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Despite lopsided loss to Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has fun

By Paul Sullivan | Tribune reporter

9:23 PM CST, February 28, 2009

MESA, Ariz. — Ozzie-watching is one of the most interesting parts of any Cubs- White Sox game, particularly during a 13-0 blowout in Cactus League play.

Jeff Austin, a 35-year-old ex-Chicagoan who now lives in Pine Cliffe, Colo., had a prime seat for Saturday's showdown at HoHoKam Park, sitting right behind Ozzie Guillen's folding chair to the right of the Sox's dugout.

Guillen carried on an animated conversation with Austin throughout the game, and also spoke with several other Cubs fans during pauses in the action.

"Ozzie was great," Austin said. "There was a little kid sitting next to us, and Ozzie was telling him 'Hey kid, don't grow up to be a Cubs fan. They'll pick on you, and then you'll have to learn how to fight.' "

Guillen also yelled "wake up" to Lou Piniella on several occasions trying to get a reaction from his Cubs counterpart.

"With Ozzie, you just nod a lot and shake your head," Piniella said.

Of course, that was early in the game, when rookie Jeff Marquez was throwing two hitless innings in his Sox debut and looking good in his battle for the fifth starter's spot. But the Cubs grabbed a four-run lead after five, and broke things open with a nine-run seventh that had Guillen slumped back in his chair, the brim of his cap nearly covering his eyes.

"He went from jawing at the fans and jawing at Lou to just spitting a lot of sunflower seeds," Austin said. "During the seventh he was talking to us about how great it was to be a Marlins coach at Wrigley Field for Game 6 (of the 2003 NLCS), but then had to stop to make a pitching change after [Brad Snyder's] grand slam.

"The funny thing was he was fooling around the whole time, but there was never a moment when was he disconnected from the game."

The game was the first of five exhibitions between the crosstown rivals, including two next Wednesday and Thursday in Las Vegas. The real deal begins in June with series at Wrigley and U.S. Cellular Field, and it should be more heated after Piniella inadvertently hung up on Guillen last week.

"Evidently he was little upset because he wanted to use the DH today, and I couldn't hear who it was so I hung up on him," Piniella said with a laugh.

Guillen tried to call back and Piniella hung up on him again. Afterward, Guillen told friends it was easier for him to reach President Barack Obama than Piniella. But the two finally connected a couple of days ago.

"I told Ozzie when I left a message, 'Whatever you want, we'll accommodate you,' " Piniella said. "So today he told me: 'Can I have a couple of your players?' "

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Despite lopsided loss to Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has fun

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