DBAHO Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 From da Trib, TUCSON, Ariz. -- Manager Ozzie Guillen says he has Jon Garland penciled in as the White Sox's No. 3 starter but wouldn't rule out flip-flopping him with left-hander Scott Schoeneweis if the situation warrants. It might be necessary in the opening week of the season. Instead of starting the first game of a four-game series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the Sox are planning to use Garland in Game 2 of the series Friday and Schoeneweis Thursday. Mark Buehrle is to pitch the season opener in Kansas City on Monday, April 5, and his next turn would in Saturday's Game 3 in New York. If Garland were to pitch the Thursday game—third in the rotation—the Sox would have left-handers throwing back-to-back, a situation they would like to avoid. If he pitches the Thursday game, Schoeneweis will work in what should be a World Series-like atmosphere: Alex Rodriguez's first home game as a Yankee. Whoever wins the fifth starter's job will pitch Sunday in the final game of the series. Those intricate plans were almost shredded Friday when Garland was hit below the right elbow by a ball off the bat of Ross Gload. Garland's arm is bruised, but he shouldn't miss any throwing. He wasn't scheduled to throw the next two days anyway. "Getting hit in your throwing arm—what's worse than that?" Garland said. "That's your [career]." The way the rotation appears to be setting up, Esteban Loaiza would not face the Yankees in the regular season. The Sox and Yankees will not meet again after a three-game series in Chicago April 20-22, a series in which Loaiza's turn isn't scheduled to come up. Loaiza was 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA against the Yankees last season. If the rotation follows the current plan, Loaiza would pitch the second game in Kansas City, the home opener April 13 against the Royals with an extra day of rest and then Sunday, April 18 in Tampa. Off days on April 6 and 12 make figuring out the rotation a bit complicated. Either Garland or Schoeneweis is going to have his second start delayed. If Schoeneweis pitches the first game in New York, his second start would be the home opener, for which Loaiza is scheduled. If Garland pitches the Friday game, his second start would be April 14. Buehrle's third start would be the final game of the Kansas City series April 15. Friday was the second straight day on which a front-line player was struck by a ball. On Thursday, Paul Konerko was hit above his left elbow with a pitch from fifth-starter candidate Jason Grilli. "They got one of us yesterday, we got one of them today," Konerko said. Konerko said he wasn't limited in any way Friday. He took about 100 swings in batting practice and said the only time he felt any pain in the arm was when he had to catch high throws at first during fielding practice. "Once you get by the swelling and the range of motion stuff, usually you're home free," Konerko said. Buehrle, Loaiza, Garland, Neal Cotts and Dan Wright all will pitch during Monday's intrasquad game. The first three will throw three innings each, 15 pitches an inning, with Cotts and Wright throwing two innings. Relievers Cliff Politte, Shingo Takatsu, Kelly Wunsch, Mike Jackson and Billy Koch are scheduled to throw one inning each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Tizzle Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Shoenweiss as a starter is scary enough, but for him to pitch at Yankee Stadium (in what will no doubt be broadcasted nationwide on ESPN) is freightening. More then the likelihood of the Yankees lineup teeing off against Shoe is the possibility of a bad game triggering a slide reminiscent of last year. Don't understand why the Sox have so much faith in this guy. Maybe they see the next e-lo in him, I sure as hell don't. Don't think I'm feeling pessimistic against our teams chances this upcoming year. Its just powerhouse teams (ideally the Yanks) that lower any expectations of our team competiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSOX45 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I'd rather let Garland start the season at Yankee Stadium, I don't like the idea of Shoe out there considering it would be his first actual start in a long time. CWSOX45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonkeyKongerko Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Let's just schedule Neal Cotts and take the day off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaSoxxJim Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Let's just schedule Neal Cotts and take the day off. LOL. Way to kick a fella when he's down. I bet Cotts would love the chance to pitch again at Yankee Stadium, to excorcise personal demons if nothing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Buehrle, Loaiza, Garland, Neal Cotts and Dan Wright all will pitch during Monday's intrasquad game. The first three will throw three innings each, 15 pitches an inning, with Cotts and Wright throwing two innings. Relievers Cliff Politte, Shingo Takatsu, Kelly Wunsch, Mike Jackson and Billy Koch are scheduled to throw one inning each. I wonder how many innings the bullpen will be pitching in pitcher #5's games this season. I think Ozzie is getting prepared to put the relievers in early if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I'm just glad we don't see the Yankees after April 22. Maybe we can have some success against them early while their still kinda learning one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggio202 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 i dont think it matters much who is number 3 or 4..after the first week days off screw up everything anyways...its not like everytime buehrle takes the mound he faces the other teams number one and everytime wright/cotts whoever takes the mound they are facing the other teams number 5...its all jumbled up anyways... whichever guy has had better lifetime success against the yanks should get that start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 I wonder how many innings the bullpen will be pitching in pitcher #5's games this season. I think Ozzie is getting prepared to put the relievers in early if necessary. That will the big factor to decide whether or not this team will hav success in the upcoming season. Guys like Wunsch can't be overworked too much in da pen because there's a good chance they'll get injured, yet we will prob need them to pitch a lot of innings durin the year, since we don't hav a recognised #4 or #5 starter unless Wright and Shoe can really step up big time. I know that this is old news and KC overpaid to get him, but losing Scott Sullivan really hurt because he was an innings eater in da pen even though he didn't pitch his best when he was with the White Sox for a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastime Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I wonder how many innings the bullpen will be pitching in pitcher #5's games this season. I don't think anyone in the bullpen will be getting a lot of idle time. Before it's all said and done, we may go through 20 pitchers this year - who knows. I wouldn't be surprised to see all our relievers get career highs in appearances and innings pitched. I hope some of the kids are ready .