Guillen gets extension through 2012

The White Sox (61-83) entered Tuesday night's against the Cleveland Indians tied with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Florida Marlins for the worst record in baseball.

Nonetheless, they felt the time was right to sign 43-year-old manager Ozzie Guillen to a contact extension through 2012.

Guillen, who led the Sox to the 2005 World Series, was originally signed through next season with a club option for 2009.

"For me, for Jerry (Reinsdorf), the organization, we just feel we have never stopped believing we can win a championship,'' said White Sox general manager Kenny Williams. "And whenever you start going down the road and planning for the future, you look at your coaching staff and you look at your manager. It has never not been in my mind that he would not be the guy.''

Key injuries to players like third baseman Joe Crede, left fielder Scott Podsednik and center fielder Darin Erstad hurt the Sox early. And one of the worst bullpens in baseball combined to put them out of the playoff race in June.

By signing him to an extension, the White Sox are obviously not blaming Guillen for the club's worst season since 1989 (69-92).

"It's a good day for me if we win,'' Guillen said. "I'm just happy Kenny and Jerry believe what we can do here together as a group. I think they give me another chance to do what we're supposed to do as a winning organization. One thing about it, I'm not going to thank Jerry or Kenny for this.

"I appreciate they still believe in me. They still believe what I can bring to this ballclub, they still believe we can have a lot of success having me running this ballclub. I don't want to say I feel proud, but I feel good somebody believes, not what I did in the past, what I can do in the future.''

Guillen, who played shortstop for the White Sox from 1985-97, is nearing the end of his fourth year as manager. He entered Tuesday's game with a 333-297 career record.

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