Williams On Hot Seat Too?

[southsider2k5]

Make that three columnists with Cowley shots.

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110830/sports/708309638

 

One day, Ozzie Guillen is going to leave the White Sox.

 

But as was the case last week, last month, last year and every other time this tale is regurgitated ad nauseam, it is entirely up to Guillen as to when and how it will occur.

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He has a job for life with Jerry Reinsdorf, who pays Guillen a king's ransom to manage the team, act like an adult and represent the organization.

 

But he simply can't do the last two of those three things, so at some point Reinsdorf is going to fire him or trade him.

It might be next week, next month or next year, but it's going to happen because Guillen can't help himself when provoked by those he trusts to do his bidding for him.

 

In the process, Guillen pits himself publicly against an entire organization — not just GM Ken Williams — which is completely unnecessary and self-destructive.

 

While Guillen acts like a selfish child for whom no amount of praise or prosperity is sufficient to quench his imaginary thirst, he backs Reinsdorf into a corner.

 

And each time he plays a role in the portrayal of his relationship with Williams as a feud, he pushes the chairman toward only one decision.

 

So make no mistake, when Guillen gets fired or traded it will be of his own doing.

 

The reality is the relationship had worked for Guillen and Williams until last year when Guillen and family made it very difficult.

 

There was no pleasing him, regardless of how Reinsdorf and Williams tried to pacify the manager.

 

This year Williams took a different tack. He allowed Guillen to make some decisions and at times there was no decision because Guillen didn't want the GM's responsibility.

 

That's actually quite logical, but the GM wasn't going to force a player upon Guillen — or send a Guillen favorite home — and allow the manager to throw a fit and threaten to take his ball home again.

 

If that's what delayed the call-up of Dayan Viciedo — and that's how it appeared all summer — then clearly the relationship doesn't work anymore.

 

But there is no feud. It is fiction designed to further a story that Tuesday Williams referred to as, “Old. It's stale. It's boring. I think it's grossly exaggerated from the very beginning and I think malicious in intent.''

 

Guillen on Tuesday said the two get along fine. There is disagreement, of course, just as you have daily with your spouse, your kids or your parents.

 

But if Williams has to tread so very lightly to avoid a temper tantrum from the dugout, something has to change.

 

To Jerry Reinsdorf's credit he spanked Guillen twice last year, while begging him to stop uttering foolish things and imploring him to get his family to do the same.

 

Reinsdorf explained to Guillen that it only hurts the manager when others use him publicly, but it worked merely to a point and here we are again with Guillen falling victim to the same tired words, changing only the date and the amount of damage done to Guillen.

 

So he's on the verge of ruining a good thing. He has a great job that pays well, an owner that loves him and a contract for 2012.

 

And it's never enough.

 

He always says be careful what you wish for if you don't want Ozzie Guillen around, and he may be right.

 

But he might also want to be careful wishing for a job in Florida, where the owner and team president have a thin so skin that they recently demoted a fine young player because he was too popular on Twitter.

 

They fired Joe Girardi when he asked them not to rip the umpires.

 

They whacked Fredi Gonzalez for benching Hanley Ramirez.

 

They are on their best days meddling and manipulating.

 

And Guillen wants to work for them?

 

He's going to get a chance sooner or later, and it's probably going to be sooner if he doesn't grow up in a big hurry.

 

And when it's over, Guillen will play the victim like no one you've ever seen, but the real victims are the fans, who have had to watch this nonsense year after year, and Reinsdorf, who has a management team he loves but can't keep together.

 

The shame of it is, without all these self-inflicted wounds Guillen could have worked here forever.

 

And not many people manage to get fired from a job they could have had for life.

 

[email protected]

 

•Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM. Follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.

 

Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2011083.../#ixzz1Wc1VYtp0

[southsider2k5]

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2011083...orts/708309624/

 

By Scot Gregor

 

As the White Sox head into the final month of the season, there is more at stake than a playoff berth.

 

Jobs are on the line — and general manager Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen both could be in big trouble if the Sox fail to chase down the Detroit Tigers and win the AL Central.

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You can blame players such as Adam Dunn, Alex Rios, Jake Peavy and Gordon Beckham all you want for the White Sox' up-and-down season, but Williams and Guillen are the ones more likely to incur chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's ultimate wrath.

 

“Grumpy,” Williams said when asked to describe Reinsdorf's current mood. “Grumpy. We had expectations. We still have expectations. You never know how this thing can swing.”

 

The Sox are on the upswing, and Tuesday night's 8-6 victory over the Twins was their fifth straight. Coupled with Detroit's 2-1 win in 10 innings over Kansas City, the White Sox remain 5 games off the pace.

 

If the White Sox can keep rolling through September and make the playoffs, Williams and Guillen are near locks to return in 2012 and beyond.

