– While San Diego third baseman Gary Sheffield has a shot at becoming baseball`s first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, his stats aren`t
significantly better than those of Sox first baseman Frank Thomas. Put Thomas` stats in the National League, and he would be third in RBIs (82) and tied for fourth in both batting average (.319) and home runs (20). Sheffield is first in the NL in average (.337) and second in both homers (25) and RBI`s (85).
Thomas said he has no illusions of winning the Triple Crown in the American League in the near future. ”This league`s a lot tougher,” Thomas said. ”There`s a lot of big home-run hitters, and I`d have to hit 50. For me to hit 50, I`d have to be on all cylinders all year.”
As for Sheffield`s Triple Crown chances this year, Thomas was skeptical.
”He`s got a legitimate shot, but I don`t think he`ll get it,” he said.
– Sox reliever Roberto Hernandez rolls a pair of ball bearings around in his right hand before every Sox game, although he`s not doing an impersonation of Humphrey Bogart playing Capt. Queeg in ”The Caine Mutiny.”
”It puts my mind at ease and helps with circulation to the hand and wrist,” Hernandez explained.
The Sox righthander had suffered from blood clots in his right forearm while pitching for Triple-A Vancouver last year, and had surgery to transfer veins from his inner thigh to the forearm. Conditioning director Steve Odgers suggested the exercise, and the results have been positive thus far.
– Sox radio announcer John Rooney has been named the new radio voice of the NCAA Final Four, beginning in 1993. Besides his White Sox and CBS-radio ”Game of the Week” chores, the ubiquitous Rooney also does play-by-play for the University of Missouri basketball and Big 10 basketball.
– Carey Schueler, the 17-year-old daughter of Sox general manager Ron Schueler and a highly touted high school basketball player, said she plans to attend Sandburg High in Orland Park for her senior year. Carey was a prep hoops standout in California, where she also played on the boys` baseball team. Carey said before Friday`s game that she wasn`t sure whether she would try out for the baseball team at Sandburg because it would likely hinder her annual spring training trip with her father. Sandburg has one of the area`s top baseball programs.
