Rested Sox get ready to play World Series
CHICAGO – Standing by his locker with two souvenir champagne bottles on a shelf behind him, A.J. Pierzynski shrugged his shoulders Wednesday and said the chaos he created in the A.L. Championship Series is over. Now it’s time for the World Series.
“They say you get what you can handle, and I can handle it just fine,” Pierzynski said as the Chicago White Sox resumed workouts after a two-day break and started to prepare for Saturday’s Series opener.
The White Sox claimed their first pennant since 1959 Sunday by beating the Angels in a five-game ALCS and will meet Houston, with the first two games in Chicago.
Pierzynski was in the middle of three pivotal plays, the most crucial at the end of Game 2 when he ran to first on a third strike that the plate umpire ruled hit the dirt, was ruled safe and set up the winning ninth-inning run, a victory that evened the series.
“The further you get in the playoffs, every little move is scrutinized. It’s fine if it is on me, it means it’s not on anyone else,” Pierzynski said. “What happened in the last series is over. It all worked out for us. And the best part is that I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m becoming a villain and I didn’t do anything wrong. I just did my job.”
Pierzynski also created a ruckus by hitting the bat of the Angels’ Steve Finley with his mitt in a play that should have been catcher’s interference. And he was involved in yet another disputed call when he ran to first base and was tagged with pitcher Kelvim Escobar’s glove and not the ball in Game 5. He again reached after umpires reversed their initial decision, starting Chicago’s go-ahead rally.
“You read stuff and see stuff where people are calling me (names) and that I was trying to cheat and this and that,” Pierzynski said. “I don’t know what I did to deserve that.”
Jose Contreras will pitch to Pierzynski in the opener, although White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen at first said he’d wait until today to make the announcement.
Contreras, who pitched Chicago’s LCS-record fourth straight complete game in Sunday’s clincher, will be going on five days’ rest. He started the openers of both playoff series so far and is 2-1 in the 2005 postseason.
Buehrle, the winner of Game 2 against the Angels, would have 10 days off between starts if he goes Sunday.
“Either way we set the rotation, it’s a lot of guys who are going to have nine days off, 10 days off,” Guillen said. “We have to figure out how to get them less days, but it is impossible.”
If the starters are well rested, the bullpen has been on holiday, throwing just seven pitches in the ALCS, all by Neal Cotts. Some relievers will be throwing simulated games this week to get ready.
“If you’re a weak mental guy, it can get to you,” pitching coach Don Cooper said of the long layoff between outings. “Whether you have two minutes’ rest or two weeks’ rest, you’re going to have energy. Control that energy, bring your stuff to the glove and I guarantee we’ll have a real good chance of getting people out.”
General manager Ken Williams said the bullpen will have to be ready because “I have a feeling the relievers will come into play in a big way” in the World Series.
Several thousand available tickets sold out in 18 minutes this week, and large newspaper headlines blared Chicago’s return to the World Series for the first time in 46 years.
“You never know when you’re going to get a chance to be here again. I’m going to soak it all in and enjoy it while it’s here,” said third baseman Joe Crede, who had go-ahead hits in two games of the ALCS.
Williams, who rebuilt the team in the off-season, reminded that getting there was one accomplishment but not the one he’s looking for.
“Right now, we’re still in the grind of it. You’ve got to keep that edge to you. OK, yeah, (it’s) a happy, joyful occasion,” Williams said. “We’re here at the World Series, love it. But what the heck is it going to mean if you don’t win it? I don’t want to go home without that ring.”