 

If not …

 

“I've got to sit down with Jerry at the end of the season,” Williams said. “At this point in time, we're an underachieving club. So that means players, coaches, the manager and myself, we're all under review. This is professional sports. Am I telling anybody anything you don't know?

 

“But I've also said from the very beginning that all I want is to focus on the field and I would hope whenever the door is shown to us, maybe we walk out that door together. Because everyone has an expiration date.”

 

Speaking of expiration dates, Guillen's contract is up at the end of next season.

 

He is going to Spain for a three-week vacation whenever the season happens to end, and Guillen said he wants an extension before that time.

 

“They have to pay me for 2012, that's all I know for sure,” Guillen said. “My hope is, yes, I hope I'm coming back here. I don't think what (I've done) in Chicago, I should be a one-year manager waiting for the next year. Hopefully I get a contract again.”

 

Guillen sounds like he'd be willing to take a manager's job with the Florida Marlins or some other team, or work as a TV analyst if an extension fails to materialize.

 

“That's up to them,” Guillen said. “If Jerry wants me back, I'm more than happy to be back. If not, nothing's going to change. Obviously I'm going to be sad because I'd leave the town and the team I love.”

 

As for continued speculation that Williams and Guillen cannot work together, the notion was shot down again.

 

“I pause because I don't want to give too much credence to something that's old,” Williams said. “It's old, it's stale. It's boring. And I think it's grossly exaggerated from the very beginning and very malicious intent. Certainly intent to divide.”

 

Guillen and Williams had some issues last season, but this year has been different.

 

“I think me and Kenny have a better relationship than anybody in baseball,” Guillen said. “We grew up together with this organization, we played together.

 

“Then, the friendship is a little different. I don't think (Tigers manager) Jim Leyland is hugging and having a drink with the general manager. We're still good friends, not great friends like we were. But, yes, we can (work together). Why not?”

 

Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2011083.../#ixzz1Wc2Gcwop

[StrangeSox]

Man, you sure do love Cowley, ss2k5.

[southsider2k5]

Man, you sure do love Cowley, ss2k5.

 

I don't feel too bad when three of his peers just took him to the mat in one day.

[Quin]

I love how Joe is getting ripped to shreds by the other local media.

[fathom]

Viciedo isn't a number four hitter but Rios is according to Ozzie makes me cry in my sleep

[Kyyle23]

Viciedo isn't a number four hitter but Rios is according to Ozzie makes me cry in my sleep

 

 

hey now, lets all be like greg and applaud Ozzie for being honest and saying that Rios' experience and money makes him a better option than a kid who has been raking all season long.

 

 

LOLLOLLOL Ozzie will do so awesome in Florida where everyone will love him and fart rainbows

[Harry Chappas]

This whole scenario just goes to show how guillen is not that bright and cowley is not much brighter.

 

cowley is going to get guillen run out of town at the end of the day and any fans that clamored for guillen will have nobody to blame but the guillen/oney/cowley love triangle.

 

The s*** show in Florida would be interesting if Florida had a good team.

 

I like some of the things guillen does and dislike others but in the end I thought he was good for the White Sox.

 

The boy cried wolf maybe one too many times here.

Edited August 31, 2011 by Harry Chappas

[NorthSideSox72]

I love how Joe is getting ripped to shreds by the other local media.

What's funny is, Cowley has been doing that to the other writers for years, and the other writers usually don't take the bait. This time, I think they see that Cowley will be royally f***ed when Ozzie is gone, so they are willing to take a thinly veiled jab to help that process along.

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Viciedo isn't a number four hitter but Rios is according to Ozzie makes me cry in my sleep

Rios and manager Ozzie Guillen spoke about the veteran’s sitting and “we’re very clear about it, very clear,” Guillen said.

“Alex is not a happy camper. I don’t expect him to be,” Guillen said. “We wish he was playing better. ... I talked to him (and said), ’Give me some bullets, give me something (so) people don’t criticize me because you’re playing.’

“He has to look himself in the mirror too. ... I’m not benching people when they’re playing well.”

 

This quote was at the end of July and now he's batting him cleanup while sitting Lillibridge a guy who really has earned more playing time but is relegated to late inning defense lately. The good thing about Ozzie never shutting up is that you can occasionally catch him contradicting himself.

[Baron]

Good to see Joe ripped to shreds.Its amazing that he doesnt get called out more often for the crap he spews out.

 

 

As for Ozzie.Please leave.

[jenksycat]

I love Ozzie, but today should officially be the last day Rios and Dunn ever have the possibility of starting for the 2011 White Sox. Once the rosters expand there is literally no excuse why they should ever sniff the field again this year except for a pinch runner or an 18 inning game.

 

JP/De Aza/Vic/Quentin/Lili/PK has to be the OF/DH/1B rotation no matter what starting 9/1. If not, I'll truly believe Ozzie is sabotaging this team to spite KW.

