Tagged: Brent Morel

Happy with how we’re playing, sad to see Manny go

For some reason, I am a very happy guy right now. … Do you know why?? (hahaha)

Wow, I’m very pleased with the way we have been going about our business. In baseball, sometimes you win games and sometimes you lose games, but right now we are pitching better and swinging the bats very well.Brent Morel and Mark Teahen have been awesome. I love the way those two guys are hitting the ball the other way; when you hit the ball the other way you have success in this game.And it’s not just those two guys, we have a bunch of guys getting the job done at the plate. We put Brent in the other day, and he was ready to go and played a great game.It’s always great to see the younger guys have some early success.

One of the things that I have seen early on in this season is that we are giving ourselves a chance to win every day. If we continue to do that, we are going to be just fine.What can you say about Phil Humber?  Wow, he was just outstanding giving us six solid innings; good for him and us. I was very excited to see him step up and give us a great outing.We did just take three of four from Tampa this weekend, but I think they will end up playing better. Their pitching is just too good for them to lose a lot of games, and once Evan Longoria gets back, that lineup changes quite a bit. Maybe it’s good for us that we see them again in April and then can be done with that team for the season.

On a different subject, I was very sad to see what happened to Manny Ramirez, but you can’t find me saying anything bad about him. He was a class act when he was with us last year, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward.

Oakland is in town starting today, and this isn’t the Oakland of two years ago — these guys can play. They have a good ballclub with some very good pitching, so they are not the underdogs anymore. I expect this series to be a dogfight with them because they have slowly gotten better each year, and just like a long time ago when they had The Big Three, they can pitch with anyone. I expect our guys to be up to the challenge.

The energy in The Cell has been great, so keep coming out and supporting the guys. Get a ticket and come on out and, we will see you at the park.

— Ozzie

It’s crunch time here in Arizona!

Well … lets just say we have been a little busy over here in
Arizona. It’s coming down to the
end of Spring Training, and we as an organization have to make decisions based
on what we believe will give us the best chance to win. I want to say congrats to B-MO (Brent
Morel) for making the team. I
think this kid will have a good career in the big leagues, and hopefully he
helps us like I think he can.

Everyone seems ready to go; we just need to get everyone
healthy and stay with it all the way to Cleveland. Some final roster choices will be made soon, and I will keep
you all posted. Yesterday, we had
one of our Cubs-Sox games and I got to see my good buddy Rick Sutcliffe before
the game. Always great to see him,
but I have to be honest, whenever we play the Cubs anywhere it’s always a big
pain in the butt. People make it
such a big deal and there is always so much stuff going on!

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Tomorrow I will be doing an interview with Esquire
Magazine. I’m very excited about
it. Very good magazine, and I enjoy the tough questions! Also, be on the lookout for an ESPN E:60 episode I
did down here in Arizona. I will
keep you up to date on when it airs. Should be very cool.

So that’s just a heads-up on what’s been going on down here
before we go to Cleveland, and in a way I will be with you guys in Chicago on
Opening Day, April 1. My Foundation is holding a viewing party for Opening Day at Public House
in downtown Chicago. I’m very
excited because this is the first of these kind of events we have ever
done. We will be doing a charity
raffle with a ton of great prizes, like signed baseball bats from Adam Dunn,
Alex Rios, A.J. Pierzynski and a bunch of other great prizes. The best part is 100 percent of the raffle
donations go straight into the Chicago Community, and I am very proud of
that. So if you are looking for
something to do for Opening Day, I hope you can make it out!

Thank you all for your support. Wake up and get your dreams; anything is possible!

— Ozzie 

I’m just loving my team right now …

What’s up, everyone!? I hope you all are doing well. I got to enjoy a rare day off in Spring Training on Tuesday and went
golfing. I actually played pretty
well and shot in the 80’s. 
Somebody do me a favor and warn Tiger. With a little more practice, I will
be ready to take him (haha). After
golf, we went for a little sushi dinner — man, I love sushi — then headed over to
Westgate to see the movie “Hall Pass.” I laughed so hard and only understood about 20 minutes of the movie
because they talk so fast. I would
laugh when everyone else was laughing to pretend like I knew what was going on
(hahaha). But wow, there were a
couple of scenes in there that actually did make me laugh. I love that kind of
humor. I think it’s great for that
one or two days you get off in the spring to get away and enjoy it a little, and
I definitely did that.

Now back to business. … I was very happy to see the turnout we
had versus the Giants yesterday. I
don’t know, maybe it was because the fans wanted to see Tim Lincecum, but we love
playing in front of a full house (yes, even if it is only in the spring). It’s
just more fun! I hope we get that
same kind of support at The Cell in April. Always a lot of fun for the players
to play in front of full stands. 

