Shepkowski: Love For Ozzie Blinding His True Value
By Nick Shepkowski-
CHICAGO (WSCR) 2005 was an amazing year that saw the White Sox parlay a wire-to-wire American League Central lead into their first World Series title in 88 years. Unfortunately many base all of manager Ozzie Guillen's career off of what happened in 2005 and fail to look at the big-picture in grading Guillen overall as a manager.
Since Oz took over as the White Sox manager before the 2004 season the White Sox have compiled an overall record of 611-555 and won two division titles and the previously mentioned 2005 World Series, obviously respectable.
What have you done for me lately though, Oz?
AJ Pierzynski's 3-run home run in the top of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field on July 1, 2006 lifted the White Sox to 53-27 and within a game and a half of the then division leading Detroit Tigers. Since that day, Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox have been average at best.
Guillen gets praise for taking pressure off of his players but since AJ's home run on the North Side, Ozzie and the Sox have gone just 376-386 (.493%) in 762 games (roughly 4.7 seasons) while going to the playoffs just once.
Think that winning the Central in 2008 was that great of an accomplishment? Think again. Since 2006, the White Sox are one of 22 different franchises to make at least one playoff appearance.
When the pressure turns on in the second half, Ozzie's teams have also been far from exceptional. In seven seasons, the Sox have gone 253-268 after the All-Star break with Guillen, good for a winning percentage of just .485. By comparison, Rod Gardenhire of the hated Minnesota Twins has gone 378-272 in the second half since taking over in 2002, good for a winning percentage of .581.
For a manager who is regarded by some Chicagoans as a top-five manager in the game, Guillen's numbers have been pretty average for quite some time. He's obviously not an awful manager - if he was, he wouldn't have stayed employed for as long as he has.
Based on his teams performances however, it's more fitting to rank Ozzie with the Bob Brenly's of the world; an average manager who happened to win a World Series.
