Calm Down Ozzie

[justinevans]

White Sox rookie pitcher Sean Tracey got into hot water with his manager Ozzie Guillen -- for getting an out.

Tracey was summoned to start the seventh inning and got Hank Blalock to ground out, but getting an out might not have been the reason Tracey was brought into the game. White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski was hit by two pitches in the game and a source told the Chicago Sun-Times that Tracey was told to hit Blalock as retaliation. Tracey threw two inside pitches to Blalock before getting him to ground out.

After getting the out, Tracey was removed from the game. Guillen slammed a water bottle to the ground when Blalock grounded out and the manager then brought Agustin Montero in to pitch. Guillen was then seen in the dugout barking at Tracey, who pulled the collar of his jersey over his head.

Guillen didn't address why he screamed at Tracey and had a different explanation why he took the rookie out of the game.

"I tried to get Montero ready [to face Blalock] and wasn't able to. It was a little late," Guillen explained. "It was my mistake. I didn't get him up quick enough. I didn't want Tracey in that situation."

Tracey refused comment.

A source told the Sun-Times that Tracey was informed he was being demoted to Triple-A after the game. "Ozzie went nuts,'' one source told the newspaper.

Pierzynski was hit by pitches his first two at-bats, prompting home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi to issue warnings to both benches in the fourth.

"I don't know what the deal was. He had pretty good control and then he runs two first pitches in on me," Pierzynski said. `Why did he do it? You're going to have to ask him. I faced him maybe two times in the National League."

Vicente Padilla didn't comment after the game.

[wessa]

yeah, i saw that, its total bullshit.

[Broken Parachute]

I'm not a big Ozzie Guillen fan.

[LeftWideOpen]

ozzie gullen is up there on the list of "the worst things for baseball". he is a complete and utter jackass.

[FondestMemory]

i'm not the biggest fan of ozzie guillen, but i don't think he's in the wrong at all in this situation.

if he told the dude to hit the batter, and he doesn't hit the batter, that's the dude's fault. like any job, if you don't do what your boss tells you to do, you run the risk of him flipping out.

[itsjdiggity]

that sucks

[Jason Tate]

i'm not the biggest fan of ozzie guillen, but i don't think he's in the wrong at all in this situation.

if he told the dude to hit the batter, and he doesn't hit the batter, that's the dude's fault. like any job, if you don't do what your boss tells you to do, you run the risk of him flipping out.
So if my boss tells me to hurt someone, I have to do it? YEAH. OKAY.

[FondestMemory]

So if my boss tells me to hurt someone, I have to do it? YEAH. OKAY.

no, you don't have to do it. but don't be surprised if it pisses your boss off when you don't.

retailiation is a part of the game. to me, it's the same as if a pitcher's told to intentionally walk somebody and they don't.

i just don't feel bad for the kid and don't think ozzie is wrong at all with how he handled it. the kid was given a simple job and chose not to do it.

[LeftWideOpen]

no, you don't have to do it. but don't be surprised if it pisses your boss off when you don't.

retailiation is a part of the game. to me, it's the same as if a pitcher's told to intentionally walk somebody and they don't.

i just don't feel bad for the kid and don't think ozzie is wrong at all with how he handled it. the kid was given a simple job and chose not to do it.

i'm not even sure if it's that he chose not to do it, or if he tried and just didn't get it done. i'd have to see the highlight, but it sounds like he came inside twice trying to hit him and the 3rd pitch probably got away and caught the plate.

it's as if ozzie is punishing the kid for not being able to locate a bean ball.

[FondestMemory]

i'm not even sure if it's that he chose not to do it, or if he tried and just didn't get it done. i'd have to see the highlight, but it sounds like he came inside twice trying to hit him and the 3rd pitch probably got away and caught the plate.

it's as if ozzie is punishing the kid for not being able to locate a bean ball.

that could be the case. but if you're pitching in the major leagues and can't hit the big athletic guy holding a bat on three tries, that's pretty sad.

and plus, it's not like he's some 19 year old kid thrown into the fire. this dude's 25 or 26 i think and has been pitching in the minors a while.

i'm not saying ozzie was right for sending him in only to hit a guy, but i'm saying he's not wrong for getting pissed when the dude didn't do what he was told to.

[LeftWideOpen]

that could be the case. but if you're pitching in the major leagues and can't hit the big athletic guy holding a bat on three tries, that's pretty sad.

and plus, it's not like he's some 19 year old kid thrown into the fire. this dude's 25 or 26 i think and has been pitching in the minors a while.

i'm not saying ozzie was right for sending him in only to hit a guy, but i'm saying he's not wrong for getting pissed when the dude didn't do what he was told to.

yeah, i see it the other way ...i'm fine w/ ozzie sending him in to hit the guy because that's part of the game and if someone's going to throw at your guy, you should go right back after them. i just have a problem with him embarrassing the kid in the dugout and the subsequent demotion is sketchy.

it bothers me even more, to be honest, because it's guillen and he just got done ripping apart grimsley for breaking some sort of code. I think not embarrasing your players is a code in baseball, too.

