The White Sox made a terrific choice this week in hiring Ozzie Guillen to be their manager, despite how ESPN's Rob Neyer compares him to Tigers manager Alan Trammel. It's been ages since someone with emotional ties to the Sox ran this club. And oh boy, is he emotional. Whereas their previous manager, the somnambulent Jerry Manuel, seemed to lull the whole club, Ozzie started tossing grenades in his first press conference. Frank Thomas, the all-time greatest and most disappointing Sox, bore the brunt, and columnists are already saying Guillen blundered by calling Thomas out for lack of hustle. Nah, that's just what this underachieving team needs. I didn't think the ownership was smart enough to hire Ozzie, until my wife stated that he'd be less expensive than their other options (e.g., two-time Series winning somnambulist Cito Gaston), at which point I realized Ozzie would be the man. Sure enough, it turns out he didn't even negotiate a contract -- just signed what they put in front of him! You have to love a guy that eager to manage his old team. He was a helluva shortstop, and he could be just what the team needs. At minimum, they won't be boring, which is important because it's the Cubs' world around here.
Posted by Vernam at November 8, 2003 07:37 AM | TrackBackGo out and tell a lie that will make the whole family proud of you.
-- Cadmus, to Pentheus, in "The Bacchae" by Euripides
fioricet
Would that it were true re: the Sox having an established lineup. They're shopping Magglio Ordonez, who will be a free agent at end of 2004. If they can't get quality in return -- and they won't, 'cause he's looking for 5-6 years at $16M each -- they'll have to move Carlos Lee, who's more tradeable at a bargain salary. Not to mention the unsigned free agents (both Alomars, Gordon, Colon who's a goner) and arbitration eligible guys. They've got millions tied up in Konerko and Koch, who were rotten last year.
Ozzie could be a freak show, I grant you. He is flat-out loopy at times. But people here desperately needed a change from the previous guy. Don't bitch to me about the Tigers, since they kept the Sox out of the playoffs and denied Loaiza his Cy Young by beating him 1-0 _twice_!
Posted by: Vernam at November 12, 2003 05:16 PMTo quoth some other emotional athelete - You can't be serious! He's a different direction than Manuel, yes, because he's a zany dude. He doesn't, however, even have as much experience as Tram. The Sox are a team that should be winning, they just can't put it together. I can't imagine that taking a gamble on a guy like Guillen with the talent that they've assembled. The Tigers can afford to make a PR move like they did with Trammell. They're many, many years away from a winning season. The Sox need to, nay, must win now.
Posted by: mrw at November 11, 2003 11:12 AM