2003 Chicago White Sox

[SoxCards09]

The 2003 White Sox season was a memorable one. We were in it pretty much all season, but we had a manager in Jerry Manuel that was completely clueless. I watched in disbelief as he mismanaged our pitching rotation, bullpen and lineup (Mets fans, does this sound familiar?????) I've said for years he cost us between 10-15 games that year -- so it's time to see if I can do better, get us into the playoffs and win the World Series two years earlier.

[SoxCards09]

The 2002 Pale Hose finished at 81-81, 13 1/2 games behind the AL Central Champion Minnesota Twins. We picked up a couple starters in the offseason (Esteban Loaiza and Bartolo Colon) to boost our rotation and a new closer in Billy Koch from Oakland.

I just had a meeting with Jerry Reinsdorf, he expects an over .500 finish this season. With the club I have, I expect to make the playoffs. My starting pitching is the key. I need Bartolo Colon to stay healthy and pitch like he did while he was on Cleveland and I need good seasons from Garland and Loaiza.

Here's your 2003 Chicago White Sox:

2B-D'Angelo Jiminez - I'd like more speed at the top of the order, but he's the best I've got.

CF-Aaron Rowand - perfect #2 hitter.

DH-Frank Thomas - he came back from an injury shortened 2001 season and had 28 HR in '02.

RF-Magglio Ordonez - no one will be walking the Big Hurt to face Mags.

LF-Carlos Lee - if you get by Mags, you'll have to face an equally dangerous El Caballo.

1B-Paul Konerko - that's a sign of a good lineup when Paulie's hitting in the six hole.

SS-Jose Valentin - find me another SS that will give me 20+ HR's. His "D" is shabby, so I'll probably be pulling him late in games.

3B-Joe Crede - Joe hit .285 in his rookie season of '02 and will be my full time third baseman.

C-Sandy Alomar Jr - 36 years old, weak arm. Teams will be running like the wind when he's behind the plate.

Bench

C-Jamie Burke - he should be playing 2-3 times a week, doesn't have a strong arm either, but he's got a poential overall rating of 50, which isn't that bad.

1B-Brian Daubach - a nice offseaon signing, he'll be the 1st guy off my bench.

SS-Tony Graffanino - nice utility infielder, can play 2nd, 3rd or SS. Will use him when I'm resting my starters.

OF - Armando Rios - can play all three OF positions, hit .264 for Pittsburgh last year so he's another option.

OF - Willie Harris - he's the speed I need, probably the fastest cat on my club. May play 2B if Jiminez falters.

Starting Pitching

Mark Buehrle - came off a career high 19 wins in '02.

Jon Garland - was 12-14 in '02, he's going to need to step it up if we're going to go anywhere in '03.

Bartolo Colon - one of our big pick up's in the off season, if healthy (he only has 33 starts in the past 2 seasons combined), he'll be a force to be reckoned with.

Esteban Loaiza - should suffice as my #4 guy, hopefully. His ERA over 5 last year scares me.

Matt Ginter - #5 guy by default. If he's still here in May, I'd be surprised.

Bullpen

Jon Adkins - making his major league debut in 2002.

Tom Gordon - FLASH Aah! He'll save every one of us! Contenplating between him and Marte as an 8th inning guy.

Billy Koch - traded Keith Foulke for him, let's hope he can get the job done. I like his 11-4 record and 44 saves. I don't like his 46 walks.

Damaso Marte - contemplating between him and Gordon as my 8th inning guy.

Rick White - I'll put him in and close my eyes, you never know what's going to happen.

Kelly Wunsch - should be a good 7th inning guy.

[SoxCards09]

March 31, 2003

Starting Lineups

CHW (0-0)- 2B-Jiminez, CF-Rowand, DH-Thomas, RF-Ordonez, LF-Lee, 1B-Konerko, SS-Valentin, 3B-Crede, C-Burke, P-Buehrle
KCR (0-0) - RF-Tucker, LF-Bigbie, 1B-Sweeney, CF-Beltran, DH-Ibanez, SS-Berroa, 3B-Randa, 2B-Relaford, C-DiFelice, P-Affeldt

White Sox 1 7 0
> ROYALS 3 7 0

WP: Affeldt (1-0) LP: Buehrle (0-1) SV: MacDougal (1)
HR: None

Larry Bigbie, Mike Sweeney and Desi Relaford each had RBI singles as the Royals top the White Sox in the 2003 season opener. Mark Buehrle pitched good, allowing only 6 hits in 7 innings. Kelly Wunsch pitched a scoreless inning of relief. The Royals had timely hits, we didn't.

