With the Miami Marlins making an appearance at Wrigley Field for the start of a three-game set on Tuesday night, manager Ozzie Guillen returned to Chicago. Guillen was in charge of the White Sox for eight seasons before leaving to join the Marlins this season, and the summer months on the local sports scene have been a little less colorful because of it. The always outspoken manager was never one to shy away from media criticism, and a return trip to Chicago brought plenty of it. Chiefly: Guillen took exception to an apparent claim in the mainstream press that the White Sox are better off without him.
Guillen was not about to let this claim go unheard. Get your fresh Ozzie quotes, after the jump...
"Don't say they're winning because I'm not there," Guillen said. "That's not fair. That's not fair. They have the same guy (pitching coach Don Cooper) commanding the pitching as last year. They talk about (former hitting coach) Greg Walker, well, I think the Atlanta Braves are doing pretty good. I believe it's not fair when you talk about coaches moving."
"It's not fair when I see a couple idiots, let me put it this way, compare the team played better because so and so is not here," he said in a crowded dugout. "I think that's not fair because when I was here, I was very clear with the media, very honest, and you see my record in eight years. I think I left this team with a winning percentage. Two postseasons and one championship. When people talk about me being overrated, over-paid, that's funny. Because they don't have the guts to tell me to my face."
via ESPN Chicago
The story also maintains Guillen continues to have a strong repertoire in many in the White Sox organization, including A.J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko and owner Jerry Reinsdorf. There is no mention, good or bad, about Chicago general manager Kenny Williams.
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