Telling Ozzie about number retirement made his former player more nervous than any at-bat

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- It looked to be a normal home opener on April 3 for Scott Podsednik regarding his responsibilities as a White Sox ambassador.

Take some pictures with fans. Sign a few autographs. Talk a little baseball. Maybe even recount his walk-off home run from Game 2 of the 2005 World Series sweep over Houston.

Then, through a brief pregame conversation with White Sox executive vice president Brooks Boyer, that day changed into one of the most memorable moments of Podsednik’s baseball career.

“The first thing he said to me is, ‘I’ve got something incredibly huge for you today,’” said Podsednik during a recent conversation with MLB.com. “I said, ‘Brooks, you know how I like to be prepared, and you know I don’t like surprises. What are you talking about?’”

Boyer was talking about Podsednik informing Ozzie Guillen, his manager during that historic campaign 21 seasons ago, of the news that his No. 13 jersey will be retired by the White Sox on Aug. 8. The announcement was set after Sean Burke pitched through the top of the third against the Blue Jays, with White Sox television voice John Schriffen sending it back to Chuck Garfien, Podsednik and Guillen at the CHSN studio.

Very few people knew of this incoming honor, a goal of chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's when he called Boyer during the offseason to discuss Guillen’s jersey retirement. So, there was Podsednik, getting ready to read the proclamation in tribute to Guillen, more nervous than he was facing a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and two outs during a tie game in the bottom of the ninth.

“He said, ‘I want you to go on set, and then I’m going to have you read this announcement.’ He hands me an envelope,” said Podsednik of his conversation with Boyer. “I’m like, ‘OK.’ He’s like, ‘Open it up and read it.’ He said, ‘Since you want to know, open it up and read it.’

“So, I open it up and I start reading, and when I realized what it was, I immediately got chills. I looked up at Brooks, and I stood up, and I said, ‘Brooks,’ and I was serious about this, I said, ‘I’m not the guy that needs to read this.’ He said, ‘No, you are the guy. You are going to read it.’

“And he explained exactly how he wanted it to go down,” Podsednik added. “I was just kind of buzzing from all of it. Then immediately after, we hear a knock on the door, and they are like, ‘Hey Podsednik. We need you up on set.’”

Podsednik and Garfien flanked Guillen, with Guillen flashing his trademark humor with some good-natured gibes, even joking about getting a Guillen bobblehead commissioned.

When Podsednik read out the historic news, Guillen immediately teared up. He shared the celebration with his wife, Ibis, and was moved by the delivery from his one-time leadoff man.

“I couldn’t see what he was reading,” said Guillen, speaking shortly after the announcement. “I almost cursed, because that’s the way I talk to my players. To me it was an honor [that] one of my guys who really has a lot to do with this was next to me when this happened.”

“Well, he asked me if I had known about it and I’m like, ‘Right before.’ So he threw some expletives at me,” said Podsednik with a laugh. “We didn’t really get a chance to talk in any great detail about it, because after it happened, he was being pulled in every direction. I was kind of buzzing. I was on the phone talking with my family and friends and talking with other people.”

This special ceremony will take place before the White Sox battle the Guardians, a top rival for Guillen as a player and manager on the South Side. It also comes three days before the much-ballyhooed Pope hats are given away on Aug. 11.

Even with Podsednik not being able to talk with Guillen much that day, he knows what this honor meant to Guillen. His involvement had special meaning for Podsednik.

“One hundred percent. Probably one of the most special moments back to my playing career and even 2005,” said Podsednik, who will be in town for Guillen’s jersey retirement. “I’m very appreciative that the White Sox asked me to be involved.

“I’m fortunate and grateful I got to play underneath him, got to see what he was all about. And I’m going to go ahead and say this: Baseball needs a guy like Ozzie back in it, a guy of his character and a guy of his knowledge. His family might say otherwise, but I would love to see Ozzie back in a manager’s seat again.”