Ozzie Guillen: 'I Would Like To Be Back' With White Sox

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 18, 2014 7:40PM

It’s been a while since we heard from former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. But he popped up during Major League Baseball’s All-Star break and, in his own way, began planting seeds of a return to 35th and Shields.

Guillen indicated he would love another opportunity to manage the White Sox if it arose. Sun-Times reporter Joe Cowley, Guillen’s chief water carrier during his time managing the Sox, writes Guillen would relish the opportunity:

‘‘I wish,'' Guillen said. ‘‘But if I say yes, then I don't respect [current manager] Robin Ventura. But that's not where I'm coming from. When Robin gets tired of managing or he's had enough, I would like to be back. But it's up to them. If I wear a uniform and it's the White Sox, that will be special.''

Guillen certainly earned his bona fides while managing the Sox. He left after the 2011 season as the club’s third most-winningest manager with a 678-617 record (a .524 winning percentage), two AL Central titles, an AL Manager of the Year nod and, of course, helped bring Chicago its first World Series championship in 87 years with the 2005 Sox.

But his “Ozzie being Ozzie” routine began to wear thin until eventually, even many die-hard Sox fans couldn’t wait to see Guillen (and his sons) leave town for Miami and money. Guillen only lasted a season managing the Marlins, but he’s currently being paid through the end of the deal and works as a baseball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Guillen added things are better between him and Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf these days. Reinsdorf attended the wedding of Ozzie Guillen Jr. last weekend and Guillen told Cowley he would even attend SoxFest next season to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2005 World Series champs. Reinsdorf treats employees like family and the club signed Ventura to a contract extension earlier this year. But many White Sox fans have groused about Ventura’s decisions during games, especially turning to a bullpen that couldn’t hold a lead with a gun pointed to its head. And Guillen knows this, hence the comments about wanting to “respect” Ventura and only wanting to come back if Ventura was “tired of managing.”

Guillen says he’s a changed man but how soon would it be before he says or does something that would put undue pressure on the team if he did don pale hose again?