Professional ballplayers often use the media as a punching bag or as an alibi, sometimes both, so it was surprising here Monday, on the eve of the White Sox opener, to hear Chris Snopek express thanks to Chicago’s baseball writers.
“They haven’t put a lot of pressure on me,” Snopek said during the final workout at SkyDome. “They’ve been low-key and I appreciate that. They respect me and my game and that adds to my confidence.”
Snopek, 26, is the interim third baseman who is replacing the wounded Robin Ventura, who broke his leg sliding into the plate in an exhibition game. He is expected to miss, at the least, the first half of the championship season.
In addition to a quick bat and superlative defensive skills, Snopek is among the league leaders in confidence.
“He doesn’t have doubts about his ability,” said General Manager Ron Schueler.
Within hours after Ventura went down, Schueler began receiving trade offers for third basemen.
“I got 10, maybe 12 calls,” Schueler said. “A lot of them were for over-age players. I didn’t consider any of them. We knew we’d go with Snopek. I would have been a lot more concerned if we didn’t have him.”
Neither Schueler nor anyone else expects Snopek to play as well as Ventura, who is among baseball’s best third basemen.
“He could be an everyday player with a lot of clubs,” Schueler insisted. “He can make some plays and drive in some runs.”
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Manager Terry Bevington seemed to agree.
“Who knows what he’s liable to do?” he said. “He could have a big year.”
The Sox didn’t seem overly excited during their 90-minute SkyDome workout. It was a dull, gloomy day that seemed appropriate to the general mood.
“We’re ready to go,” Schueler said during an impromptu dugout press conference. “We’re facing two good pitchers (Pat Hentgen and Roger Clemens) right off the bat. It will be a good test. We’ll find out how good we really are.”
Then Schueler offered an amendment.
“And they’ll be facing two good pitchers too,” he said, referring to Jaime Navarro, the ex-Cub the club acquired as a free agent, and Wilson Alvarez, the newly anointed stopper to replace the departed Alex Fernandez.
The two White Sox elders, shortstop Guillen and catcher Ron Karkovice, are also ready.
“I feel good,” said Karkovice, who has had less than 400 at-bats in each of the last three seasons. “My goal is to stay healthy through August and September.”
Then, remembering the playoffs and the World Series, Karkovice said, “And through the whole October.”
As for Guillen, this is his 13th White Sox opener.
He was asked if he was going to have a good year.
“I’m hoping,” he said. “All they have to do is play me.”
Is he planning to hang it up soon?
“Five more years,” Guillen said.
Cito Gaston, beginning his ninth season as the Toronto manager, was on the other side of the field holding court when someone mentioned Thomas and Albert Belle, who between them had hit only one spring-training home run in 126 at bats. Thomas finished the exhibition season with a .288 average. Belle hit .209.
Gaston was asked if the Thomas-Belle home run drought frightened him because of the possibility they have been saving the long ball for the regular season.
“I’m shaking right now,” Gaston replied with a laugh. “I hope Bevington doesn’t unleash them here.”
Clemens, the superstar pitcher signed during the off-season, usually works the opener but Gaston is saving him for the second game. Instead, Hentgen, last year’s AL Cy Young winner with a 20-10 record, will have the distinction of opposing Navarro in Tuesday’s opener.
“Pat deserves it,” Gaston said. “He’s carried us a lot of years. I think he’s underrated.”
The Jays increased their payroll by $20 million during the off-season. Clemens, a free agent, was signed for four years for $31 million. The Jays also picked up catcher Benito Santiago and have moved slugger Joe Carter from left field to first base.