The Chicago White Sox should retire Ozzie Guillen's number

Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is causing some debate over the decision made by the other team he owns, the Chicago Bulls, to retire Derrick Rose's number.

Rose had one of the greatest starts to a career only to have injuries cause him to be one of the greatest what-ifs in sports history. Had he not had those knee injuries, who knows how many more MVPs he would have won along with possibly a title.

No owner in baseball or basketball knows when to throw out an honor like a number retirement quite like Jerry.

It is because he knows it will draw fans in for at least one game and grab some headlines.

Plus, Jerry likes to honor the guys who have made him money, even if the player leaves on bad terms such as Carlton Fisk or Frank Thomas. Call him cheap and frugal all you want, but the man does know when to show gratitude for those who have helped him sell tickets and merchandise.

He once surprisingly gave the honor to Harold Baines in 1989 just a few months after the team dealt him to Texas.

So Derrick Rose getting the honor with Jerry's other team is no surprise.

What is a surprise is that Ozzie Guillen's No. 13 still has not been retired.

This is the man who not only managed the White Sox to the 2005 World Series championship, ending an 88-year championship drought, but he was also a very good player during his 13 years playing shortstop on the Southside.

He won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1985. Only five other White Sox players have won the honor, including Luis Aparicio whose No. 11 has been retired by the Sox. Guillen also made three All-Star appearances and won a Gold Glove in 1990.

He was the leader of the 1993 AL West Championship team while Thomas and pitcher Jack McDowell got all the awards.

His 1608 hits while with the Sox rank seventh in franchise history. That puts him ahead of Aparicio and Minnie Minoso whose No. 9 is retired by the Sox. Only Luke Appling has more hits as a shortstop with the Sox, and Appling's No. 4 is retired.

Guillen ranks sixth in franchise history in games played. Hall of Fame catcher Ray Schalk is the only player ahead of Guillen in that category who does not have his number retired. Otherwise, Appling, Paul Konerko, Nellie Fox, and Thomas all have the honor.

It is not like the White Sox have not reserved this honor for players who are not made the Hall of Fame. Pitchers Billy Pierce and Mark Buerhle have their numbers retired as does Konerko.

Plus, Guillen was the manager for the majority of Buerhle and Konerko's brilliant White Sox careers. Guillen won two division titles as a manager and one as a player. He is also one of five Sox managers to win AL Manager of the Year.

He is the only manager in recent memory to guide the Sox to a playoff series win. Not even Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa could do that for the White Sox (you have to wonder when Jerry orders Tony's number to be retired).

Guillen is third all-time in victories as a manager in franchise history. Only Fielder Jones and Pants Rowland can claim to have guided the Sox to a World Series title. Al Lopez and Kid Gleason are the only other Sox managers to ever manage the club in a World Series.

So Ozzie is in an exclusive club, plus he was a darn good player for the Sox. Since 2025 is shaping up to be another lose season where the club will likely lose a 100 games, it would make sense to have Ozzie Guillen day and retire his No. 13. Plus, it is the 20th anniversary of the Sox winning the World Series and in dominant fashion.

It was Ozzie who was bold enough to ride his four starting pitchers to win the American League Championship Series. No manager would have allowed his guys to pitch four straight complete games and he did. It is a big reason the Sox won the whole thing.

Sure, Ozzie had his controversies and his departure from the franchise as the manager was not ideal. He has made amends for that. It is the time the franchise makes up for a long overdue honor and retire his No. 13.