Kenny Asserts His Power
There is rarely ambiguity from Kenny Williams. Other MLB general managers say his phone calls are serious, purposeful and substantive, and that he is not one to mince words.
So let's look carefully at how he responded to Ozzie Guillen's apparent plea for a remodeling of the final, win-or-else year of his contract. His comments indicate that he has won any power struggle that may have taken place.
"With one more year left on his contract and another (for 2012) with the team option, if those are terms he's no longer happy with, (Jerry and) I understand and respect him enough to let him out of his deal. I've talked to Jerry and we agree if this is something he doesn't want, we're not going to stop him."" Williams told the Trib.
So, there will be no added contractual security. Per the existing deal, Guillen must win the AL Central to vest the 2012 option.
But the lead here is the comfort Williams exudes in speaking for Reinsdorf. This would seem to bury the notion of Guillen making a direct plea to ownership, pitting himself against the GM's wishes.
You want more money or more security, Ozzie? Feel free to find it elsewhere.
We'll discuss the story this afternoon, as we continue to get ready for Bears/Packers Monday night. Brian Billick talks Bears and NFL at 3:00, we will do the Second Half at 3:30 and "Who You Crappin?" at 5:00.
Unsettling note from the Hawks/Lightning exhibition in Winnipeg last night: Nick Boynton got pummelled in a fight with Blair Jones after Boynton checked Chris Durno. As he headed to the box, Boynton made a throat-slash gesture to Jones. Remember when the NBA came down heavy-handedly in response to a spate of such pantomimes some years ago?
And I wonder what Clint Malarchuk and Richard Zednik think of it.
Join us tomorrow to start your weekend early at Morgan's in Mokena for the Bud Light "Who Needs Two?" Tavern Tour.
