Chisox73
03-20-2006, 10:47 PM
Notes: Cintron fitting in with new mates
Gload survives run-in with fence; Nomo to pitch Monday
By Robert Falkoff and Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060319&content_id=1356133&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
PHOENIX -- Alex Cintron hasn't wasted any time in making an impression on his new teammates. If Cintron's first two games with the White Sox are any indication, he'll fit in quite nicely with the reigning world champions.
With a 3-for-3 performance against the Brewers on a chilly Sunday, Cintron is now 5-of-7 overall while wearing a Chicago uniform. A hot hitter for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, Cintron hasn't missed a beat since stepping into the White Sox clubhouse on Friday.
"I was playing a hard nine innings in the World Baseball Classic and now I'm here to show this team what I can do," Cintron said. "I want to do whatever I can to help this team win another championship."
The White Sox, who acquired Cintron from Arizona in a March 8 trade for reliever Jeff Bajenaru, can live without Cintron hitting .714. But they do expect the newcomer, who started at second base on Sunday, to hit for a solid average and provide quality insurance at three infield positions.
Cintron wasn't the only hot hitter on Sunday as the White Sox fell, 8-7, to the Brewers. First baseman Paul Konerko was 3-for-3 with a homer and double, and Rob Mackowiak was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
"We're starting to come around," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The most important guys are swinging the bat pretty good. The only guy I'm concerned about swinging the bat is [Tadihito] Iguchi."
Scary moment: The White Sox received a scare in the fourth inning of Sunday's game when left fielder Ross Gload made an outstanding catch of Zach Sorensen's foul drive down the left-field line, but then smacked into the fence and stayed down for a few minutes. Gload got up shaking his left knee with Guillen looking on.
Gload came into the third-base dugout, but then left the game. He walked gingerly to the White Sox clubhouse.
"It was more a cut than anything," Gload said. "I rammed it, but I'm fine."
Whether it's Spring Training or the playoffs, Gload will take on a fence going full speed.
"You just leave it all out there," Gload said. "The most surprising thing is that I caught the ball."
Rain delayed: Temperatures in the high 40s, strong winds and a deluge of rain in Tucson turned Freddy Garcia's first start back with the White Sox into primarily side work.
Garcia was held back to pitch in a Minor League game at Hi Corbett Field because of the fear of rain in the Phoenix area. Garcia's game was called in the third inning, with Garcia allowing four hits and one run while striking out three. It wasn't the easiest day to pitch, by Garcia's estimation.
"I couldn't get loose," said Garcia, back in the dry confines of the White Sox clubhouse at the Kino Sports Complex. "But there's nothing you can do about it."
Garcia was thankful for his two starts with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic with regard to getting him ready for the regular season. Garcia is scheduled to pitch Friday in Peoria against Seattle.
Steady but slow: Dustin Hermanson threw 50 pitches during his second straight pain-free session in Tucson on Sunday. But the right-hander won't allow himself to get excited until his back shows no after-effects from pitching in a game. After all, he had no pain throwing bullpens and live batting practice earlier this spring.
"It's positive so far," Hermanson said. "But if I'm getting sore after just bullpens, then I'm in trouble. There's no way I should be sore at all during bullpens."
Hermanson receives his second of three epidural injections Tuesday and then is scheduled to throw another side session. If all goes well, his next step would be to return to live-game action.
Third to first: Hideo Nomo will pitch for the White Sox in Surprise on Monday. Nomo remains a long shot to make the Major League roster. Pitching coach Don Cooper was leaning toward keeping back relievers Neal Cotts, Bobby Jenks, Cliff Politte, Boone Logan and Brandon McCarthy to throw in Tucson. ... Scott Podsednik is scheduled to test his sore left shoulder on Monday and Tuesday in Minor League games and then move back to Cactus League action on Wednesday. ... Jenks appreciated his closed-door talk with Guillen and Cooper after Saturday's victory over the Cubs. "It was the big-league speech," said Jenks with a smile, referring to Guillen's main point of being ready for the increased scrutiny. "It was very positive.". ... Clayton Richard had a nice first inning in his Sunday start against Milwaukee. He got three ground-ball outs with a walk spliced in. But Richard didn't make it out of the second, allowing three walks and a two-run single. Richard, an eighth-round draft pick last June, spent most of 2005 at Advanced Rookie Bristol where he went 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA.
