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White Sox hope to rewrite history

White Sox (15-16) at A’s (19-12), 9:05 p.m. CT

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Vote now for the 2003 All-Star game

# A's preview

 

Most Chicagoans look forward to a spring trip out West, getting out of the cold and blustery local conditions. It doesn’t have quite carry the same excitement for the White Sox.

 

Mark Buehrle / P

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 200

Bats/Throws: L/L

 

More info:

Player page

Stats

Splits

White Sox site

etopps

 

Over 12 games played in Oakland, Anaheim and Seattle last year, the White Sox picked up one victory and were outscored by a combined 98-34 margin. The first West Coast trip of 2003 starts Tuesday in Oakland, where the White Sox lost all six played in 2002.

 

But, the team is optimistic this excursion could be a turning point to overcome a slow start.

 

“We have to forget about what’s happened out there in the past,” said White Sox shortstop Jose Valentin, whose team was outscored by a 49-11 margin in Oakland. “This West Coast trip could be a good one for us, a real turn around.

 

“Our team never plays well out there. This time, maybe we will go out and sweep the guys in Oakland and Seattle.”

 

The White Sox's goal all season has been to win each series, a more realistic target on their upcoming trip. It all begins Tuesday night, with a rematch on the mound of the Mark Mulder-Mark Buehrle battle from last Wednesday.

 

Mulder won that game, 4-1, dominating the White Sox from start to finish in his second complete game of the season. Buehrle was sharp over six innings, but was victimized by the dense fog in which Magglio Ordonez lost Eric Byrnes’ pop up. It fell for a triple, leading to a two-run Oakland rally and changing the game’s momentum

 

Buehrle had two very different outings in Oakland last season. His shortest career start came in a 16-1 loss to the A’s on April 27, but then he lost a 1-0 pitcher’s duel to Cory Lidle on August 16.

 

Only three of the six games in Oakland were decided by three runs or fewer. The White Sox struggling offense gets a break after Mulder, facing Ted Lilly and John Halama instead of Tim Hudson or Barry Zito.

 

“It could be a good trip for us,” said White Sox manager Jerry Manuel. “I haven’t looked at the schedule to say what trip is good and at what time we need it. But it’s still somewhat early in the season.”

 

Pitching matchup:

CHI: LHP Mark Buehrle

# 2-4, 3.72 in 2003

# 0-1, 6.00 vs. OAK in 2003

# 1-4, 4.39 lifetime vs. OAK

 

OAK: LHP Mark Mulder

# 4-1, 3.14 in 2003

# 1-0, 1.00 vs. CHI in 2003

# 3-0, 2.99 lifetime vs. CHI

 

Players to watch: As shown by Mulder’s complete-game victory last Wednesday at U.S. Cellular Field, not many of the players in the White Sox's lineup get good swings against the young left-hander. Carlos Lee has the greatest success, going 5-for-14, including a double off the center-field wall Wednesday.

 

Quotable: “When you are not playing well, you hope for a lot of season. We have a lot of season out there. When you are playing well, you hope for the season to get over quickly. I just don’t think we’ve played our best baseball over an extended period of time as of yet.” -- Jerry Manuel on his team after 30 games this season.

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Wow, drastic move!  Was there no trade market for him?

LOL... It's a crappy free CNNSI league. My fellow workers wouldn't know how to play a real league if it jumped up and bit them in the ass. :-)

 

You get $, you pick 12 players and get points based on what they do. Real simple.... yet they still need explination every single Monday :huh:

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LOL... It's a crappy free CNNSI league. My fellow workers wouldn't know how to play a real league if it jumped up and bit them in the ass. :-)

 

You get $, you pick 12 players and get points based on what they do. Real simple.... yet they still need explination every single Monday  :huh:

Ah, now I see. That makes much more sense then. You should be able to get him much cheaper in a week, with games against Oakland and Seattle coming up.

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I think we could be pleasantly surprised. Mark's due for a good outing sooner or later. Hope its tonight. If the clubhouse is doing their job, all the bad press is on their bulletin board as they head out. I get the feeling everyone's expecting them to fail - and since when have they done what we expected this season?

 

After all, weren't we supposed to be running away with it by now?

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