Chisox73
03-12-2006, 02:58 PM
Sox defend clubhouse from comments
Players respond with amusement to Everett's jabs
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060310&content_id=1344388&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/images/2006/02/18/vWYUxvHg.jpg
"If he's such a team leader, then why is he on so many teams?" joked Mark Buehrle in response to Carl Everett's criticisms. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The reaction coming from the White Sox clubhouse Friday in regard to Carl Everett's slight character assassination of his former team ranged from outright amusement to a few playful jabs at Chicago's one-time designated hitter.
But the one prevailing theme throughout the rebuttals was that Everett was entitled to his opinions, and the White Sox really don't care.
"Maybe he is right. Maybe 'The Truth' has spoken," said Paul Konerko with a smile, referring to Everett's nickname. "I think the overall thing, and the only thing I really have to say, is I think we are going to be OK."
"We're happy with what we have in this clubhouse," added White Sox left-handed ace Mark Buehrle. "We don't feel like we miss anyone from last year."
Everett, a veteran who surprisingly made the 2 hour, 30 minute trip from Peoria to Tucson with his Seattle squad Thursday, held court with the White Sox beat writers for close to eight minutes before the Cactus League contest. Everett's discourse included off-the-cuff comments on five or six various topics, but his main focus was on the current White Sox squad.
His opinion was that the White Sox would not repeat in 2006 due to a loss of that special chemistry forged during the 2005 campaign and that they were lacking a true vocal leader, much like the role he tried to fulfill with the team. Current players countered that there really was no need for a fire-and-brimstone orator in the clubhouse, and if they needed a kick in the pants, their manager could handle the job very easily.
"That's what we have Ozzie [Guillen] for," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski of the presence of a vocal leader. "Ozzie is the guy who does that on our team, and he's still back."
"If you need someone getting on you every day to go out and do your job, then you aren't doing something right," White Sox starter Jon Garland added. "If you need that constant push, you shouldn't be around. We all conduct ourselves in a professional way, and you don't need to go out and yell at someone to get them going."
Everett seemingly disagreed with Guillen's choice of Konerko as captain, saying that he's not vocal enough. Everett did quickly add that Frank Thomas was not vocal either, but he considered the Big Hurt to be a leader.
The criticism seemed to be aimed at the idea of a captain, more than at Konerko himself, with Everett adding that a captain is more suited for hockey than baseball. When the question was posed to Konerko, he seemed slightly annoyed to have to answer the inquiry but not by the comment itself.
"I guess I will have to work on my leadership skills," said Konerko, who along with Jermaine Dye, are considered two of the leaders on the defending World Series champion, despite their reserved nature.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion," Konerko added. "Carl has a lot of opinions, and he's entitled to all of them. It's not for me to say he's wrong."
Guillen was not in Tucson on Friday, having made a brief trip back to Venezuela in preparation for the opening of a baseball academy in conjunction with the White Sox. Everett might have been spared his most direct criticism.
But just as Everett probably won't be fazed by the White Sox reaction, the White Sox will continue preparing to defend their title without another thought about their various critics. They chalked up Thursday to Everett's propensity for airing his opinions. Leave it to Buehrle, one of the more direct and comically glib players on the team, to deliver the parting shot on the topic.
"If he's such a team leader, then why is he on so many teams?" said Buehrle with a smile, after originally declining comment on the matter Thursday. "There wasn't anyone else that came ready to play and hustled as much as he did during the season, but I think he might be a little mad because he's not on our team anymore.
"He's Carl. He likes to talk and says a lot of stuff. I didn't expect him to say we don't have any leaders over here, but Carl will say what he feels. He's 'The Truth.' So, whatever he said, we're not winning the division, so go to Vegas and don't put any money on us.
"No one gave us a chance last year," Buehrle added. "And we still won."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Players respond with amusement to Everett's jabs
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060310&content_id=1344388&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/images/2006/02/18/vWYUxvHg.jpg
"If he's such a team leader, then why is he on so many teams?" joked Mark Buehrle in response to Carl Everett's criticisms. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The reaction coming from the White Sox clubhouse Friday in regard to Carl Everett's slight character assassination of his former team ranged from outright amusement to a few playful jabs at Chicago's one-time designated hitter.
But the one prevailing theme throughout the rebuttals was that Everett was entitled to his opinions, and the White Sox really don't care.
"Maybe he is right. Maybe 'The Truth' has spoken," said Paul Konerko with a smile, referring to Everett's nickname. "I think the overall thing, and the only thing I really have to say, is I think we are going to be OK."
"We're happy with what we have in this clubhouse," added White Sox left-handed ace Mark Buehrle. "We don't feel like we miss anyone from last year."
Everett, a veteran who surprisingly made the 2 hour, 30 minute trip from Peoria to Tucson with his Seattle squad Thursday, held court with the White Sox beat writers for close to eight minutes before the Cactus League contest. Everett's discourse included off-the-cuff comments on five or six various topics, but his main focus was on the current White Sox squad.
His opinion was that the White Sox would not repeat in 2006 due to a loss of that special chemistry forged during the 2005 campaign and that they were lacking a true vocal leader, much like the role he tried to fulfill with the team. Current players countered that there really was no need for a fire-and-brimstone orator in the clubhouse, and if they needed a kick in the pants, their manager could handle the job very easily.
"That's what we have Ozzie [Guillen] for," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski of the presence of a vocal leader. "Ozzie is the guy who does that on our team, and he's still back."
"If you need someone getting on you every day to go out and do your job, then you aren't doing something right," White Sox starter Jon Garland added. "If you need that constant push, you shouldn't be around. We all conduct ourselves in a professional way, and you don't need to go out and yell at someone to get them going."
Everett seemingly disagreed with Guillen's choice of Konerko as captain, saying that he's not vocal enough. Everett did quickly add that Frank Thomas was not vocal either, but he considered the Big Hurt to be a leader.
The criticism seemed to be aimed at the idea of a captain, more than at Konerko himself, with Everett adding that a captain is more suited for hockey than baseball. When the question was posed to Konerko, he seemed slightly annoyed to have to answer the inquiry but not by the comment itself.
"I guess I will have to work on my leadership skills," said Konerko, who along with Jermaine Dye, are considered two of the leaders on the defending World Series champion, despite their reserved nature.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion," Konerko added. "Carl has a lot of opinions, and he's entitled to all of them. It's not for me to say he's wrong."
Guillen was not in Tucson on Friday, having made a brief trip back to Venezuela in preparation for the opening of a baseball academy in conjunction with the White Sox. Everett might have been spared his most direct criticism.
But just as Everett probably won't be fazed by the White Sox reaction, the White Sox will continue preparing to defend their title without another thought about their various critics. They chalked up Thursday to Everett's propensity for airing his opinions. Leave it to Buehrle, one of the more direct and comically glib players on the team, to deliver the parting shot on the topic.
"If he's such a team leader, then why is he on so many teams?" said Buehrle with a smile, after originally declining comment on the matter Thursday. "There wasn't anyone else that came ready to play and hustled as much as he did during the season, but I think he might be a little mad because he's not on our team anymore.
"He's Carl. He likes to talk and says a lot of stuff. I didn't expect him to say we don't have any leaders over here, but Carl will say what he feels. He's 'The Truth.' So, whatever he said, we're not winning the division, so go to Vegas and don't put any money on us.
"No one gave us a chance last year," Buehrle added. "And we still won."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.