Jump to content

Spring Training is Officially Here


joejoesox

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 127
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Is Brian Andersons surgically repaired wrist his right wrist?

 

Either his muscles are twisting and looking goofy during that throw, or his muscles are still small(atrophied?) from his surgery. Either way it looks kind of wierd.

Edited by kyyle23
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The longer Gavin's hair, the better year he'll have...

 

I also think Cox is seriously hurt himself in that picture, that's not an example of a hook slide, thats a hip dislocation...

Edited by Cali
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice to see Kong finally ready to take a more vocal role...

 

Konerko on lead vocals

Sox' captain has learned from '07, says he should've spoken up earlier

 

February 25, 2008

BY JOE COWLEY [email protected]

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Leave it to Paul Konerko to find some sort of consolation in last season's White Sox disaster.

 

''We had the best chemistry you'll ever find for a team with 90 losses,'' said the Sox' team captain, displaying his usual dry sense of humor.

 

But after enduring a season in which he now admits, ''I definitely think I dropped the ball,'' Konerko seems to have a grasp on how to make sure history doesn't repeat itself.

 

''Jimmy [Thome] and I have talked about it, and I think a few times for sure, before things got away from us, I should have said something,'' Konerko said. ''I mean, by July and August, you can go out there and get the best leader in the history of sports to come in, and there is nothing he can say at that point. But there were some instances early on that I definitely think I dropped the ball. I could have said something or did something that, who knows, maybe it would have changed the direction.''

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Ken Williams have said they want a vocal leader, and now they seem to have one. The knock on Konerko has been that he's from the school of leading by example. He seemed to wear the captain's "C'' reluctantly.

 

Several times last season, when asked by the media if he felt a team meeting was necessary, Konerko would say, ''Calling team meetings is something football teams do,'' or ''If I felt we weren't all pulling in the same direction, I would.''

 

Looking back on it now, Konerko said it was just inexperience on his part.

 

''I've never had a season like that,'' Konerko said. ''Since I've been with the White Sox, which is basically my entire career, we've always had competitive teams. Teams that competed well into August and even September. This was a new experience, and it won't catch me off-guard again.''

 

That's just what Guillen wanted to hear.

 

''It's all about the players,'' Guillen said. ''It's a lot better when it comes from a teammate. When it comes from a manager, they can roll their eyes and say, 'Oh, there's Ozzie talking one more time.' When it comes from the players, it means they have the same feeling as we do. They know each other better than I do.

 

''Paulie is putting a lot of weight on his shoulders, but at the same time, I'm not saying we've had a problem with leadership, but we should have been doing a little better job. Coming from a player to the team, it has more belief.''

 

While Konerko didn't name names, he did say there were times last season when the focus wasn't there. That's why the Sox can expect a serious talk from their captain when spring training ends.

 

''The main thing is to have some rules in place to where everyone knows that we have a set approach with the way we want to do things every day,'' Konerko said. ''The clubhouse, especially after you play so many games, it can get into a rut where come 6 p.m. or 6:30, guys aren't focused on the game, and everybody is included in that. Set the ground rules that when the clock strikes this time, 'OK, all that stuff is over, let's get going.'

 

''It's just a matter of each guy saying, 'I know what I have to do to get ready. I have to do what I can and not have someone else tell me.' But with some of the other stuff -- playing cards, doing some other stuff -- we need some ground rules, and we need to stick to them.

 

''We'll do that at the end of spring training when the numbers get down. It will be pretty simple, just, 'Hey, listen, these are a few things that last year might have gotten away from us, things we saw on the bus, things on the plane, and we're going to be tighter on this stuff.' Little things to make sure we're a little more focused on the game.''

 

Not that Konerko is planning to play ''bad cop'' like former Sox teammate Carl Everett. Far from it. Konerko still feels the best way to lead is by his actions.

 

''Show up, do your work, get ready for the game, give good at-bats,'' Konerko said. ''Anything you say can't equal that kind of stuff.

 

''The key is that if it looks, talks and acts like last year, we jump on it and say, 'Hey, we went down that road before, and I saw this go from this and then turn into this.' You live and learn.''

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First intrasquad game highlights....

 

Off and running

 

TUCSON, Ariz. – How much is at stake for the White Sox this season?

 

The first intrasquad game of the spring answered that, as general manager Ken Williams was so into it that he clapped and all but jumped out of his seat after Jerry Owens led the bottom of the first off with a picture-perfect bunt down the first base line.

Owens, who is a candidate for the starting job in left field, as well as the lead-off spot, then scored on a perfectly executed hit-and-run from Orlando Cabrera. Welcome to Sox baseball 2008.

While Owens did leave the game after tweaking his groin in the second inning, manager Ozzie Guillen said it wasn’t serious and he would be able to play in the final intrasquad game on Tuesday if need be.

Owens and Nick Swisher each finished the game with two hits, but Owens was clearly the story.

 

Other highlights included:

 

--Starter Gavin Floyd went two innings, allowing an unearned run thanks to a Cabrera error at shortstop, and only giving up a Swisher single.

 

--Reliever Scott Linebrink allowing an earned run off two hits in an inning of work.

 

--Reliever Ehren Wassermann looking nasty in throwing a perfect inning.

 

--Left-hander Andrew Sisco throwing a scoreless inning, as well as ending the game on a double play.

 

--Rookie Alexei Ramirez – starting at shortstop – falling a few feet short of a home run off Floyd in his first at-bat.

 

The trib's take...

 

Intrasquad highlights

 

By Mark Gonzales - 3:12 p.m.

 

TUCSON, Ariz. - White Sox outfielder Jerry Owens tweaked his groin but is expected to return in time for Wednesday's exhibition opener, if not sooner.

 

Owens hurt his leg while momentarily stopping between first and second base to watch the flight of Orlando Cabrera's sacrifice fly before retreating to first. Owens only made it to third on Paul Konerko's ensuing double down the left field line.

 

Owens impressed the Sox's staff by perfectly executing a drag bunt in the first inning. Cabrera's hit-and-run play in the first inning scored Owens and pleased Guillen and general manager Ken Williams.

 

Alexei Ramirez missed a home run by a few feet, hitting a line drive to the warning track. Left-hander Andrew Sisco, now using a more compact delivery, pitched a scoreless inning.

 

Infielder Pablo Ozuna hit an RBI triple. Nick Swisher had two hits and scored twice, but his failure to not sprint to first on a first-inning single disappointed Williams.

Edited by The Ginger Kid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(Cali @ Feb 25, 2008 -> 11:16 PM)
Here's a bunch of pics from Photo Day....

 

Photo Day 2008

 

I like how Swisher looks in the pinstripes \m/

 

Massets first picture is hilarious, that look on his face cracked me up.

 

On a side note Ginger: Do you go to Tin Horn Flats for Bears games?

Or if you want to have even more fun you can search for "Chicago White Sox" and "Media Day", start on page 22 and work your way back to the present. So many awesome pictures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Feb 25, 2008 -> 10:03 PM)
On occasion - more before i wasted money and bought the dish and the NFL package. You?

 

Every Sunday...

 

I'm sure we've been there at the same time but never really knew it....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...