White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf issued a statement Monday concerning Ozzie Guillen's exit as manager on Sept. 26, with two games remaining in the 2011 regular season.
Keeping personalities, egos and emotions in check is a major part of Ozzie Guillen's job. The Marlins manager readily admits it, and his task just became more interesting.
The way Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen sees it, Jose Reyes is one big piece to the puzzle. But is he the biggest chip? Not necessarily. "My biggest part of this lineup is not [Reyes]," Guillen said. "I think Hanley is the guy, the main course of this lineup."
Manager Ozzie Guillen will bring passion and energy -- and often headlines -- to the Marlins, but winning will bring fans back to the ballpark on a consistent basis.
After speaking with Hanley Ramirez on Tuesday, new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen isn't ruling out the possibility of Ramirez playing a position other than shortstop next year.
When Florida announces what multiple reports are calling a done deal -- that the club has acquired Ozzie Guillen from the White Sox for Jhan Martinez and Ozzie Martinez, signing him to a multiyear contract to be their manager -- it will be just the beginning of the buzz.
If Ozzie Guillen assumes the Florida Marlins managerial throne in the next few days, as he is fully expected to do, then the White Sox and Marlins have agreed upon compensation for his departure.
For more than a month (May 11-June 25), manager Ozzie Guillen had six healthy starters in his arsenal -- Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Edwin Jackson and Philip Humber. Without an obvious choice for who to relegate to bullpen duty, Guillen stuck with all six in his starting rotation. The White Sox posted a 24-17 record during that time. A lot has changed since then.
Last year's American League Central winners, the Twins, are in last place. The White Sox are fighting to finish .500. And the Tigers ran away with the division title one year after finishing in third place. "I always said the American League Central was there to take," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.
The one constant that kept the White Sox within striking distance for much of the season finally withered in September as the pitching staff crumbled under the pressure of too little offensive support.