If you follow baseball at all, and you’ve been paying attention today, then you’ve heard the rumors that the Chicago White Sox are interested in signing MLB superstar Manny Ramirez from the Los Angeles Dodgers. No news on this deal is even close to official yet, but here’s what the respective leaders (General Manager, Field Manager, and Team Captain) of the White Sox had to say about it.
One factor you should consider if you believe the rumors are true: Sox leadoff hitter Juan Pierre, Manny has followed Pierre to a couple of ballclubs lately.
By Paul M. Banks
Manager Ozzie Guillen-
If Kenny came to you and said do you want Manny Ramirez yes or no?
“I don’t know, because Manny hasn’t played in the big leagues in a little while. If Kenny asked me do you want Manny? I’m going to say because they’re going to being him in anyway (laughs). And I want to see how Jeery Reinsdorf confronts the hair, it’s ain’t going to be my f***ing department. I want to see that.
When asked if Manny is a defensive liability…
Don’t talk to me about Manny, I didn’t even see Manny in spring training, adn we played against him everyday. You give me Manny when he was with Boston? Hey I’d take the limo (myself) to go pick him up. I havent seen Manny in a long time, maybe the scouts got a better idea than I have.
Team Captain/First Baseman Paul Konerko-
When asked if Manny’s presence would disrupt team chemistry…
“”We got a month to go here, a little over a month, and what we have here is pretty good as far as the chemistry on this team. And I don’t really see that being altered by somebody in a month. Hopefully if that move was to happen, then that person just wants to come on baord and get back to the playoffs. But we’ll have to see how it all shakes out. Manny is a wild card when it comes to that stuff, but it’s all rumor at this point. I’ve already commented more than I probably should have.”
General Manager Kenny Williams-
When asked if reports about a deal with a player already being out there, whether reports are true or not, will make it more difficult to make the deal?
“I feel like when I answer this question and I begin to expound on it, somebody in this group is going to insert the words of a certain player in my mouth and it’s going to come out on tv and I’m going to be like ‘did I say that name?’ You can ask it in all different ways, but the answer to the question is still going to be: it does me no good to speak on it, and the main reason quite frankly is, this team needs to be focused on who’s going to battle for them today, not who’s walking through the door tomorrow.”
On MLB protocol prohibiting Williams from confirming or denying the rumors…
“it’s a violation of tampering rules, and it’s very clear and prohibitive for me to speak about another player that’s on another team. So you have to speak in generalities. And you guys know me, I prefer to sit back, and when we do something, we’ll make an announcment, otherwise there’s just no sense in talking about anything.”
Written by Paul M. Banks, president and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest-focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network and Fox Sports.com
You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru