Despite all of the supposed rancor between Guillen and GM Kenny Williams and the supposed interest in managing the cross-town rival Cubs, you can book the following:
Guillen will manage the Sox in 2011.
For one, he is under contract. For another, the reports that Guillen is demanding a contract extension are false. What Guillen wants is an assurance that he is wanted. Something that Williams gave to the insecure Sox manager today.
ESPNChicago.com reports that Williams, appearing on ESPN 1000’s “Talkin’ Baseball” on Saturday morning, Williams said he hopes Guillen returns.
“I hope so,” he said. “And I know there will be some people out there who may be surprised by that.”
Not to say Guillen and Williams haven’t had their moments of frustration and disagreements, but both men are smart enough to realize that they need each other.
After all this combination produced the first Sox title in 88 years in 2005.
Guillen is considered an excellent field manager. If not a bit too honest in his verbiage, Williams is known as a guy who goes for the home run in a town that seldom does so in any sport.
Much of this year’s supposed disagreements revolve around Guillen’s unwillingness to take Jim Thome back and wanting a more small-ball approach. While Williams desired a thumper in the DH role.
It looks like Kenny has won that round. Not only has Thome helped the rival Minnesota Twins win the division, Sox DH’s have failed to produce.
Still, Guillen is a proud man and he wants to be respected. I say he is insecure because he seems to always be in need of validation.
For his part, Kenny said reports of a shouting match between he and Guillen that resulted in Williams saying Ozzie “was done,” were inaccurate.
Bottom line, these are guys who need each other and are both liked and respected by White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
Like it or not, you are stuck with both of them, Sox fans.
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