New York Times Article on the SOX

[rangercal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/sports/b...9&partner=TOPIX

White Sox Show Their Manager Isn't All Talk

 

 

Find a spot to stand in the third-base dugout at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, train your eyes and ears on Ozzie Guillen for an interview and absorb 15 minutes with Ozzie. Or maybe 20 or 25. His words come fast, sometimes faster than his complete thoughts.

 

 

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Manager Ozzie Guillen has helped the White Sox parlay strong pitching and timely hitting into a 22-7 record, the second-fastest start in the franchise's history.

 

What's With the White Sox?Guillen is the chatty manager of the Chicago White Sox, who have surprised many and shocked some by having the best record in the major leagues. Ask a question and Guillen answers. Quickly. His responses are usually lengthy, sometimes controversial and always candid.

 

During one entertaining session, Guillen guessed that the White Sox could become beloved by 2006. But that is only if they win the World Series this year. He called the Yankees a last-place team before they officially became one after being asked to compare their pitching with his. He was miffed that people still doubted the White Sox, but he later said that the team had to earn additional respect.

 

"When I came out and said we were going to play smart baseball, everybody thought I meant that we were going to play Ozzie Ball," Guillen said. "But we're going to play baseball. We're going to play the game the way we're supposed to."

 

Guillen said that meant advancing runners, making routine as well as nifty plays, smacking timely hits, pitching deep into games, caring about one another and winning when they should. All of this happens or does not happen with Guillen's voice, in Spanish or English, his cackle or his whistle providing the background noise.

 

The White Sox are winning, winning often, in dramatic and even ugly fashion, because their pitching has been outstanding. Jon Garland is 6-0 and has been as impressive as any pitcher in baseball. Their defense is reliable and their hitters have showed up on time, which is the nicest thing to say about their soft-as-a-sponge lineup.

 

Yet the pitching staff, which includes two former Yankees in the starting rotation, Orlando Hernández and José Contreras, has helped the White Sox match the fastest start in franchise history. With a 10-7 victory over the Blue Jays yesterday in Toronto, the White Sox are now 23-7 and have equaled the start of the 1912 and 1919 teams.

 

"This is the best pitching staff, collectively, I've ever seen," said Frank Thomas, the injured designated hitter.

 

Even with the great record, the great pitchers and the great expectations, occasional feelings of inferiority and uncertainty swirl. The White Sox, who set a record by having a lead in their first 29 games, say others expect their magic to disappear.

 

"This isn't a fluke," reliever Dustin Hermanson said. "We're not just playing well for the last month. We're a good team."

 

First baseman Paul Konerko addressed a question about searching for respect while never lifting his eyes from the carpet.

 

"To answer that means I actually care what people think," he said. "I really don't have an answer for that."

 

Still, other questions need answering. How long can a rotation of Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Garland, Hernández and Contreras continue to dominate? How long can the White Sox sail with an offense that includes one starter hitting above .280, Tadahito Iguchi, and two run producers, Jermaine Dye and Konerko, hitting near .200? Can Guillen really use multiple closers?

 

If all of those questions were not enough, the White Sox must understand they are second fiddlers to the Cubs in this city. On a gorgeous 71-degree day Thursday, 15,389 fans watched the White Sox edge the Kansas City Royals, 2-1. If the Cubs had played at Wrigley Field, the game would have been sold out.

 

So when General Manager Kenny Williams was informed of Guillen's assertion that the White Sox needed their first championship since 1917 to grab the soul of the city, he corrected him.

 

"I think Ozzie's way off base on that," Williams said. "I think we have to win a World Series, and then we have to follow it up with another one."

 

The White Sox draw 20,044 fans a game, one of the lowest totals in the majors. But Jerry Reinsdorf, their owner, blamed the cool weather for a half-empty stadium, and he said fans would support a competitive club.

 

"The Cubs are the Cubs," he said. "We compete against ourselves."

