Cabrera says case is closed
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- After letting it run the past two days, shortstop Orlando Cabrera pulled the plug on the soap opera after the surging White Sox defeated the Rays 5-1 Thursday night at Tropicana Field.
Cabrera's name has been splashed across the newspapers since it was revealed he contacted the official scorer during two different games this season and tried to have error calls overturned.
Ozzie Guillen offered support to Cabrera during the crisis, but the veteran infielder made it quite clear Tuesday he wasn't feeling any love.
That changed Thursday.
Waiting for reporters after the first-place Sox won for the 12th time in 15 games, Cabrera said the controversy is over.
"Ozzie and I are cool," Cabrera said. "We've always been cool, and we're always going to be cool."
Cabrera has not seemed at all comfortable with the White Sox since coming from the Los Angeles Angels in an off-season trade for starting pitcher Jon Garland.
He sure seemed happy Thursday night.
"I've got the respect of my teammates,'' Cabrera said. "They've got my respect. I'm really comfortable. We're winning games. That's the only thing that matters to us, is winning games. And this ball team has such great players. They're gamers, guys who have been around for a long time, and I admire all those guys.
"As long as we're winning, a smile is going to be on my face every day. Show up for the game and help the team win games. That's most important for me.''
When told of Cabrera's comments, Guillen smiled and said "good.''
Guillen was in a tough spot when Cabrera insinuated the manager should have called and complained about the errors.
As of Thursday, Guillen and Cabrera had still not discussed the incident.
"I don't want to talk to him,'' Guillen said before the game. "I don't see any reason. If Orlando wants to talk to me, he can talk to me as a friend -- he doesn't have to talk to me as a manager. I'm not the manager. I'm the manager when I have to make decisions. But when I don't have to make decisions, I'm their friend.
"My job is to be there for the players; the players don't have to be my employees. I work for them. When he wants to talk to me -- he doesn't have to, believe me, he doesn't have to -- but if he wants to talk to me, I'll be more than happy to talk to him as a friend.
"I don't want to handle this situation as a manager and a player. I want to handle this situation as a friend.''
Guillen didn't erupt when Cabrera criticized him because the two have known each other for years. In 2001, Guillen was Montreal's third-base coach and Cabrera its shortstop.
"I've known Cabby for a long time; that's why this thing doesn't bother me,'' Guillen said. "That's why I said (Wednesday), 'Just be careful with your teammates because they don't know you. I know you.' Hopefully everything is square.
"We've got four months of the season left and we're playing good. The last thing we want to be measured with is inside stuff with no reason. There's a reason we brought this thing up, but there's no reason to talk about it when it should be resolved.''