White Sox Today, March 10, 2006

Carl Everett may not believe in the non-Biblical sciences, but he knows something about chemistry.  Can the White Sox win again in 2006, Carl?  “Being me, and being honest, I’m going to say, no, they can’t repeat,” said Everett, on Thursday.  “A lot of the chemistry in that clubhouse is gone. [Aaron] Rowand, myself, even Willie [Harris] and Frank [Thomas]. We all had a presence in there. . . .” He added, “you don’t have any voices in there to say, ‘Hey, let’s get this going.” Goaded further by the press, Everett went on, ”[Konerko] is not vocal,” he said. “Neither was Frank, but I considered him one of the leaders.” Pressed even further, Everett sided with Thomas in his feud with GM Ken Williams, saying, “"A lot of times a GM doesn’t see the player’s perspective.  If it were me, I would want more than throwing out the first pitch or holding the trophy.  I’m on Frank’s side because I’m a player.” OOOOOOOHH, SNAP!  Smelling blood in the water, Sox reporters immediately rushed to Williams, former major leaguer himself, to tattle on Everett.  Williams promptly called Everett an “idiot” who “won’t be missed.” No, he didn’t really, but he did have an “animated” “five-minute discussion” with Everett right after being informed as to what Everett had said.  So Sox reporters then rushed to see what bad things Carl might say about Kenny.  Carl! Carl!  What did Kenny say?  Does he change your mind about this year’s Sox?  “Nothing has changed. There are no problems. Interpret it how you want to interpret it,” said Everett.  “It’s going to be interesting. I’m not going to knock them totally.” Next week: what can the media get Willie Harris to say? 

Now that they are likely to go north with only 11 pitchers, the White Sox dealt from their relief pitching surplus, sending standout minor league closer Jeff Bajenaru to the Arizona Diamondbacks for infielder Alex Cintron, 27. “I’m very excited to go to Chicago,” said Cintron, currently with the Puerto Rican National Team at the WBC. “It’s a great opportunity to win. Arizona is a young team going in another direction.” The Sox made the move to give themselves a “legitimate shortstop” should something happen to Juan Uribe.  This should mean that the Sox will use Rob Mackowiak in the outfielder, primarily, and at third base, while Cintron will spell players around the infield.  Pablo Ozuna is likely to fill in at third, second and the outfield against left-handed pitching. The Sox stated confidence in Mackowiak’s ability to spell centerfielder Brian Anderson against righties, means that the final roster spot is likely to go to Ross Gload.  You’ve got to hand it to Ken Williams, he has constructed an excellent bench for 2006.

See that wall?  Notice the handwriting? After being relegated to mostly late-game situations thus far, Joe Borchard seems to have steeled himself for disappointment.  “When I have my number called, I’ll be ready,” Borchard said. “The most important thing is getting work in throughout the first few weeks and preparing yourself for what lies ahead.” The organization that formerly called Borchard “untouchable” now will only say of him that they need to “see what we are going to do.” Borchard is out of options, meaning that if the Sox do not keep him on the 25-man roster, then he will be available for any team who wishes to claim him. 

The White Sox reassigned nine players on Tuesday, sending Rusty Tucker, Chad Bentz, Stephen Randolph, Corwin Malone, Timmy Hummell, Jorge Velandia, Carlos Lee, Donny Lucy, Ben Grieve to their minor league camp.  That eliminates half of the eight lefties who were competing for the Sox LOOGY spot, leaving the front-runer Javier Lopez, Armando Almanza, Arnie Munoz and Paulino Reynoso.  “We want to get the lefties the most work we can to make sure we are not making any mistakes and make sure we are not making a decision too early,” said Guillen, who added his staff meets every day to talk about the situation. “It’s still a battle, with whoever impresses me most and throws the most strikes.” Two days later, after outrighting Arnie Munoz to AAA, Guillen said of Javier Lopez, “"Every time we put this kid there, he makes it tough for us.  He’s the best lefty right now. He throws the ball over the plate and gets people out.”

After trying a new, shorter swing this spring, Tadahito Iguchi has returned to his old ways.  “My balance got off, and I’m not getting to the point at the right time,” said Iguchi of his swing, through a translator. “Every year I try to do something different. I try to improve my skills. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, I go back to the old way.” Iguchi does not have a hit yet in spring games.

Glove to glove you, baby. Sox utility man Rob Mackowiak has four baseball gloves in camp, one each for first base, second, third and the outfield.  Macko considers right and center field as his most “sure-handed” positions.  With the acquisition of Cintron, expect to see a whole lot of Mackowiak in the outfield. 

Guillen has been impressed by slugging 3B prospect Josh Field’s defense.  “We always knew this kid has good potential with the bat,” said Guillen of Fields. “But the progress this kid has made from last year to this year is unbelievable, especially defensively.” Mlb.com’s Scott Merkin reports that Field’s reworked his swing during last season.  Stating the obvious, Fields said, “I’m glad I’m at the point where I don’t feel intimidated walking up to the plate. I feel like I have a good chance, and that’s a better feeling than being constantly frustrated.”

Rough, tough Charlie Hough, gave Sox knuckleballer Charlie Haeger some personal tutoring.  For Haeger, whose previous guidance had come from watching videotapes of Tim Wakefield it was “a dream come true . . . amazing, really cool.” To begin the three day session, the two went over the mental approach to throwing a knuckler.  “I’m going to be a sponge and soak up everything he says,” Haeger said with a smile. 

Scott Merkin profiles Haeger and Brian West, both of whom retired from baseball at a young age, only to return to the White Sox.  West was part of the Sox “pitching draft” of 1999, when they took four pitchers (Jason Stumm, Matt Ginter, Rob Purvis and West) in the first 45 picks. Facing Tommy John surgery, West opted to retire and return to football, where he was a member of LSU’s 2002 co-National Championship team. 

Merkin fluffs A.J. Pierzynski in a recent article.  “[Hitting coach Greg] Walker knew, though, that Pierzynski would have his greatest offensive connections when the spotlight shined the brightest during the postseason.” GM Ken Williams:  “We signed A.J. not to put up certain numbers but to take care of the pitching staff and to do whatever it takes to win offensively.” Blah, blah, blah.