I have seen the guys play so far this spring, and I will tell
you I’m very excited to for this ballclub. I can’t and won’t guarantee anything; all I will say is that
this team is going to be very fun to watch. Jake Peavy‘s health has been outstanding, and the starting
pitchers have been great. They are really trying to set a tone for what this
year could be. I feel like the
lineup will be ready to go when we break camp because this team is built with
guys that have been in the league for many years, except for Gordon Beckham (aka, “Bacon”) and B-MO (Brent Morel). Everyone is getting their work in. I have no complaints, and when we get
to Cleveland, we will be ready to go.

There are a couple of spots on the roster still open. The front office, coaches and myself, of course, will make those choices and we will go with what we feel we need the
most. In this business, it’s all
about winning, not people’s feelings. 

Well, we only have a couple more weeks left until we get this party
started. Make sure you keep
reading this blog and checking out my website because I am working on some
exciting things, and I will hopefully get to announce soon! Thank you for all your support. And if
there is something in life you want, wake up and go get it! 

— Ozzie 

Another Q&A before I leave to Spring  Training

Your questions keep coming in, and I’m doing my best to get to as many as I can! Spring Training is getting closer and closer. My bags are all packed and my golf clubs are already waiting for me. Some fun stuff is going to be happening on my website very soon, so make sure you keep checking back. 
Q: Glad to see you are here for at least one more year. How does going into a season without a solid contract for next year affect you and the players? Keep up the great work! — Dennis B. 
A: Thank you. I think there is more responsibility because it shows me that the front office has a lot of faith in me to run this ballclub. My expectations are high, so let’s hope for the best.
Q: Hey, Ozzie. So glad I could get a hold of you this way. I would love to see Bobby Abreu on your team. What are your thoughts on him? — Rodolfo T. 
A: Bobby has always been one of my favorite players. On top of us having a friendship, to me he’s one of the best natural hitters in baseball. To me it’d be a great honor to be his manager. 
Q: Hey, Ozzie, what’s up? I’m just wondering, what are your thoughts on managing the winter-ball team in Venezuela? — Jesus R. 
A: Of course, but just because I’d like it, not because it’ll happen. Because if it did happen, it would mean I’m not managing in the United States. 
Q: Hey, Oz, what’s up? How do you see the team this year, and who do you think is the key to the team? — Randy E. 
A: I think if the team stays healthy, we have a good chance to win. 
Q: Ozzie: First off, this is about as excited as I’ve been about a Sox team in a long time! Questions is, I really like what I saw out of Dayan Viciedo toward the end of last year, but don’t really see where he fits on this team (especially with Brent Morel the likely candidate at third base heading into 2011). What does Viciedo need to do to find his way into our lineup … soon? — Adam T. 
A: It’s hard for me to say right now because Dayan has moved around a lot. We all know he is one day going to hit in the big leagues, but right now that is a question for other people to answer. 
Q: Hi, Ozzie. I went to the Ozzie Guillen Roast and had the good fortune of taking a picture with you. The suit you had was very sharp. My question is, where do you shop for your clothes? What brand is your favorite? — Manuel T. 
A: Thank you for coming to the Roast. First of all, I am like a girl when it comes to clothes; I love it. The suit I was wearing at the Roast came from my good friend Joe Maya from Joe Maya Clothing in Miami — 777 N.W. 72nd Ave. Go check them out, they are awesome! My favorite brand for jeans is True Religion, and I like Michael Kors shirts of any kind a lot, as well. 
Q: Joey Cora is one of, if not the, best bench coaches in the Majors. Yet he keeps getting passed up for manager positions. Do you think he’s being given a fair shot? — Luke R. 
A: I know Joey is a great baseball man. I have learned a lot from him. I’m very surprised as to why he is not managing because I feel he is ready and has been ready for the job for many years now. 
Q: Ozzie, who was your idol both as a player and as a coach? Who did you look to for tips in both categories? Go White Sox! — Kevin W. 
A: David Concepcion was my idol as a player. As a coach or manager, I would have to say John Vukovich, the longtime third-base coach with the Phillies and Cubs. As a skipper, I have always said I looked up to Jeff Torborg, Bobby Cox and Jack McKeon. 
Q: Hi, Ozzie. … Thank you for being Venezuelan. … I am proud of you like all Venezuelans should be. Can you tell me what is the level of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in comparison with other American leagues? USA, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic … why have the Venezuelan baseball teams failed in the World Baseball Classic? — Kervis P. 
A: I think the Venezuelan league has more support from the fans than any other league. Every stadium is packed. I believe the Venezuelan and Dominican leagues are the most competitive. The reason why the Asian teams win the WBC is because they are more prepared and have been playing together much longer. 
Q: Ozzie, I have been a fan since the mid-’80s. How do you think this year’s lineup would match up to the Sox of the mid-’90s, especially the year of the lockout (’94-’95)? — Adam L. 
A: The ’94 team was a great team, but it’s hard to say how good we would have been because we never finished that season. And this year’s team, I don’t know how good we will be because we haven’t started. (haha)
Q: I’m heading down to Spring Training in the beginning of March. I was wondering, what is your favorite place to have a nice dinner while you’re down there? — Thomas W. 
A: Well, Mastro’s is very good. And I’m a steak guy, so I also like Fleming’s. If you like sushi, you should try out Blue Fish. 
Q: What city you travel to during the season has the best food besides Chicago? — Shawn C. 
A: Hands down, the best food is in Seattle and San Francisco. Boston is also up there.
Q: Hey, Ozzie, do you know what Luis Salazar is doing now? Thanks. — Joe S. 
A: I think Luis is working in the Minor Leagues for someone, but I’m not sure who. 
Q: Ozzie, why don’t you run for mayor in the city of Chicago now that your friend Richard Daley is leaving office? — Aaron G. 
A: Hahahaha, because I’m not that good. I feel like Mayor Daley did a great job, and whoever is the next mayor has a tough job ahead of them.
Q: Is there anywhere online that I could purchase Ozzie Guillen Foundation apparel (hats, T-shirts)? — Ryan V. 
A: This summer, you can get all the Foundation gear and a lot more. I have some surprises for you guys this summer. 
Q: Congrats on the Web page, Ozzie. I’m a huge fan. What do you think about Carlos Subero’s departure from the team? I feel like the team took off cold and he was wrongly accussed. Thoughts? — Luis G. 
A: Personally, I think that once again, when players play bad, they let go of the manager. That’s why it’s very hard to manage in Venezuela. But I think he did a good job with the team. That’s my opinion. 
Q: Mr. Guillen, with Spring Training right around the corner, I wanted to ask — how much more difficult is it to assess players in Arizona (with the thin air) as opposed to Florida? — David B. 
A: It’s a little different, especially for pitchers because you don’t sweat as much and your breaking balls don’t break as much. 
— Ozzie 

