Chicago White Sox: Three reasons to re-hire Ozzie Guillen
The Chicago White Sox had some incredible years under Ozzie Guillen and the idea of bringing him back is something worth looking at.
Ozzie Guillen is one of the faces of the Chicago White Sox history. He was a great player but he was an even better manager. He, no matter what some people may think of him, is one of the single most important figures in the history of the organization. The good thing is, most White Sox fans adore him and remember everything he did with great fondness.
He was a brilliant manager that got the most out of his players. He took a good White Sox team and made them great in 2005. He used the “small ball” mentality to get this team to new heights. They won the World Series in the greatest year the franchise has ever had. They were good for a few years after that but he ended up as the manager of the Miami Marlins a few years later.
Since leaving Miami, he hasn’t been a coach in the game. It has been a while since he laced them up as a manager but the White Sox might be willing to bring him back when the time is right. They still have Rick Renteria who deserves a fair chance at the job in the long term. He has only ever had less than ideal rosters in his coaching career so his record as manager fits that mold.
If things don’t ultimately work out for Renteria, Guillen might be the smart play. He has made it clear that he would manage again if he was called. These are the three biggest reasons they should re-hire him when the time is right:
Proven Winner
Ozzie Guillen had the White Sox in a good spot late in the 2005 season. Well, they did hit a little bit of a slump at the end of that year. Guillen took all of the blame and the team rallied behind him and won the division. Then they went on an 11-1 run in the postseason en route to the World Series title. It was a brilliant year for Guillen and his team.
He put everyone in a position to succeed based on their skill sets. Scott Podsednik was used for speed, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko were there for power, Joe Crede was always put in clutch positions, and A.J. Pierzynski developed into a great leader. Those are just a few examples of Ozzie putting players in the right spot for their abilities. It is remarkable how great these players have proven they can be under his guidance.
He has been a “Manager of the Year” award winner in the past and it was well deserved. He has proven to everyone that he can get it done. If the team is as talented as it needs to be to win it all, Guillen knows how to put them in the right spots to get them to reach their potential.
Loves The White Sox
Not many people in the world love the Chicago White Sox more than Ozzie Guillen. He has had some stints with other teams but most of his playing and managing career has come on the South Side of the second city. He has had some great moments there which also help his love for the team. He would be perfect to come back as the coach because it would clearly mean a lot to him to win again with this team.
After his tenure as the Miami Marlins coach ended, he hasn’t coached since. What does he do with his free time now? He is an analyst for NBC Sports Chicago for the Chicago White Sox. This man lives, eats, and breathes White Sox baseball. It is brilliant to watch as someone who also loves this team as much as he does.
Having a guy coach a team he loves is amazing. That means he will give it his all no matter what. If Ozzie is in love with the White Sox without being directly employed by them, imagine what it is like for him when he is in charge of them. For this reason alone, Ozzie would be a brilliant hire for the White Sox if they want the proper amount of passion needed to accommodate the brains.
The Roster
The Chicago White Sox have a roster right now that could one day rival that of the 2005 team. They are incredibly talented but incredibly young and inexperienced. There is a lot of work to do but this roster could go on to be one of the best in the history of the team. They have their core together now but they just need to continue to develop.
Ozzie helped get all of those personalities on the 2005 team to buy in and get it done. Now, this team needs that to happen again. Nobody said that Rick Renteria can’t do it, but he has to prove he can. If he proves he can’t, Ozzie has proven that he can. This young group has all of the potential but there is pressure on them to do something about it.
Ozzie can get the most out of lineups that have it all. This edition of the White Sox has speed in guys like Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert. They have power in guys like Eloy Jimenez, Jose Abreu, and Yasmani Grandal. They also have some great pitchers in the system like Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, and Michael Kopech. All of them are great players that should be all-time great White Sox.
Related Story. Ozzie Guillen was a fantastic player for the White Sox. light
There are no rumors or anything like that but it is still fun to think about what Ozzie might be able to do for this group. He has been the man in the past and it would be fun to see him be the man in the future.