"Never, nope," Guillen told the Sun-Times when asked if rumors concerning Walker's firing were valid. "That's my decision. That's a decision I have to make, and my coaches are fine. They work hard. I'm behind them 100 percent.

"Obviously, when the team is not hitting, not pitching, not playing defense, they all want to blame the coaching staff, but right now, no, that's not true."

Guillen's message, as it has been the last three years when coaching changes were brought up, was simple: If Sox fans want to blame someone, point the finger at the 25 guys making millions.

"Everything's out there, the information to help, the opportunity is there (for the players)," Guillen said. "Right now, I mean I've fired a couple of coaches because I didn't think we were on the same page. I didn't think they were doing the job they should have. The coaching staff I have right now, they should be here as long as I will be here."

Guillen did admit that he and Walker had a rough patch last season. Guillen blew up on June 1 following a dismal series with Tampa Bay and insisted that general manager Ken Williams needed to make changes, and Guillen mentioned Walker by name.

The way Walker saw it, he had been thrown under the bus. But after a cooling-off period, the two spoke and cleared the air.

"Last year, Walker and I had a little thing going on, and that happens," Guillen said. "That will happen again, hopefully it doesn't happen the way it did. But, no, that's a guy I like, that's the one I think is doing the job."

ROYALS 3, WHITE SOX 0: When Zack Greinke has been on the mound for Kansas City, very little offense has been happening, and the Sox were the latest victim of that, shut out for the fourth time this season. Of the six hits the Sox did get, Scott Podsednik and A.J. Pierzynski accounted for four. Sox starter Bartolo Colon allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings.