Sxy Mofo
03-30-2005, 04:06 PM
TUCSON, Ariz. -- It was far from the best outing of Mark Buehrle's career, yet it was significant nonetheless.
Buehrle pitched a shaky but effective five innings Tuesday as he reached the final stage of his recovery from an odd foot injury that had threatened to spoil the White Sox' rotation plans.
Buehrle gave up three runs (two earned) and eight hits in five innings with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 87 pitches and even had an at-bat at the Colorado Rockies' home park, striking out in an admittedly satisfying eight pitches.
"No pain, and everything went fine,'' Buehrle said. "I was up in the zone a little bit more than I want to, but I'm not worried going into Opening Day about my control. It's just not being out there for a while and getting back out there and getting a little adrenaline going.
"I was up in the strike zone early, and I threw a little more pitches than I wanted to. It's no big deal.''
On March 20, Buehrle felt the pop heard 'round the South Side, as his left foot began to bother him from some type of stress reaction. The Sox said an old injury might be to blame for Buehrle suffering pain so severe that he could not put weight on his foot and it hurt to touch it.
Just as quickly as it came on, though, the injury faded away, but the Sox took their time before allowing their Opening Day starter to pitch again.
After nine days on the sideline, which included a couple of bullpen sessions, Buehrle was turned loose.
"He had some problems at the beginning of the game -- maybe he was a little anxious,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He wanted to be on the mound so badly. But besides that, he did his job. He just went out and pitched his innings. The best thing about it is that he got out of there healthy. I think he's ready to go for the season.''
The outing was Buehrle's last before Opening Day, but he still thinks he can deliver 100 pitches in the opener.
"Not being out there for 10 days and missing a start, I didn't think it would affect me,'' Buehrle said. "But even [catcher A.J. Pierzynski] said after the first 10 pitches in that first inning that everything was up. I kind of settled down.
"If you would have asked me, I wouldn't have said it affected me, but it obviously did because I threw [87] pitches in five innings.''
Before the injury, Buehrle was having the best spring of anybody on the staff. He was 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA before Tuesday. In his previous start, March 19 against the Kansas City Royals, Buehrle pitched six perfect innings.
Buehrle will pitch one more bullpen session Friday in Milwaukee before the Sox-Brewers exhibition game. He then will pitch Monday against the Cleveland Indians in the Sox' first home Opening Day in 15 years.
"I think he can easily go seven innings, I don't have any doubt in my mind,'' Guillen said. "He has the confidence. The main thing was for him to get out of here healthy.''
It didn't please Guillen that Buehrle came to the plate in the third inning, but there was nothing he could do about it. Buehrle fouled off three pitches in his eight-pitch at-bat, including one in the dirt that came uncomfortably close to his left foot. "There weren't many chances of me putting it in play anyway, but [Guillen] said, 'If you do, don't try to leg it out,''' Buehrle said. "If it goes in the gap, just stay on first. Just take it easy out there.''
Good to hear
Buehrle pitched a shaky but effective five innings Tuesday as he reached the final stage of his recovery from an odd foot injury that had threatened to spoil the White Sox' rotation plans.
Buehrle gave up three runs (two earned) and eight hits in five innings with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 87 pitches and even had an at-bat at the Colorado Rockies' home park, striking out in an admittedly satisfying eight pitches.
"No pain, and everything went fine,'' Buehrle said. "I was up in the zone a little bit more than I want to, but I'm not worried going into Opening Day about my control. It's just not being out there for a while and getting back out there and getting a little adrenaline going.
"I was up in the strike zone early, and I threw a little more pitches than I wanted to. It's no big deal.''
On March 20, Buehrle felt the pop heard 'round the South Side, as his left foot began to bother him from some type of stress reaction. The Sox said an old injury might be to blame for Buehrle suffering pain so severe that he could not put weight on his foot and it hurt to touch it.
Just as quickly as it came on, though, the injury faded away, but the Sox took their time before allowing their Opening Day starter to pitch again.
After nine days on the sideline, which included a couple of bullpen sessions, Buehrle was turned loose.
"He had some problems at the beginning of the game -- maybe he was a little anxious,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He wanted to be on the mound so badly. But besides that, he did his job. He just went out and pitched his innings. The best thing about it is that he got out of there healthy. I think he's ready to go for the season.''
The outing was Buehrle's last before Opening Day, but he still thinks he can deliver 100 pitches in the opener.
"Not being out there for 10 days and missing a start, I didn't think it would affect me,'' Buehrle said. "But even [catcher A.J. Pierzynski] said after the first 10 pitches in that first inning that everything was up. I kind of settled down.
"If you would have asked me, I wouldn't have said it affected me, but it obviously did because I threw [87] pitches in five innings.''
Before the injury, Buehrle was having the best spring of anybody on the staff. He was 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA before Tuesday. In his previous start, March 19 against the Kansas City Royals, Buehrle pitched six perfect innings.
Buehrle will pitch one more bullpen session Friday in Milwaukee before the Sox-Brewers exhibition game. He then will pitch Monday against the Cleveland Indians in the Sox' first home Opening Day in 15 years.
"I think he can easily go seven innings, I don't have any doubt in my mind,'' Guillen said. "He has the confidence. The main thing was for him to get out of here healthy.''
It didn't please Guillen that Buehrle came to the plate in the third inning, but there was nothing he could do about it. Buehrle fouled off three pitches in his eight-pitch at-bat, including one in the dirt that came uncomfortably close to his left foot. "There weren't many chances of me putting it in play anyway, but [Guillen] said, 'If you do, don't try to leg it out,''' Buehrle said. "If it goes in the gap, just stay on first. Just take it easy out there.''
Good to hear