Ozzie Guillen Responds To Javier Vazquez

It was pretty obvious that the White Sox were going to trade Javier Vazquez long before they finally agreed to send him to the Atlanta Braves for four prospects last week. Really, Javier had been traded back on September 21st when Ozzie Guillen came out publicly and said that Vazquez just wasn't a big game pitcher. While most saw it as a desperate attempt to try to wake his pitcher up as the Sox fought to win their division, I saw it more as Ozzie letting Kenny Williams know that he didn't want Vazquez back in 2009.

So Kenny went ahead and gave Ozzie what he asked for by trading Javier to the Braves, but once Vazquez was in Atlanta you know he'd be asked about Guillen and Chicago, and he responded by saying "Only thing I'm going to say is, it's good to get away from the negativity and start fresh.'' Well, you didn't think Ozzie was going to let that sit out there unanswered did you?

"I was not happy about what he said,'' Guillen said. ''I know Javy real well, and he has more class than that. I always say, 'You can see people's faces, but you never see their heart.'

''I would rather him say: 'I hate Ozzie. I hope he [bleep]ing dies. That was the worst three years of my life.' Be honest. But when you say that about the team, you're talking about the clubhouse, the media, the fans, the general manager -- because Kenny [Williams] put this team together -- so you hurt a lot of people's feelings. But I say, [bleep] feelings. Just win.''

Of course, you'll have to forgive Ozzie for his choice of language in that quote, even if it is more reserved for him. Apparently he's planning on making a run for the soon to be vacant Governor's mansion in Illinois, so he wants to get the dialogue down.