"If nothing else, Mark Parent is aptly named to be Robin Ventura's bench coach. After all, he'd be the one holding Ventura's hand while the former White Sox star manages baseball games for the first time in his life.

The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly gave the Sox permission to talk to Parent, who managed Reading, the Phillies' Class AA team, to a 74-68 record and playoff berth this season. The Sox' bench coach, who normally doubles as the manager's right-hand man and confidant, will have a greater responsibility than usual because Ventura will be learning on the job. "