Ozzie Guillen to manage in Venezuela next winter

CARACAS, Venezuela — Ozzie Guillen, who led the White Sox to the 2005 World Series title, was hired Wednesday to manage the La Guaira Sharks of the Venezuelan Winter League next offseason.

The 52-year-old, who was born in Ocumare del Tuy, has not had a managing job since the Miami Marlins fired him in 2012 at the end of his first season.

La Guaira team president Francisco Arocha and vice president Antonio Jose Herrera said in a statement that hiring Guillen “has been an aspiration of ours since we acquired the team in 2004.”

The Tiburones (Sharks) said they considered renewing the contract of Buddy Bailey, who had managed the team for the past two seasons.

“During the Caribbean Series in the Dominican Republic we had an opportunity to talk to Oswaldo, and both Francisco and I felt that in life there are opportunities that you can’t let pass by,” Herrera said.

Guillen managed White Sox from 2004-11 and was voted AL Manager of the Year in 2005, when Chicago won its first Series title since 1917.

Guillen was fired by the Marlins before his contract ran out, and he was paid by the team through last season. He works as an analyst ESPN Deportes.