CSF Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 From MLB.com: 07/03/2004 8:10 PM ET Diaz shows guts in loss to Cubs After rough first inning, starter settles in for solid outing By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Felix Diaz reacts after giving up his second home run to the Cubs in the first inning. (M. Spencer Green/AP) • Wrap: CHC 4, CWS 2 CHICAGO -- Felix Diaz didn't earn a victory Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. But the young right-hander certainly earned some respect. After allowing three earned runs in the first inning, Diaz settled down and allowed three hits over the next three innings. In the process, Diaz struck out six, including Sammy Sosa, Corey Patterson and Derrek Lee twice. Diaz's effort wasn't enough to prevent a 4-2 victory in a rain-shortened 5 1/2 innings for the Cubs before 39,528, the second straight for the North Siders at Wrigley Field. But it might be enough to keep him as part of the staff when Scott Schoeneweis is activated from the 15-day disabled list to pitch Wednesday. "I think Diaz threw the ball real, real good," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen of Diaz. "He only had one bad inning, a couple of bad pitches. But the way the kid came back and finished up the game, he showed me something." "Felix settled down," added White Sox center fielder Aaron Rowand of Diaz. "He gathered himself and settled down pretty good. He left some pitches over the middle early in the game and they have good hitters over there. There are no slouches in their lineup, from one through nine." Diaz was tagged in the first inning for two home runs, one coming off the bat of Moises Alou with two strikes and two outs. Catcher Sandy Alomar said the pitch was a slider, which stayed middle in, and Alou was all over it for his 19th home run. Rey Ordonez also victimized Diaz, launching his first home run in more than one year on a 3-1 count in the first inning. "He left a ball up on Ordonez. He went after him because we didn't want to walk him," Alomar said. "He had a rough first inning and then he settled down and pitched a good game. He can't afford to keep the ball high. He's not a 97-mph thrower." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I think Diaz threw the ball real, real good. He only had one bad inning, a couple of bad pitches. But the way the kid came back and finished up the game, he showed me something." -- Ozzie Guillen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diaz, 23, figures to get another start, according to Guillen. But now the starting rotation mathematics are getting a little complicated. With Schoeneweis returning from left elbow inflammation, the White Sox now have Mark Buehrle, Esteban Loaiza, Freddy Garcia, Jon Garland, Diaz and the left-hander in the starting rotation. Guillen said before Saturday's game that the team will stick with a five-man rotation. The final job still appears to be Schoeneweis' to lose, with Guillen mentioning Saturday that the veteran hurler will be judged on more than this Wednesday's effort against Anaheim. If Schoeneweis struggles, as he has with a 1-5 record in his last six decisions, Diaz could slide into the fifth starter's slot. But what if Schoeneweis comes back healthy and pitches as he did when starting the season at 4-1? It's a situation Guillen looks forward to figuring out. "That's a great problem. That's a good problem to have," Guillen said. "If Schoeneweis pitches the game he's supposed to pitch and helps us there, he's my No. 5 man because he was there before and Diaz maybe goes to the bullpen. "It's up to Schoeney to see how he feels. I'm not going to judge Schoeney from just one game. I just want to know how he feels." Whatever the outcome, Diaz has proven in two starts against the Cubs during the past week that he has the make-up for pitching success. "I think he's going to be great," Alomar said of Diaz. "That first inning could have been a chance for him to cave in, but he didn't." Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxman352000 Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 f*** the grounds crew. :fyou And f*** that dump on clark and addison. :fyou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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