Notes: Borchard biding time early

03/08/2006
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Joe Borchard predominantly has been limited to late-inning replacement situations during current Cactus League action, despite starting Tuesday's 8-5 victory over Oakland at Tucson Electric Park.
But even in a taut competition for one or two remaining roster spots, the first-round draft pick from 2000 was not about to complain about the way he was being used eight games into Spring Training.
"I've said it from Day 1. It's a long spring and a long season," Borchard said. "To make a big deal out of one week is really not being fair.
"Any time you make a decision too early about anything, it turns out to be pretty far off. When I get a chance to play, I'm going to do what I can. When I'm not, I'm just going to be getting ready for my next opportunity."
Borchard, 27, appears to be competing with Ross Gload for the 25th and final roster spot if manager Ozzie Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper decide to break camp with 12 hurlers. Borchard has heard talk and read reports that the White Sox might only take 11 pitchers, with five off-days in the first month reducing the wear and tear on the arms. Much could depend on the condition of Freddy Garcia and Javier Vazquez following the World Baseball Classic.
That 11-pitcher scenario leaves one extra spot for a position player, with fleet-footed center fielder Jerry Owens also in contention. Borchard doesn't seem worried about the roster breakdown, as much as his own preparation.
"When I have my number called, I'll be ready," Borchard said. "The most important thing is getting work in throughout the first few weeks and preparing yourself for what lies ahead."
An 0-for-4 showing Tuesday left Borchard with two hits in 13 at-bats. Guillen isn't focused on the raw numbers, as much as Borchard's consistency with each at-bat.
"His confidence seems to come back when he gets a couple of hits, but when he failed in his first two at-bats, he seemed like he started to put pressure on himself," Guillen said. "I will continue to run him on to the field, making sure we get the best from him, and see what we are going to do."
Return to form: Tadahito Iguchi has been tinkering with his swing this spring, trying to shorten it in the process of bringing the bat back, allowing him to get to the ball quicker. The result has been an 0-for-13 start through five games.
Iguchi now plans to go back to the hitting form he used during his rookie season of 2005.
"My balance got off, and I'm not getting to the point at the right time," said Iguchi of his swing, through a translator. "Every year I try to do something different. I try to improve my skills.
"If it works, it works. If it doesn't, I go back to the old way."
Reduction in force: Prior to Tuesday's contest, the White Sox optioned left-handed reliever Rusty Tucker to Triple-A Charlotte and reassigned to Minor League camp left-handed pitchers Chad Bentz, Stephen Randolph and Corwin Malone, infielders Tim Hummel and Jorge Velandia, catchers Carlos Lee and Donny Lucy and outfielder Ben Grieve. With the nine moves, the White Sox have 45 players remaining in camp: 21 pitchers, four catchers, 13 infielders and seven outfielders.
The battle among lefties has been sliced in half, from eight competitors to four. The remaining southpaws in contention for a roster spot are Javier Lopez, Armando Almanza, Arnie Munoz and Paulino Reynoso.
"We want to get the lefties the most work we can to make sure we are not making any mistakes and make sure we are not making a decision too early," said Guillen, who added his staff meets every day to talk about the situation. "It's still a battle, with whoever impresses me most and throws the most strikes."
Left-hander Ray Liotta pitches Wednesday against the Angels in Tempe, as does Minor League hurler Boone Logan, who struck out Rob Mackowiak and Jim Thome in a "B" Game n Sunday. The desire to keep Liotta a starter and Logan's inexperience make both long-shot candidates.
The measure of a home run: Paul Konerko's three-run blast off Mac Suzuki in the fifth inning Tuesday doesn't exactly signal that the White Sox first baseman is ready to start slugging three weeks from now in the regular season. If the home run wasn't pulled down the line and instead had gone to center or right-center, Konerko would have been a bit more satisfied.
"I'm more interested in driving the ball to center field, instead of getting around it, which I'm doing right now," said Konerko, whose first spring home run also gave him a team-high four RBIs. "I kind of know what I'm doing mentally, and I know why it's not happening. The hard part is doing it and getting it right."
Konerko pointed out that the swing problems could come from poor mechanics, at times, but also could be a result of bad pitch selection. It's a process built for Cactus League improvement.
"That's why we are here, getting ready for April 2," Konerko said. "At the same time, any time you take the field you want to perform well."
Making strides: For three innings Tuesday afternoon, Mark Buehrle was absolutely perfect. Nine Oakland hitters up, nine Oakland hitters down -- including four strikeouts. At this point of Spring Training, Buehrle readily admits looks can be a little deceiving.
"It was a lot of pitches missing spots and they swung and missed," said Buehrle, who struck out five and didn't walk a hitter over four innings. "But any time you get guys out, you are doing good."
The A's touched Buehrle for four runs in the fifth, with an Iguchi throwing error causing three of those runs to be unearned. Fatigue could have been an issue, as Buehrle continues to increase his pitch total and innings total.
"I was still making good pitches in the fourth, but I was falling behind in the count," said Buehrle, who allowed three runs on five hits during his first two innings of work last week. "I was getting ahead a little bit more but still not where I want to be."
Third to first: Reliever Dustin Hermanson will start Wednesday's game in Tempe against the Angels, with Liotta following Hermanson. The White Sox will use Hermanson for two innings in an attempt to stretch out the reliever ... Despite winning two in a row, the White Sox have been outscored, 62-27, during Cactus League play. ... Guillen put a little extra pressure on Garcia, his close friend and countryman, in regard to his start for Venezuela on Wednesday against Italy in the World Baseball Classic, following Tuesday's loss. "Everyone always says that Freddy pitches well in big games," Guillen said. "Tomorrow, Freddy has a big game."

Source: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/