ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For now, Orlando Cabrera has been forgiven by teammates and his manager, but not forgotten.
The shortstop finally decided it was time to talk to manager Ozzie Guillen before Friday’s game and turn the page on what was a bad week for Cabrera. Yes, it should have been done on Tuesday, the day that Guillen’s warning to him in the Sun-Times appeared, but I at least credit him for man-ing up and realizing that yes, the South Side might be just a six-month rental home for him, but this White Sox team has “special’’ written all over what it could do this season.
Here’s what Guillen had to say about the meeting: “We’re fine. I’m really excited about him coming down and talk to me about it, and clear the stuff. Clear it with his teammates. I don’t want people out there … I think he digs his own hole. I send the message to him earlier. You picked the wrong town to do what you’re doing.
“Most of what we talked about as a friend, not as a manager. When you have problems with my players, I want to talk to them as a friend. We got 24 players there, they got to look at that. He never offended me by any reason. I believe you have to say what you feel, you have to say what you think. Some people like what you say, some people don’t. But I think right now, you pick a fight with the manager, or the players or the media, you’re never going to win that one. Because they have so much stuff on you, and the manager. You will have a bad game. Everything was nice and clean and I was really pleased because he showed me how much respect he has for his teammates, that’s No. 1, and for the organization, that’s No. 2, and for me, that’s No. 3. I worry more about what his teammates think about the problem than what I was thinking.’’
CLEVELAND – General manager Ken Williams on the Orlando Cabrera situation:
“Am I aware of some of the stuff that has been going on with Cabrera? Yes. I also know it has been addressed to him face-to-face. The one thing Mr. Cabrera needs to know about Ozzie is he has faults and his No. 1 fault is that he protects his players too much. If Orlando doesn’t understand that, he needs to talk to his neighbors.’’
CLEVELAND - While manager Ozzie Guillen often points out that “it’s how you play in September, not May,’’ he has to like the fact that his team was in first place on Memorial Day.
Since the current three-division and wild card formats were utilized in 1995, 64.6 percent of teams in first place on Memorial Day have made the postseason. The last time the Sox were in first place on Memorial Day was the 2005 World Series run.
While most of baseball is either surprised by the White Sox or waiting for the bottom to fall out, general manager Ken Williams, well, he isn’t the least bit shocked with what the standings show right now.
Asked what his feelings about the team were, he responded, “That they have a very high ceiling, but I have felt this way from the beginning. I don’t feel any different now than I did at the beginning of the season. In some respects, because we are in the position we are and haven’t played steady offense, even greater hopes for this season.’’
But that doesn’t mean he will just stand pat and let this opportunity go to waste. As reported in Wednesday’s Sun-Times, a source close to the situation said that Williams started sending out feelers more than two weeks ago to teams that had leadoff hitters also capable of playing second base.
The name of Angels infielder Chone Figgins came up, and more than once. A fact that Williams, well, was very careful in answering.
''That's an interesting name, and a name that I, yeah ... they're a pretty good team and they need ... I'm talking about the guys that will ultimately be available, and I don't know if they will be any better than what we already got,'' Williams said. ''Again, the key phrase being that they will ultimately be available. Not that I can't sit here and play the fantasy game. Hell, I can play that game and come up with a bunch of people. Reality, that's the game I have to deal in.''
Interest in a player doesn’t mean squat if the other team isn’t ready to let a Figgins go, but what it shows is this is still not a finished product. By any means.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Sox announced before the game with the Giants on Friday that they terminated the employment of three members of the club’s Latin American scouting staff, including Senior Director of Player Personnel, David Wilder.
Full-time scout Victor Mateo and part-time scout Domingo Toribio were dismissed for actions in Latin America that were violations of club policy and standards.
The terminations resulted from findings of a two-month investigation conducted by MLB’s Department of Investigations. The investigation has now been turned over to Federal authorities.
ANAHEIM, Calif. – White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski sat down and talked with the Chicago beat writers on Thursday about his return to San Francisco for this weekend’s three-game series.
What you need to know is Pierzynski’s one-year there was a miserable one, and that will be detailed in the main story. Here’s what didn’t get in, however.
