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April 27, 2006
Doug Padilla: Angels fans part of equation
The White Sox are coming to town and their players seem convinced Angels fans will be a factor this weekend. There is plenty on the line after the White Sox beat the Angels in last season's ALCS, but some interesting subplots exist. There is the player everybody loves to hate, A.J. Pierzynski, and the controversial Strike 3 last season that saw the catcher reach first base. And there is the Paul Konerko factor, as the White Sox first baseman could have signed with the Angels but took less money to return to Chicago.
“It’s still so early in the season, but that won’t stop us from going out there and giving it everything we have, just like they will," White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks said. "It will be an interesting series, especially if they do hold any type of grudges, you know with A.J. We’ll have to see when we get there.’’
Konerko figures the White Sox to get a hated reception, but not as bad as Doug Eddings would get. Eddings was the umpire in Game 2 of the ALCS when Pierzynski reached first base after it was ruled his third strike was in the dirt. The reception for Konerko is also expected to be unkind, but it could be worse.
"Put it this way, it probably won’t be half as bad as the reception I would get if I was coming back to U.S. Cellular Field and playing with the Angels," Konerko said this week.
Posted by Doug Padilla at April 27, 2006 10:18 PM