 

So far, the White Sox have competed against themselves in a way. Their pitching is competing to see how superb it can be, their hitting is competing to be more productive and Guillen is competing to see how much attention his personality can generate. Garland has been an ace as the fifth starter; his victory yesterday came on the heels of two straight shutouts, and he has a 2.42 earned run average. Buehrle is an underrated left-hander who pitched one game that lasted 99 minutes. Hernández is lean and smiling again, and he has become Contreras's part-time pitching coach.

 

Garcia, who is married to Guillen's niece, realizes that a solid start does not guarantee a sweet ending.

 

"We know we've got to prove it for a whole season," Garcia said of the rotation, which was 18-3 with a 2.98 E.R.A. after yesterday's game. "People want to see us prove it."

 

As Hernández surveyed a clubhouse that includes the unpredictable Carl Everett and Timo Perez, a former Met, he sounded apologetic about the atmosphere.

 

"There's no pressure here," Hernández said. "It's not like New York. I liked New York, but some people can't handle it. Here? It's relaxed."

 

Guillen has shown he is a manager, not just a motor mouth, by his handling of the bullpen. Shingo Takatsu, who throws 68 miles an hour and was nicknamed Mr. Zero in Japan for his postseason perfection, typically closes. But Guillen also trusts Hermanson and Damaso Marte in the ninth.

 

"If I put you in there in the seventh, close the seventh," Guillen said. "If it's the eighth, close the eighth. If it's the ninth, close the ninth."

 

The White Sox were disappointing at the plate, with a .256 average and a .321 on-base percentage after yesterday's game. Only Everett, who was batting .260 with 4 homers and 25 runs batted in, and Iguchi, who was hitting .333, have been steady. Chicago could use a boost from Thomas, who hopes to return from ankle surgery in a few weeks.

 

Guillen criticized Thomas's attitude in the past. Thomas accepted it. Guillen also had a profanity-laced personal dispute with Magglio Ordóñez, a former White Sox outfielder and fellow Venezuelan. With Guillen, the next vocal firecracker could come at any moment. The White Sox recognize that.

 

Reinsdorf said: "When Kenny and I got to the point where Kenny wanted to hire him, we said to each other: 'If we go ahead, he's going to say things that are going to drive us crazy and we're going to pull our hair out and wish he hadn't said them. Is it still worthwhile to have him?' The answer is yes."

 

Williams, who has reminded Guillen that his honesty can be misconstrued, said, "What's wrong with a little flavor and allowing someone to be himself?"

 

Guillen is usually himself. He shuffles around like the president of a fraternity and has quick conversations with players every day. Rarely are they rated G.

 

"All my meetings are curses," Guillen said. "That's the way I talk to my players. That's the way I communicate with them."

 

When Guillen was asked if he wanted the White Sox to develop in his animated mold, he said, "No, because then they're going to get in a lot of trouble."

 

Reinsdorf said Guillen's baseball instincts as a 21-year-old shortstop with the White Sox 20 years ago were as sound as his managerial instincts are now. Indeed, after the White Sox loaded the bases against the Royals on Thursday, Guillen instructed Pablo Ozuna to dash down the third-base line to try to distract pitcher Andrew Sisco. Sisco threw four straight balls to walk in the tying run. The decisive run also scored on a walk.

 

"Call it winning ugly," Guillen said.

 

The White Sox have built confidence and a lead by winning 18 of 22 games against their American League Central rivals. Royals Manager Tony Peña smiled as he praised the White Sox, who are 6-0 against his team. But when he was asked if they could keep winning, Peña said politely, "Time will tell."

 

No matter the time, there is no pause button for Guillen's talk-a-thon. He keeps going, jabbing and jousting. Guillen would prefer that everyone loved him and his team, but he cannot control others' feelings. He controls what he can.

 

"One thing I know is going to happen for sure is we'll be playing the same game for 162 games," Guillen said. "No matter how hot or how cold we get, we're going to play the same way all year."