When did you know it wasn’t a good fit?
“The first time I met with the owner (Peter Magowan) and the general manager (Brian Sabean). We’re having a meeting, and the owner asked me if I knew how to play first base. I looked at him and said, ‘I played in the minor leagues.’ He said, ‘we like our players to be able to play more than one position, so you probably will get a lot of games at first base. That’s when I knew it was probably not going to work out there.”
What still ticks you off the most?
“Just a lot of the stories that came out weren’t true, more than anything. The story where I supposedly kicked the trainer in the nuts. I think if I would have done that in Scottsdale Stadium in front of 15,000 people, it would have come out before I was gone.
“The story about me playing cards and not going over the hitters is not true. I told them I’d be there in two minutes, and I came over there two minutes later.
“The story about me telling hitters what (pitches) were coming. Anyone who knows me or sees me at all knows I’m not ever going to do that. I’m the last (person) to ever do that. So just the fact no one wants to hear the real stories. They just want to hear about (stories) because it makes for better newspapers, it makes for better radio, better TV. There’s dissension.
“The other thing is that we had a good year when I was there.. We won 91 games and statistically, I had a good year. It just wasn’t meant to be and I knew that from the start.”
Did you ask for a trade?
“No, No. I never asked for a trade. You are where you are. And I was on a pretty good team. We were doing pretty well. You don’t want to leave a good team because who knows where you’re going to end up.”
Any satisfaction you won a ring immediately and their GM has run that that organization into the ground since you left – besides the Aaron Rowand signing of course?
“You get satisfaction from the fact that I won a World Series. Leaving there and coming here the next year, coming out of there where they said I didn’t know how to handle pitchers and to see the way our pitchers pitched the next year, especially in the playoffs was satisfying.
“I was in the World Series and I see Ned Colletti, their assistant GM (now with LA Dodgers) in the mall. He looks at me in Houston and said, ‘don’t blow it like we did.’ I said, ‘don’t worry, we won’t.’ That was kind of satisfying to see the look on his face. One of those things where it worked out great for me. It worked out great for the Twins. They made a great move to get rid of me and get the guys they got. It worked out perfect for everyone.’’
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Ozzie Guillen didn’t know what Wednesday would bring for yet another new-look lineup, but at this point he might as well pick names out of a hat.
The offensive struggles have now become an epidemic, with seemingly no cure. This team is all of a sudden very painful to watch and has 2007 written all over it.
The way it stands right now, if I was Ozzie I would lead off with Carlos Quentin (.399 on-base percentage - a team high), followed by A.J. Pierzynski and then Jermaine Dye. After that, throw in a little Joe Crede in the cleanup spot, followed by Jim Thome and then Paul Konerko. Nick Swisher would hit seventh, Juan Uribe eighth and Orlando Cabrera ninth, with the hope he can get on base for the top of the order.
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Former Sox pitcher Jon Garland has never been a big fan of the media, so when he found out about “Dollgate’’ last week, and the fact that it was reported that the White Sox had two blow-up dolls set up in the Toronto visiting clubhouse, well, it was just another opportunity for him to speak his mind.
“I think it was a big deal,’’ Garland said Monday. “I personally felt nobody needed to write about it. This is our home, our clubhouse. I feel the job of you guys is to report on the game. I don’t think anything seen or heard in the clubhouse needs to be written about. And if you have a problem that’s going on in here, you don’t have to walk through the doors. You don’t have to see it. You have to understand when you walk through those doors, you’re coming into our office. It is what it is.
“I feel privacy has been taken away from us.’’
SEATTLE - In attempt to do something nice for charity, as well as honor Breast Cancer Awareness day on Sunday, Bobby Jenks, John Danks, Toby Hall and Nick Swisher had their facial hair dyed pink at home last week.
Well, whatever dye was used has burnt the hair off everyone except Danks.
Hall’s chin landing strip is patchy, while Jenks looks like an old billy goat. The four have a new pink dye that washes off, and will use that before Sunday’s game, but for Hall and Jenks it’s back to the drawing board come Anaheim.
Hall said he has to do a complete shave and let it grow back in, while Jenks wasn’t sure how he was going to repair his look.
