greasywheels121 Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Check out the blurb about playing Konerko; they must read the board..... Notes: Olivo stepping up his game White Sox catcher improving at, behind plate By Scott Merkin / MLB.com CHICAGO -- With one fourth-inning at-bat Wednesday night against Eric Milton and the Phillies, Miguel Olivo showed how far he has progressed offensively during just his second Major League season. The White Sox catcher came to the plate with two outs and Joe Crede on first base, his team trailing by an 8-3 margin. Olivo quickly fell behind two strikes against one of the tougher left-handed starters in baseball, but eventually worked the count full. The head-to-head battle reached nine pitches, with Olivo fouling off borderline Milton offerings that he might have lunged at and missed last year. On the 10th pitch, Olivo lofted his sixth home run of the season over the left-field fence. "That's the best at-bat I've had all year," Olivo said Thursday afternoon. "All those foul balls I hit were good pitches from him." Olivo was the catching representative in 2003 on the All-Rookie team, hitting .237 with six home runs and 27 RBIs in 317 at-bats. In 112 at-bats this season, Olivo already has matched his home run total and is five RBIs short of last year's total, hitting .286. Throwing out would-be base stealers was never a problem for Olivo, and his game calling clearly has improved. But cutting down his strikeouts and consistently hanging in against veteran hurlers has made Olivo a viable RBI threat at the bottom of the White Sox order. "I've worked a lot with [hitting coach Greg] Walker this year," Olivo said of his new approach at the plate. "That's the thing we work on -- patience and being more relaxed." Meet the new boss: After dispatching the Cubs Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa traveled to U.S. Cellular Field to watch his former shortstop manage his former team. La Russa ran the White Sox from 1979-86, posting a 522-510 record, while Ozzie Guillen played two years for him. La Russa talked with Guillen and made his way around the clubhouse, shaking hands with a few players after the team's 13-10 loss. "To me, it's a privilege and honor to have one of my managers come to me and congratulate me and support me and watch the game I was managing," Guillen said. "I think that is something that I won't ever forget in my life. "That was real special, especially after you lost a game like that. He comes to you and says, 'Keep your head up, keep doing what you're doing.' It's real good to see." Guillen was asked what he learned by playing for La Russa. The White Sox manager joked that he forgot because it has been so many years removed. "I think the way he was open with his players and treated rookies and the respect he has for his players," said Guillen of La Russa. Who's on third? While Guillen plans to play Frank Thomas at first base during one game this weekend against Atlanta, he would still like to get both Thomas and Paul Konerko in the lineup even when they are in National League parks for Interleague Play. The idea was broached to Guillen about Konerko playing third base, in place of the slumping Joe Crede. Konerko played 31 games at third base in 1998 with Cincinnati and Los Angeles. He played one game at third in 1999 with the White Sox and an additional seven in 2000. He had a .958 fielding percentage. Konerko told the Daily Southtown that he would do anything to get on the field but didn't know if third base was much of an option. "We thought about it, but I'm not going to put him over there without taking ground balls," said Guillen of Konerko. "Besides, I'm kind of worried about it, facing two teams (Florida and Montreal) that are going to run and bunt a lot. "I don't want him to get hurt or make a bad play and all of a sudden we lose him. I don't think we're going to do it." Crede, the everyday third baseman, entered Thursday hitting .212 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. He has two hits in his last 20 at-bats and is 23-for-115 (.200) since May 1, fourth-lowest in the American League during that span. Konerko leads the team with 14 home runs and 38 RBIs. Down on the farm: Jon Rauch won't be pitching Saturday for the White Sox, not even after throwing seven scoreless innings during a 3-2 loss at Buffalo Wednesday night. The big right-hander allowed four hits, one walk and struck out nine. Wednesday's effort might have increased Rauch's trade value, as general manager Ken Williams tries to put together a package to acquire another starter. But it also might put Rauch back into play to fill a void in the rotation, despite the unexplained early exit from his one Major League start this season on May 29 against Anaheim. "The kid made a big mistake, but we all do," Guillen said of Rauch. "He didn't kill anyone. He just made a mistake and he knows it. To be back here, I don't know about it. You never know, but you never burn bridges. "Obviously my boss, myself and my players didn't like the way he did it. But we can't punish the kid because of a mistake." Chris Young hit his 11th home run for Single-A Kannapolis during an 8-2 victory over Lexington. Dwayne Pollack picked up his 11th save during Single-A Winston-Salem's 4-1 victory at Myrtle Beach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Kong at 3rd ey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasox24 Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I've been really impressed by Olivo this year. He's looking like the catcher that I and a lot of others thought he'd be. And, that's cool how La Russa came to one of our games. Too bad we lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I'd rather see Paulie in RF and Gload at Third...eeek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 OK. Let me try this again. Ross Gload will not play third unless it's an emergency situation or a publicity stunt. He throws left handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I still believe Olivo will be an all-star in the very near future. He's that talented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I still believe Olivo will be an all-star in the very near future. He's that talented. I agree J4L. He's very solid now, and should just get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I've been really impressed by Olivo this year. He's looking like the catcher that I and a lot of others thought he'd be. And, that's cool how La Russa came to one of our games. Too bad we lost. I'm glad to see LaRussa is still interested in us as well. I always liked the guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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