 

And will Guillen stay the same, too?

 

"If I change, I shouldn't be in a White Sox uniform," he said. "This is what got me here. This is the way I've got to be."

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

I think it was a pretty nice and fair article from the NY Times. Good to see some positive media attention coming from the belly of the beast.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Nice article. How pissed off are Yankee fans when they see what Hernandez and El Duque are doing now?

[rangercal]

I think it was a pretty nice and fair article from the NY Times.  Good to see some positive media attention coming from the belly of the beast.

my favorite part :

 

after the White Sox loaded the bases against the Royals on Thursday, Guillen instructed Pablo Ozuna to dash down the third-base line to try to distract pitcher Andrew Sisco. Sisco threw four straight balls to walk in the tying run. The decisive run also scored on a walk.

 

"Call it winning ugly," Guillen said.

 

 

I didn't realize that happened. I was watching the game. I love winning like that

[rangercal]

Nice article.  How pissed off are Yankee fans when they see what Hernandez and El Duque are doing now?

LOL My gf's family is from NY and all yankees fans. I just came back from New York last week. They seem to hate Randy Johnson, Torre, Rivera, Gordon. For some odd reason they praised Tanyon Sturtze

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Its very interesting to me that we get better press out of the NY Media than we do out of our own hometown media.

 

Sad really.

[rangercal]

Its very interesting to me that we get better press out of the NY Media than we do out of our own hometown media. 

 

Sad really.

The times does not own the cubs. That has a little to do with it.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

The times  does not own the cubs. That has a little to do with it. 

 

 

I know, I know it's just sad and worth mentioning though.

[DBAHO]

Nice article.  How pissed off are Yankee fans when they see what Hernandez and El Duque are doing now?

Hernandez and El Duque??? I think you mean Contreras.

 

And yes, compared to the days of Carl Pavano @10 million per season, Kevin Brown @15 million per season, and Jaret Wright @ about 7million per season, the Yanks would be longing for those 2.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Hernandez and El Duque??? I think you mean Contreras. 

 

And yes, compared to the days of Carl Pavano @10 million per season, Kevin Brown @15 million per season, and Jaret Wright @ about 7million per season, the Yanks would be longing for those 2.

 

 

lol. My mistake

[rangercal]

I know, I know it's just sad and worth mentioning though.

I just realize they will have no choice but to give us our due in October.

[rangercal]

lol.  My mistake

lol I read that and didnt even catch the error. I knew what you meant without thinking about it.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Hernandez and El Duque??? I think you mean Contreras. 

 

And yes, compared to the days of Carl Pavano @10 million per season, Kevin Brown @15 million per season, and Jaret Wright @ about 7million per season, the Yanks would be longing for those 2.

 

How many years did they play for the Yankees at the same time?

I ask because I keep hearing that Duque has been is kinda 'coaching' Contreras this year.

[southsider17]

How many years did they play for the Yankees at the same time?

I ask because I keep hearing that Duque has been is kinda 'coaching' Contreras this year.

 

I believe last year was the only time.

[southsider2k5]

I believe last year was the only time.

 

And it was a very short amount of time, as Hernandez came back from injury, and not to long after that Contreras became a southsider.

[southsider17]

And it was a very short amount of time, as Hernandez came back from injury, and not to long after that Contreras became a southsider.

 

Yep.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Now that the Bulls season is over & the Cubs WC aspirations are drowning I think the Chicago sports media will be all over the White Sox.

 

The White Sox - Twins race is the story of the 2005 MLB season.

It's a bigger story than any other division because these two teams look like the best teams in the league. It pains me to say this but that's a good thing.

 

Nationally it will be hard to talk about one team w/out mentioning the other. I just wish it would have been the Tribe or the Tigs. I hate the Twinkees.

[agame]

I don't like the Twinkies either but I think it makes it all the better. I want to beat them when they are at their best ala BoSox Yanks last year. It would make it that much sweeter.