CHICAGO -- White Sox manager Robin Ventura declined to address a report that he will step down from the job and be replaced by bench coach Rick Renteria next season.In an odd scene after Chicagos 6-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night, general manager Rick Hahn declined interview requests and White Sox players claimed they hadnt heard about the report or Venturas status.The Chicago Sun-Times reported during the game that Ventura, who is in the last year of his contract, would not return after five seasons and that Renteria, a former manager of the Chicago Cubs, would take over.Weve been over this, Ventura said. Ill talk at the end of the year.Hahn relayed a message through a team spokesman that he would answer questions at a press conference Monday scheduled by the team.You guys are telling me something I havent even heard about, third baseman Todd Frazier said, adding that I love Robin. I love him to death. Hes a good manager, for sure.Right-hander James Shields, who allowed two-run homers to Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco to lose his major league-tying 19th game, had high praise for the 49-year-old Ventura.Hes one of the better managers Ive been around, and Ive been around some really good ones, Shields said. To be honest with you, thats the first time Im hearing this. But Robin is a good man, a good manager.Earlier this season, Ventura said he wanted to return in 2017 despite a fourth straight losing season and five years without a playoff berth. But Ventura then backtracked on that statement after USA Today reported Wednesday that the front office wanted to retain him but Ventura hadnt committed.Ventura sidestepped numerous questions about the issue after the game and said he hadnt discussed his future with the players.No, I havent talked to them about anything. Were still playing, Ventura said. All the conversations I have with them are about playing.Frazier praised the 54-year-old Renteria, who went 73-89 in one season with the Cubs in 2014. The White Sox hired him before this season.Ricks a great guy, man, Frazier said. Hes bilingual, which is great. Hes been a manager before. But like I said, its not my right to say anything. I havent heard anything and thats basically up to our brass so Im not going to get in trouble.Saturdays listless defeat continued a theme of inconsistency surrounding this years team, which started 23-10. Theyre 55-73 since.I feel bad that I wasnt able to do more for him. I know guys in here feel the same way, catcher Alex Avila said. We were a team that was expected to win coming into spring training and we didnt do that.The Twins lost their 103rd game on Friday night, the most since the franchise moved to Minnesota. On Saturday, they got 6 1/3 innings of three-hit ball from Hector Santiago (13-10) in their third win in 14 games.Buddy Boshers, J.T. Chargois and Brandon Kintzler completed the four-hitter.Shields (6-19) concluded a career-worst season split between San Diego and Chicago by allowing five runs and four hits over seven innings. His 40 home runs and 118 earned runs allowed are the most in the majors. Only Tampa Bays Chris Archer has as many losses.The 34-year-old Shields was an All-Star in Tampa Bay, helped Kansas City to the World Series in 2014 and entered the year with a major league-high nine straight 200-inning seasons. That streak ended as Shields finished with 181 2/3 innings and a 5.85 ERA.Thats just the kind of year Im having, Shields said. I make two bad pitches, and it costs me.TRAINERS ROOMWhite Sox: Tyler Saladino (herniated disk) will be evaluated by doctors before leaving for the offseason. He hopes to avoid surgery.LOT OF HOMERSShields is the first pitcher to allow 40 home runs in a season since Cincinnatis Bronson Arroyo gave up 46 in 2011.UP NEXTAmid speculation he could be traded in the offseason to accommodate a rebuild, White Sox ace Chris Sale (17-9, 3.21 ERA) seeks his career-best 18th win in Sundays season finale. RHP Jose Berrios (2-7, 8.61) starts for the Twins. Wholesale Air Max 1 UK Online . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Air Max 1 UK . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.airmax1saleuk.com/ . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Dicount Air Max 1 UK . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Authentic Air Max 1 UK . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Delhi --Francis Cheka knows how to play a villain. The challenger to Vijender Singhs Asia Pacific super middleweight title defence on Saturday, Cheka came in late to Tuesday press conference.He swaggered in wearing a brand new grey suit bought on Vijenders dime, after his own suitcase had been misplaced on the way over from Tanzania. Speaking through a translator, he sneered at Vijenders lack of experience and dismissed his Olympic bronze.The lion of Africa,saw fear he said in Vijenders eyes. In case those watching were feeling left out, Cheka cheekily promised to invite them to the party he would throw after beating Vijender.When the two boxers posed in a faceoff, the man with scars crisscrossing his eye line and a caved-in nose - evidence of half a life spent fighting - stuck his left palm with fingers stretched out in Vijenders face.Pick a number. Thats how many rounds Im going to knock you out in, he growled. He then proceeded to shove him, kicking off a minor scuffle. It might have been scripted, but it made for good video. With 5000 tickets to sell for Saturdays main event, all the animosity, feigned or otherwise, needed to be generated.It was assumed that Cheka was continuing in the same vein later in the day when he asked for a bottle of packaged water , drank it and then crushed the plastic container. Surely this was a metaphor for what he wanted to do to the Indian?As it turns out, Cheka was simply explaining his side job. While boxing is Chekas claim to fame, he also runs a plastic recycling business back home in Morogoro.Before he earned paychecks throwing punches, Cheka lived a hardscrabble existence picking up and selling plastic bottles.My father and mother separated when I was very young. I lived with my father but there wasnt a lot of money. So I would pick up plastic bottles on the road and then sell them to the plastic recyclers, he says through translator and manager Jay Msangi.Cheka got his break in life when as a seventeen-year-old, he decided to try boxing. I was just trying to do something to keep my mind occupied, he says. Despite not having a lot of technique, Cheka developed a reputation as someone who could get into slug-fests in the ring.He has fought 43 times, including once in Russia against Fedor Chudinov - who held the WBA super middleweight title.dddddddddddd Cheka has had his share of success too with 17 of his 32 wins coming by way of knockout. He currently holds the WBF super middleweight belt and according to his manager, is a household name in Tanzania.Francis Cheka is Tanzanian boxing. After he won the WBF title, he was invited to parliament and was asked to speak to the members there, Msangi says.Despite the adulation in his home, Cheka knows how fickle the sport can be. Which is why with his winnings over the years, he set up a plastic recycling unit in Morogoro.When I was a kid I would sell the plastic bottles to dealers. Even after I started boxing I would do this because there wasnt any money when I started out. But when I started making money, I started investing it in machinery because I understand this business, he says. His purse from the fight with Vijender will go into the business as well.Msangi says Cheka has done well for himself. He was gifted land and a house by the government for winning the WBF title, but Francis has built three homes for himself from the recycling business, he says.Indeed, while Cheka says he will support his four young children - Astoria, 10, Addis 7, Boniface,5, and Azenka 2 - if they want to box, he says they will first have to join him on the shop floor.Through the plastic business, Cheka had an Indian connection even though he had never been to India before this week. I know a lot of Indian businessmen in Tanzania. They buy the recycled plastic from me and then export it to India, he says. The plastic from this bottle probably came from my plant, he jokes while picking up one of the water bottles.Cheka says his clients knew he was a boxer but were surprised to know he would be coming to India. When I told them that I was going to go to India and fight the pride of their country they got a huge surprise.And if Vijender does find himself in trouble on Saturday, Cheka explains those Indian businessmen will have to share the blame. They have beaten me up a lot of times doing business. So I guess its time for me to return the favour to their hero. ' ' '