The feeling after Monday’s 1-0 heartbreaker was that changes were coming for at least one roster spot, possibly two, by the time the team takes the field for Tuesday’s game with the Twins. This could be the end for Juan Uribe.
TORONTO – I would like to fully describe to you the latest slump-busting attempt by the White Sox players, but I’m still not quite sure what I saw.
It was like some bizarre shrine from “Apocalypse Now,’’ minus Brando of course. Now, earmuff-time kids. There were two blow-up dolls with at least 30 bats fanned out all around them in some sort of homage. Of course a few of the bats were doing naughty things, but you get the picture.
Whoever did it tried to frame Toby Hall by placing his hat on one of the dolls, but both Hall and several witnesses exonerated the reserve catcher.
As for manager Ozzie Guillen, he got a big kick out of it.
“Well, whoever did it spent a lot of money,’’ Guillen said. “That’s the type of guys we have. The clubhouse has been quiet the last couple days and I don’t like to see that. We have to stay at the same level of enthusiasm, no matter what happens. Because you worry about the game during the game. before and after, you can’t do anything about it. I know it’s not easy to enjoy yourself when you’re losing, but I expect the guys to stay with the same attitude no matter the results of the game.’’
I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
TORONTO – The final word in any - and all - coaching changes belongs to manager Ozzie Guillen. And the fifth-year skipper made it very clear on Saturday that the villagers should put down the torches and go back to their homes, because hitting coach Greg Walker’s job security is alive and well.
“That's not going to happen,’’ Guillen said of a possible coaching change to try and remedy the slumping offense. “To be honest with you, I don't think we need coaches. Look at the lineup. Everyone is a veteran, everyone knows what they're doing, everyone has experience, everyone went through it. I think you can ask the players. I'm not going to blame Walker about it. Greg is not a babysitter.
“Greg gives the best information and works hard, works harder than anybody and ‘Walk’ sometimes takes this game too deeply, too serious. I bet you one guy who is sick to his stomach now is him. It's not easy to be a hitting coach, it's not easy.’’
Guillen said that if the Sox lineup was loaded with a bunch of “kids’’ who were not progressing, then he would look at a change. That’s just not the case, however.
The .190 batting average and six runs scored through the first four games of this current six-game road trip falls on the players, according to their manager.
“[Nick] Swisher, [Orlando] Cabrera, Konerko, [Jim] Thome, [Jermaine] Dye, A.J. [Pierzynski] and [Joe] Crede, they don't need coaches,’’ Guillen said. “They need to get their heads out of their asses and start hitting. It's easy when the team is not hitting, it's the coaches' job on the line. When the team isn't pitching or the team isn't playing as a unit, it's the manager's job on the line. I don't think Walker has a problem. I have faith in him. That's part of the game.
“Greg Walker was the best hitting coach in April. Now he's the worst hitting coach in May. That's our job, take the heat for the bad things and we never get credit for the good things. But just get people to be patient. Whoever does their thing there, if they think they can do a better job than Greg Walker make sure and let me know. I'll hire him. People out there say we should do that, tell them to talk to me and I'll tell Kenny Williams and we'll hire him. Hopefully, help us to get out of this.’’
TORONTO – No one is saying that outfielder Jerry Owens can play savior, but he does bring a certain energy and swagger to the top of the lineup. Two things that have left the White Sox the last few weeks.
Right now, they look like a basketball team with five spot-up shooters, and not one that can create his own shot. Owens is a make-things-happen type of player.
I’m not saying he should be starting every day, but why not bring him up and when someone needs a rest, throw the speedster in the leadoff spot? With Paul Konerko on the shelf the last few days, that would have been a great opportunity to let Owens loose.
This thing is slipping away the first week of May already, and wasted in it are stellar pitching performances for a team that should have 20 wins.
With Mark Buehrle throwing a complete game in Friday’s 2-0 loss, Sox pitching has now allowed three runs or less in 14 of its 28 games, and Buehrle’s effort was the 18th quality start by the staff this season.
What do they have to show for it?
A slipping grasp on first place in a division that has run them down.
