Come To Think of It...Don't Suspend Ozzie Guillen for his "Dirty Little Secret"

Chicago White Sox manager and resident windmill Ozzie Guillen has a secret. But it's a secret that everyone already knew, wink wink, if they were being honest.

On Monday, the erudite Sox skipper admitted that he has retaliated against opposing teams that he feels were throwing at his team.

Yes, that means he has ordered his pitcher to throw at the other team's hitters.

“I’ve hit people before on purpose,” said Guillen.

“Yes I have,” Guillen continued. “Because that’s my job. Protect my players.”

Other than to give Guillen a slap on the hand for admitting to something that probably should have remained under wraps, I am of the opinion that in no way should MLB punish him for the admission.

For one, this wasn't one of Guillen's typical, off-the-wall rants. This was an even keel, intelligent look into the inner workings of a Major League Baseball clubhouse.

So what's next?

An admission that players drink beer after games, chew tobacco, and cheat on their wives while on the road? Wake me when some real news comes along.

Ozzie was simply telling the truth, and exposing what we all knew had happened many times. Sure, each time it happens, the manager says his pitcher wasn't throwing at the opposing hitter, hoping to avoid a fine and/or suspension. But we're not stupid.

So just because Ozzie doesn't fit the mold of the lying manager, he faces an almost certain suspension by Major League Baseball? Well, that's just wrong, people. That's hypocrisy at its finest.

“Sometimes people have to have a little bit of common sense,” Guillen said. “I’m talking about the umpires." There was the even keel, intelligent part of the tirade I'm talking about. For he's right—and though baseball won't want to hear it, in many cases, it's the umpires that cause the need for retaliation to get out of hand.

For they should understand that when one team's player is hit on purpose, the other team must be allowed to hit their player. That's the way it should be handled—by the teams themselves. That way, it's all even and it's (hopefully) over.

But when one team gets hit and the umpire comes out there and immediately issues a warning, then the other team can't retaliate without the pitcher and the manager getting kicked out of the game. And that just isn't fair. And it doesn't end the confrontation, either. It inflames it, in fact.

That's not specifically what happened in this case, however.  This situation was more complicated, with a player charging the mound and all that. But it illustrates a point: Umpires do indeed need to use common sense, as Ozzie correctly points out.

So Ozzie has exposed one of baseball's dirty little secrets and stands to get fined and suspended for it? Well, I have just one question for the commissioner.

Hey Bud, who got suspended when Senator Mitchell exposed your dirty little secret, huh? Come to think of it, there's different justice for different people, I guess.