Of Doghouses and Blacklists

For the first time since 2011, ex-manager Ozzie Guillen is set to appear at SoxFest.  Ironically, the same could be said of me.

 

As a Sox fan, I tended to blow hot and cold in re Guillen.  I thought he did great managing in 2005 and 2008, taking one team to the World Series and employing smoke and mirrors to get another into the postseason.  In eight years as Sox manager, Guillen went 678-617, finishing above .500 five times.  But the last three seasons, 2009-2011, it was like Guillen couldn’t be bothered.  Everything, including a September 2010 sojourn by Manny Ramirez, was treated like a joke.  Guillen definitely wanted out in 2011, and I was happy to see him go.

 

Well, life certainly teaches us lessons, doesn’t it?  Guillen got a big contract to manage the Marlins, and we got Robin Ventura as manager.  Guillen then said nice things about Castro, which didn’t exactly go over well with a south Florida audience; ownership didn’t much like his 69-93 record.  Guillen was out after a year (while Ventura kept going for five agonizingly miserable seasons).  Still, at the age of 48, Guillen seemed a sure bet to manage again.  So, why hasn’t he?

 

Consider the following managers:  Clint Hurdle; Gabe Kapler; Dave Martinez; Don Mattingly; Scott Servais; Ned Yost.  Guillen isn’t better than any or all of them?  Yes, Ozzie had a big ego, and it cost him, just as his feud with Kenny Williams did.  But every indication is that Guillen’s mellowed.  For God’s sake, this Venezuelan makes his year-round home in Chicago.  Really, the January cold will change a person, as it seems to have Guillen.

 

Would I want Guillen over Rick Renteria?  Hmm.  Throw in Bryce Harper, and my answer would be, Yes.  But that’s just me.  MLB front offices seem to think otherwise.  It’s almost like Guillen has been blackballed.  Must be the cold affecting my thought processes.