Guillen's wit second-to-none, but he's also a heckuva manager
Asking Ozzie Guillen to keep it zipped for an entire season would be unrealistic.
It would also be a serious downer.
The White Sox' longtime manager loves to talk, and he's one of the premier wits in the game.
Take Wednesday as a prime example.
Before playing a Cactus League game against the Giants, Guillen addressed the Sox' decision not to wear green caps for St. Patrick's Day like they normally do.
“There you go,” Guillen told reporters in Glendale, Ariz. “We've blown the budget.”
That's classic Ozzie, and his ability to crack wise at the literal drop of a hat often takes the pressure off during a long, grueling season.
But with a $125 million payroll in a still sputtering economy and the addition of a key piece like designated hitter/first baseman Adam Dunn, few will be laughing if the Sox come up short in the AL Central this season.
It all starts in the dugout, and that is Guillen's primary office.
What are his strong points?
Much like major-league general managers, former players serving as managers are becoming a dying breed.
Guillen was a standout shortstop for 16 seasons in the big leagues, and the three-time all-star spent 13 of them with the White Sox.
He went through every possible peak and valley as a player, so the 47-year-old Guillen is rarely caught by surprise with the game's many twists and turns.
Guillen is the prototypical players' manager.
While admittedly serving ties in the off-season and “not sending Christmas cards,” Guillen can often be spotted in the clubhouse asking players about their personal lives and families.
Most important, Guillen knows his business inside and out.
He correctly projected big changes in the game five or six years ago when baseball's steroid scandal was just beginning to build.
The Sox still have some big thumpers like Dunn and Paul Konerko, but they've adapted to the new era by adding more speed and defense.
No manager makes every right move, but Guillen has shown a knack for putting the right players in the right situations.
“I've never seen someone with the baseball instincts he has,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf told reporters Wednesday when asked about Guillen.
What are his weaknesses?
Guillen likes just about everybody he meets, and even though he growls from time to time, he's the kind of person that would do anything to help a friend in need.
But he does have an explosive temper; Guillen's most recent flare-up came in late February when he went off on former closer Bobby Jenks.
There were too many tantrums last season involving unimportant issues — his supposed deteriorating relationship with GM Kenny Williams, his middle son Oney's tweeting, his youngest son Ozney's disappointing drop in the amateur draft, his tenuous contract situation — and it was a major distraction.
Managing a major-league team is a difficult enough job on its own, but Guillen recently launched a new website, he blogs and he tweets.
As long as he gets enough sleep and keeps all of the social networking free of controversy, he should stay out of trouble.
And Guillen is very much aware that his primary mission this season is getting the White Sox back to the playoffs.
What about the future?
Guillen's 2012 option was picked up at SoxFest in late January, and it was a great move for both sides.
Despite all of the turmoil thorough the years, Guillen has always been the best man for the job, and even Williams has acknowledged that fact on numerous occasions.
Had the Sox dragged their feet on the option, Guillen would have likely addressed his uncertain status about a half-dozen times by now.