GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Ozzie Guillen’s golf cart weaves from one practice field to the next, stopping along the way to pick up players and give them a lift. Sometimes he’ll just pull up so he can chat, joke and tell stories.
Guillen is entering his sixth season as manager of the Chicago White Sox and an opinion or an anecdote – often laced with a profanity – is still never far away.
On the first day the complete squad was in camp this spring, Guillen delivered his opening address to a clubhouse mixed with veterans and newcomers. And his voice could be heard through the walls of the team’s new spring facility.
“The people that never played for us got a little shocked the way I talked, but I wanted to make it clear how I feel about this ballclub,” Guillen said.
“One of his better ones,” veteran Mark Buehrle said, rating Guillen’s speech. “I guess you hear him so many years, they’re kind of the same thing, but he had a lot more laughs in this one than he usually does.”
called veteran players A.J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye into his office for a give-and-take session.
“He’s outspoken, he tells it how it is. He’s not going to be sitting there lying to you and talking about you behind your back,” Dye said. “If you ask him a question, he’s going to tell you. And that’s all a player asks, is to be honest with him.”
Guillen called the four vets from the 2005 World Series championship team in to hear what they had to say, listen to their ideas for how he could manage better and ask them to watch over the clubhouse and handle any problems that might surface. But don’t interpret that to mean he’ll hang in his office more.
“No, no, I’m the leader of this ballclub. I’m the face of this thing,” Guillen said. “We have more kids than we’ve had in the past, and I expect us to take care of those kids.”
Guillen, who once said “no comment” would never come from him as long as he was managing, is as open as he was four years ago when he led the White Sox to their first World Series title in 88 years.
“The White Sox organization, as long as I’m manager, there won’t be secrets. That’s why I get in trouble a lot,” he said.
d to make some changes. His comments also miffed batting coach Greg Walker before everything was patched up. He once lambasted former White Sox star Magglio Ordonez, went on a profanity-filled tirade after a radio host questioned his lineup and, in his first season, called umpire Hunter Wendelstedt a liar.
He’s also the only manager in White Sox history to guide the team to more than one postseason appearance. He’s had four winning seasons out of his previous five. And at the end of the only losing one, in 2007, he got a contract extension through 2012.
“I don’t think I see myself doing this thing somewhere else,” Guillen said. “But I love it. It’s a nice opportunity to prove people wrong and I love that.”
Despite winning the division title last season, the White Sox have been picked by some in the preseason to finish fourth in the AL Central.
A second baseman, center fielder and fifth starter are among the spots the White Sox must fill this spring. And there’s also a switch at third base where Josh Fields is the favorite to replace Joe Crede, who signed Saturday with the rival Minnesota Twins, the team the White Sox beat in a one-game tiebreaker for the division last year.
So does 2005 seem like a long time ago?
“Hopefully we don’t have to wait 88 years again,” Guillen said. “Hopefully, before my career is over we’ll win another one in Chicago.”
son, don’t expect Guillen to change his approach. Buehrle sees little difference between the rookie manager of 2004 and the more seasoned one still running the team.
“Still a crazy man,” Buehrle said. “Still speaks his mind, likes to have fun, joking with guys, getting on guys. He’s still the same.”
Notes: RHP D.J. Carrasco was hit in the right forearm by a line drive from Alexei Ramirez during batting practice and had to be taken to the clubhouse on a cart. Guillen said Carrasco was not seriously injured but would be sore for a couple of days. Carrasco made 31 relief appearances for Chicago last season with a 1-0 record and 3.96 ERA. … Clayton Richard, Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Aaron Poreda are scheduled to start exhibition games next week, beginning Wednesday.
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