Ozzie Clarifies Remarks After Sox Respond

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Aug 3, 2010 7:00PM

On Sunday, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen caused a stir with his comments that Asian players in Major League Baseball received preferential treatment to Latino players. While reaction has spanned the spectrum, one group that's not having any of Ozzie's claim is his own team. The White Sox issued a statement saying, "This is an issue Ozzie Guillen obviously feels very passionately about. Ozzie certainly has his own experiences as a player, coach and manager, and is entitled to his own opinions, but the Chicago White Sox believe his views are incorrect." The team continued:

"The White Sox do not agree with the assumptions Ozzie made in his comments yesterday Major League Baseball and the White Sox provide a number of programs to help our foreign players with acculturation, including English language classes and Spanish language presentations related to the risks of and testing for performance-enhancing drugs. The team also has Spanish-speaking staff assigned to serve as liaisons for our Latin American players.

"Ozzie may not have been fully aware of all of the industry-wide efforts made by Major League Baseball and its clubs to help our players succeed in the transition to professional baseball, no matter the level of play or their country of origin."

Ahead of today's day half of a doubleheader against Detroit, Guillen tried to clarify his remarks, claiming they were taken out of context. "Please, please read everything I say from the beginning, and then you judge me. [I] sound like Major League Baseball don't care about Latino players, because I never said that. I never said that." As for the Sox' response, Guillen said:

"I respect that," Guillen said. "They said it was incorrect. I think people out there have to listen from the beginning how the conversation started. Then they can start judging what I'm saying, what I mean to say. I don't say I [never said] it. But in the meanwhile, I think the White Sox have a responsibility to themselves, they have a responsibility about protecting the organization ... this organization is not about Ozzie Guillen. It's about thousands of people. And I think they did the right thing, make sure Major League Baseball knows the organization was aware and feel the way they feel. I respect that and don't have a problem with that."