Ozzie will be missed but not for baseball reasons
As fans, media and baseball people alike stake out their positions on the Ozzie Guillen departure, it seems many want to assign blame as it pertains to the White Sox’ failure in 2011.
And with all due respect, it’s a fool’s errand.
This had nothing to do with the 2011 standings, and Jerry Reinsdorf never would have made a change in his management team if he hadn’t been forced to by Guillen.
Congrats to Guillen for getting his way but know that Reinsdorf is equally relieved to be done with childish outbursts.
Still, I completely understand those who will miss Guillen. I am among them. He treated me well, always had a minute for me alone if I needed it, and always — always — had a great answer to a dumb question.
And he was a good manager.
I thought his best year was 2008, when he pushed the Sox to the postseason with a club that lost 90 games the year before and wasn’t supposed to compete for anything.
Despite numerous injuries, pitchers on fumes and a 12-15 September, the Sox after a five-game losing streak managed to beat Cleveland on the final Sunday, defeat Detroit in a makeup game Monday, and take down the Twins in a memorable and thrilling Game 163 on Tuesday to reach the playoffs.
No Sox fan will forget John Danks’ brilliance, Jim Thome’s bomb, Ken Griffey’s throw, A.J. Pierzynski’s tag and Brian Anderson’s catch.
I will also remember Guillen, who did more with less that year than any other year of his career, the epitome of great managing.
From Game 1 to 163, I never saw Guillen more engaged. He managed every last ounce out of that team.
But he never returned with that enthusiasm.
Beginning in 2009, there were constant distractions and disturbances, and not just the “Goofy Ozzie” kind. They were the “Disruptive Ozzie” kind, and that’s when he truly began to wear on his players and bosses.
Last season became a nightmare of family involvement, websites and imaginary insults, as he put personal gain above all else.
This year Guillen tried for a few weeks to live up to promises he made to Reinsdorf about not reliving 2010, and being kind publicly to those who pay his salary.
Had he done it, a contract extension surely would have been there, but Guillen couldn’t do it, and the relationship between Guillen and the Sox just didn’t work anymore.
It’s that simple. It didn’t work anymore.
Guillen was constantly angry, and neither Reinsdorf nor GM Ken Williams could do anything to pacify the manager.
A reasonable person might even suggest that Guillen undermined the cause this season by refusing to sit bad players as he tried to embarrass the GM.
I don’t believe it, but I understand why some would think it.
Guillen’s relationship with Williams was cold, superficial and unprofessional, and the players were similarly exhausted by the histrionics.
When he whined publicly a month ago about his contract and issued ultimatums in the midst of a long-awaited White Sox winning streak, even his biggest supporters on the roster thought it dishonorable and dubious.
After all, Guillen was signed for 2012, a claim several important players on the team could not make. Their futures uncertain, they didn’t want to hear crying from someone who had a deal in place for a couple million dollars, least of all the supposed adult in charge of the team.
Yes, Guillen will be missed for so many reasons, but from a purely baseball standpoint, it was simply time for this to end.
Case for defense
Facing three top NFC offenses from a year ago, you had to believe this was going to be a tough start for the Bears’ defense.
But in Game 1, the defense gave up just 2 field goals to a team that was supposed to be a favorite in the NFC this season.
In Game 2, 7 points came from a 79-yard pass on third-and-long when Major Wright forgot his job, and 7 more were after a Jay Cutler sack and fumble that gave the Saints the ball on the Bears’ 29.
The defense also held New Orleans to 3 field goals, and then in the fourth quarter with the defense out of gas, the Saints put the game out of reach with a 14-play, 87-yard drive that took 8:01.
Against the Packers, it should have been worse, as the Bears had no answer for Jermichael Finley, but at least they held in the red zone twice or the game would have been a blowout.
Considering the dreadful time of possession the last two games and the woeful secondary, the defense could be in worse shape, though on paper the numbers say 23 points and 387 yards a game, up from 18 and 314 a year ago.
Dylan Axelrod
Lost amid the nonsense Monday night was the first major-league win for Dylan Axelrod, who was in the independent Frontier League just two years ago at this time.
Signed by the White Sox as a minor-league free agent to start 2010, Axelrod has moved all the way up from Class A and is a pleasant success story in an otherwise unpleasant season.
Best idea
Wheaton emailer Joe D.: “The Sox should force the Marlins to take Alex Rios instead of getting players for Ozzie.”
The quote
Ozzie Guillen: “I work this job for money. Money, that’s it. The ring? (Bleep) the ring. I don’t even wear my (bleeping) rings.”
And finally …
Omaha World-Herald’s Brad Dickson, on Minnesota hiring Rick Adelman: “The finalists were Adelman and Don Nelson. Apparently the Timberwolves wanted to inject some fresh new blood, and Dr. James Naismith was unavailable.”
brozner@dailyherald.com
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