DBAHO

Rally McFlurry Time?

Been pretty good this year, we mite see Francisco who we traded in a package for Carl Everett.

Inning ova, and I suspect that'll be it for Shoe too, pitch count at 113.

Damn.

That's why I thought Olivo would be playin, but I guess Alomar has been catchin for Shoe.

O-E-O

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--A year ago, the White Sox viewed Andy Gonzalez as their shortstop of the future. But as he struggled miserably at low Class A Kannapolis, and shortstop Mike Morse blossomed at high Class A Winston-Salem, those plans have changed. The Sox moved Gonzalez to third in spring training and the fifth-rounder in 2001 has responded. While he hasn't had the same kind of pressure making the change as the Yankees' more high-profile move of a shortstop to third base, the move has taken some getting used to. So has the abuse from teammates. "The ball gets to you quicker," Gonzalez said. "At short, you have a lot more time to get reads. At third, it's all reaction. You take balls off the chest, off your shoulders, off your legs, but whatever you do, you've got to keep it in front of you. It's been a change, but I like it. People kid around with me a lot about A-Rod, but I mean, come on." Gonzalez seems a lot more upbeat this year than he did in 2003, when he hit just .231-1-39 in 429 at-bats for the Intimidators. In fact, there was nothing even slightly intimidating about his game. He started slumping at the plate, which carried over to the field. He committed 38 errors in 121 games. His first full season last year was a far cry from his first year at Rookie-level Bristol, when he batted .280-1-45. Gonzalez batted third in the lineup for then-manager Nick Leyva, who said he was the team's leader on and off the field. "He knew how to play and he was a guy everybody looked up to," said Leyva, now a roving infield instructor for the Sox. "I think his struggles last year can be chalked up to immaturity. Last year, he was hitting down in the lineup, and I think just little things like that tend to bother Andy. "He got off to a tough start and got really down on himself. He wasn't hitting the ball very well, so we sat him for a few games. He'd have to come to the ballpark on a daily basis, and the first thing he'd have to do is look at that wall to see if his name was on the board. I don't think he was used to that at all. Sometimes when you've been where he's been and you've had a great high school career and you're mister all-star and stuff, you don't even look at the lineup. You take it for granted that you're automatic." A prep standout out of Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Fla., the 22-year-old had a lot of early successes, but nothing could have prepared him for the funk he endured last season. "Last year was my first full season and I started hitting bad," Gonzalez said. "Then all of the sudden everything went bad. I wasn't playing my game. Everything was an uphill battle for me. I had completely lost my confidence in my ability. "But I've been though a lot of things in my life, both personal problems off the field and on it. It's all in the way you approach it. I had to take a step back and realize that this is just a game. There are always going to be tough times, but you can always get back to the field tomorrow." A native Puerto Rican, Gonzalez started this season back in Kannapolis, which agitated him at first, but turned out to light a fire under him. Three weeks and 13 hits in his 48 at-bats later, he moved up to Winston-Salem. "In spring training I got mad," he said. "I'll be totally honest. I was like, 'Here we go, back to Kannapolis again.' So I used it to challenge myself, go back there, put up numbers and let them decide where I should be. All I can do is be responsible for myself. They make the decisions; I play for them. "The first week in Kannapolis, I couldn't buy a hit and I started to doubt myself a little bit again. But I worked real hard mentally on just letting things go. I let it go everyday when things weren't going well that first week and good things started to happen. They know I can play; I just have to show it. I just have to have confidence in myself." The confidence is showing now--even though he is hitting just .221 in 104 at-bats for the Warthogs, Gonzalez's four homers are one shy of his career high. "I think when he starts to use his legs more, he can be an RBI guy," Leyva said. "He's a very, very intelligent hitter. He's the type of guy where situational-wise, he's another manager on the field for you. He's a pretty sharp kid. He's been playing baseball his whole life."

Shoe's pitch count at 75.

HE GAWN!

Good to see Shoe get off to a pretty good start, pitch count at 60 afta 3 innings though, I wouldn't expect him to go more than 6 or 7 inning tonite.

I hope the Bills hav the worst record this upcoming season, no offence witesoxfan but I think u know why.

How's that for a Lego Weapon.

The days when they didn't hav toilets.

That's the problem, would u pay $48 million ova 4 years for a 5th starter.

Gees u ain't an investor or shareholder are ya Tex?

WHEN US film-maker Morgan Spurlock unwrapped a McDonald's Big Mac in Sydney yesterday, his eyes opened wide and he grinned broadly. Only it wasn't the burger the 33-year-old was so excited about, but the nutrition table on its wrapping. "Wow, they haven't got that in the States yet," he said before screwing up his nose at the smell of the fast food. Last year, Spurlock spent 30 days eating McDonald's for breakfast, lunch and dinner and documented his gastronomic journey in the award-winning film Super Size Me. The idea for the documentary, which will be released nationally on June 3, came after he saw a TV news report about two teenagers suing McDonald's for making them obese. At the beginning of the month, the 188cm Spurlock weighed 84kg and was deemed fit and healthy by three doctors - a GP, a liver and blood specialist, and a cardiologist, who monitored his progress. Within two weeks his liver, according to his GP, had "turned to pate", he had gained more than 11kg, and his cholesterol had risen from 168 to 230. By week three Spurlock woke one morning with chest pains and heart palpitations. "The worst thing was the mood swings. I would be so excited when I'd eat and then I'd come crashing down - the highs and the lows were incredible because the food is filled with so much fat and sugar and caffeine, and all the stuff gets you amped up." As for eating another Big Mac, Spurlock's answer is surprising. "To this day, if I smell a Big Mac I want it. It makes my mouth water. I can't eat it though, because it doesn't even taste like food any more. If I take a bite of a Big Mac it will leave this McFilm in my mouth that I can't even explain."

I can see a drunk joke comin along on this thread very soon.

Anderson seems like to me like a mini version of Joe Borchard with the power but he'll hit for a better average. Hopefully he can continue to put up real good numbers for Birmingham, and we mite see him in Charlotte for 2005.

I went to a footy game down here last Saturday with my sis, it was a fully ticketed sellout match, and we got in 10 mins afta the game started. By the time we made it to our seats, we discovered 2 idiots sittin in our seats (they had standing room only seats). Don't know bout u, but this really pissed me off. I don't mind ppl havin a few drinks, but they should be held accountable for their behaviour if they cross the line. A few years ago, I saw 2 drunks about 5 rows in front supporting diff teams start a fully fledged brawl against each otha. Luckily the cops broke it up quickly.

Go Cowboys.

If you are Arizona, do you resign Sexson to a long term deal? I mean if we can ship out Konerko, and we lose Maggs, Koch and Valentin, we could easily get Sexson on a long term deal.

C'mon out Tex there's nowhere to hide.

I liked the old logo betta.

Afta what just happened to Richie Sexson, expect the Finley, Randy Johnson and Shea Hillenbrand trade rumors to heat up. Hmm Hillenbrand to replace Crede.

Now I know ppl love their red x's, but that's not what I came to see.