Despite team's rebuttal, Guillen stands by his view

DETROIT - Manager Ozzie Guillen said he's not bothered by the White Sox' negative reaction to comments he made concerning Latino baseball players before Sunday's game against Oakland at U.S. Cellular Field.

Guillen also offered no apologies as he spoke for almost 30 minutes in his office Tuesday morning before the Sox played a day-night doubleheader against the Tigers.

"They (White Sox) might think I was incorrect," Guillen said. "I know I wasn't incorrect. I don't mind that. I don't feel guilty about anything. I don't feel like I owe anybody an apology. They have to protect their own people. If they don't think I was right, well everybody is entitled to their opinion.

"Maybe some people with the Chicago White Sox don't think I was right. That's fine with me. But please take everything I said. Don't take a little piece, a little piece, a little piece. Take all the stuff (I said) and put it together."

When asked about rookie third baseman Dayan Viciedo, a native of Cuba, on Sunday, Guillen gave a big picture response and opined that players from Latin America have a much tougher go than players from Japan and Korea, who have their own translators.

He also said young Latino players are more susceptible to performance-enhancing drugs.

On Monday, the White Sox issued a release distancing themselves from Guillen's comments: "This is an issue Ozzie Guillen obviously feels very passionately about. Ozzie certainly has his own experiences as a player, coach and manager, and is entitled to his own opinions, but the Chicago White Sox believe his views are incorrect."

So be it, Guillen said.

"I'm Ozzie Guillen, bro," Guillen said. "That's what it is. Maybe the message was right. The messenger is the wrong one. Maybe. Because I never, never, never, never, never put major-league baseball or the White Sox organization on the spot or make people doubt what they're doing."

Guillen said most of his comments were linked to Viciedo and Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who is also from Cuba.

Both players defected and cannot return home, and they are also dealing with a language barrier.

Guillen told a story about Ramirez calling at 2 in the morning when the Sox were on a road trip and asking for help ordering food.

"I've told the Latino players, everyone from the minors, learn how to speak the language," Guillen said. "You come here to work. Make it easy for you guys and learn the language. I never said they aren't doing right because they don't have a translator. I just want all those kids to have a better life, on and off the field. That's all we want."

Guillen's remarks were well received by Latino players throughout baseball.

"I think they should be fair," said White Sox starter Freddy Garcia. "With the Asian (players), the team pays for the translator. Why don't they do that for everybody? They don't have to be Latin.

"People come from other countries and they don't speak English. If they do that for a Japanese player, why don't they do that for people who speak Spanish or any people that don't speak English? But for me, it's not a big deal."