Your questions — and your chance to win!

What’s up, everyone!? I’m just about ready to leave the sunshine of Venezuela and head back to the cold and snow of Chicago. Next weekend, I will be in town for SoxFest and also have a special event planned that I am sure some of you have heard about — my Celebrity Roast. 670 The Score has decided to put together a Celebrity Roast of me, and from what I have heard, I better make sure I am ready for this! I am very grateful that partial proceeds for the event are going to the Ozzie Guillen Foundation, and they told me the event sold out in less than four days. I want to thank everyone for their support! Now, if you have been paying attention to my Twitter or Facebook, you know I still have a couple of tickets left to give away for the Roast. I think we came up with a pretty good idea to make you earn them… 
But, first, your questions…
Q: What can I do to make a donation to the Ozzie Guillen Foundation? 
A: As we speak, the Foundation is being brought over to the States. I will keep you guys posted as to how to help out as soon as I can. 
Q: Do you prefer using the hit-and-run early or late in games; are there certain counts you like using it more than others? 
A: To be honest, it really depends on who is hitting and a bunch of other factors. Generally speaking, the game will dictate when and where I use it. 
Q: Do you think Brent Morel will have a long future with the Sox considering how well he played at the end of last year? 
A: The first time I saw Brent Morel was in Kannapolis, N.C.; he was roommates with my son, Oney. Oney told me how good this kid was, and when I first saw him, I thought, “Wow, this kid has good hands.” He really reminded me of Joe Crede with less power. 
Q: Because of your Roast, will you be at SoxFest on Friday, Jan. 21? 
A: I will be at SoxFest on Friday. The Roast is a little later, so I will be at both. 
Q: If you had the option to Roast anyone, who would it be? 
A: I am not sure who I would Roast — maybe a lot of people! (haha) I would just hope people would be able to understand me. 
OK, now, back to what everyone wants to know. I have two pairs of tickets to give away, and there are only two rules: You have to be at least 21 years old, and you must be able to make it to the event in Elk Grove, Ill., on Jan. 21. 
Here’s how you win… 
I want you, in exactly 13 words, to tell me why you deserve the tickets to my Roast. Don’t be shy, either. I want something creative, and remember, anything goes! You can submit your answer to this e-mail: info@TripleCrownMktg.com. I will personally select the two that I think earned their spot at my Roast. 
Submissions will be accepted now through Monday, Jan. 17. Good luck!
— Ozzie