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MLB WINTER MEETINGSDecember 5, 2006Ozzie GuillenORLANDO, FLORIDA Q. Your thoughts on the whole winter meetings? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, I think it was pretty interesting before we come here, you know, all the signings and all the money they be throwing out there, all the guys that got multiyear deal and you make an offer for any general manager. In the last four years I've been here, I think this one was the one people made the most deals. I mean, it's been pretty interesting the way stuff be handled. It's hard to trace and stuff. But same stuff. High school reunion, say hi to everyone, even the ones that didn't like you and it'll be fun. It's always like it, an opportunity to see people you haven't seen in a long time, but it is the same thing. Q. Can you win with the same team you had last year? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, there's one thing about it, we have better bullpen, yes. I mean, I think the guys we had there, they played good in the past, they played good last year and I think we was a little short of the bullpen, and right now I believe our bullpen is stronger, then we have a shot. Q. Kenny says that he's likely to stay with the starting pitching all the way through right now. OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, it is the one thing about it, everybody's thinking we're dealing pitchers. We truly believe nobody can win in baseball without pitching and I think we have six guys, very important, and some people think because we got six, we come here and make deal for any pitcher. You know, I think, you talk to Kenny and the deal's good for our organization, you might think about it, but the people think we just came here to trade one of our pitchers, are wrong. We don't come here, you know -- if the deal is fine, Kenny will make it but we're not just going to throw our pitchers away just because. And I think we're fine right now and Jerry told me we are fine right now with the ones we have and if something comes up and they like it or we like it, or we going to stay with the same guys. Q. Are you satisfied with your bullpen right now or think you need another one? OZZIE GUILLEN: I think we need another one. The kid from the Cubs will help. I think we will miss Neal Cotts. He did a tremendous job for me, one of my favorite person in my club and he is a kid we believe, you know, helped us to win one thing and struggled last year. But I think we need another righty because we lost Hermansen and we need a strong bullpen in our division, you have to have a good bullpen to win and if you don't have a strong bullpen, believe me, you are not going to make it. That showed in the past, you know, Minnesota Twins, they, you know, they go off their bullpen the best way in our division. And the Detroit Tigers to win it that and last year, we don't get to the point we wanted to get because our bullpen and that's why we got to be there. Q. Podsednik your leadoff hitter or ninth hitter? OZZIE GUILLEN: I don't know yet. Right now he is my leadoff hitter. He will have a better year this year. And I think one thing, stolen bases is in his mind but you cannot steal second when you're not on first. I think that to me is more important to have Podsednik worry about his on base percent and don't worry that much about stolen bases. And I think this kid puts a lot of pressure on himself, so hard on himself to be where he is but I think there is no doubt he will have a better year this year than he had last year. Q. So he would be a better nine hitter then? OZZIE GUILLEN: We have to find a leadoff guy. We now have a leadoff guy and right now in the lineup we don't have anybody that can fill that role. Q. How much do you listen to rumors that are spreading around at this thing and do you talk to Kenny about that stuff or how involved are you? OZZIE GUILLEN: I just care about, you know, I just heard a rumor of Barry Bonds going to Minnesota. I mean, wow, you hear that you're like, I don't know what people are drinking or because I mean, that is the kind of rumor you are going to hear. The rumor is Freddy Garcia has been traded to 30 teams already, Vazquez to 20 and Garland 7. I mean, when you got that kind of thing, you going to hear a lot of rumors, but sometimes when you get serious, you are not in the lobby, you're off in the room or to make phone calls and it is why it makes this thing interesting. I think, you know, I think this is more for agents and media because any general month you can make a deal over the phone and do it, but I think the rumors you hear, yeah, a lot from the White Sox is just rumor. Q. When people say Bonds to Minnesota, you said they are drinking, what do you think about what they say about A-Rod to the White Sox? