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Ozzie Guillen’s made it pretty clear during the last few years that he’d love to get back into MLB. Could that chance come with the Chicago Cubs?
The former Chicago White Sox manager, who led his 2005 club to a World Series title in 2005, would jump at the opportunity of being Joe Maddon’s bench coach. On Monday, Dave Martinez, who was the bench coach of the Cubs since 2015, was officially hired as the Washington Nationals manager.
So, Maddon has to fill that open coaching spot and Guillen wouldn’t think twice about it if he was presented the offer.
Of course yes, if @CubsJoeMadd asked me to be his bench coach I 'd do it. says @OzzieGuillen
— Mully And Hanley (@mullyhanley) October 31, 2017
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Guillen, 53, last managed with the Miami Marlins in 2012. He was only there for one season and hasn’t been coaching in the MLB since. Before that he spent eight years with the White Sox and we all know how that relationship ended. Despite not being in MLB, Guillen has been managing the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela.
But as much as Guillen would want to be the Cubs bench coach, would the Cubs want Guillen?
Well, let’s see, how does Ozzie like the front office being involved in baseball decisions?
It seems like the front office is WAY more involved in the day to day managing of baseball teams today….says @OzzieGuillen
— Mully And Hanley (@mullyhanley) October 31, 2017
This isn’t to say that Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are at Joe Maddon’s office every day telling him what to do, but it’s pretty clear that the front office and Maddon talk some things out to come to a certain conclusion at times. Plus, I doubt that Maddon would want to bring in someone who has already been successful as a manager to put any pressure on his own job if the Cubs struggle at all.
Just imagine all the meatball fans demanding more “fire and passion” and hey look, there’s the most fire and passion-y guy in the game as the bench coach. Not that the Cubs front office would be swayed by meatball fans, but it just doesn’t make sense for Maddon to give the team any path to the next hire.
But let’s enter in fantasy land, where Guillen becomes the Cubs bench coach. Those press conference would be must-see. Obviously he couldn’t be able to get away with the stuff he’s said in the past, but I mean, it’s Ozzie, he probably wouldn’t care and would still say everything that’s on his mind.
By the way, I know the majority will automatically say no to Ozzie, but is that because he managed the White Sox? We should all be past that now? Or no? Do people really care about that type of stuff anymore because you know, getting Jose Quintana was a good thing, but still saw far too many Cubs fans bitching because he was a White Sox player. That’s not to say Guillen is good fit for the Cubs, because I don’t think he is, but where he played for and managed shouldn’t really be reason number one as to why you hate the option.
By the way, if you didn’t read yesterday’s post about David Ross and the Cubs bench coach job, make sure to give it a look. No, really, actually read it, it doesn’t sound like he wants to the job.
