If C.C. Sabathia does what he usually does to the Sox on Opening Day, Ozzie could be more than halfway there before April.
A week after
wondering openly about his job status -- I liked
Kenny Williams' response, or lack thereof -- Guillen is back to
complaining about his team's lack of energy:
“[Thursday] was the worst game we played all spring training,’’ Guillen said. “I don’t see the intensity. It’s time to put the gas on the pedal and step it up. I don’t see the push to be out there. That’s not going to happen. If I have to push the pedal myself I will do it.
“You’re not going to flip the switch on just like that. I know what kind of club I have and that’s why I’m a little disappointed with the way we’ve played the last couple of games.’’
For a team that keeps insisting 2007 won't happen again, it's sure bringing back a lot of memories. "Flip the switch" is a phrase that should be banned in the U.S. Cellular Field broadcast booth indefinitely.
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But here's a good reason to be excited for March 31, and it's something Ozzie has never said before:
Alexei Ramirez is on the 25-man roster:
"Is he on the roster? Yes," manager Ozzie Guillen said of Ramirez, 26,
who has impressed the Sox in his first major-league camp since leaving
Cuba. "The thing is: How many games can he play? We're going to sit
down and see how many at-bats he can get. Whether it's at second base,
not second base, everything is about playing time.
"I don't care if this kid sits for 10 days—if he's going to help us
win. Development? I'm not going to develop my players for someone else.
I learned my lesson [in Florida]."
The issue of how much playing time Ramirez will receive will likely be resolved as other questions are answered, namely:
No. 1: Is Juan Uribe staying put? ¡Profundo!
was pulled off waivers after a team claimed him but couldn't agree to a trade with Kenny Williams... yet. There's still time.
No. 2: Who's starting -- Joe Crede or Josh Fields? If Crede gets the call but doesn't start hitting, Uribe may take on more of a supersub role if he's still around, giving Ramirez more starts at second regardless.
No. 3: Is Jerry Owens healthy? Ramirez could see time in center if Owens' groin isn't 100 percent. A cold April certainly isn't the best for iffy muscles.
One guy we know isn't healthy -- Danny Richar, who
is out for four to six weeks with a stress fracture.