who returned as manager after being dismissed and suspended for the 2020 campaign.
The Princeton graduate has never managed in the big leagues (aside from a brief interim stint while Cora was sidelined by COVID-19 this year), but he’s frequently been regarded as a manager-in-waiting. Venable has interviewed for a number of lead positions in recent winters, sitting down with the Tigers, A’s, Astros, Cubs and Giants in prior offseasons. He reportedly drew some attention from the Royals in their search last month, but it’s unclear whether they ever met with him before tabbing Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro.
With all the managerial positions filled, it looked likely Venable would reprise his role as Cora’s right-hand man for a third season. Instead, he’ll make the jump to Arlington to work with Bochy in the veteran skipper’s return to the dugout after three years. Venable was a prospect in the San Diego farm system during Bochy’s time as manager in 2005-06. Bochy was already in San Francisco by the time Venable made the big leagues, but he did overlap there with Chris Young. The Texas general manager was a teammate of Venable’s in San Diego through 2010, and the former outfielder also had a brief playing stint as a Ranger late in the 2015 campaign.
Associate Manager or associate to the manager?
Haha! That’s immediately what came to my mind when I read this headline.
So I take it no one has watched ‘The Office’? (facepalm)
Associate Manager or Bench Coach? Explain the difference please.
Bench coach was his position with Boston, so in order to get around MLB’s rules against lateral hires from other teams they came up with a BS title for essentially the same role to make it sound like a promotion.
Thanks. Wondering Veritek will officially become the Sox bench coach.
Wtf is an associate manager? – rangers fan
The guy that is going to take over when the manager retires.
When Bruce needs some smokes and six pack guess who goes to 7-11 to get them?
What if the guy retires and then comes back again?
Basically bench coach.rangers had to change job title for him to get out of red Sox contract
Thanks. Had I scrolled down, I wouldn’t have made my other post.
Vice President in charge of associate management (dugout region)
So now who will the Rangers hire as the Assistant Associate Manager?
He’ll handle the day to day, while Boch gets big picture stuff
Costanza
In order for anyone currently working in a baseball dept to leave their current position, it’s required they receive a “promotion.” Semantics at best.
“Associate manager”. WTH does that mean? Ahahaha!
Normally I would say it means the manager better watch out but this is Bochy so who knows?
Associate Manager sounds very much like a manager “in-waiting” name. He’ll be Bochy’s assistant until Bochy chooses to retire upon which Venable would be promoted.
It means the Rangers keep making smart baseball moves
WTH is an associate manager?
A promotion without raise! Its a change to a snazzier job title. Saw this on Cheers years ago when Sam had no money for raises.
Good Ranger no idea what a associate manager is.
The Rangers like to keep the offseason interesting.
The Rangers making some smart baseball moves here recently?
I’ve never heard of an “Associate Manager.” “Bench Coach,” sure. “Assistant Manager?”
Associates? What is this? Walmart?
“For example, an associate manager has less seniority than a manager. Some tasks are shared between the associate and manager positions and are often delegated to the associate by the manager. These may include scheduling, training, hiring, supervising, and more”
Basically when Rangers get off to a horrible start Venable will be there ready to take over.
I hope Bruce Bochy has one hell of a year next year. Crossing my fingers for Manager of the Year.
So Bochy’s job is to teach Venable how to manage? Good luck Bruce
That said, addition by subtraction for the Red Sox
What’s the issue?
I am so happy about this move. Venable is one of the best young minds in MLB today, and for him to get a couple more years of managing experience under Bruce mfing Bochy before he takes the reigns is just incredible. Great hire.
More like garbage move. If he’s one of the best young minds in the game he would have been given a better opportunity than this elsewhere.
That’s the point of being a “young” mind. You might have a lot to offer but there are lots of people out there with more experience, which has more value in a situation like managing a baseball team. It’s rare to see cases like Marmol with the Cardinals. I don’t know what the average age of first time managers is, but it’s definitely over 40, so give him some time. Guarantee he’ll use this position to jump into and captain another dugout in a few years.
There he is! Rangers doing some good things
Signed Mrs Venable
I wonder if this means they don’t have a Bench Coach. Interesting title anyway.
They most likely needed to call him associate manager get him out of his Red Sox contract as bench coach. It’s the same job IMO
“Associate Manager?” We have really gone off the rails haven’t we? “Manager in Training” would have been more respectable.
Great! More new garbage that nobody ever thought of that will all of a sudden make a big difference! Baseball is getting out of control with all the new age stuff. Associate manager wth.
New Age stuff? What, are they using Ouija boards to set lineups now?
Dumb comment.
Here’s how Merriam-Webster defines “new age”:
“an eclectic group of cultural attitudes arising in late 20th century Western society that are adapted from those of a variety of ancient and modern cultures, that emphasize beliefs (such as reincarnation, holism, pantheism, and occultism) outside the mainstream, and that advance alternative approaches to spirituality, right living, and health.”
Wanna explain how that applies to baseball, and Will Venable specifically?
Anyone tell you how much you overthink?
I’m going to be nice and disciplined and pass on that juicy setup line . . . but it ain’t easy.
Wow.
Who is the intern manager?
One of the smartest baseball guys I have ever met. Rangers now have an heir apparent for Bochy.
So he will associate with the manager instead of coaching the bench. Considering the bench is an inanimate object, it probably can’t be coached, So this makes perfect sense.
Associate manager is an inflated title to allow teams to poach bench coaches from other teams. Change my mind.
With Young and Venable, they have a good start for a Princeton alumni group plus a very good front office basketball team.
So, bench coach with more pay…
Associate Manager? So many new positions in today’s game. Saw one dude was a “Pitching Coach”. Like what is that? Some dude who pitches ideas haha
Associate a Manager? So many new positions in today’s game. Saw one dude was a “Pitching Coach”. Like what is that? Some dude who pitches ideas haha
In football it would be called the “get back” coach. ⚾️
I would like this move, except for that failed dual pitching coach crap they tried. So I’m suspicious
Pretty sure he didn’t win a single game as interim manager for us this year. It was in our toughest stretch though, so definitely not all his fault but he made some questionable bullpen decisions as the manager (something Cora also does).
Feeling old moment when you remember seeing this kid playing in San Antonio for the Padres Double A team. Good for him.
That’s a dream coaching duo. I like both of those guys
So who will stand silent and motionless in the Red Sox dugout now?
Assistant to the Regional Manager