A rookie manager rarely equals huge success for the Chicago White Sox
By Joe Santoro
Ozzie Guillen - 2004
Ozzie Guillen is the greatest manager in Chicago White Sox history.
Ozzie Guillen was only seven seasons removed from his days as a White Sox shortstop when he took over as manager at the age of 40 in 2004. The very interesting Guillen took over a team that had won 86 games under tranquil manager Jerry Manuel in 2003 and promptly won 83 in 2004.
That 2004 team, though, was hampered by injuries that limited Magglio Ordonez to 52 games and Frank Thomas to 74.
Pitcher Esteban Loaiza, who won 21 games and finished second in the Cy Young voting in 2003, won just nine games with an ERA of 4.86 in 2004 and was traded to the New York Yankees in late July.
Guillen, though, had the Sox at 52-42 and in first place through July 24 but losses in 11 of the next 13 games led to an eventual second-place finish, nine games behind the Minnesota Twins.
Fan bases, however, didn't have the patience for never-ending rebuilds in 2004 as they do now. The roster was revamped after Guillen's rookie year and the Sox found themselves World Series champions on Oct. 26, 2005.