GaryMrMets
10-23-2005, 02:01 PM
Ozzie catches up with Aparicio
By RICK GANO
.c The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) - Ozzie Guillen saw Luis Aparicio and moved quickly to give him a big hug, two Venezuelans and former White Sox shortstops united at the World Series.
``He deserves everything. He's been a great friend and he's the same person I've known since was a kid. He hasn't changed a bit,'' Aparicio said of Guillen, who managed the White Sox to their first World Series since 1959. That's the year the slick-fielding Aparicio stole 56 bases and helped the ``Go-Go Sox'' win the pennant before they lost the Series to the Dodgers.
Aparicio was the AL rookie of the year in 1956 and Guillen got the honor in 1985.
No wonder their native country is filled with White Sox fans.
``He's got Venezuela people crazy,'' Aparicio said. ``Everybody was asking if he had a chance, if he's going to win. ...This is something that is big, huge in Venezuela,'' Aparicio said.
Before he caught a first pitch from Aparicio, Guillen was given a statue named after Aparicio from the Venezuelean people. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf made the presentation.
``I remember I was Rookie of the Year, it was a great honor to be in that same position in that same level that Luis Aparicio was,'' Guillen said. ``Too bad I was not as good a player to be a Hall of Famer like he is. But to know him is an honor.''
Joining Aparicio on the mound as he threw out the first pitch Saturday night were 1959 teammates, Bob Shaw, J.C. Martin, Billy Pierce, Jim Landis and Jim Rivera.
LEFTY MATCHUP:@ Andy Pettitte, a seasoned veteran of the postseason and the World Series during is career with the New York Yankees, will pitch Sunday night's Game 2 against Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle.
``This is right there with my first trip in 1996,'' Pettitte said, describing the thrill of helping the Astros in their first-ever appearance.
Pettitte has the reputation as a top big-game pitcher, especially in the postseason where he is 14-9 in his career, including 3-4 in the World Series. He's 1-1 so far this season.
``I've had a lot of chances to pitch in a lot of big games with New York and it's helped me I think to be able to relax and to be able to calm myself down,'' said Pettitte, who was injured when the Astros won the NL wild card in 2004.
``I'm like a kid in a candy store, again, though, because I missed out last year. So these postseason games are so different and I didn't have a chance to have those last year with the injury.''
Buehrle, 2-0 so far in the postseason, will be making his first appearance in the World Series. And Pettitte is someone he's always admired.
``Anytime you watch World Series games, playoffs, you always see him and Roger (Clemens) playing with the Yankees,'' Buehrle said. ``I obviously respect a guy like that and the success he's had in the Major Leagues.''
Buehrle has pitched especially well at U.S. Cellular Field, where he is 10-2 this season.
DESPERATE DENTON:@ James Denton is torn, and it has nothing to do with Susan, Edie or the Cubs.
The ``Desperate Housewives'' co-star, who once worked at Harry Caray's, is a longtime Chicago White Sox fan. But he's gotten to know the Houston Astros recently, and he likes them, too.
``This is tough for me,'' Denton said Saturday afternoon as he watched batting practice before Game 1 of the World Series. ``In my heart, I'm a White Sox guy. But I can't vocally root against the Astros. I like the Astros too much. I like Phil Garner too much.''
Originally from Nashville, Tenn., Denton moved to Chicago when he got serious about acting. He said he was at then-Comiskey Park when the White Sox lost to Baltimore in the 1983 AL championship, but his seats weren't nearly as good.
``I sat right up there in the upper deck,'' Denton said, pointing to some of the highest seats in the stadium. ``I was not on field-worthy at that time. I'm still not sure how I got here today. I guess it's being Teri Hatcher's boyfriend.''
HOME AND AWAY:@ Houston Astros general manager Tim Purpura got his start across the street from U.S. Cellular Field.
Purpura grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, and his parents were White Sox fans. Not only did he go to games at old Comiskey Park, but he'd hang out by the players' parking lot, trying to get autographs.
``Got quite a few,'' Purpura said. ``I've still got a few balls at home.''
Purpura's father knew several people in the White Sox organization, and he introduced his son to all of them - including former GM Roland Hemond.
``I got to start that dream process of becoming a general manager,'' Purpura said. ``I learned a lot of the game from coming to the park across the street.''
Purpura still has family in the area, and he had to get 30 tickets for relatives and friends.
``I've described it as surreal,'' he said. ``I grew up with my father talking to me about going to the '59 World Series. I've got the program he had at home.''
CANDID CAMERA:@ Just as the Astros finished batting practice, first baseman Mike Lamb spent about 10 minutes with six or seven members of the grounds crew as they groomed the dirt cutout in front of the bag.
The groundskeepers dropped to their knees and pounded away at the dirt. Turns out, they were burying a small TV camera just a little deeper to make sure a ball in play would not hit it and perhaps deflect in another direction.
``The camera was sticking up too high, just a hair,'' groundskeeper Harry Smith said.
