57 Comments - Tom - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:26 am: It was a sad day in our household as my 2 boys mourned the loss of the Oz. Like a good politican, Ozzie had Chicago and Illinois always talking. Plus 2005. What more can a Sox fan ask for. - anon - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:27 am: Im a Cubs fan, but I really like Ozzie. He loves the game, his team, his players, and the city. He will be missed. - Loyal Whig - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:32 am: Thanks for winning a world series in my lifetime. Lived thru 59 loss, horrible. Thank you Ozzie and Jerry Reinsdorf, best owner in Chicago history. - BJG - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:34 am: I like Ozzie, but not finishing with your team for 2 more games seems a bit selfish. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:36 am: BJG, I don’t think he had a choice. - Lance Stevens - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:36 am: The only Chicago Baseball Manager in the past 100 years to win a world series… He will be missed - PublicServant - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:40 am: As a lifelong Cub fan, the events following the World Series win cemented my view of Ozzie. When the team got back, Ozzie’s lingering in the parking lot to take pictures and sign autographs with regular fans, was a stand-up thing to do, and I’ll never forget it. It changed my opinion of him entirely. Before that, I thought “I can’t even understand what the guy is saying, get him outta here.”, but then I realized, he’s just a guy who speaks from the heart, and passionately loves the game. The Sox were a better team because of him. Never liked Kenny Williams…I think he needs to go, and sooner, rather than later. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:46 am: Another page turned. Don’t weep or pine for Ozzie; he will certainly land on his feet, and you can follow his new team if you’re that much of an Ozzie fan. Or mope on the current condition of the team; they still compare favorably with the Cubs, which is The Most Important Thing to a true Sox fan. And he will forever be remembered in this city for his colorful personality and the 2005 Series win. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:46 am: When I heard a “Chicago” manager was leaving, I had hoped it was Quade … Ozzie will be remembered for a World Series title, the rest will fall away through the prism of nostalgia. Chiacgo loves winners since the ‘85 Bears, so Ozzie’s place in history will not be questioned. He is a good manager, you don’t forget how to manage well, sometimes it’s the hand (or Dunn’s bat …) that will get you. I can not think of another manager, given the “hurdles” Oz had this year, that could take this club and only be 4 games under .500. That is an accomplishment. The Marlins WILL be better with Ozzie, the Sox MAY be better without Ozzie, but Chicago WILL NOT be a better place to watch a manager manage without Ozzie on a Chicago team bench. Fans will not forget what you gave to the city. Thanks, Ozzie … from a Cubs fan. - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:48 am: Don’t forget, he came to the Capitol after the team won the series. Signed autographs, took pictures, etc. Only time I ever recall Ed Petka smiling on a session day. - Bill - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:49 am: Thanks Ozzie! Good Luck. - Stones - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:50 am: Ozzie turned out to be a much better manager than I ever thought he would be when they hired him. His run is clearly over however. I will always be thankful for the WS we won in ‘05 that he was a part of. Now, he enters the world of Mike Ditka - Chicago coaching legend. It’s been nice having a measure of coaching stability on the South Side for the past 8 years. Let’s just hope we don’t end up with another Terry Bevington, Mike Quade, Jim Essian, etc. - Deep South - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:55 am: Thanks Ozzie…..you WILL be missed. - 21st State - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:55 am: morning Rich from my brother’s email this morning, after he confirmed we grabbed our Weezer tickets for the Sun 10.9 show at the Congress: “Kind of crazy to see the Ozzie/White Sox divorce go down so quickly. It was a foregone conclusion, but I did not expect to see it hit last night! Interesting to see what happens next. Feels like Chicago needs to go through this with its coaches. Ditka, Pinella, LaRussa, Keenan… it needs to be a passionate affair then fall apart, only to make amends years later with a rosier picture of the past. I suspect it will go that same way with Quinneville at some point. As sage Doug Coughlin tells a naive Brian Flanagan, “Everything ends badly… otherwise it wouldn’t end.” Who knew COCKTAIL would tell us so much about Chicago coaching circles?” - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:55 am: Ozzie made us proud. He gave us a World’s Series. Obama and Daley couldn’t deliver for us with the Olympics but Ozzie delivered. He is a good man who loves the Sox. So I love that quotable galoot too. Thanks man! - Bill - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:56 am: I hope Williams also goes. He’s made some really bad deals that have cost the owner tens of millions in wasted salary. He should have been the first to go. - South of I-80 - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 8:59 am: Thanks Ozzie………your the only one that has been able to bring the city a World Series in over 50 years! P.S. Don’t forget to take what’s his name with you; “Z” something or other! - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:03 am: Oh and Ozzie? Calabrese says you are an old lady for going to Florida. And no you can’t get that ball back. - anon sequitor - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:04 am: Since Ozzie already has another job, was all this drama just a negotiating ploy to force the Sox to pay Ozzie an “exit” fee? Not sure yet whether I will miss the Ozzie drama, or be relieved that its over. - Responsa - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:12 am: The Ozzie we saw this year was not the same passionate Ozzie that played in Chicago, or the one who came back to Chicago to manage and help win a world series. The fun, flip irreverence we loved in him seemed to have given way to grim petulance, even insouciance. Many of his pitching change decisions and line-up decisions defied logic. Did he get too famous? Did his own kids exert too much influence on him? Did he get too jealous of some of the players’ salaries (especially when they did not perform)? Is Kenny the devil incarnate? Who knows. I hoped the old Ozzie–the Chicago icon– would stay here ’till he retired But then the new Ozzie showed up and we didn’t know who he is. I’m not sure he knows who he is anymore either. That new Ozzie needed to go for everyone’s sake. Sadly, despite the projected money haul I doubt the down market Marlins team in a not very sports conscious town and state will satisfy him for long. But he forced the issue and it was his decision. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:19 am: Don’t cry for Ozzie. He’s moving on to a real nice gig. Reinsdorf has been a saint putting up with all the very, very, childish and unnecessary drama over the last few years. How many guys can put their kids on the payroll and let them rip their bosses in social media and the press? I’d like that job. Having said that, I like OzzieBall, and it’s good that he’ll be going to the National League where they still play baseball. Plus, Ozzie was a great between-the-lines manager with the guts of a burglar. My favorite Ozzie moment was Game 3 in the playoffs against Boston when he brought in El Duque with bases loaded, nobody out in the sixth. Not a by-the-book move. I about plotzed — so did everyone at the Northwestern Station bar who continued to blow off their trains to watch the game. El Duque proceeded to get Vritek, Graffanino and Damon with no runs and the historic run was on. - Glass is half full - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:21 am: I will never forget 2005…….for that one brief moment I was able to dance with my grandfather in my living room…..and he’d been gone 10 years at that point……Thank you Ozzie - Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:21 am: Mixed emotions. I really resented the way that Ozzie spent 2011 trying to extort a contract extension and a salary increase out of the White Sox ownership to the exclusion of almost everything else while his current contract still had twelve months to go. Florida had to buy out the last year, so in effect Guillen has been “traded” to the Marlins. Ozzie has gotten so much mileage out of the 2005 season (beating the NL Wild Card Astros — a team which has appeared in only one WS in its forty-nine years of MLB existence), but never managed to repeat in a Central Division that appeared to be open for the Sox to take on numerous occasions. Guillen certainly had the talent to win a few more division titles, but it never happened. Bittersweet. - Anonymour - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:25 am: Agreed that we owe praise to Ozzie forever for winning the World Series. Also agree that Ozzie’s run with the Sox was over. His lineups the past couple of years were often odd, and I had the sense that he just wasn’t into his job the same way. Another factor that made me think his run was over was the recent spate of stories that he didn’t pay any attention to stats. While a manager can’t only rely on sabermetrics, not taking them into account leaves a team at a competitive disadvantage. I saw a recent story about how Joe Madden of Tampa Bay studies the stats every day to work out tactics for each player and each situtation. Then I watched a game where Madden had unusual shifts working against the Red Sox, who consistently hit the ball where Madden had placed his players. Ozzie wasn’t that flexible. Ozzie deserves our thanks forever. Let’s wish him well in Florida. - The Captain - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:32 am: What’s often overlooked is that the 2005 team wasn’t given a chance by anyone, including many fans. They had just traded or shown the door to power hitters like Ordonez and Carlos Lee in favor of the bunting and speed of guys like Podsednik. Carl friggen Everett was the #3 hitter most of the year and their closer Jenks didn’t even get to the team until summer. And yet they were in first place every day of the season and went 11-1 in the playoffs. They don’t make too many like that one. - downstate hack - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:35 am: Best of wishes to Ozzie. He was a unique and enjoyable personality in a game that has become mainly the home of staid and boring millionaires. Now Ozzie can become the toast of the town in Miami as a millionaire in his own right. Also hope the White Sox can land LaRussa. Two bunts last nite with no outs paying for a tie on the road. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:44 am: In related news, Florida media outlets are all scrambling to hire experienced profanity beeper-outers. One thing is for sure - the person hired next by the White Sox will not be nearly as entertaining as his predecessor. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:44 am: –Also hope the White Sox can land LaRussa.– Oh, he’s a genius, just ask him, he’ll tell you. He batted his pitcher eighth. How quirky. What an Einstein. Nice hair. The secret of LaRussa’s “success” in Oakland and early (still?) in St. Louis was players juiced out their minds. And he saw nothing. - Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:46 am: And yet Kenny Williams keeps his job. Awful. - Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:51 am: I really do not blame the Sox ownership for this. The entire White Sox team is going to have to be rebuilt over the next couple of seasons. The remaining favorites from the World Championship team are aging and are going to retire or be replaced. Developing a new team is going to take some time and replacing high quality, franchise type players is never easy. It made little or no sense for Guillen to demand a premium managerial salary for a team that is going to be in the process of rebuilding. I am not sure that Ozzie has the patience or temperament to manage a team of rookies and newbies again. In Florida, he will have a big payroll budget for a few years, a large salary and a brand new stadium. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:55 am: –Obama and Daley couldn’t deliver for us with the Olympics but Ozzie delivered.– Count on VMan for a clumsy Obama knock in a discussion that has nothing to do with government or politics. I’m guessing you don’t like the guy, I wonder why. - In 630 (formerly Elmhurst) - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:57 am: Ozzie’s time ran its course. He has a deal in place with the Marlins, he’ll be fine. Now get Dave Martinez (Joe Maddon’s bench coach) or someone who can read a stat sheet and knows bunting is mostly stupid. There’s a wealth of info waiting to be put to use on the field in the hands of smart managers. Ozzie will always been a gut manager. I’d like to see Kenny move on too, but this change is a good start. - Glass is half full - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:58 am: Esquire: The Sox won the Central in 08……the 1-0 blackout game where Ozzie pitched a rookie Danks and Thome hit a 500 footer - ChiTownHV - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 9:59 am: I wonder if Ozzie has ever read the “Legislator’s Lament”. It’s the one that says something like “we the willing are doing the impossible for the unknowing with next to nothing…” From where I’m standing, Kenny Williams should be as responsible for the team’s fortunes as he’s the one who provides the players for Ozzie. - dupage dan - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:01 am: I’m getting all verklempt. There’s buzz about Ryno coming to the Sox. From his time in the minors he shows an ability to mold a team into winners. Too bad the Cubs passed him up for that Kwaddy dude. From flamboyant incoherence to quiet resolve - that would be a major story! Heard on the news this AM that Ozzie tanked the season on purpose to force the Sox’ hand. Not that I believe that - could just be worn out and time to move on frustration. - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:12 am: Just another high paying job leaving Illinois. I blame Quinn. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:12 am: This won’t end well for Ozzie. Jeffrey Loria is one of the worst owners in sports. Yes, he’s a good businessman, but so is Dan Snyder, and we all know how much success he’s had with the Redskins (cough, none, cough). He runs the team on a shoestring budget and is going to open a new stadium that may or may not pan out. He has run Joe Girardi and Fredi Rodriguez out of town. If the Marlins didn’t have such a competent front office staff, they would’ve never been competitive for the duration of Loria’s ownership. And if Josh Johnson’s arm troubles plague him next year, the Marlins will perform poorly. - x ace - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:14 am: ” He Gone “ - Responsa - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:19 am: Has Ozzie selected a site for his eponymous new restaurant in Chicago yet? - Elo Kiddies - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:24 am: This had to have been something of a surprise for Ozzie; the dude just bought a house on the North side. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-08-01/ sports/chi-ozzie-guillen-buys-house-in-bucktown-sells-n ear-west-side-home-20110801_1_rooftop-deck- formal-dining-room-ozzie-guillen - prairiestatedem - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:24 am: No one has reported on the effect this will have on Illinois’ unemployment rate as thousands of Ozzie to English translators will be out of a gig. - In 630 - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:28 am: Somewhere along the line Ozzie’s personality stopped informing his managing. He stopped pushing guys. Players were put in roles that didn’t work and he never showed the flexibility to change because it would “disrespect” those veteran players. Pierre had to lead off because that was his role, Rios is CF, Dunn is DH and both those guys have to be in the middle of the order. Nevermind the damage that keeping them in their roles caused. And Ozzie openly rejected the notion of bringing up guys like DeAza and Viciedo, “where would they play?” as if he didn’t have the ability to suggest getting rid of someone useless like Vizquel. Like the writer at SouthSideSox said at one point- somehow every player on a bad team became indispensable. Sure, Kenny put the roster together. But Ozzie made this team worse than it needed to be. - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:34 am: He was a good manager who brought Chicago a World Series championship. That forever seals his place in our hall of fame, rightfully so. But don’t get too teary-eyed for poor Ozzie. He wanted a contract extension to stay beyond his deal next year and his teams have underperformed that past couple of years. He said he wanted to play small ball, but went along with bringing Adam Dunn onto the team. He openly feuded with his boss. His sons were a distraction. He let Florida’s intererst in him become a bargaining chip with Williams and Reinsdorf. In short, he had a year left on his contract and he wanted out. Reinsdorf let him go and Ozzie got what he wanted. He wasn’t forced out, he quit. - just sayin' - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:41 am: As a Cub fan, I always admired Ozzie. I thought he protected his players well, and managed the game correctly. I think he will do extemely well in the National league if he gets the team he needs on the field. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:45 am: 47 hits it. Ozzie quit for more money. It’s America, so no problem. But he also tried holding up Reinsdorf with emotional pleas to the fans through the media, and constantly referring himself as the “face” of the White Sox. No manager ever won a World Series. Ozzie didn’t “deliver” anything. You can spin the wheels a little bit during a game, but it’s not like a football coach who has to game plan and manage for three distinct phases of a game. The White Sox were very good to Ozzie, giving him a chance no one else ever would have, and letting him get away with a lot of non-baseball nonsense. Ozzie didn’t always respect or appreciate that. He’s moving on to what he wants, and the Sox are letting him out of his contract. Salud. No victims here. - Glass is half full - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:45 am: Just sayin: most of the commentators hear would do well in the National League if we got then team we needed on the field - Erin17 - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 10:48 am: Loved Ozzie Kenny should be gone. Ozzie knew the game and loved Chicago. Ozzie also respected old time players often mentioning Billy pierce and others. Jerry reinsdorf is best owner in history of Chicago sports ton of respect for him but he let wrong guy go this time - Been There - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:00 am: ===and the Sox are letting him out of his contract.=== Word, although I agree with your assessment, I thought this last line in the email that the White Sox just sent out to season ticket holders was interesting. “The White Sox retain rights to compensation should Guillen accept a managerial position with another major league team in 2012.” - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:02 am: –”The White Sox retain rights to compensation should Guillen accept a managerial position with another major league team in 2012.”– It’s nothing personal, Ozzie, just business. - Bill - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:03 am: Ozzie was forced out. Williams should be forced out too. Ozzie didn’t win and Kenny made stupid deals. The worst thing Jerry could do would be to keep Williams and let him hire one of the many sycophants he has following him around. Make Kenny pay for his mistakes with his job. Clean out the front office. I do agree that LaRussa would be even worse. - Richard Afflis - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:05 am: When Ozzie came in, he said he may win or lose but he would do it his way. He delivered on that to the end. Whether anyone likes him or not, he earned our respect. I like Ozzie and wish he were not going but wish him the best. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:21 am: It seemed to me this year that the only person who cared about losses and poor performance on the team, at least publically, was Ozzie. I followed the Sox until I went on vacation. When I returned, the Sox were 7-8 games out of first place and done. - Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:30 am: Glad he was here, happy for 2005, and glad he’s leaving. Eight years is a good run for a manager. - overcooked - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 11:36 am: I will always picture Ozzie as when he held up the World Series Championship trophy. I am thankful that I was able to share the experience with my Sox loving kids. It may be another generation before the next one if Kenny Williams stays on. LaRussa has always been over rated. - southsider - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 12:41 pm: I love Ozzie, but he wore out his welcome with the $ stuff. so Ozzie’s gone-Kenny’s here-more bs for the Sox until Jerry kicks him to the curb too…Hopefully Rick Hahn will be our GM and we get the beginning of the Cora era - Loop Lady - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 3:45 pm: A real character and real funny…plus he delivered a championship to the beleagured Chicago sports fan…thanks Ozzie and vaya con Dios… - 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Tuesday, Sep 27, 11 @ 4:59 pm: Really sad to see him go. I know his players are going to miss him. I loved go to the game and watching him play short stop, then Manage. I loved how he perched himself at the end of the bullpen nervously spitting and watching everything. He was a bundle of nerves, ready to pounce. I will miss his energy. I loved the way he dealt with the media, they had to bleep him often. He always spoke his mind. Us Southsiders felt like he was one of us. He fit in well on the South Side. I wonder how Florida is going to take him? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.