He was born Oswaldo Jose Guillen Barrios, but he is better known to baseball fans as Ozzie Guillen, and love him or hate him, there is no doubting his baseball track record.

Aside from driving up YouTube hits thanks to his electric rants, Guillen is featured on the cover of Mark Gonzales’ new book “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Chicago White Sox History,” which covers everything from the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the 2005 World Series and the 2008 AL Central division title.

Guillen was on hand at the Downers Grove Park District June 25 in an event run by Anderson’s Bookshops to sign copies of the book with Gonzales and do what he does best: talk baseball.

Not even drafted into Major League Baseball (he was signed as an amateur free agent by the San Diego Padres in 1980), Guillen became one of just five White Sox players named American League Rookie of the Year (1985) and enjoyed a playing career that spanned 16 seasons, 13 with the White Sox.

In a coaching and managing career that started with the Montreal Expos in 2002, Guillen has both coached for and managed World Series-winning teams. When the White Sox won the World Series in 2005, he became the first Latin-born manager to guide a team to baseball’s top prize.

Q How does it feel to be one of three men to have brought a championship to this city in the last 40-plus years?

A It’s my responsibility. A lot of people have short memories, and they don’t care about what happened a couple years ago, they care about what happened last night or what happened the day before or what’s happening next. To me, it’s a privilege to be a part of that, but I get paid for that and it’s over with and I need another one.

Q What’s your favorite baseball memory?

A My favorite baseball memory? Oooh, I have so many. A lot of people would maybe say winning the World Series, but it was when I missed a game to watch my wife having my first kid. That’s the best memory I ever have — missing the game because I wanted to see my wife have a baby.

Q How does old Comiskey Park compare to Wrigley Field?

A Old Comiskey is still better than Wrigley. The facilities were a little bit better, and the other stuff was better. Wrigley Field, I don’t say anything about it when the game starts, but Wrigley Field, if you to work everyday there, it’s not a nice place to be working.

Q When did you know you wanted to be a manager?

A When I was playing. I like to teach and I like to be around baseball. I think always you want to be the manager, but when you are managing you just want to get it over with. I don’t think it’s a good job to be a manager because people don’t appreciate our job. They don’t appreciate what we do.

Q You’ve been in a few different White Sox uniforms. Which one is your favorite?

A As long as you’re wearing a big league uniform, it looks good.

Q What about the Sox jerseys from the 1970s when they wore shorts?

A I think right now players have ugly legs and they shouldn’t be wearing anything like that.

Q Did you have any input for the book?

A No, not really. I think I have a big part in it because I’m the face of the White Sox, but it’s nice when somebody says what’s going in the clubhouse. A lot of time people make books and comments and write columns without being down there, but when you’re in the clubhouse and see what’s going on and live the real thing, those type of books are the best. That’s why I’m here with Mark.

Q What are your thoughts on the book?

A One thing I always believe, when any reporter or any people talk about any of our conversations, I like when they say the truth about what they see and what they hear. I read the book already. I think it’s very entertaining and very truthful, and I’m pleased with the way it describes stuff. Maybe it doesn’t say all nice stuff, but when you write a book and everything is nice, it’s kind of boring. It’s interesting because (Mark) wrote the book as entertainment and didn’t put anybody on the spot, he just did what he decided to do and said what he heard, and that’s one great thing about the book.

Q Why do like playing small ball so much?

A I don’t like playing small, but it’s part of the game. I think baseball needs that. Big ball, you can go into a slump, but small ball, if you do the little things, it’s always going to be there and that’s going to help the ball club win. It’s not small ball or Ozzie Ball. It’s baseball.

Q Who is the best leadoff hitter you’ve ever seen?

A Rickey Henderson. I played against Rickey all my life, and there’s never been (a leadoff hitter) better than him and there’s never going to be one better than him. Never.

Q What’s the key to handling a young pitching staff and a young team in general?

A The pitching staff, it’s Don Cooper. He does a tremendous job with the pitching staff. With a young team, you have to be patient with them. That’s all we do. Be patient with them, teach them the right way to play baseball, and hopefully we get something out of that.

Q But is that hard to do when you want to win games now? How patient can you be?

A That’s part of the game and that’s part of my job. We’re not always going to have millions and millions of dollars worth of players. I think we have to do what we have to do, and I’m glad with what I have. We have guys we believe can help us win.

Ozzie file
AGE 45

BIRTHPLACE Jan. 20, 1964, Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela

HISTORY MLB career started when acquired by Chicago White Sox Dec. 6, 1984. Made MLB debut April 6, 1985. Played with the White Sox from 1985 to 1997, the Baltimore Orioles in 1998, the Atlanta Braves in 1998 and 1999 and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2000.

HIGHLIGHTS Was named 1985 AL Rookie of the Year. Three-time all-star. Named 2005 AL Manager of the Year. Won 2005 World Series as White Sox manager and coached for Florida Marlins in 2003 World Series season.

CAREER NUMBERS 1,764 hits, 773 runs and 619 runs batted in, career .264 batting average.