10/22/05 20:30 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By RICK GANO
.c The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) - Ozzie Guillen saw Luis Aparicio and moved quickly to give him a big hug, two Venezuelans and former White Sox shortstops united at the World Series.
``He deserves everything. He's been a great friend and he's the same person I've known since was a kid. He hasn't changed a bit,'' Aparicio said of Guillen, who managed the White Sox to their first World Series since 1959. That's the year the slick-fielding Aparicio stole 56 bases and helped the ``Go-Go Sox'' win the pennant before they lost the Series to the Dodgers.
Aparicio was the AL rookie of the year in 1956 and Guillen got the honor in 1985.
No wonder their native country is filled with White Sox fans.
``He's got Venezuela people crazy,'' Aparicio said. ``Everybody was asking if he had a chance, if he's going to win. ...This is something that is big, huge in Venezuela,'' Aparicio said.
Before he caught a first pitch from Aparicio, Guillen was given a statue named after Aparicio from the Venezuelean people. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf made the presentation.
``I remember I was Rookie of the Year, it was a great honor to be in that same position in that same level that Luis Aparicio was,'' Guillen said. ``Too bad I was not as good a player to be a Hall of Famer like he is. But to know him is an honor.''
Joining Aparicio on the mound as he threw out the first pitch Saturday night were 1959 teammates, Bob Shaw, J.C. Martin, Billy Pierce, Jim Landis and Jim Rivera.
LEFTY MATCHUP:@ Andy Pettitte, a seasoned veteran of the postseason and the World Series during is career with the New York Yankees, will pitch Sunday night's Game 2 against Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle.
``This is right there with my first trip in 1996,'' Pettitte said, describing the thrill of helping the Astros in their first-ever appearance.
Pettitte has the reputation as a top big-game pitcher, especially in the postseason where he is 14-9 in his career, including 3-4 in the World Series. He's 1-1 so far this season.
``I've had a lot of chances to pitch in a lot of big games with New York and it's helped me I think to be able to relax and to be able to calm myself down,'' said Pettitte, who was injured when the Astros won the NL wild card in 2004.
``I'm like a kid in a candy store, again, though, because I missed out last year. So these postseason games are so different and I didn't have a chance to have those last year with the injury.''
Buehrle, 2-0 so far in the postseason, will be making his first appearance in the World Series. And Pettitte is someone he's always admired.
``Anytime you watch World Series games, playoffs, you always see him and Roger (Clemens) playing with the Yankees,'' Buehrle said. ``I obviously respect a guy like that and the success he's had in the Major Leagues.''
Buehrle has pitched especially well at U.S. Cellular Field, where he is 10-2 this season.
DESPERATE DENTON:@ James Denton is torn, and it has nothing to do with Susan, Edie or the Cubs.
The ``Desperate Housewives'' co-star, who once worked at Harry Caray's, is a longtime Chicago White Sox fan. But he's gotten to know the Houston Astros recently, and he likes them, too.
``This is tough for me,'' Denton said Saturday afternoon as he watched batting practice before Game 1 of the World Series. ``In my heart, I'm a White Sox guy. But I can't vocally root against the Astros. I like the Astros too much. I like Phil Garner too much.''
Originally from Nashville, Tenn., Denton moved to Chicago when he got serious about acting. He said he was at then-Comiskey Park when the White Sox lost to Baltimore in the 1983 AL championship, but his seats weren't nearly as good.
``I sat right up there in the upper deck,'' Denton said, pointing to some of the highest seats in the stadium. ``I was not on field-worthy at that time. I'm still not sure how I got here today. I guess it's being Teri Hatcher's boyfriend.''
HOME AND AWAY:@ Houston Astros general manager Tim Purpura got his start across the street from U.S. Cellular Field.
Purpura grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, and his parents were White Sox fans. Not only did he go to games at old Comiskey Park, but he'd hang out by the players' parking lot, trying to get autographs.
``Got quite a few,'' Purpura said. ``I've still got a few balls at home.''
Purpura's father knew several people in the White Sox organization, and he introduced his son to all of them - including former GM Roland Hemond.
``I got to start that dream process of becoming a general manager,'' Purpura said. ``I learned a lot of the game from coming to the park across the street.''
Purpura still has family in the area, and he had to get 30 tickets for relatives and friends.
``I've described it as surreal,'' he said. ``I grew up with my father talking to me about going to the '59 World Series. I've got the program he had at home.''
CANDID CAMERA:@ Just as the Astros finished batting practice, first baseman Mike Lamb spent about 10 minutes with six or seven members of the grounds crew as they groomed the dirt cutout in front of the bag.
The groundskeepers dropped to their knees and pounded away at the dirt. Turns out, they were burying a small TV camera just a little deeper to make sure a ball in play would not hit it and perhaps deflect in another direction.
``The camera was sticking up too high, just a hair,'' groundskeeper Harry Smith said.
10/22/05 20:30 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.