Tagged: FOX

Q&A: The DH, Omar, Big Red Machine,  Venezuela

ARLINGTON — I promised to answer as many questions as possible. We’ve got some good ones on here already. Keep them coming!!

Q: Do you think Omar Vizquel has a chance to be a good manager for a baseball club?
A: Omar, I think, will be good at anything he does because he is a professional and very respectful. He knows the game, and if he wanted to be a manager, I would support him. 
Q: What is it like going from player to manager? 
A: Being a player was easier for me because I would only worry about myself all the time and do the best I could. When you’re a manager, you have to deal, every day, with 30 players and a whole staff. That’s what makes my hair gray (haha). 
Q: Who was your favorite teammate? 
A: I had a lot of great teammates, but my two favorite were Harold Baines and Joey Cora. 
Q: As an American visiting Venezuela, what are the coolest things to do/see? 
A: You have to visit Los Roques, Canaima, the Tepuis, Pico Bolivar and Merida. Catch a winter-ball game — Caracas vs. Magallanes is very good. 
Q: If you were commissioner of baseball, what are some of the things you’d change? 
A: I would make both leagues use the DH one year and no DH the next year so there is no more complaining about it. 
Q: As a manager, what is your favorite “road trip” city and why? 
A: My favorite cities are Seattle because of the food and San Francisco because it reminds me a little of Caracas, where I grew up. 
Q: If you could start your career in baseball all over again, what would you do differently? 
I wouldn’t change anything because I think things have gone very well, and if I’ve made some mistakes, those things happen for a reason. 
Q: In comparison to when you first started playing in the big leagues, do you believe racism is still a factor with new Latin ballplayers? 
A: First and foremost, there’s always going to be racism, not just in baseball but in the entire world. But now it is much easier, and the conditions are better in the Minor and Major Leagues. When I started, there were very few of us Latin ballplayers. But now, there are many Latins in the game. But I also speak English now — not very well, but I speak it. 
Q: What’s up with the fact that the only [critical member] of The Big Red Machine (I understand why Pete Rose isn’t in) who hasn’t been enshrined in the Hall of Fame is David Concepcion? 
David has been my favorite ballplayer since I was growing up, which is why I wear No. 13 in his honor. I believe the reason he hasn’t gotten in is because the writers who vote for the Hall of Fame think David wasn’t any better than many other ballplayers. But that’s solely their opinion. 
Q: Did you want “El Toro” [Carlos] Zambrano on your team?
A: “El Toro” is my friend and a very good pitcher. Like everybody, though, he just made a mistake. But they gave him another chance, and I think it’s going to go well for him in Chicago — just not with the White Sox. I wish him the best. 
Q: Would you consider being a civil rights spokesman after your career in baseball? 
I love politics, and I read a lot about it. Like you all know, I have opinions about everything, but at the same time, I stay on baseball and on television. Me, politics? I doubt it. But you never know (haha). 
— Ozzie 

I’d rather manage in it, but I love being at the WS

ARLINGTON — I want to first start off by saying thank you to all my fans for their support during the hectic 2010 season, easily the longest of my professional career. I wanted to get this blog up and running to serve as an easier way to connect with you fans, in English and Spanish. That’s the same reason why I started my Facebook and Twitter pages, and don’t think that I don’t read everything you guys say. (I do so especially when I’m bored, haha.) I look forward to seeing your comments and questions on here and will do my best to answer as many as I can. 

Right now, I am in Texas working the World Series for FOX and glad it’s a little warmer than it was in San Francisco. I love working with these people. Chris Rose and Eric Karros have made this a lot of fun for me, and I can see myself doing more of this in the future. I want to congratulate both Texas and SF. These two cities are great for baseball and have awesome ballparks (not as cool as Cowboys Stadium, though). 

Nolan Ryan has done a great job of building this team after so many years. It was a process, and as a baseball fan, I appreciate what their front office has done by getting great players in there. They moved Michael Young to third base to put Elvis Andrus at shortstop, got Josh Hamilton and traded for the best pitcher available in his prime, Cliff Lee. It was risky, but it paid off. They also picked up Vladimir Guerrero, who has been a big factor in their success this year. You can’t say enough about their front office, and Ron Washington deserves a lot of credit, too. He has been amazing with the way he handled adversity, and the Rangers have stuck behind their leader — as all great teams should. 
I have so many friends in this World Series. Of course, Aaron Rowand and Juan Uribe are like my kids (except for the fact Uribe is uglier than me, hahaha). Bruce Bochy was my teammate in the Minor Leagues and in winter ball in Venezuela, so I am very happy for him to get this opportunity. I also work for Team Pepsi with Venezuelan Pablo Sandoval. So, as you can see, I have a lot of connections to both these teams. The Giants’ young players, like Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, have been awesome with the contributions they have made. But, as we all can see, teams make the World Series not because they have good pitching, but GREAT pitching. Pitching and defense wins championships, but your team also needs to stay healthy (something my team wasn’t this year and is really the biggest factor in most winning seasons). 
I really hope this series goes seven games so I can keep working because it has truly been an honor and pleasure to work with FOX. I am going to try to get some pictures with some people to post on here. I don’t want anyone to think I’m weird, but I will try. Once the series ends, I will be back in Chicago. I heard it is very cold back there, so that’s not good for me. I hope you guys like these new ideas, so enjoy and don’t be shy about asking questions. I look forward to being the manager of the White Sox in 2011. I hope it’s a good year, and I believe in my boys. My coaches and I will do the best we can to try and get us a winner!!
Don’t forget to check out my Twitter account and Facebook page. 
— Ozzie 

I’m here if you need me — FIRE AWAY!

ARLINGTON — Hey, gang. Welcome to my blog! I’ll be trying to post here regularly, about baseball or anything else that comes to mind. 

But before I do that, why don’t we get going by answering some of your questions. If you have a question you want me to answer, write it in the comments section and I will do my best to answer it. 
And be sure to catch my World Series analysis on FOX Sports! 
— Ozzie