The recent talk in a White Sox Internet chat room was unusual.
It was about fashion.
Specifically, people seemed fixated on pitcher Mark Buehrle’s pants.
The discussion was precipitated by Buehrle’s actions in the Sox’s Aug. 15 game in Boston. He started the game with long uniform pants, the bottom cuffs touching his shoe tops. When he came out to pitch the third inning, he was wearing shorter pants and high socks, a more classic look.
Sox fans noted the change and ignored such pressing issues as the upcoming Elvis Night, the relative merits of various Sox logos and “the Cubune” to dwell on Buehrle’s outfit.
Q sought out Buehrle’s explanation a couple of days later. He said he did indeed change his pants during the game. And it wasn’t a fashion statement.
“I was going to wear [the shorter pants] anyway, but I didn’t have time to change before the game,” he said. “I threw a lot of pitches in the first two innings, so when I went into the clubhouse I thought I would change it up a little to see if that made a difference.”
It didn’t hurt. After a shaky start, he settled down and pitched seven innings in the White Sox’s 5-4 victory.
