I'll be staying away from the Chat this afternoon - not sure it'll work on this 1989 state-of-the-art laptop anyway.

From today's Game Notes: Hillenbrand's .390 April was the third best start in team history (Olerud hit. 450 in April 1993, and Damaso Garcia hit .394 in April 1984.)

The White Sox have matched the 1919 club for the second-best start in franchise history. (There's good omen!) The last Sox pitcher prior to today's starter Jon Garland to throw back-to-back shutouts was Black Jack McDowell. The Sox are 18-4 against the AL Central... They have allowed 21 HRs in 22 games tied with Oakland for lowest in the AL after leading the majors in homers allowed last year

Otherwise, not much in commomn.

49gms, 146ab, 7hr, 21rbi, .295avg, .346obp, .500slg, .846ops

600ab pace: 29hr, 86rbi

You've gotta give him some credit though. If Delgado had ever been moved down to seventh in the batting order during a slump, he'd be pissing and moaning and complaining in public like there was no tomorrow. I, for one, like Wells' attitude and his team-centred approach.

What makes you say that?

I don't give a large amount of merit into what players say to the press, especially the press in Toronto from what we know of them. We all know how Vernon talks to the media. He's a pretty fairweather guy who doesn't do alot of talking. There's something wrong, clearly. Vernon knows that, no question. He's not going to go out and do the same thing with the same result.

I refuse to jump on the "let's make drastic changes after a month of April" wagon (Not to imply that anyone here is, but people are elsewhere). If Vernon goes 12 for 20 in the next five games I won't jump on the "Let's name a Church after Vernon" wagon either. I will tell you that in a month, this will be a distant memory.

Some examples:

Playing DH when David Segui was acquired. He made it very clear in public that he would not DH (even though one of the best defensive first basemen came to town).

Back in 2002, Josh Phelps started one game at 1B, an interleague road game, with Delgado one the bench. Delgado complained bitterly to the press after the game about not playing.

I also vaguely recall him getting upset when one manager talked about moving him to third or fifth in the batting order. I think it was during the Fregosi "era".

Couldn't have been 2002. The interleague games were over when Phelps was called up. But it might not have been Phelps: Delgado started 140 games at 1B and 3 at DH that year. He DH'ed a little more in 2003 and 2004, and Phelps picked up most of the first base starts when he did.

Segui only played 4 games at 1B for the Jays in 1999, all of them in his first 10 days with the team. He then picked up an injury that wouldn't allow him to play in the field.

You're certainly right that Delgado preferred playing the field to playing DH. Everybody does. I think it's a big reason he's in the NL now. And I certainly think Fregosi would have chosen to accomodate the player who was going to be with the team the following season, if it ever did come down to brass tacks. But I don't recall Delgado actually making a George Bell-type stink about it.