Robert Falkoff is a reporter for MLB.com. Scott Merkin, an MLB.com. reporter, contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Gload survives run-in with fence; Nomo to pitch Monday
By Robert Falkoff and Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060319&content_id=1356133&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
PHOENIX -- Alex Cintron hasn't wasted any time in making an impression on his new teammates. If Cintron's first two games with the White Sox are any indication, he'll fit in quite nicely with the reigning world champions.
With a 3-for-3 performance against the Brewers on a chilly Sunday, Cintron is now 5-of-7 overall while wearing a Chicago uniform. A hot hitter for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, Cintron hasn't missed a beat since stepping into the White Sox clubhouse on Friday.
"I was playing a hard nine innings in the World Baseball Classic and now I'm here to show this team what I can do," Cintron said. "I want to do whatever I can to help this team win another championship."
The White Sox, who acquired Cintron from Arizona in a March 8 trade for reliever Jeff Bajenaru, can live without Cintron hitting .714. But they do expect the newcomer, who started at second base on Sunday, to hit for a solid average and provide quality insurance at three infield positions.
Cintron wasn't the only hot hitter on Sunday as the White Sox fell, 8-7, to the Brewers. First baseman Paul Konerko was 3-for-3 with a homer and double, and Rob Mackowiak was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
"We're starting to come around," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The most important guys are swinging the bat pretty good. The only guy I'm concerned about swinging the bat is [Tadihito] Iguchi."
Scary moment: The White Sox received a scare in the fourth inning of Sunday's game when left fielder Ross Gload made an outstanding catch of Zach Sorensen's foul drive down the left-field line, but then smacked into the fence and stayed down for a few minutes. Gload got up shaking his left knee with Guillen looking on.
Gload came into the third-base dugout, but then left the game. He walked gingerly to the White Sox clubhouse.
"It was more a cut than anything," Gload said. "I rammed it, but I'm fine."
Whether it's Spring Training or the playoffs, Gload will take on a fence going full speed.
"You just leave it all out there," Gload said. "The most surprising thing is that I caught the ball."
Rain delayed: Temperatures in the high 40s, strong winds and a deluge of rain in Tucson turned Freddy Garcia's first start back with the White Sox into primarily side work.
Garcia was held back to pitch in a Minor League game at Hi Corbett Field because of the fear of rain in the Phoenix area. Garcia's game was called in the third inning, with Garcia allowing four hits and one run while striking out three. It wasn't the easiest day to pitch, by Garcia's estimation.
"I couldn't get loose," said Garcia, back in the dry confines of the White Sox clubhouse at the Kino Sports Complex. "But there's nothing you can do about it."
Garcia was thankful for his two starts with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic with regard to getting him ready for the regular season. Garcia is scheduled to pitch Friday in Peoria against Seattle.
Steady but slow: Dustin Hermanson threw 50 pitches during his second straight pain-free session in Tucson on Sunday. But the right-hander won't allow himself to get excited until his back shows no after-effects from pitching in a game. After all, he had no pain throwing bullpens and live batting practice earlier this spring.
"It's positive so far," Hermanson said. "But if I'm getting sore after just bullpens, then I'm in trouble. There's no way I should be sore at all during bullpens."
Hermanson receives his second of three epidural injections Tuesday and then is scheduled to throw another side session. If all goes well, his next step would be to return to live-game action.
Third to first: Hideo Nomo will pitch for the White Sox in Surprise on Monday. Nomo remains a long shot to make the Major League roster. Pitching coach Don Cooper was leaning toward keeping back relievers Neal Cotts, Bobby Jenks, Cliff Politte, Boone Logan and Brandon McCarthy to throw in Tucson. ... Scott Podsednik is scheduled to test his sore left shoulder on Monday and Tuesday in Minor League games and then move back to Cactus League action on Wednesday. ... Jenks appreciated his closed-door talk with Guillen and Cooper after Saturday's victory over the Cubs. "It was the big-league speech," said Jenks with a smile, referring to Guillen's main point of being ready for the increased scrutiny. "It was very positive.". ... Clayton Richard had a nice first inning in his Sunday start against Milwaukee. He got three ground-ball outs with a walk spliced in. But Richard didn't make it out of the second, allowing three walks and a two-run single. Richard, an eighth-round draft pick last June, spent most of 2005 at Advanced Rookie Bristol where he went 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA.
Robert Falkoff is a reporter for MLB.com. Scott Merkin, an MLB.com. reporter, contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.