Guillen Looks Back // Sox Shortstop Reflects On Year Since Injury

BALTIMORE There was no anniversary candle in a cupcake for OzzieGuillen, only a silent vigil at a personal altar.

It was a year ago Wednesday that the White Sox shortstopsuffered what many consider an athlete's worst injury - a tear ofthe anterior cruciate ligament.

Guillen didn't realize before Wednesday's rainout with theOrioles that a year had passed since his damaging collision with leftfielder Tim Raines.

"Is that right? A year?" he said. "Oh, wow! It seems likesuch a long time ago."

Guillen confessed he almost quit his right knee rehabilitationlast summer. He almost took the brace off, went to Comiskey Park togather his belongings and go back to Venezuela.

Not once, but two or three times.

"I wasn't scared going into the operation, but I was scared afew months into rehab," he said. "I thought a couple of times I'dnever play baseball again.

"I'd be working hard and thinking I was coming along, but thenI'd go back a week. I was scared, real scared. All the other peopleat the clinic seemed to be making it through their rehabs. Whycouldn't I?"

Why did he keep going?

"Mostly for my wife (Ibis) and children (boys Ozzie Jr., Oney and Ozney). I'm young. This is how I providefor them."

Guillen had the words of trainer Herm Schneider and doctors togo by.

"They said there'd be setbacks, that it was up to me . . . if Iwanted to keep going," he said.

"Heck, yes, I wanted to keep going. I just had to get over thedown time. It didn't take long. I love baseball. How can I not getback up for baseball?"

It all started that cold night at Comiskey Park when a bloop,opposite-field fly by the Yankees' Mel Hall twisted away from Guilleninto short left-center, where Raines was coming the other way.

"I didn't see Timmy until the last second," Guillen said."That's why I leaped in the air - to avoid him. I didn't see him orhear anything until then. I just wanted to catch that ball. That'swhat I'm trained to do."

He didn't catch it, and neither did Raines.

"I didn't know how bad it was until I saw my wife crying,"Guillen said. "That's the only time I cried. She must have heardwhat it was before I did."

Schneider was honest with Guillen after examining the knee.

"Hermie told me, `Surgery, Oz,' " Guillen said. "It's serious.Your season is over. Maybe you'll play next year; maybe you'll neverplay again. I just want you to know that. It's going to take a lotof hard work."

Guillen didn't know what the anterior cruciate was. Or themedial collateral, which also was torn.

The anterior cruciate is the primary stabilizing ligament withinthe center of the knee joint that prevents hyperextension andexcessive rotation. The medial collateral connects the femur to thejoint.

To stretch or extend them is one thing; to tear them is quiteanother.

The projected rehab time for ligament tears is one year.Guillen came back in less than 11 months, when he played a fullexhibition slate.

It was with humility that Guillen did his first spring-trainingexercises in Sarasota, Fla.

It was with caution that Guillen slid on the knee before thefirst exhibition.

And it was with great joy that Guillen took his place on thefield for the home opener.

Did he surprise myself with his comeback?

"I guess so, but I think I surprised Hermie even more," Guillensaid. "He'd never seen me work hard. I'd never been injured before.Until then, everything came easy for me.

"It doesn't come easy anymore, but that's OK. I'm back. I'mOzzie again."