GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said on Saturday that he asked his son to resign from his position with the team because the younger Guillen had made a mistake.
Guillen spoke to the media a day after his son Oney resigned from a position with the Chicago’s scouting department in part over comments he made on Twitter that the White Sox sought to tone down.
“That came from me. From his father,” Guillen said. “To say, “Listen, I think it’s time to move on and walk away. I want to just think about my ballclub.’ “
Friday ended with Guillen storming out of the team complex at Camelback Ranch without speaking to reporters after a game against the Cubs.
He later wrote an entry on his Twitter account in Spanish, saying that the team, presumably, “touched me where it hurts me the most and I have to be ready for what comes, like I have always done.”
Guillen accepted responsibility for the situation on Saturday and said he briefly talked with general manager Kenny Williams and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on Friday, and that he has no issue with Williams.
Guillen said he felt he was sticking up for his family, right or wrong, and reiterated how proud he is of his team and to be part of the White Sox organization.
“That’s part of the game. This is life. Kenny has a job to do, I have a job to do. Kenny’s job is to protect this ballclub the best he can, and so do I,” Guillen said. “My 25 players is more important than Kenny, more important than Jerry … because the 25 players are going to make me be good or bad (as a manager).”
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that 24-year-old Oney Guillen was unhappy that his Twitter statements, which were critical of the team and front office, were being monitored by the club. And Ozzie Guillen said last week the front office nixed his plan to start his own Web site. The site was a project Oney was working on.
Guillen added that the situation with Williams “is over with” and that he supported his son because he made a mistake. Guillen was not upset that his proposed Web site being turned down by the front office.
“Wrong or right, I’m behind my kids 100 percent,” Guillen said. “I think (Oney) will find a job because people are calling left and right.”
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