MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS v WHITE SOX

October 21, 2005

Ozzie Guillen

OZZIE GUILLEN: It's a great honor. I think I feel like, you know -- one thing about it, I don't feel I let my country down. That's a more important thing than anything. I've got a lot of phone calls, my family and my friends. I know Chicago fans are real happy, the White Sox fans are real happy, the Venezuela country is more happy than anybody. We've got a lot of tradition, Venezuelan people, here, Chico (Carrasquel), Luis (Aparicio), myself, so many Venezuelan players come through this organization, Magglio (Ordonez), I think a lot of people love this team because of the tradition of the White Sox players. And now myself and Freddie Garcia, and doing what the team did, it's a great feeling when you see your people smiling and just talk about you. We had a lot of problems in our country in different ways, and when you feel like you do something good for the country, it's something you feel good about yourself.

OZZIE GUILLEN: One of the reasons we signed them, because -- besides we know he's a winner, and he's going to help the ballclub get where we are. But I think it's easier for Jose, it's easier for somebody, you can listen to it every day. I think they have more confidence now than it was with the other team, because they were allowed to do and say and perform the way they want to. Even when Jose was struggling, we keep sending him back there, to get over. And it was a long process, but it paid real well.

OZZIE GUILLEN: When Phil was a player, I was like two years old (laughter). When he managed the Brewers, he's aggressive, he wants to protect his player real well. And there was a lot of battles between him and Hawk (Ken Harrelson) and Terry Bevington. Now (Doug) Mansolino was in the middle of the thing, too. I think this man -- I tip my hat to him. He went through a lot of things last year and this year, and made his players play good for him, push the button at the right time. And you see the way they start, it's amazing how they came through and win all the thing. He did a tremendous job over there, and we're going to face another good match. I've been doing this for the whole playoff, now another one, and you're not coming here just because -- I think managing had a lot to do with his team.

OZZIE GUILLEN: One thing about it, Kenny Williams and myself and Jerry Reinsdorf, we're on the same page. A lot of people say Kenny protect me a lot, no, we just are on the same page. We stick together almost every day and talk about baseball. And right now when you try to figure out and do the best for the team, obviously people really like that. When we make the decision to change this team last year, it was kind of -- we talked a lot, because it was not easy. We've got great ball players, but they know how to execute. The pitching staff wasn't strong enough, we've got problems in the bullpen. The only way we're going to build this team is around pitching and defense, and speed. It took the Minnesota Twins to make me think that way. They don't have any superstars and they keep winning. Besides that I have to take Kenny and Jerry keep yelling at me all day long, because they have to answer questions because we're controversial. They have to back me up. If they don't back me up, I leave. You're doing the -- on the same page, and you protect your players, that's the way it works.

OZZIE GUILLEN: The final roster will be made, I've got to go with the same people it was in the first and the second playoff. I always believe if something is not broken, why fix it. Hopefully the people we pick help us to get to the next level, to win this thing.

OZZIE GUILLEN: To be in the city, I don't know. I was last night to do the grocery store. I was doing some grocery -- but I went out to a couple of friends. I stay in my house most of the time with my kids. You ask the kids, they enjoy it more than I do. But I'm pretty low key. A lot of people think -- I'm different between being on the field and being in the house. On the field you see me talking to everybody. When I get home I don't want to say anything, because I'm just tired. When I seen the TV every day, I watch a lot of news, and it's great. It's a great feeling about seeing these people happy, seeing these people enjoy this moment. But hopefully tonight eat some dinner with my kids. But besides that, I don't like to go out that much, especially in Chicago.

OZZIE GUILLEN: It's still in my mind because so many -- I would like to win first and think about it. It's not because I want to quit; it's because I do something I always want to do, winning with this ballclub. The main thing to me is winning here, and I will make up my mind. But I don't know if I can handle my family for the rest of my life without baseball. I'm already tired seeing them, and we had three games off between one game and another, it's not fun. I like to be around people, that's why I make my mind.

OZZIE GUILLEN: The difference is -- I think Roger right now he's a better pitcher. Before he was dominating; now he's still dominating. It's amazing how those guys do it. These guys stay in shape. I saw him as a player, then as a coach, now as a manager. I'd rather see him as a manager than a player, because I know what I'm facing. We've got to go there and you've got to show up, show people you're still the man. It will set the tone. Obviously they're going to follow him. I think for me he's one of the greatest pitchers ever in the game. We've got to face the best. To be the best you've got -- you've got to win against the best.

OZZIE GUILLEN: That's a tough question, because I don't like to talk about Latinos and colors in this country, because whatever you say in you're wrong. I think Tony did a tremendous job with the team he had. I think Tony did everything he could to get the Royals the way they want to be. He opened the door for a lot of people, to myself. But I don't like when people hire people because you're Latino, I don't believe in race and where you come from. I think you should hire people just because your knowledge, because you know about this game, because you know you can run a team. I don't like when people just go and interview people just because they have to interview people. No. You believe this man can do the job and stay in the Big Leagues and have a good future and have success, you should. Right now, I hope I open the door to a lot of people. But you're looking for 1980, '85, now you see more Latin coaches, you see more Latin players. One of the best -- the richest guys or whoever make the most money, it's a few Latin players. And hopefully you know those guys work hard enough and prepare good enough to be a manager. We have a general manager now, we have a few people. We're sneaking in little by little. But I always say when you get hired you get hired because you know what you're doing.

OZZIE GUILLEN: I have faith on him, and I make him believe we trust him and believe in him. He was so insecure. The thing about Jose was he don't want to let people down. When he signed a big contract, people talked about how much money he made, he should win every game. He's not a big winner, so many big things. But looking back, he said I let a lot of people down. When you go to the mound and think I have to do good, obviously you're going to fail. We had a lot of patience with him, he'd take a lot of heat, I'd take a lot of heat and thank God we stay with him. The confidence -- not because we speak the same language, it's just because he know he have a friend with his manager. That's all you can do about it. Just go and pitch your game and forget about it.

OZZIE GUILLEN: The scouting is very important. Sometimes you don't have an opportunity to see the team you're going to face, especially in playoffs, especially in the National League. Right now I'm going to have a meeting with them. They did a tremendous job but we've played Boston and Anaheim before, so I will listen to the scout reporter a little bit more, because I never see Houston play. I think they did a tremendous job.

OZZIE GUILLEN: It's a little different. Their starting pitcher, Andy and Roger, they was there before with a good, positive attitude. I don't think I have anybody in the starting rotation went through this. But my pitchers don't care about anything, they go out and throw the ball, they don't care who they face. This series is going to be -- it's going to be pretty interesting. You're going to see a lot of good pitches. You're going to see -- this series whoever executes better, obviously whoever pitches better, but it's going to be tough. But whoever has the clutch hitting is going to win.