Tranquility base as Sox land in Arizona

An amazing White Sox off-season is about to end — and it's so quiet out there.

Too quiet? No, not at all, actually.

There's a shocking peace between the front office and the dugout. The players are happy and fans as excited as they've been in years.

GM Ken Williams brought back Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski and added Adam Dunn, Jesse Crain and Will Ohman.

Ozzie Guillen had his 2012 option picked up during SoxFest, so it ought to be at least a few more hours before he finds something to be upset about in the World of Ozzie.

Listening to him for 20 minutes Saturday with Chris Rongey on the Score's “White Sox Weekly”, Guillen sounded truly happy and relaxed, more so than at any time since winning the World Series.

In the five seasons that have come and gone for Guillen there has been so much self-inflicted pain and so many gratuitous battles with Williams that when it finally reached a boiling point in 2010, it was fair to wonder if the Guillen era was nearing an end.

It was only because Guillen seemed to want it so, but it appears for now that Jerry Reinsdorf has Guillen under control.

It's terrific news for the Sox, because for all the bravado in the clubhouse about how the team wasn't affected by the daily drama, no less than rock-steady Paul Konerko has admitted a couple of times since the end of the season that it does exhaust the players.

They don't want to hear it, they don't want to talk about it, and they don't want to be distracted because of it.

Williams is so sick of it that he doesn't want to answer any questions about the topic, but even Williams seems to be allowing for the possibility that maybe — just maybe — it will be better this season.

Of course, there's no reason for it to fall apart again but he's been ambushed so many times the last couple of years that Williams is ever cautious.

Still, on the eve of camp, all is quiet and happy in the World of Ozzie.

It is, at the very least, a nice change of pace.

Sale vs. Peavy

Chris Sale is the Sox' best option at closer, but he's going to start the season preparing for the rotation.

It seems as though everyone on the South Side has a different opinion of how this should work, from Ken Williams to Ozzie Guillen to Don Cooper, not to mention Peavy and Sale.

The only one qualified to judge this is Williams. Peavy will return too soon if you let him, Sale wants to be in one spot and left alone, and Guillen and Cooper will do what's best for Guillen and Cooper.

They have to stretch out Sale just in case, but if it looks like Peavy might be ready in May, the best move is to let Sale close and to spot start a guy like Tony Pena.

Through the first 17 games, the Sox need a fifth starter once. In the first 42 games through May 16, they'll need a fifth starter five times. Guys like Pena or Lucas Harrell could handle those starts.

Keep in mind

Another to watch is Phil Humber, one of those former first-round picks Williams likes to collect. Claimed off waivers from Oakland in January, he has shown virtually nothing up to this point, but Cooper loves a challenge and Humber could be a guy who surprises and earns a chance for a spot start.

Good deal

It's been rare that you get to say this about the Cubs, but the signing of Carlos Marmol to a three-year deal worth $20 million is a good one and saves the team money.

At $3.2 million (2011), $7 million (2012) and $9.8 million (2013), the Cubs bought out a year of free agency, avoided an arbitration loss and saved — assuming health and performance — about $5 million over the length of the deal.

Cubs option

There will be a lot of talk about Al Pujols and Prince Fielder as potential free agents in November.

Another name to watch is third baseman/outfielder Jose Bautista, who led the majors in homers last season. Unless he comes to terms with the Blue Jays on an extension this season, he also will be a free agent.

Best point

Gregg Doyel of cbssports.com, on college football recruiting: “It's a hot dog that fell off the table and rolled under the refrigerator. You're not going to eat that thing. Just leave it under the fridge (and) pretend you never saw it roll there.”

Make me laugh

E-mailer RDB of Schaumburg:

Q. Why doesn't South Dakota have a professional football team?

A. Because Minnesota would want one, too.

And finally …

NBC's Jimmy Fallon: “Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez reportedly went on a date with a girl who is still in high school. They have a lot in common, actually. He's out on the field every day because it's his job, and she's out on the field every day because she has gym second period.”

brozner@dailyherald.com

ŸListen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM.