More Top Picks Kobalt Xtr 24 Volt 1 2 In Keyless Brushless Cordless Drill Kxdd 1424a 03
player ready...Sox manager Ozzie Guillen faces many challenges heading into his first season
(1) Soothing the Big Hurt
Guillen has had nothing but kind words to say about Frank Thomas since spring training opened Friday. Perhaps he’s trying to backtrack from what many thought were incendiary comments about Thomas when he was hired. Still, until Thomas reports–Wednesday, the White Sox hope–no one knows how this relationship will play out. For Guillen’s sake, it had better go well, unless the Sox have a trade in the works for Thomas.
(2) Letting the starters go
Guillen said he expects his starters to be ready to throw nine innings from Day One of the season. One criticism of former manager Jerry Manuel was that he had a quick hook at times. The first time a starter blows a lead in the eighth inning after throwing 110 pitches, Guillen will feel the heat.
(3) O-e-o, will Magglio go?
Not far removed from his playing days, Guillen understands the economics of the game from a player’s perspective. Magglio Ordonez will be a free agent at season’s end and may be traded before then. If a controversy breaks out or Ordonez struggles, Guillen may have to soothe another star player’s ego.
(4) Project Harris
Willie Harris, tabbed as the starting second baseman, will be a personal pet project of Guillen’s. If Harris fails to live up to the potential the Sox believe he has, it could ripple through the lineup. Guillen will have to be patient–but not too patient if it begins to cost games.
(5) Smile
So far it has been all laughs and good times. But at some point, probably during a losing streak when the bullpen has blown a couple of games, the offense isn’t producing and the fans forget he was a beloved player, Guillen is going to have to deal with adversity. It’s then that he’ll need his boundless enthusiasm the most.