Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams is being touted as Executive of the Year in many baseball circles for the team’s success in 2012.

The Sox GM doesn’t really pay attention to the hype, knowing that the people who are praising him now are some of the group of prognosticators that picked the White Sox to finish near the bottom of the American League Central. Williams’ offseason moves are just a part of the reason the Sox have been at or near the top of the division for almost five months.

Maybe the greatest oversight in recent years was Williams being snubbed for the award in 2005.

“It isn’t going to happen,” Williams said. “If you don’t win it when you win the World Series, you are not going to win it now. I guess we have not slowed down, so maybe at the end of the year it is something you can take a look at. If I wasn’t listening to what was being said in the offseason when things were less than bright, then I certainly won’t listen now when we are in the fight of our lives.”

The White Sox have been in first place for 81 games in 2012. That is more than double the amount of time they were in first in 2010 and 2011 combined. Still, Williams will wait until after the season ends before he accepts any accolades for the job he and his staff have done.

“I guess I would say thanks (for the compliments),” he said. “Here is what I know, too. One bad week and I am back to being the village idiot.

The tightly wound Sox boss does not really allow himself to enjoy the season as it progresses. That is something that appears to go along with some trepidation and superstition for Williams.

“I have said before I still don’t know how to do this job in a way that brings satisfaction or enjoyment,” Williams said. “I am happy when we win, but I quickly change my focus to the next game and how we are going to win that. I am working on it.”