BA on the prospect of playing winter ball after spenting the entire year in the bigs with more than 300 at-bats:
"Obviously, it's a long season and you kind of want to relax, but if the organization thinks it's a good idea to get some more at-bats, you kind of shut-up and go do it. Power or speed, I don't really know what I am yet. I definitely need to work on my stolen bases, working on getting better jumps. Because I think my speed is there. I just think my technique is bad."
Carol Slezak wrote a nice article on the pitching staff ace. Here's a quote from Don Cooper:
"As we speak, he's the best pitcher on our team. No question about it. He has the most wins, and that's the most important column. He has stepped up many different times this year when we really needed a win. It seems to keep calling out his name a lot more than anyone else's. He's certainly been our best and most consistent."
Up to July 31 GM Ken Williams was waiting for an offer for Ross Gload from another team . No offer came and Gload returned to the Sox bench. Ross doesn't regret it though:
"At this point in my career, I just want to be a major-leaguer. I?m not going to break any records playing somewhere else. I just want to be on a team that has a chance to win, and that?s the situation I?m in right here."
and with Jim Thome missing 7 of the last 10 games with a strained hamstring, Gload got lots of playing time and went on a 13/26 stretch, raising his batting average from .283 to .328:
"Kenny and Ozzie were confident enough in me to keep me around for a situation like this. I know there was some talk about moving me off the roster if they added another pitcher. I would have understood that. But this is always where I wanted to be, and I hope I?m back here next year."
By the way, expect Ozzie to start Gload in Boston and give a rest to Jermaine.