McNeil: White Sox MVP? No Question - Williams
By Dan McNeil-
Barring some miraculous turn of events this weekend, these are our final chances to reflect on the improbable 2012 White Sox.
Much of the audience already has headed for the exits, so I'm going to roll closing credits now and avoid an empty theater next week.
While Ken Williams never would term a season successful when it concludes after 162 games, he arguably turned in one of his best performances since he succeeded Ron Schueler in 2000.
I would be remiss to give the Sox their final report cards and not heap some praise on Williams, this year's MVP.
Almost all observers mocked the Sox GM when he hired Robin Ventura as his manager. It proved to be a good choice.
Ventura had a calming influence on a team full of kids and even veterans who had grown tired of the reality-TV star wannabe who previously occupied the manager's office. I refuse to point the finger at Ozzie Guillen for the two years of hiccups from Alex Rios and Jake Peavy or the disaster that was Adam Dunn's 2011 season, but it can't be a complete coincidence that all three performed to expectations in a more settled environment.
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