Rowand's hustle still appreciated

[aboz56]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Rowand's hustle still appreciated

Former teammates respect center fielder's all-out play

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

MINNEAPOLIS -- As White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen watched a replay of Aaron Rowand's amazing Willie Mays-like effort from Thursday night's game in Philadelphia, he immediately thought of the many moments when Rowand sacrificed life and limb to make plays for him and the White Sox during the past two seasons.

 

When Guillen saw Rowand, admittedly one of his favorite players, bent over in pain, with blood pouring from his face, his reaction quickly turned from appreciation to shock.

 

"I went from, 'What a play' to 'Oh, no,'" said Guillen, recounting his reaction before Friday's series opener at the Metrodome. "You don't want to see that happen to anybody, especially when you got a great relationship with the guy. It's really unfortunate.

 

"That's what I was worried about having him here all the time. That's the way he plays. That's the way people should play the game."

 

The story on Rowand, who clearly is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, was that he would run through a wall to make a catch. That depiction basically came to fruition Thursday night.

 

With the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning, the Mets' Xavier Nady launched a full-count offering to center that Rowand caught over-the-shoulder, on the dead run, saving the Phillies in a 2-0, rain-shortened victory at Citizens Bank Park. The aftershocks of the play, though, temporarily overshadowed the great effort.

 

Rowand had surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Friday to repair a broken nose, broke in three places, according to White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. He also suffered non-displaced fractures around his left eye and received 15 stitches for lacerations to his face.

 

"My first concern was that he was as good as he can be," said Pierzynski, a close friend of Rowand from their season together with the White Sox. "They basically had to repair the whole left side of his face pretty much."

 

Pierzynski spoke to Rowand on Friday morning, while many others sent text messages to Rowand's cell phone. The visitors' clubhouse was filled with concerned players in regard to Rowand's condition.

 

There also wasn't a surprised individual among the White Sox in seeing the incredible effort put forth by Rowand or the resulting crash into the chain-link portion of the center-field fence. Brian Anderson, who took over for Rowand in center, said it was watching Rowand make all those crazy plays that helped him feel comfortable picking up a few bruises of his own in order to make the play.

 

"That guy never ceases to amaze me," said Anderson of his mentor. "He will literally run into anything for a ball. You can take Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones, and they are amazing athletes and they can climb walls and that sort of stuff.

 

"But you have to be a [tough guy] to do that kind of stuff. He face-planted into that wall. The guy, his body comes second. He wants to catch the ball no matter where it is. He rubbed off on me a lot. That's my mentality. Who better to learn from than him?"

 

Guillen also pointed out that Rowand would have been back in action Friday if not for the surgery. He was that kind of player with the White Sox and hasn't changed with the Phillies.

 

"You see him play for you every day, you see that type of play on TV, that's not a shock," Guillen said. "People have to look in the mirror and know that baseball is not easy and you can't take anything for granted.

 

"At any minute, you can get hurt. You need one second to be out of this game. Players have to appreciate this game every minute they play."

[WCSox]

It speaks volumes that Rowand's ex-teammates were calling and text-messaging him yesterday morning. I'd love to see Aaron in a Sox uniform again some day.

[Rowand44]

[worldchampsox05]

It speaks volumes that Rowand's ex-teammates were calling and text-messaging him yesterday morning. I'd love to see Aaron in a Sox uniform again some day.

me too...he was my favorite..but no guarantees that he will =(

[RX Bandits]

I have a bone to pick with pretty much all of soxtalk. I loved Aaron as much as everybody else. Yet lets not kid ourselves, Aaron was an average player. Without Thome we would have been screwed with first couple weeks. I am not saying anyone in this thread said "Thome sucks I want Rowand back" but never have I seen such love for a player because he was a nice guy. Aarons defense in CF was awesome, but Brian Anderson HAS played a GREAT CF.

 

Now that I said it...grill me on it.

[witesoxfan]

I have a bone to pick with pretty much all of soxtalk. I loved Aaron as much as everybody else. Yet lets not kid ourselves, Aaron was an average player. Without Thome we would have been screwed with first couple weeks. I am not saying anyone in this thread said "Thome sucks I want Rowand back" but never have I seen such love for a player because he was a nice guy. Aarons defense in CF was awesome, but Brian Anderson HAS played a GREAT CF.

 

Now that I said it...grill me on it.

 

No way dude...there's absolutely nothing wrong at all about that. As far as Rowand's value is concerned as an actual player, he isn't much more than average. He's a good defensive CFer, but he is very average at the plate, maybe slightly above average. The reason most people on here love Rowand is not because of the player he is, but because of how he goes about his business. He never fails to bust ass on the field, even if it means busting his nose in the process. If you don't like a player because of that, I have no problem with it...I don't necessarily agree with it, but you're entitled to your opinion, just like everyone else on Soxtalk.

[Rowand44]

I have a bone to pick with pretty much all of soxtalk. I loved Aaron as much as everybody else. Yet lets not kid ourselves, Aaron was an average player. Without Thome we would have been screwed with first couple weeks. I am not saying anyone in this thread said "Thome sucks I want Rowand back" but never have I seen such love for a player because he was a nice guy. Aarons defense in CF was awesome, but Brian Anderson HAS played a GREAT CF.

 

Now that I said it...grill me on it.

There's a ton of reasons why Aaron was so loved here: the way he plays, the kind of guy he was, how much he loved playing for the sox, etc. I miss Aaron as much as anyone but if anyone regrets that trade then they need to be slapped upside the head.

[RX Bandits]

I totally agree. I loved Aaron when he was patrolling CF and I thought he got f***ed over out of a gold glove last year. It was awesome seeing Aaron come back to get his ring. Yet I guess I am just tired of the "Aarons a free agent next year lets sign him." I guess I am going to pull a Hawk and say "But where would he play?!?!"