Ozzie Guillen will manage again in the winter leagues this coming season, and he wants Yoan Moncada to play for him.
Granted, Guillen, the first Latino manager to win a World Series title when he piloted the White Sox to the crown in 2005, managed Los Tiburones de La Guaira to a winter league title last year. He would love to have a player of Moncada’s talent to help him repeat. But he believes Moncada needs to play more than he needs the third baseman. All Moncada is getting with the Sox is the two weeks as this season winds down, and he wasn’t in the lineup when the Sox defeated the Angels 8-4 Monday, and he probably won’t be in there in the second game of the series Tuesday.
Showing prospective major-league teams he can still play would make winter ball worth his while, said Guillen, the entertaining pre- and postgame host on Sox broadcasts.
“I told him to come play winter ball with me because people can see him play,” Guillen told the Sun-Times on Monday. “I don’t know if he’s willing, I’ll talk to him again later. It would be great for him, the talent is there and he’s still young (29).
“Moncada has to show people he can still play.”
In an unusual show of might in winning their third game in a row, Moncada looked on as the Sox (36-115) got two homers from Andrew Benintendi, one preceding Andrew Vaughn’s homer in the first against left-hander Reid Detmers, and a homer by Lenyn Sosa in the third. Vaughn also had his first triple in the second to drive in a run and giving Jonathan Cannon (6 2/3 innings of four-run, three-hit ball) a 7-1 cushion.
Moncada, who returned from his rehab assignment Monday, has not played for the Sox since April 9 when he suffered a left adductor strain in Cleveland. He won’t be an everyday player in the final 11 games as the Sox cling to slim hopes of avoiding the 1962 Mets’ record for losses in a season. At 36-115, they are five defeats from tying it.
This has been hard for Guillen to watch.
“Being a White Sox fan makes my feelings hurt,” Guillen said. “I’m sad and disappointed because we’re not seeing anything positive yet. They have to be patient, because they can’t change this in one year.”
As the Sox look to the future, third basemen Bryan Ramos, 22, Miguel Vargas, 24, and Sosa, 24, are getting playing time at third, so Moncada’s presence only crowds that picture. Vargas started Monday, and as the Sox are not picking up Moncada’s $25 million option for next season, Moncada does not figure in their future, unless he signs a much cheaper deal.
“It’s going to be tough to fit everybody in,” interim manager Grady Sizemore told reporters Monday. “I want Vargas and Ramos to get the priority over Yoan right now. We want to see what these guys can do.”
Injuries limited Moncada to an average of 81 games the last five seasons.
“He told me he feels bad about himself, health-wise and producing-wise the last couple years,” Guillen said.
“Obviously, injuries messed up his career but I like his talent, man. He’s so talented. I haven’t seen anybody push him, but that’s the way he is. He’s not going to change. If he doesn’t help the White Sox, he’ll help somebody.”
Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert Jr. have all been hampered by injuries, which was one factor that hampered the Sox’ last rebuilding plan of winning “multiple championships,” as then general manager Rick Hahn heralded when he signed the trio to expensive, long-term deals.
The injuries are no fault of Moncada’s, nor is his ultra-calm demeanor that often is misconstrued as casual, Guillen said.
Guillen, every bit the opposite as a player and manager, has always maintained a good rapport with Moncada and notes his former teammates and Sox greats Harold Baines and Robin Ventura were laid-back, too.
“A lot of people don’t like him because he doesn’t talk much and he’s laid back,” Guillen said. “I talk to him a lot. I know he cares.”
Moncada was 22-for-56 (.393) with one homer, six doubles and six walks in 17 rehab games, including 12 at Triple-A Charlotte.
“It’s been a really difficult year for everybody,” Moncada told reporters through translator Billy Russo on Monday in Anaheim. “For the team. For myself. Just seeing the struggles that the team had, because everybody is trying to do their best, and in my case not being able to do anything to help, I think it added a whole another layer of difficulty to the rehab process.
“At some point, that was on my mind, like, am I gonna be able to get back? I don’t know. The road was difficult, but I worked hard and advanced to where I’m here right now.”
Outfielder Corey Julks, who was batting .214 in 66 games, was optioned to Charlotte to make room.