Not afraid of firing line, Sox skipper Guillen takes the heat

Posted May 12, 2010 11:00 pm

Scot Gregor

No topic is off limits with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, not even his own job status.

A slow start has spurred a bounty of blame, and everyone from Carlos Quentin to Bobby Jenks to Gordon Beckham to Gavin Floyd to Mark Teahen has come under fire.

Then there is Guillen, who pushed for many of the off-season changes for a Sox team that is already 8 games behind the Twins with a 14-20 record.

"When I took this job (in 2004), one of the first things I said is managers are hired to get fired," Guillen said.

Just ask Trey Hillman, who won't be in the dugout at Kauffman Field Friday night when the White Sox open a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals. He was fired on Thursday.

The White Sox haven't exactly burst out of the gate this year, and they are coming off the team's second losing season (79-83) in 10 years.

Add it up, and you understand why speculation is beginning to grow that Guillen needs to get things turned around quickly or he could face the consequences.

Considering he won the 2005 World Series, followed up with a 90-win season, took the Sox back to the playoffs in 2008 and is like a son to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, there is about a 1 percent chance Guillen gets his walking papers.

But the 46-year-old manager has been around the game long enough to know how things work. And if the current season continues spiraling downward, Guillen is prepared to get fired and move on.

"If I don't know how to win anymore, I'll work in TV and be a broadcaster," said Guillen, who served as an analyst for FOX-TV during last year's World Series. "I know I can do that."

As is his way, Guillen is taking the lion's share of blame for Quentin forgetting how to hit a curveball, Jenks forgetting how to throw one, Beckham regressing after a solid rookie season, Floyd failing again in April and May and Teahen looking like the latest ex-Kansas City Royal to flop with the White Sox.

"I enjoy it," Guillen said of the endless, intensive scrutiny. "I like it. I like the fans, I like the heat, I like when people blame me, I like when people recognize me. Everything. I love it. If I didn't like it I wouldn't be here, I guarantee it. I've got a lot of stuff to do."

That's not to say Guillen wants to be fired - or that he wants to quit. On the contrary, he has plenty of confidence in his ability.

"I'm a good manager," Guillen said. "Some people like to believe it or not, but if you come here every day I know what I'm doing. Sometimes the players perform, sometimes they don't, but I know what I'm doing.

"I'm a good manager. I know that. There are a lot of (bad) managers out there, worse than me, and they keep having job after job."

The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning at Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon and it looked like they were poised to sweep the two-game series and finally get that dose of momentum.

Instead, the Sox failed to score the rest of the game, they failed to gain some needed ground and they continued spinning their wheels in some deep mud.

Afterward, Guillen's frustration was boiling over again and he appeared to be longing to walk out of Target Field and not stop until reaching his boat back home in Miami.

He has a difficult job, without a doubt. But Guillen knows where to look when he needs perspective.

"My dad had a job, he had five kids and he was making $2 a day," Guillen said. "That's a tough job. I'm making over $1 million doing this and I watch a game. Some people pay to watch; they pay me to watch. It's hard, it depends on how you take it. But I'm not going to lose sleep or die or have problems with my family or be an alcoholic or do drugs or do something stupid because we win or lose.

"I love to be where I am. As long as I have a job, as long as they want me, I don't complain. But the day they don't want me, I'll be fine."

Sox scout

White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium

TV: Comcast SportsNet Friday and Sunday; Channel 9 Saturday

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Pitching matchups: The Sox' Mark Buehrle (2-4) vs. Gil Meche (0-4) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Jake Peavy (2-2) vs. Luke Hochevar (3-1) Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Gavin Floyd (1-3) vs. Brian Bannister (1-3) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

At a glance: Trey Hillman was fired as manager Thursday after the Royals beat the Indians to snap a seven-game losing streak. Former Brewers manager Ned Yost takes over. The White Sox won 2 of 3 from K.C. at home in early May. Alex Rios went 6-for-11 with 3 doubles, a home run and 5 RBI in the series. In his last 18 games, A.J. Pierzynski is batting .433 (29-for-67) vs. the Royals. Buehrle is coming off a solid start against the Blue Jays, 3 runs on 8 hits in 8 innings. He's a lifetime 20-9 with a 3.55 ERA against Kansas City.

Next: Detroit Tigers, Monday-Tuesday at Comerica Park