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, it's possible. It's possible. I just say about Barry, I don't think Barry fits good with the piranhas. Barry is a shark, Barry is not a piranha, that is why I don't see Barry there. With Alex, you know when people say we gonna get Alex, I think it is a rumor because the trade being, you know, New York will need pitchers and I think Alex is one of the big guys to trade for a pitcher. But right now, I think Alex wants to stay with, you know, with the New York Yankees and I don't see Alex in a White Sox uniform at least this year. That's my opinion, maybe when I leave here, Kenny says, you know, we just traded for Alex, but I think we have a pretty good third baseman, a real good one and this kid got a great future. And I think this kid's going to come up, be a great ball player and we have a pretty good shortstop. And right now, I don't see Alex with, you know, first of all, you can't wear number 13. You got to come with another number. Number 3 is taken, number 13 is be taken. Got to go 33 or 3. And 13 by me, wear another number. I don't see Alex right now. That is all rumors. Q. What kind of damage would he do in your ballpark? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, I don't know. Alex Rodriguez can hit no matter if you put this kid in any planet, he will hit. To me, he is one of the best players I ever seen. Our pitching and other staffs in our division is pretty tough. Whoever comes to play in our division, they have to be ready to prepare themself every day because it is one or another. You know, you are not taking any breaks in our division that's why it is hard to be in our division. Q. You wouldn't give him your number? OZZIE GUILLEN: What? Q. You wouldn't give him number 13? OZZIE GUILLEN: No, he is not that good. Go to Chicago and you put a 13 on -- I need a new boat. Alex is bigger than me when you step out of Chicago but that 13 number is there forever, that is going to be hard. 13B. Q. Harold, his number, he is on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, do you think he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame? OZZIE GUILLEN: I think so. I think his numbers are there. I think Harold had to help himself to give him a little bit more credit than what he have. And I think, you know, people vote for the people for the Hall of Fame, got to work them, we have to work, you know, better, as an organization with the White Sox people, the PR department, the marketing department, the players, I think we got to push a little bit better to make Harold Baines be a Hall of Famer. The numbers are there hopefully do it not like me, I was there for 30 seconds and you know, but I think Harold Baines deserved to be a Hall of Famer. Q. What impressed you about him as a player? OZZIE GUILLEN: Always was the same. Always the same. Home run bases loaded, strike out, bases loaded, never, ever, ever changed attitude and one thing hard to do in baseball, not stay the same. When you get excited, you stay excited, when you not, you not. Harold Baines was not, he was not. Q. Back to this team, if you don't trade for a starter, what do you say to Brandon McCarthy the first day of spring training? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, what I hear is you want to be a starter, rent a nice house in AAA because you can be a reliever with us when we have five starters better than him right now, you better find a guy in AAA and talk to his pitching coach. Right now we got to keep those guys and take those guys. I'm not saying McCarthy is not a good pitcher, I think what we have is better than him right now. Like we make it clear, we try to do the best we can to put him in the team and the best way for him to be on the team and working in the big leagues, you know, in the pen. But right now, I know he don't like to be in the pen. I don't want him to be in the pen but he don't have any choice. Q. Any players that you would really like to see step it up this season or should have step it had up? OZZIE GUILLEN: I think Podsednik. I think Podsednik is a big key on our team whoever is leading off, because when you got leadoff on base and you got three, four, eight behind you, I think those guys, I think the ones we really count for him to do it. I think you know, Contreras continue to stay healthy and hopefully help us what we did before and be consistent. Everybody else, I think Javy Vazquez throws the ball real well in the second half of the season and we not doing that for him. I think right now a guy got to step it up, be a right-hander and Podsednik to get better. Q. How do you get away with four, five guys in the middle there that are home run, double or double play? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, looking at the middle of the lineup, every one in baseball is almost similar. I just looking for the guy in the top and the bottom of the lineup that have to be better. You know, we was outstanding on the middle of the lineup and we was real poor in first, eight and nine. Taguchi did a tremendous job once again but I think when Taguchi was the Taguchi we had in 2005 and I think the reason was Podsednik was doing what he was supposed to do. Q. If nothing changes with the lineup, Ozzie, I know you said you don't think Ozuna is an everyday guy, but would he get more of an everyday look if Podsednik does struggle? OZZIE GUILLEN: I doubt it. Remember when you are a lefty hitter in our division it's hard. You got to face some real nasty guys coming out. I think Ozuna what he's doing right now is good about it. I think our bench is stronger having Ozuna there and I think we not going to change anything about it. I think we got to continue the same way. If Podsednik handled the bat the way he should be handling the bat, we can use Ozuna in so many different places but I think he continue to struggle against lefties, obviously, Ozuna got to help him in left field. Q. Kenny said he might have talks with somebody about a player like Aaron Rowand to be on the team. Do you want to upgrade that center field position with a veteran like an Aaron Rowand? OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, the way Brian played last year, of course, but I think I believe and I feel Brian, we have to be patient. We had the same suggestion with Neal Cotts, the same suggestion with Jon Garland, the same suggestion with Crede. Believe me, Brian just played two years pro ball I think, just come from college to pro ball be on a winning team with a winning attitude, looking for something real, especially, you know, it is not easy to say anybody can handle it, but I think he has a chance to be one of those Credes and Garlands and have to be patient. Q. Will you use Mackowiak in center again? OZZIE GUILLEN: No, I don't want to get fired. I blame myself because I don't blame Mack. I don't think my coaching style -- I don't think we worked with Mackowiak the way we should be working with him in spring training. I think we should play him in third base more, first base a little bit more and second base more and don't just say you are the backup outfielder, I think Mackowiak should be the guy to play everywhere and more at-bats. Just a backup player in center field. And I think Mackowiak the way he swings the bat, he helps us but I don't think -- got go to the outfield just as an emergency. Q. Still need another center fielder though. OZZIE GUILLEN: Well, you know, I think we expect Brian to play better. Q. So you expect him to play all the games? OZZIE GUILLEN: Most. Yes. You know, if you don't have an everyday center fielder, your team is not going to be that good. You keep switching center fielders one day after another, then you're not strong enough to win. Q. What do you know about Terrero? OZZIE GUILLEN: I just only know him in spring training. I think he's a right-hander hitter. Like I said, you got to help with us all the lefties we have in that division, got to get a shot to make the team, hopefully he is healthy. When I see him in spring training, he played good against Gonzalez. Q. You talked about the guys that need a rebound from last year, does Uribe fit in that category? OZZIE GUILLEN: If you look at Uribe numbers, unbelievable 20-something home runs, 70 RBIs, you see Uribe playing every day, one thing I want about Uribe, better at-bats, that's it, better at-bats and got to lose some weight. You know, Uribe late in the season, he was bigger and he was kind of slow and, you know, you got to take care of yourself, you want to make some money in this game, you got to take care of yourself on the field and off the field and that is the way it is. The only thing I want him to do just be better at-bats and try to get on base a little bit more because you look at the numbers, it's unbelievable. I mean, you look at the numbers, you are like, you put a lot of thoughts in yourself, wow, how this kid can get better, maybe after the season, you look at the numbers, you can make a few bucks with those numbers. But it is not about numbers, it is about winning and helping to win, got to get on base a little bit more. Q. How about your defense? Obviously, the range wasn't good at second and short, sometimes lousy at center, got to get better. OZZIE GUILLEN: Our defense was real bad. It was real slow and I think that's the reason. I think all the pitching staff suffered all year long because our defense wasn't a defense. I think you take Crede, played pretty good outfield and you take Crede and Konerko, I think our defense was slow, we can turn double plays no doubt better than that. And to do that you got to be in shape and a couple of guys were out of shape and not playing the way they should. Q. Do you plan to take Podsednik out late in the game for defense purposes? OZZIE GUILLEN: I think if Podsednik has a bad game, yes. When Podsednik has a good game on the plate, you go out and get the balls, that is the way I look at it, but if we need to replace him late in the game, yes, we will. All about winning, not about who's there. End of FastScripts |
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