http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,7752565.story

 

Interesting that KW is going so far out of his way to avoid criticizing Ozzie's spring training approach.

 

Wonder if there's a directive from JR not to pick any more Twitter/internet fights with the Guillens?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,7752565.story

 

Interesting that KW is going so far out of his way to avoid criticizing Ozzie's spring training approach.

 

Wonder if there's a directive from JR not to pick any more Twitter/internet fights with the Guillens?

I'd be extremely surprised if JR did NOT specifically tell KW and maybe even the players to just let bygones be bygones as it came to anything that the Guillen regime did- I think to get a fresh start for Robin it makes a lot of sense to be very specific about it. The best thing the Sox can do now is just go in a new direction with Robin and pretend that Ozzie doesn't exist. At least he's in the NL now so that should make things a bit less messy moving forward as long as no comments are made along the way suggesting that things are "so much better now" by players/coaches etc.

 

I don't think it is really any surprise. Kenny has pretty much always taken the high road publicly when it came to Ozzie. It is Ozzie, his sons, and his media b**** that usually drag it back down into the gutter.

The only reason (IMO) why KW can come out and be so blunt about it is because he knows he has JR on his side. There's no doubt about it. It's been pretty clear there was a pretty big divide in the organization and between fans between people on KW's side or on Oz's side. JR obviously made the right choice (again, my opinion) to stick with KW over Ozzie. At the same time, Ozzie made that a very easy choice for Reinsdorf.

 

KW knows he pretty much has the ultimate job security. I've always been a big KW fan, and up until the last year or two, I also loved Ozzie. But I fail to see how you can blame KW for Dunn and Peavy's failures. Rios, probably, but again, JR had to sign off on that himself.

 

Obviously, I think it's clear this is a make or break year for KW. The thing is, the Sox, outside of 2007, have been just not-bad-enough to really warrant any major backlash. Last season was a bunch of talented players underachieving. This season, if the Sox are really bad, like many think they will be, he very well could be fired. However, I'm of the thinking that they'll be mediocre enough to keep KW around and see what he can do next offseason with some more money off the books. Either that, or this team will heavily exceed expectations.

The only reason (IMO) why KW can come out and be so blunt about it is because he knows he has JR on his side. There's no doubt about it. It's been pretty clear there was a pretty big divide in the organization and between fans between people on KW's side or on Oz's side. JR obviously made the right choice (again, my opinion) to stick with KW over Ozzie. At the same time, Ozzie made that a very easy choice for Reinsdorf.

 

KW knows he pretty much has the ultimate job security. I've always been a big KW fan, and up until the last year or two, I also loved Ozzie. But I fail to see how you can blame KW for Dunn and Peavy's failures. Rios, probably, but again, JR had to sign off on that himself.

 

Obviously, I think it's clear this is a make or break year for KW. The thing is, the Sox, outside of 2007, have been just not-bad-enough to really warrant any major backlash. Last season was a bunch of talented players underachieving. This season, if the Sox are really bad, like many think they will be, he very well could be fired. However, I'm of the thinking that they'll be mediocre enough to keep KW around and see what he can do next offseason with some more money off the books. Either that, or this team will heavily exceed expectations.

 

Unless there are some pretty big regressions by some of the new pieces, I don't see this being Kenny's make or break year. That is 2013 at the earliest.