Another tempest in Sox’ teapot

Just when you thought this story was finally played out ...

Apparently, an unnamed downtown tabloid (OK, it was the Sun Times) decided Oney Guillen’s latest scathing Twitter message was back-page news, even though manager Ozzie Guillen’s petulant middle son takes over-the-top shots at the White Sox nearly every day.

Oney obviously craves the attention, and on Monday night these were his thoughts after the Sox drafted switch-hitting outfielder Keenyn Walker:

“Shocker white sox pick another good athlete black kid. How about picking a good baseball player(?)”

The Sun Times crafted an entire story around the quote, but it doesn’t end there.

There was a conspiracy theory floating around Wednesday that the White Sox promised Ozzie Guillen that his youngest son Ozney would be drafted between the 15th and 19th rounds of the first-year player draft.

The annual amateur talent hunt wrapped up Wednesday and Ozney was not selected by any major-league team over the course of 50 rounds.

Multiple “sources” were claiming Ozzie was livid, but that was hardly the case.

“I’m not a scout,” Guillen said before the Sox played the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field. “I guess sometimes you think your son is better than what he is. But my son (Ozney) is fine. He has money. He has college education.”

Ozzie was in a sour mood Wednesday, but not because Ozney wasn’t drafted or Oney was up to his old tricks on Twitter.

Rather, the White Sox’ manager said he’s worried about a “very, very sick” friend back home in Venezuela.

As for Ozney not being drafted — the Sox selected him on the 22nd round last year and he didn’t sign — so be it.

“The Sox have their own way,” Ozzie said. “They can draft whoever they want. I don’t expect the Sox to draft my kid because he’s my kid. I expect the Sox to sign the people they think can help them in the future.

“I just talked to Ozney a couple minutes ago. It’s frustrating, but our family problem, we leave it in the family. If he’s not playing baseball, maybe it’s for a reason. Maybe he’s not that good.”

Since players drafted in later rounds rarely make it to the big leagues, why didn’t the White Sox just take a flier on Ozney, who played at Miami Dade Junior College this year and batted .347 with 33 RBI in 44 games? Who cares if he only hit 1 home run while swinging an aluminum bat?

The Sox took a pass, so is general manager Kenny Williams concerned about any friction with Ozzie?

“Not as much as I was concerned that there would be if we did (draft Ozney),” Williams said. “So we took the position that we would just bow out and let the natural course of the day run. I wish things were different.”

Would the White Sox sign Ozney to a free-agent contract even after ignoring him in the draft?

“No, we will not,” Williams said. “I think the potential for distractions weigh heavily towards a situation that’s not in anybody’s best interests.”

Naturally, there is another level to this story. That’s just they way it is around the Sox.

In 2008, the White Sox drafted a player named Kenny Williams Jr. in the sixth round, even though he was not projected quite that high by most baseball publications.

Williams Jr., the GM’s son, is batting .208 at Class AA Birmingham this season.

Kenny Williams has answered the question about why Junior was drafted before, and he responded again Wednesday.

“I tried to talk our people out of taking my son,” Williams said. “I think the interesting backdrop of the story is I was told if we didn’t take him the Cubs would have taken him. That would have been even more interesting.”

As for reacting to Ozney’s tweet about the White Sox drafting Walker with their first (No. 47 overall) pick, Williams again wasn’t biting.

“We have bigger things to do here,” Williams said. “The peripheral things, we don’t have time for the peripheral things. It’s just a gnat on my (butt). As I’ve said on numerous occasions, it’s never boring around here.

“But I think it’s vital that we keep the focus on the what’s happening on the field. We’re trying to get back in contention. We’re in striking distance now; we feel good about where we’re going. All the other things that potentially can drag you away from that focus, I think a level of professionalism and a level of class is warranted.”

Ozzie Guillen snapped at a few questions about Oney’s tweet, and he told any reporter who wanted his opinion on the matter to go home.

But with Ozzie being Ozzie, he did eventually address the latest controversy in his unique way.

“With Oney, I’m very clear with him,” Ozzie said. “I talked to Oney about it, yes I did. His mom talked to him about it. And if you put it one way, it’s one way only. Oney is a grown man and a White Sox fan. Is he my son? Yes.

“What do you want me to do, shoot him? I can’t. No, I can’t. That’s not the way we do stuff. In the meanwhile, we talk to him. Yes. And every June we’re going to come up with the same (bleep)? This is getting old.

“Oney can do whatever the (bleep) he wants. He’s got his own job. Nobody pays his rent. Leave Oney alone. You guys make Oney ... as long as you talk about Oney, Oney makes more money.”

sgregor@dailyherald.com