For a day, at least, all quiet on South Side front

Posted April 05, 2010 11:00 pm

By Barry Rozner

The list of things that might have come between Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen the last six years could fill an empty ball yard.

But nothing did.

Until, perhaps, now.

The winter of their discontent has led to a different relationship between GM and manager, the proof of which was in Williams' eyes on the South Side Monday before the White Sox' 6-0, opening-day victory over Cleveland.

Never before had Williams appeared so ornery when it came to the subject of Guillen.

On the contrary, Williams has always defended Guillen and it was not uncommon for Williams to say that he feared the moment Guillen would get himself fired through his actions or words.

Despite the tumult of the day, regardless of seriousness, they were always the words of a worried friend.

When I reminded Williams of the backdrop, and that on Monday he looked and sounded positively fed up, Williams paused for several seconds and took a deep breath before saying, "It probably wasn't the spring training I imagined it would be.

"And I also don't know that it's relevant to what occurs on the field.''

Perhaps not, but Williams is exhausted, at his wit's end with Guillen's antics.

"It was just a very long spring training,'' Williams said a few minutes before the first pitch of the season. "I'll be happy at 1:05 p.m. and the game starts and I can fade to the background, away from all of this.

"That's the way I like it to be and I look forward to it.''

Whenever Guillen got in trouble in the past, Williams was likely to say something along the lines of, "He needs to keep this stuff off my desk.''

In Williams' mind it's nonsense and - most important - unnecessary. It's not the kind of behavior a GM expects from his manager when the GM would rather spend his time attending to genuine baseball matters.

And instead of gently suggesting he could do without it, as he has in the past, Williams seems downright irritated and less forgiving.

"All he needs to do is win,'' Williams said when asked about his relationship with Guillen. "We're as OK as we need to be, as long as nothing gets in the way of winning games and doesn't take away from our focus, which is what happens on the field.''

When I pointed out that some people will interpret that as Guillen being in trouble if the Sox don't win their division this year, Williams wouldn't budge.

"When asked a question I just answer the question,'' Williams said. "If people want to interpret that a certain way, they can do as they wish.

"If I say it's as OK as it needs to be, it is just that.''

This is a different Williams, a less forgiving Williams less likely to give a politically motivated answer designed to keep the peace on the South Side.

I still don't believe that Williams has any intention of firing Guillen at the end of this season if things don't go as planned, and I don't think he will blame Guillen if the roster - partially constructed by Guillen - doesn't produce winning results.

After being thrown under the bus by Guillen last summer, and then giving him the team Guillen wanted, my guess is Williams is disappointed that Guillen didn't respond with a blissfully quiet camp.

I think Williams has had it after a spring awash with talk of TV shows, Web sites, Twitter accounts and Guillen family drama. Any way you slice it, something has changed, and you could see it in Williams' face Monday. He is tired of having to answer questions about his relationship with the manager because the manager creates an unhealthy relationship by finding trouble when none exists.

Things are not the same between the two and Guillen understands that, saying respectfully that Williams is the boss and that he needs to do what his boss tells him .

The good news is the season started just as both men had hoped, with a smooth-as-silk victory at home, by a roster on which they collaborated.

Mark Buehrle was brilliant. Paul Konerko and Alex Rios hit home runs. J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton pitched scoreless innings. The Sox ran the bases, scratched out runs and played defense. Rios even made a diving catch in center to end it.

The Sox' world was a happy place.

"It feels good to start this way,'' Guillen said. "But it's only one game.''

Whether they can maintain the tranquil nature of Game 1, more off the field than on, is undoubtedly a question that will linger for the next 161.

brozner@dailyherald.com

Listen to Barry Rozner from 8 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's "Hit and Run" show at WSCR 670-AM.

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