[rcrook]

its unfortunate that two of the most evil people in baseball are on the same team (guillen and pierzynski)

[bigmike]

So if my boss tells me to hurt someone, I have to do it? YEAH. OKAY.
In the game of baseball, yes. If not, there's about 12 pitchers in AAA that would throw at their own mother to get the shot to pitch in the big leagues. it's not like Tracey is some well respected reliever that's been around forever and is a prominent player. Guillen specifically brought him in for a reason, and he didn't get the job done. Baseball being compared to a normal job is ridiculous. Trying to compare any sport to a normal boss and a normal job is redundant.

[nfggc10]

In the game of baseball, yes. If not, there's about 12 pitchers in AAA that would throw at their own mother to get the shot to pitch in the big leagues. it's not like Tracey is some well respected reliever that's been around forever and is a prominent player. Guillen specifically brought him in for a reason, and he didn't get the job done. Baseball being compared to a normal job is ridiculous. Trying to compare any sport to a normal boss and a normal job is redundant.
honestly, i'd rather have a pitcher come in and get an out which is exactly what he did. this retaliation crap is bullshit. maybe i see it this way because I'm a Braves fan and having a reliever come in and get a groundout is a once in a lifetime event but still. ozzie is a jackass and there's no way i would've thrown at the guy either. i don't care what the perception of me would of been but getting the batter out makes me look good and is what i'm paid to do.

[bigmike]

honestly, i'd rather have a pitcher come in and get an out which is exactly what he did. this retaliation crap is bullshit. maybe i see it this way because I'm a Braves fan and having a reliever come in and get a groundout is a once in a lifetime event but still. ozzie is a jackass and there's no way i would've thrown at the guy either. i don't care what the perception of me would of been but getting the batter out makes me look good and is what i'm paid to do.
Well I'm glad you'd get the out and lose the respect of your catcher who got hit twice by the same pitcher and the manager who specifically brought you in to hit the batter. But at least you'll "look good" down in AAA when they call someone up that will do what the manager wants.

And if retaliating is a bunch of bullshit then i guess there's been alot of Bullshit going on in baseball for about 120 years.

[FondestMemory]

yeah, i see it the other way ...i'm fine w/ ozzie sending him in to hit the guy because that's part of the game and if someone's going to throw at your guy, you should go right back after them. i just have a problem with him embarrassing the kid in the dugout and the subsequent demotion is sketchy.

it bothers me even more, to be honest, because it's guillen and he just got done ripping apart grimsley for breaking some sort of code. I think not embarrasing your players is a code in baseball, too.

but so is listening to your manager. ozzie had a reason to be pissed. and he never holds anything back, no matter what it is. that's just who he is.

i'm fine with him being sent in to hit the guy too. i agree it's part of the game. and i'm fine with the demotion. if the kid had been around a while, yeah, fuck that. but he's only appeared in three games in his major league career, including last night. if he's not willing to do what his manager tells him to do, then he doesn't belong in the majors.

[mikeford]

i'm not the biggest fan of ozzie guillen, but i don't think he's in the wrong at all in this situation.

if he told the dude to hit the batter, and he doesn't hit the batter, that's the dude's fault. like any job, if you don't do what your boss tells you to do, you run the risk of him flipping out.

agreed 100%. you fuckin listen to your manager. if someone on the opposing team is purposely hitting your boys and you dont plunk one of them back youre a pussy. youre supposed to stand up for your teammates.

i hate ozzie guillen but i woulda done the same fuckin thing in this case.

[bigmike]

agreed 100%. you fuckin listen to your manager. if someone on the opposing team is purposely hitting your boys and you dont plunk one of them back youre a pussy. youre supposed to stand up for your teammates.

i hate ozzie guillen but i woulda done the same fuckin thing in this case.
If i'm the reliever and i've watched my starting catcher get plunked twice, ozzie doesn't need to tell me what to do. if anything i'd tell him that i'm going to plunk blaylock for the rangers pitcher hitting pierzynski.

[Kram41]

So if my boss tells me to hurt someone, I have to do it? YEAH. OKAY.

Quiet, Jason! You don't have a boss.

[Drew Beringer]

I hate Ozzie Guillen.

[histrionics22]

The pitcher should have hit him.

But please someone get Ozzie some medication. The guy needs to cool out and learn how to handle situations without making them public fiascos.

[Chriz2z]

The pitcher should have hit him.

But please someone get Ozzie some medication. The guy needs to cool out and learn how to handle situations without making them public fiascos.
Yup, exactly what I was going to say.

[TJ Wells]

You have to be a lifelong Sox fan (like me) to understand why Ozzie Guillen is a god AND the best manager in baseball...I guess when the Sox repeat you'll understand.

[bigmike]

You have to be a lifelong Sox fan (like me) to understand why Ozzie Guillen is a god AND the best manager in baseball...I guess when the Sox repeat you'll understand.
And when the sox don't repeat you'll understand that even being an optimistic fan you shouldn't ever expect any team to repeat titles in baseball.