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorthsox Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 If Cotts is our 5th starter then we'll be starting 3 lefties in NY anyhow so there's no point in splitting them up. Personally, I like the idea of throwing all those lefties at them. Btw, if Cotts is the 5th starter his first start would be the series finale. How sweet it would be to have him going to the mound with a chance to sweep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Scottie pitching in NY makes sense, mostly because it is a left handed pitchers park. He is working on fine tuning his change up, in which Coop feels will make him far more effective against the righties. He doesn't have a problem with the lefties. I don't have a problem with leading off with him, especially since it would go R-L-R-L, assuming our fifth guy is a righty. I don't think Cotts is going to win the spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnB Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Having show that far in the rotation scares me, but if he impresses at ST, there's no reason not to let him be #3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillieHarris2 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 im not to sure putting sho in the #3 spot to pitch at yankee stadium is such a good idea. I just hope it doesnt turn out like neal cotts' perfomance last year at yankee stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Moving Show to the #3 spot in the rotation is a leap of faith in my opinion. He hasn'r got much of a track record to fall back on, but I think this is more strategy and thinking long term than whether Scott is a legitimate #3 pitcher. KW and others seem very impressed with him so I guess we just have to hope the guy is the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Moving Show to the #3 spot in the rotation is a leap of faith in my opinion. He hasn'r got much of a track record to fall back on, but I think this is more strategy and thinking long term than whether Scott is a legitimate #3 pitcher. KW and others seem very impressed with him so I guess we just have to hope the guy is the answer. You want to kill Garlands confidence when everyone is saying we need a big year out of him then go ahead. You move Shoenweis into the 3 slot and you go a long way towards messing up the whole season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorthsox Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 You want to kill Garlands confidence when everyone is saying we need a big year out of him then go ahead. You move Shoenweis into the 3 slot and you go a long way towards messing up the whole season. I agree completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastime Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I agree as well. I've never been a big supporter of Garland, but the kid's confidence is already shaky to begin with, and this could messwith his head. Plus, just adding a "cutter" to Schoenweiss's pitching arsenal doesn't immediately make him a better pitcher. He's been a mediocre starter in the past, and I just hope he doesn't end up a mediocre starting pitcher who just happens to have added a "cutter." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I agree as well. I've never been a big supporter of Garland, but the kid's confidence is already shaky to begin with, and this could messwith his head. Plus, just adding a "cutter" to Schoenweiss's pitching arsenal doesn't immediately make him a better pitcher. He's been a mediocre starter in the past, and I just hope he doesn't end up a mediocre starting pitcher who just happens to have added a "cutter." The Cutter is the pitch of the 00's. It is the must have pitch. Kinda like the splitter in the 90's and the slider in the 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Chappas Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Call me crazy but I would move E-Lo to the spot, I lost track of the number, that would pitch against the Yanks twice. Move Garland to two and have him avoid the Yanks altogether. Not to kill confidence or anything but it just made sense to me. In reality you would rather beat the Royals than the Yanks so maybe this is their thinking on not really caring who faces the Yanks. Damn the Yankees anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Be Good Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I just like how Ozzie is making everyone earn their spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I don't like the idea of Scho as the #5 starter... Geesh the #3??? :puke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I'm just glad we don't see the Yankees after April 22. Maybe we can have some success against them early while their still kinda learning one another. This is a good point. Hopefully, the Spanks will be slow to jell, and the Sox can take a series win from them. Hell, who knows, if the Sox have a chance for a sweep, maybe THIS manager will actually go for it??? And Shoe as a #3 is a bit frightening, but really, between the first go-round and the playoffs, the number in the rotation doesn't mean much. You just take the ball when it's your turn and throw. Maybe Oz wants a left-right-left-right-left thing ( assuming Cotts or another southpaw takes the 5 spot )? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxman352000 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 SHOE as a starter is insane and as a number 3 starter is just stupid. When he gets a one two three inning give me a call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 I just like how Ozzie is making everyone earn their spots. Excellent point. Complacency is always your worst enemy and telling the guys right off the bat that they are going to have to earn their keep will keep em sharp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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