April 2, 2003

Starting Lineups

CHW (0-1)- 2B-Jiminez, CF-Rowand, DH-Thomas, RF-Ordonez, LF-Lee, 1B-Konerko, SS-Valentin, 3B-Crede, C-Burke, P-Garland
KCR (1-0) - RF-Tucker, LF-Bigbie, DH-Ibanez, CF-Beltran, 1B-Sweeney, SS-Berroa, 3B-Randa, 2B-Counsell, C-Mayne, P-Hernandez

White Sox 0 6 0
>ROYALS 12 18 0

WP: Hernandez (1-0) LP: Garland (0-1)
HR: KCR-Randa (1), Tucker (1)

This was an ugly one. Jon Garland lasted only three innings, was touched for 6 earned runs on 12 hits. The bullpen was touched for another 6 earned runs and 6 hits -- ouch! Our bats couldn't figure out Royals starter Runelvys Hernandez today, as he scattered only 6 hits and 0 runs with 7 k's in 7 1/3 innings of work. We've got Bartolo Colon on the bump tomorrow and hopefully will avoid the sweep. I don't want to start the season 0-3!

April 3, 2003

Starting Lineups

CHW (0-2)- 2B-Jiminez, CF-Rios, DH-Thomas, RF-Ordonez, LF-Lee, 1B-Konerko, SS-Valentin, 3B-Crede, C-Burke, P-Colon
KCR (2-0) - RF-Tucker, LF-Bigbie, DH-Ibanez, CF-Beltran, 1B-Sweeney, SS-Berroa, 3B-Randa, 2B-Counsell, C-Mayne, P-May


> WHITE SOX 10 16 1
Royals 2 8 0

WP: Colon (1-0) LP: May (0-1)
HR: CWS-Valentin (1), Konerko (1), Jiminez (1)

A couple of good things happened out of this game. Number 1, our bats woke up and we had three home runs in addition to pounding out 16 hits! Number 2, Bartolo Colon pitched good. He went 7 2/3 innings, allowed only 1 earned run on 7 hits, struck out 8 and walked 2. Plus, I was able to give the bullpen a rest after they had to bail out Garland in the 4th inning yesterday.


Next up: Home vs. the Detroit Tigers


Pitching matchups

April 4 -- Ortiz (0-0) DET vs. Loaiza (0-0) CWS
April 5 -- Ledezma (0-0) DET vs. Ginter (0-0) CWS
April 6 -- Maroth (1-0) DET vs. Buehrle (0-1) CWS

[SoxCards09]

April 4, 2003

Starting Lineups

CHW (1-2)- 2B-Jiminez, CF-Rowand, DH-Thomas, RF-Ordonez, LF-Lee, 1B-Konerko, SS-Valentin, 3B-Crede, C-Alomar, P-Loaiza

DET (1-2) -RF-Higginson, 2B-Morris, DH-Young, 1B-Pena, LF-Monroe, 3B-Munson, C-Barrett, CF-Kingsdale, SS-Santiago , P-R. Ortiz

> TIGERS 4 9 1
White Sox 3 7 1

WP: R. Ortiz (1-0) LP-Gordon (0-1) SV-Walker (1)
HR: DET-Munson (1), Kingsdale (1); CWS-Alomar (1)

This was a particularly hard loss to swallow, especially since we came back twice to tie the score. Detroit jumped to a 1-0 lead in the 4th on a solo shot by Eric Munson. We came back to tie in the 6th thanks to Sandy Alomar Jr.'s 1st HR of the season. The Tigers jumped back in front in the 7th, thanks to a solo shot by Gene Kingsdale. We tied it back up in the 7th thanks to an RBI double by Jose Valentin. The Tigers broke the 2-2 deadlock in the 9th. After Craig Monroe flied out, Eric Munson singled, Michael Barrett doubled in Munson and Barrett scored on a triple by Gene Kingsdale. We got a run back in the 9th, but it wasn't enough as we lose a tough one 4-3.

April 5, 2003

Starting Lineups

CHW (1-3)- CF-Harris, 2B-Graffanino, DH-Thomas, RF-Ordonez, LF-Lee, 1B-Konerko, SS-Valentin, 3B-Crede, C-Alomar, P-Ginter

DET (2-2) -RF-Higginson, 2B-Morris, DH-Young, 1B-Pena, LF-Monroe, 3B-Munson, C-Barrett, CF-Kingsdale, SS-Santiago , P-Ledezma

> TIGERS 10 12 1
White Sox 4 5 0

WP: Ledezma (1-0) LP-Ginter (0-1) SV-Spurling (1)
HR: DET-Munson (2), Kingsdale (2), Young (2), Higginson (1)

The Tigers take an early 1-0 lead, we come back to score 4 runs in the 1st -- so I say to myself, "just give me 5 innings Ginter, that's all I need." He gave me 5 1/3 innings, but they weren't pretty. The Tigers had big innings in the 5th and the 8th, scoring 3 runs each innings, hit 4 home runs off our pitchers and just basically owned us enroute to a 10-4 victory. I know it's early, but this is our 2nd loss where we really got crushed -- and we're not even playing teams that are supposed to be good. We'll see what happens tomorrow, we have our ace Buehrle on the bump against their ace Mike Maroth.