[StrangeSox]

Cowley :wub:

 

[southsider2k5]

 

"Of course you know, this means war."

[BigSqwert]

Rios and manager Ozzie Guillen spoke about the veteran’s sitting and “we’re very clear about it, very clear,” Guillen said.

“Alex is not a happy camper. I don’t expect him to be,” Guillen said. “We wish he was playing better. ... I talked to him (and said), ’Give me some bullets, give me something (so) people don’t criticize me because you’re playing.’

“He has to look himself in the mirror too. ... I’m not benching people when they’re playing well.”

 

This quote was at the end of July and now he's batting him cleanup while sitting Lillibridge a guy who really has earned more playing time but is relegated to late inning defense lately. The good thing about Ozzie never shutting up is that you can occasionally catch him contradicting himself.

 

So making Alex Rios happy is more important than winning games? Good to see Ozzie has his priorities in order.

[Iwritecode]

Rios and manager Ozzie Guillen spoke about the veteran’s sitting and “we’re very clear about it, very clear,” Guillen said.

“Alex is not a happy camper. I don’t expect him to be,” Guillen said. “We wish he was playing better. ... I talked to him (and said), ’Give me some bullets, give me something (so) people don’t criticize me because you’re playing.’

“He has to look himself in the mirror too. ... I’m not benching people when they’re playing well.”

 

This quote was at the end of July and now he's batting him cleanup while sitting Lillibridge a guy who really has earned more playing time but is relegated to late inning defense lately. The good thing about Ozzie never shutting up is that you can occasionally catch him contradicting himself.

 

Ozzie has managed to contradict himself in a single sentence.

[southsider2k5]

This whole situation reminds me of a babysitter I had when I was four years old. She used to always have me go do stuff for her, and it annoyed me. Then she would either guilt or threaten me to get me to do something, which I always did. Finally she asked me to go get a diaper for my then newborn baby brother. I flat out told her no. Then she gave me this speech about if I was so smart, that she could just leave, and I could take care of things. I told her that was fine. Trying to call my bluff, she actually walked out of the house to try to scare me. I locked the door behind her, and refused to let her in.

 

The moral of the story is, one of these days Ozzie is going to threaten to leave and Kenny and/or Jerry is going to lock the door behind him. Maybe Ozzie should have had kids like me that though him these lessons years ago...

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Ozzie has managed to contradict himself in a single sentence.

I did read what you wrote about that.

[StrangeSox]

This whole situation reminds me of a babysitter I had when I was four years old. She used to always have me go do stuff for her, and it annoyed me. Then she would either guilt or threaten me to get me to do something, which I always did. Finally she asked me to go get a diaper for my then newborn baby brother. I flat out told her no. Then she gave me this speech about if I was so smart, that she could just leave, and I could take care of things. I told her that was fine. Trying to call my bluff, she actually walked out of the house to try to scare me. I locked the door behind her, and refused to let her in.

 

The moral of the story is, one of these days Ozzie is going to threaten to leave and Kenny and/or Jerry is going to lock the door behind him. Maybe Ozzie should have had kids like me that though him these lessons years ago...

 

My wife did the same thing to her little brother when they were kids when he was in a "running around naked" phase. That ended it pretty quickly.

[Marty34]

Per Cowley today talking about Williams:

 

Or maybe just to tell the truth about a once-brotherly relationship that has been disintegrating since the 2009 offseason because of issues that had nothing to do with baseball. The snowball was set in motion then, and it wasn’t the media that pushed it down the hill, but rather Williams himself.

 

This has become a big deal folks. The other writers are doing a CYA because they don't have Guillen's ear like Cowley does to report it.

[StrangeSox]

"Whisper some more sweet nothings into my ear, Ozzie!"

[Kyyle23]

No Marty, the other reporters are calling out Cowley for losing his objectivity and being in bed with Guillen. He has no journalistic integrity when he writes these bulls*** columns.

 

Spiegel was right today when he said Guillen is just using him

[fathom]

It's going to be interesting to see if Ozzie talks crap about all of his haters (Kenny, members of the media, etc.) when he leaves. All I know is that he better not tarnish the 2005 team by talking about more off the field stuff like he did with Jenks.

[Kyyle23]

fathom, you and I both know that there is only one situation where Ozzie left the Sox and he wouldnt go scorched earth, and that was if he retired and left of his own choosing.

 

 

Its going to be ugly

[southsider2k5]

Per Cowley today talking about Williams:

 

 

 

This has become a big deal folks. The other writers are doing a CYA because they don't have Guillen's ear like Cowley does to report it.

 

Stop and think about that for a second. Has Ozzie ever met a Microphone he does like? Joe is doing the ass-covering because he knows if Ozzie is gone, his one good source in town es fin.