47-year old manager Ozzie Guillen has been released from his contract by the Chicago White Sox. He led the White Sox to a 4-3 home win over the Blue Jays in his last game as the manager last night. The White Sox finished 78-82 (48.8%) under Guillen this year as they are in 3rd place, 15 games behind the Tigers. Guillen was 678-617 (52.4%) in his 8 years as the manager of the White Sox during the regular season. He was also 12-4 (75%) during the post-season, including leading the White Sox to a World Series Championship in 2005. He was also the Manager of the Year in the American League in 2005. Tony LaRussa and Buddy Bell are the first two names being bandied around as Guillen’s replacement in Chicago. Guillen is likely going to win up managing the Florida Marlins in 2012. Guillen always made things fun in Chicago and he will be missed.

UPDATE: The White Sox have dealt Ozzie Guillen to the Florida Marlins for 23-year old righty swinging 2B/SS Osvaldo Martinez and 23-year old righty reliever Jhan Marinez. Martinez came into this year as the Marlins’ #5 prospect according to Baseball America. Martinez played in 20 games for the Marlins this year and he was 3 for 23 (.130 avg, .261 OPS) with 1 RBI. He has now played in 34 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 17 for 66 (.258 avg, .648 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 0 homers, 3 RBIs and 1 stolen bases. Martinez has also played in 88 games this year in AAA-ball and he is 83 for 339 (.245 avg, .618 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 3 homers, 26 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Martinez might just push Gordon Beckham for the starting second base job next spring. Marinez came into this year as the Marlins’ #4 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 56 games (0 starts) in AA-ball for the Marlins this year and he was 3-8 with 3 saves, a 3.57 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Marinez only has given up 47 hits while whiffing 74 batters in 58 innings this year in the minors, which is very impressive, but he has also walked 42 batters and that’s way too many. This was an outstanding move for the White Sox as they were looking to move on from Ozzie Guillen anyways. Pitching coach Don Cooper is going to manage the last two games this year for the White Sox.

UPDATE II: (9/29/2011) - The White Sox have also acquired 20-year old righty reliever Ricardo Andres from the Florida Marlins to complete this deal. Andres got into his first minor league action this year. He pitched in 12 games (0 starts) in Rookie-ball this year for the Marlins and he was 1-0 with a 6.32 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. Andres gave up 17 hits (4 of which were homers) and he also walked 11 batters in his first 15 2/3 innings in the minors. He is going to be a developmental prospect for the White Sox.

27-year old switch-hitting outfielder Alejandro de Aza has been on fire with the bat since he was called up by the Pale Hose. de Aza has played in 51 games for the White Sox so far this year and he is 45 for 142 (.317 avg, .900 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 4 homers, 23 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. He is playing by far the best baseball of his major league career right now. de Aza has now played in 137 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 92 for 336 (.274 avg, .734 OPS) with 53 runs scored, 4 homers, 36 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. The White Sox will probably pencil de Aza in for 2012 as a backup outfielder.

29-year old righty swinging shortstop Alexei Ramirez has been very consistent for the White Sox in his first four years with the team. He has played in 148 games this year for the Pale Hose and he is 157 for 580 (.271 avg, .730 OPS) with 78 runs scored, 14 homers, 66 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Ramirez has now played in 588 games in his first four years with the White Sox and he is 611 for 2,187 (.279 avg, .746 OPS) with 297 runs scored, 62 homers, 281 RBIs and 47 stolen bases. The White Sox have Ramirez locked in through the 2015 season with a team option for 2016, so they hope he keeps up the good work.

30-year old righty reliever Jesse Crain has been outstanding this year, so not all of the White Sox’ free agent signings last winter have sucked! Crain has pitched in 61 games (0 starts) for the White Sox so far this year and he is 8-3 with 1 save, a 2.31 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He has only given up 46 hits while whiffing 66 batters in his first 62 1/3 innings for the Pale Hose this year and those are outstanding numbers. Crain has had issues with his control at times as he has walked 27 batters this year and that’s too many, but it’s also nitpicking. Crain has now pitched in 437 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 41-24 with 4 saves, a 3.26 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

26-year old righty starting pitcher Dylan Axelrod is getting a chance to show what he can do the last couple of weeks as he is replacing Jake Peavy in the rotation. He has pitched in 2 games (1 start) for the White Sox so far this year and he is 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Axelrod also pitched in 26 games (24 starts) in AA+AAA-ball so far this year and he is 9-3 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He has now pitched in 167 games (52 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 27-14 with 8 saves, a 2.80 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

22-year old lefty reliever Chris Sale got off to a slow start in 2011, but he has really been nails lately. Since June 1st, Sale is 0-1 with 4 saves, a 1.24 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP! This guy is just plain nasty. I can’t see the White Sox using him in the pen much longer unless he’s the stopper. There have been whispers about the Pale Hose wanting to make him a starter down the road. Sale has now pitched in 73 games (0 starts) in his first 2 years in the majors and he is 4-2 with 10 saves, a 2.37 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He has only given up 62 hits in his first 87 1/3 innings in the majors while whiffing a very impressive 103 batters. The sky is the limit for Sale.

24-year old righty swinging 3B Brent Morel didn’t show much with the bat from April through August this year, but he’s raking so far in September. Morel has played in 9 games so far in September and he is 9 for 30 (.300 avg, 1.033 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 3 homers and 8 RBIs. He has now played in 108 games overall this year and he is 91 for 358 (.254 avg, .627 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 5 homers, 30 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The White Sox are impressed that the light has finally come on at the plate for Morel, and they hope he continues to rake the rest of the month so that they can feel comfortable with him as the starting 3B in 2012.

34-year old lefty swinging LF Juan Pierre has really paid back manager Ozzie Guillen’s confidence in him. GM Kenny Williams wanted to bring up Dayan Viciedo to replace Pierre in LF, but Guillen said no. No one plays harder than Juan Pierre. Since July 1st, Pierre is 79 for 251 (.315 avg) with 40 runs scored, 1 homer, 25 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He has now played in 140 games overall this year and he is 162 for 568 (.285 avg, .675 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 2 homers, 45 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.

With the White Sox pretty much out of contention in the A.L. Central, they have decided to shut down 30-year old righty starting pitcher Jake Peavy early. Peavy pitched in 19 games (18 starts) for the White Sox this year and he was 7-7 with a 4.92 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has now pitched in 39 games (38 starts) in his first three years with the White Sox and he is 17-13 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. This was a smart move for the White Sox due to how fragile Peavy has been for them since coming over in a big deal with the Padres.

27-year old righty swinging IF/OF Brent Lillibridge for the rest of the 2011 season after suffering a broken right hand after getting hit by a pitch by the Indians last night. Lillibridge played in 97 games for the White Sox this year and he was 48 for 186 (.258 avg, .845 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 13 homers, 29 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He has now played in 207 games in his first three years with the White Sox and he is 85 for 379 (.224 avg, .691 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 15 homers, 48 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.