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Former Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is famous for despising Wrigley Field. He spoke of how the rats there are a big as pigs. Needless to say he’s not the biggest Cubs fan, and the idea of his managing on the North side some day sounds ridiculous. But it might not be as crazy as you think. For now though Guillen is an ESPN Analyst and he talked with the media to preview the MLB Home Run Derby.
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As the ultimate reward for their loyalty, today the White Sox gave season ticket holders an unprecedented opportunity to chat with pitcher John Danks, pitching coach Don Cooper and new hitting coach Jeff Manto. The event was facilitated by long-time White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks public address announcer Gene Honda.
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I guess it’s fitting that one of the most popular movies in America right now is titled “Moneyball.”
The message of Ozzie Guillen‘s departure from the Chicago White Sox: he’s exactly like Biggee and Jay-Z, he “loves the dough, more than you know. Gotta let it show, I love the dough.”
Here are the highlights from the Chicago Sun-Times story that ran Tuesday. It shows you what his leaving the southside was really about. There are some choice quotes in here that remind us “being broke is childish, and Oz is quite grown.”
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Before we get into the best bites, greatest moments and notable quotables from Ozzie Guillen, I’ve been known to quote sappy, depressing love songs in moment like this. Guillen leaving the Sox will be different:
Said we’d be forever
Said it’d never die
How could you love me and leave me
And never say good-bye?
Chorus:
Although we’ve come to the end of the road
Still I can’t let you go
It’s unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you
Come to the end of the road
Still I can’t let you go
It’s unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you
—“End of the Road” Boyz II Men
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It’s official now- The Chicago White Sox have released Manager Ozzie Guillen from his contract. The greatest consistent soundbite in recent Chicago sports history has moved on.
Base Coach Joey Cora will serve as interim manager for the Sox final two games. Where’s Ozzie going now? Broadcasting? Seems to be a natural fit for opinionated, loquacious public persona.
More likely it’s going to be managing the Miami Marlins. It’s the city Ozzie loves (but “yo I heard the rainstorms ain’t nothing to mess with”)
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Closer Jose Valverde and starter Justin Verlander obviously anchor the pitching staff in Detroit. The former has forty save opportunities in the same amount of chances. The latter has garnered his twenty-first victory already with almost a month left. Valverde’s numbers are a little misleading because his whip is near one and a third. This would usually dictate a few blown saves, but he has been the master in working his way out of jams.
The team buried the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night after coming back from a seven run deficit.
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As the Chicago White Sox continue to let the AL Central slip away, White Sox fans are beginning to demand changes. Both General Manager Kenny Williams and Manager Ozzie Guillen are drawing the angst of White Sox Fans. With the Florida Marlins getting set to open a new stadium next season, Ozzie living in Florida in the off-season and his ties to the Marlin’s organization, could Guillen be the fighting fish’s new skipper in 2012? As GM Kenny Williams “All In” plan is obviously failing, will his firing be imminent?
The Sportsbank has an inside look at those questions.
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It’s been a BRUTAL season so far for the Chicago White Sox, they’re 11-19 and 9.5 games out in the AL Central. Considering they went “All in” quite literally and figuratively this season, to be in this place right now is nothing short of a catastrophe. And it’s put Manager Ozzie Guillen, the man with Borat like candor, on the hot seat.
We all know how much he doesn’t get along with GM Kenny Williams, and how that strained relationship can become further strained as it relates to Owner/Chairaman Jerry Reinsdorf. Losing doesn’t help, and the Sox may need another 25-5 run like last season in order to make this year even interesting.
But Guillen does have a new endorsement deal.
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After the Chicago White Sox loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, 670 A.M. the Score broadcasters Ed Farmer and Darin Jackson indicated that GM Kenny Williams is likely going to be on the phone exploring ways to fix the back end of his bullpen. As the Sox blew another two-run lead in the ninth, it is obvious something needs to change. Just two days after White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he would likely stick with Matt Thornton as his closer, he brought in rookie Chris Sale. Sale quickly got into trouble, so he turned to Thornton, who blew his 4th save in as many chances.
Here are the top trade candidates followed by possible internal solutions within the organization who might to assume the role.
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There are numerous schools of thought on effective leadership. One could spend hours upon hours at Amazon.com in this section. Because the Major League Baseball season is such a grind at around ten times the length of the NFL season, the necessary traits are somewhat unique compared with other professional sports. There are the old school supporters who would back the likes of Charlie Manuel and Jim Leyland, while opponents may cite the Braves Fredi Gonzalez and the White Sox Ozzie Guillen as models.
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Just when America was extremely tired of hearing the words “tiger blood” and “#winning,” well if you don’t live a cave you’re probably sick of those words, Charlie Sheen re-enters the national consciousness. And who else but Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, would be crazy enough to compare himself to Sheen?
MLB spring training headlines got some much needed excitement today, as Guillen gives us the quote of 2011 so far.
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A decent stand-up comedian whose name I can’t recall once did a great bit about how no man, no matter how large and imposing, can ever look tough while sipping a straw. And it’s true.
I’d venture the same thing applies to sitting in your living room and eating jello. Even when it applies to Senor Swear Word, Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen. His overt (and certainly somewhat contrived) public image of machismo makes him the Tony Montana of Major League Baseball.
However, it’s hard to “say hi to the bad guy” here.
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