Pods excited for return to Miller Park

[Jabroni]

"Notes: Familiar territory for Podsednik

White Sox's leadoff hitter excited for return to Miller Park"

MILWAUKEE -- The real estate between first and second base at Miller Park may be awfully familiar to Scott Podsednik. The extra steps beyond the home clubhouse door to the visitor's side, however, is another matter.

 

"I wanted to take that early right walking through the tunnel," Podsednik said about his return to Milwaukee for Chicago's final two exhibition games before Opening Day. "It's going to be exciting to come back, see the guys, playing in front of these fans."

 

The speedster stole a Major League-best 70 bases for the Brewers in 2004, and the two-day jaunt on the exhibition schedule allowed him to return to the city where he holds the single-season franchise record for swipes.

 

"I've learned a lot the past couple seasons. I've learned what I'm capable of doing as a player as far as my strengths and weaknesses," Podsednik said. "Last year, I tried to do a lot more than what I was capable of doing. But it's been a good, solid spring. Everybody's ready to get to the real deal. The bell's about to ring, so we have to get the last couple days' work in and get ready for Monday."

 

Despite thriving on the base paths, much was made of Podsednik's struggles at the plate in 2004, when he hit .244 after logging a .314 average in the same number of games during an impressive rookie campaign one year earlier.

 

"He worries about himself too much," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "If he goes 0-for-4, he worries about it too much. I say, 'Listen, I played 16 years and I went 0-for-4 almost every day. Don't worry about it, just go out and play the game the way you play.'"

 

"I think I got a little pull-happy last year, I was just trying to do too much with the bat," Podsednik said. "I want (fans) to leave the ballpark thinking, 'Wow, that guy was always on base, and that guy was always in scoring position.' That's my job, I have to use my legs to get on second base and get in scoring position for the guys behind me."

 

Podsednik was not in the starting lineup for the Friday night meeting with Milwaukee.