Ozzie Guillen hadn’t drawn extra attention to himself in several days. So when his White Sox lost 4-3 at Tampa Bay, the volatile skipper publicly challenged his general manager to shake up the roster.

Today ought to be an interesting day in Chicago.

“Just be ready because I expect movement Tuesday,” Guillen told reporters. “I expect Kenny Williams to do something Tuesday, and if we don’t do anything Tuesday, there are going to be a lot of lineup changes. That’s all I’m going to say about the offense.”

“It can be me. It can be (hitting coach) Greg Walker. It can be the players. It could be anybody,” he said. “I’m sick and tired to watch this thing for a year and a half. I’m not protecting anybody anymore. [Expletive] it. If they can’t get it done, Kenny should find someone to get it done.”

Williams sent the following reply to the Chicago Tribune: “It’s just not a good idea to throw your boss under the bus, especially when that boss has had your back as much as I have had his. I expect this team, if the leadership remains positive and the players stick together and continue to play hard, it will be a fun summer.

“The offense will begin to produce when collectively they say the hell with all the theories, stay loose, pick the pitch you want to hit and hit it hard. It will be nice to see them lighten up and have some fun.”

Lighten up and have fun? Now there is a novel concept for Guillen.

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while National League scouts and pitching coaches try to solve Reds phenom Jay Bruce:

• Who could have possibly guessed that Mark Prior would need season-ending shoulder surgery?
• Is there a better No. 8 hitter in the National League than Braden Looper?
• Is Mark Worrell ready to make his long-awaited major league debut? Will his funky side-armed delivery work against big league hitters?

WHY WE LOVE THE SPELLING BEE

These tortured young brainiacs can deliver some entertaining moments, against all odds.

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “The top U.S. man in the French Open, James Blake, and women’s favorite Serena Williams were eliminated in early upsets. Also, Venus Williams. Honk if you remember when Americans could play tennis.”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “My advice to Big Brown, who is trying to overcome a crack in his hoof to win the Triple Crown: Stay away from Grant Hill’s podiatrist.”

Dan Daly, Washington Times: After reviewing the tape, the NBA ruled that the Lakers’ Derek Fisher should have been called for a foul against the Spurs’ Brent Barry at the end of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. In other news, the league announced that Michael Jordan did indeed push off on Utah’s Bryon Russell before hitting the series-clinching shot in the ‘98 NBA Finals.”

Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle: “If you pull into that last parking spot and cut off Danica Patrick, get out of your car and run, do not walk, to a hiding place.”

Bill Simmons, ESPN.com, on Kobe Bryant: “I hate comparing anyone to Jordan, but what Kobe has shown over the past four months has been Jordanesque — not just his ability to raise his game in big moments (which he always had), but the way he can pick his spots, keep his teammates involved and then just arbitrarily take over the game and put it away. If being an NBA superstar was like playing ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ then that would be the final mission, right? The way Kobe singlehandedly assassinated the Spurs in Games 1 and 5 was something we’ve only seen from a handful of players in NBA history. You can’t say enough about it. He has become the player we always wanted him to be.”

Norman Chad, syndicated columnist: “The writers’ strike ended just in time for David Stern: A year after surviving a Spurs-induced somnambulant NBA Finals and the outlaw ref Tim Donaghy, the NBA czar splurged on a DreamWorks-like script to give us a Celtics-Lakers fairy tale. It’s morning again in America. I half expect to look outside and see Norman Rockwell mowing my lawn and gas at 29 cents a gallon.”

Mike Lupica, New York Daily News: “Watching Kobe act like he and Mitch Kupchak are old frat-house buddies after the Lakers closed out the Spurs was more touching than the end of a dog movie. Afterward I listened as Kobe talked about that ‘brotherhood’ he feels with his Laker teammates, and I’m just assuming most of it kicked in after they got Pau Gasol.”

MEGAPHONE

“I’m seeing the ball better, my head is not moving as much and I feel quicker. This is what it’s supposed to feel like. I worked really hard this winter to get back and play. I was disappointed how the year started. Hopefully it will turn around.”

Cubs outfielder Jim Edmonds, on finally locating his hitting stroke for the North Siders.