Guillen to Cubs? Only if Sox don’t want him

It's highly unlikely to happen, but Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen could manage the Cubs next season. Guillen has promoted speculation that he might be a candidate for the job opening.

Guillen, who never shies away from edgy topics, does not have the greatest relationship with White Sox general manager Ken Williams. But Guillen is friends with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry.

Those facts give the story a little merit, and now Guillen says he's not sure if he feels wanted by White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

"My position was I would never sign another place and leave the White Sox for the Cubs because of the respect for Jerry. But if Jerry is leaving me? Then, I have a choice to make," Guillen told the Chicago Sun-Times this week. "As soon as you get divorced, you are free to do whatever you want."

Guillen did lead the White Sox to a World Series title in 2005, so that alone makes him attractive to the Cubs, who will look first at Ryne Sandberg and Joe Torre. One of Guillen's past comments won't make him friends on Chicago's South side.

"Everyone knows how much I hate Wrigley Field," Guillen said last year. "I puke every time I go there."

Guillen has that part wrong. Wrigley Field is a perfect place for baseball. It's the team that plays there that sickens Cubs fans.

■ NO AVERAGE JOEL -- Undrafted in 2007 out of UNLV, where he came off the bench for most of his senior season, Joel Anthony is competing to be the Miami Heat's starting center.

Anthony said it was "staggering" when Heat president Pat Riley offered him a five-year, $18 million contract.

"I'm looking forward to turning heads," Anthony said to the Miami Herald. "People have always underestimated me."

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade surely feel the same way. The entire NBA is underestimating the Heat this season.

■ FAVRE NO FAVORITE -- The Minnesota Vikings (1-2) are not impressing anyone, leading Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times to make this statement:

"You watched Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears rally to overtake Aaron Rodgers and the penalty-prone Green Bay Packers on Monday night and you wondered: Is Brett Favre quarterbacking the third-best team in the NFC North?"

Not if the Detroit Lions keep improving.

■ BRONX BUST -- The New York Yankees are in the postseason again, despite A.J. Burnett being in the starting rotation all year. But manager Joe Girardi needs to demote Burnett, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post:

"Explain to me exactly why (Girardi) would even think about starting Burnett in the playoffs. Burnett has spent an entire season -- one of the worst ever produced by a Yankees starter -- demonstrating that he should not be trusted."

The Yankees (94-65) are 13-19 in starts made by Burnett, who has failed to reach the fifth inning in 10 of his 32 starts.

COMPILED BY MATT YOUMANS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL