Zuba: Guillen Angry Over Comparisons To Ventura
By Sam Zuba-
WRIGLEY FIELD (CBS) - Chicago baseball has undoubtably calmed down since Ozzie Guillen headed to South Beach last September.
After the White Sox released Guillen from the remaining two days on his contract at the end of the 2011 season, the team went in the complete opposite direction, hiring the much calmer, milder Robin Ventura as the White Sox's next skipper.
Days before the Marlins headed to Chicago for a three-game series against the Cubs, Guillen told the Sun-Times he felt backstabbed by certain members of the Chicago media. On Tuesday, he explained those feelings.
"It's not fair when I see a couple of idiots (in the media) say that the team is playing better because (I am not) here," Guillen said. "That's not fair because when I was here, I was very clear with the media, very honest. You see my record in eight years. I think I left that ball club with a winning percentage with two postseasons and one championship. When people say stuff about me being overrated and overpaid, that's funny because they never had the guts to tell me to my face that I was overrated and overpaid. That's why I don't respect people like that.
"It doesn't make me mad. It makes me sad. I thought I was very honest and maybe some people don't like the way I do my stuff, maybe some people don't like the way I manage. But you can't compare Robin with me. (We) are two completely different people. Robin is a gentleman. He's a very nice guy. He knows baseball a lot. I'm the opposite. … He's a different manager. I don't think it's fair to compare. I don't think it's fair to say what they say about me.
"Those that say they're winning because I'm not there - that's not fair. That's not fair at all. They have the same guy controlling the pitching that was there last year. They talk about (former hitting coach) Greg Walker, how bad the hitting coach was. Well, I think the Atlanta Braves are hitting pretty good."
Throughout his eight years as manager of the White Sox, Guillen had a rather tumultuos relationship with general manager Kenny Williams, with whom Guillen says he has had no contact.
Still, the outspoken skipper said both sides are much better off now that he has gone to Miami.
"Everybody is healthier," Guillen said. "My family is healthy. I'm happy where I am. I love it. I think people in Chicago, the White Sox, should be thinking the same way. ... Put it this way: 21 years with the same organization, nobody can say s*** about me in the White Sox organization. Nobody. I'm the true White Sox. The White Sox are always going to be my heart."
