Guillen: Dream is to manage Tigers' Cabrera

Guillen: Dream is to manage Tigers' Cabrera

Published Oct. 25, 2013 10:06 a.m. ET

The name hasn't come up a lot yet, but it might be a fit.

Ozzie Guillen apparently would be interested in replacing Jim Leyland as Tigers manager.

Guillen, working for ESPN Deportes during the World Series, took some questions from fans via Twitter before Game 2 on Thursday.

One fan from Mexico asked Guillen in Spanish if it was true that the Tigers were looking at him to be their manager and if he would accept.

Roughly translated, Guillen said, "My dream would be to manage the best, Miguel Cabrera."

Guillen, like Cabrera, is a native of Venezuela, and the two became close when Guillen was the third-base coach for the Florida Marlins and Cabrera was a rookie in 2003.

Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said the day that Leyland announced his retirement that he would prefer to bring in someone with managerial experience.

Guillen managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004-2011, which included winning the World Series in 2005.

He had a less-successful stint as manager of the Miami Marlins in 2012.

In his managerial career, Guillen is 747-710.

Guillen recently told the Chicago Tribune that he would be open to a coaching job, but only with one team.

"I just make it very clear, if they want me as a coach, the only team I will coach is the Cubs," Guillen told the Tribune. "The reason is, I live there. I don't have to move my family in and out.

"As (for) a manager opening, if anyone is interested in me, at least give me an opportunity to express myself."

Dombrowski knows Guillen well, was in the front office with the White Sox when he was a player there. The two also talked many times when Dombrowski's Tigers played the White Sox with Guillen as their manager.

Guillen is known to be quite outspoken and had legendary battles with then-White Sox general manager Ken Williams.

But of the available managers with major league experience, not many have a World Series championship on their resume like Guillen does.

ADVERTISEMENT
share