Ozzie Guillen Just Got Slightly Less Rich

by The Cheat on Apr 11, 2008 4:11 PM CDT

Immediately after getting tossed from Monday's home opener, Ozzie Guillen seemed surprisingly aware of the consequences surrounding his usual shoot-from-the-hip tone and the sticky situation of getting run from a game.

"I'm not going to waste my time talking about that guy," said Guillen. "One thing about this business, we're playing real well right now and if I say exactly what's on my mind, I might lose a couple of days and I don't want to do that to this ballclub.

"We're playing good. I need to be there for them. I already did what I did, but it's one thing about baseball. Now, every time you say something you feel, you let the club down. I'm going to keep it to myself."

Of course, he closed his post-game presser with the note that he had set aside an I'm Blowing Off Some Steam fund of sorts as well.

"I'm here for my players," Guillen added. "If I think my players didn't get the right call, then it's my job to protect them. I didn't like a couple calls and I went out. If I have to contribute to Major League Baseball a lot of money, I have $100,000 on the side to pay."

That should have been a sign that we'd eventually see him unload on Phil Cuzzi, which he did in Wednesday's pregame interview.

It should come as no surprise that Guillen has "been fined an undisclosed amount" today, which, no doubt, will draw some further comments from Guillen.

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I don't get...

bitching about the umpires. It doesn't strike me as something that's going to help down the line.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on Apr 11, 2008 4:23 PM CDT 0 recs

i agree.

there's a big difference between "protecting your players" during a ballgame when something arises and throwing down the gauntlet a week into the season.

Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 11, 2008 4:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

This goes

back to last year, not just a week into this season. If this is the only umpire this happens with, then I am very happy with what he is doing. If this happens on a couple more occasion then there is a problem.

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Apr 11, 2008 4:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

His comments weren't

about protecting his players, it's about showing off that he's 'Chicago tough' too. It's always really about Ozzie. He's got little man syndrome.

Show mercy. I get to watch the Rangers.

by Tim from Texas on Apr 11, 2008 4:35 PM CDT 0 recs

i don't think he's got a napoleon complex. he's just a loudmouth.

Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 11, 2008 4:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

I agree

He isn't shy and tells it like it is. Usually gets me in trouble with the wife, but at least she knows where I'm coming from. Don't sugar coat it.

Players respect that .

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Apr 11, 2008 4:39 PM CDT up 0 recs

maybe the players do. but i am willing to bet the other guys on cuzzi's crew

aren't going to take very kindly to it either. again, there is a difference between someone who protects people when a very specific need arises and somebody who is looking for trouble.

Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 11, 2008 4:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

what's he supposed to do?

the players were getting agitated about cuzzi's calling. it's his job to jump in and be the lightning rod, rather than the player do something stupid and get tossed. when the the peanut gallery is overanalyzing ozzie doing something "bad", they aren't overanalyzing the players.

who would you rather see tossed for arguing about shitty calls? a player on the field or a manager in the dugout?

by thatshortkid on Apr 11, 2008 5:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

during the game, it's fine. but what is the point of saying,

me and this guy are going to have problems so i told my assistant joey cora to be ready to manage every time this guy is behind the plate and i have all this money ready to pay mlb. is that somehow going to help win games?

Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 11, 2008 5:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

I've got no problem...

with Guillen arguing a call and getting tossed instead of a player. What's dumb is taking a beef to the press after the game is over.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on Apr 11, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

i'm of the opposite tack, i guess

when i said the peanut gallery, i meant it. taking this "beef" to the press gives them something to write about. seeing as most sports coverage nowadays is less fact-reporting and more page 6, i think the "ozzie being ozzie" with the press is a great move. he's playing the heel. i don't take ozzie's "me and him are gonna have problems" with any different size grain of salt than i do a tirade from randy savage. sports writers LOVE to get all sanctimonious and write about how this-or-that person is 'ruining the game'. ozzie's giving them what they want.

i'm kind of surprised that some of the folks on this board don't share this view. on and on i read y'all comment about how this writer is a hack or that writer has his head up his ass, but what would you rather these writers be a pain to the players about: "ZOMG did you like totally hear what ozzie said?" or "here's my question and analysis about your minute day-to-day technique that completely blows shit out of proportion. this is going straight to the sports radio echo chamber after i write about it, btw."

call me crazy ((you're crazy!)), but oz's handling of lineups, rotation, and bullpen worries me more than his handling of the media. it's the anti-manuel. i'd be more ticked if he weren't taking the heat off of his players, by either proxy picking the balls-and-strikes fight or by just dancing in a corner going "hey hey, look at me!". it allows the players to go about their day-to-day in peace.

to me, the baseball season is a long-term mutual fund and sportswriters are a bunch of coke-addled day traders. and ozzie's just being a pusher-man.

by thatshortkid on Apr 12, 2008 1:25 AM CDT up 0 recs

Ozzie is very clever

He understands where he fits in the grand scheme of things with media and so on, and he's aware that he's been cast as the jester. That let's him get away with a lot more than most other managers could because people just assume he's nuts.

I think he's come a long way with how he's handling the offense this year. That shows a lot of flexibility in his thinking - that's definitely a good trait to have in someone signed to a five year contract for Jerry Reinsdorf. He's not going anywhere anytime soon, so I like it that he's adaptable.

by ChicagoPete on Apr 12, 2008 6:43 AM CDT up 0 recs

i just hope cuzzi, his crewmates, and their brethren

don't take ozzie's statement about having money set aside as some sort of challenge.

Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 12, 2008 11:14 AM CDT up 0 recs

I stand corrected

He is a bigmouth, but I do think he likes to show he's macho.

Show mercy. I get to watch the Rangers.

by Tim from Texas on Apr 11, 2008 5:05 PM CDT 0 recs

And as far as players respecting that

I think that's true only in small doses. Mark Cuban bitching about the refs every game finally ended when Dirk rolled his eyes and said maybe he should back off the refs since it wasn't helping the team. Cuban was smart enough to slow down. I'm hoping Ozzie is too. Calling out a specific umpire in the press and basically saying he's got personal issues with him is just plain stupid. I kind of like Phil Jackson's MO during playoffs. He complains about either too rough of play or too many calls depending on what he needs but never criticizes individuals. That crosses the line.

Show mercy. I get to watch the Rangers.

by Tim from Texas on Apr 11, 2008 5:12 PM CDT 0 recs

Maybe Ozzie

Nees to read Sacred Hoops a few times and learn to relax

Bloggin'

http://bierjournal.blogspot.com/

by Six Pack on Apr 11, 2008 5:21 PM CDT up 0 recs

I do think it's funny Cheat

tagged this thread under schizophrenia. IDoes that condition occur when someone says he's not going to waste his time talking about a guy (see article) and then starts talking about the guy?

Show mercy. I get to watch the Rangers.

by Tim from Texas on Apr 11, 2008 5:18 PM CDT 0 recs

ozzie on today's fine

[SM]:

"I got fined a lot of money -- that's all I can say," Guillen said with a laugh, adding the $100,000 fund he had set aside for funds had a chunk taken out of it. "A lot of money. I was supposed to buy land in Venezuela, and now I got a hole. I really could buy land in Venezuela with that money."

by The Wizard on Apr 11, 2008 8:05 PM CDT 0 recs