Smith calls White Sox debut 'a dream come true'
The White Sox lost to the Kansas City Royals 6-5 Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Field, but Blake Smith couldn't stop smiling in the postgame clubhouse.
Smith wasn't happy with the outcome, but the 28-year-old relief pitcher was understandably giddy after making his major-league debut.
“It was honestly a dream come true,” Smith said after pitching a perfect ninth inning. “It still kind of doesn't feel like it happened. It was awesome. My family was here, my mom and dad were here and my fiancee was here. Pretty cool. Pretty cool experience.”
Drafted as an outfielder by the Dodgers in 2009, Smith converted to pitching in 2013 and never looked back. The Sox purchased his contract last Tuesday after Smith went 3-1 with a 3.53 in 39 appearances with Class AAA Charlotte.
Smith retired the Royals in order on only 9 pitches.
“I was a little nervous,” he said. “It was more excitement though. It was just a really, really cool experience. Obviously, you always want to get ahead or at least put the ball in the zone. That's kind of what I was trying to do, keep it in the zone and get that first one under the belt.”
Shields pretty good:
James Shields started for the White Sox Saturday and was better, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings. In his prior 7 starts, the right-hander was 0-5 with a 12.07 ERA.
“I felt pretty good,” Shields said. “A little more walks than I wanted, but to be honest it seemed like that team changed their game plan a little bit. They are more of a free-swinging team, and they were kind of being really patient with me today. I gave up two homers, but the other two hits were kind of just really weak hits. So overall, pretty good.”
Lawrie update:
Three weeks remain in the regular season, and the White Sox still are not quite sure what's wrong with second baseman Brett Lawrie.
Considering he's been sidelined since July 22 with what was initially diagnosed as a left hamstring injury, don't be surprised if Lawrie is done for the year.
“Well, it's getting longer,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I think that's become a longshot at this point, just because he's been out so long. He hasn't been playing. At this point, he would have to find some way to get some reps to be able to get back in there and get the timing of everything again. So, it's becoming more of a longshot at this point.”
Lawrie played in five rehabilitation games with Class AA Birmingham in August and had to come out early in every one.
As for his ailment, it started as a hamstring injury and the Sox have also mentioned possible knee, calf and hip issues. Lawrie has had two MRIs, most recently in late August, but he still isn't right.
“He had come in at one point and just said he was feeling a click behind his knee,” Ventura said. “He couldn't bend it and then he couldn't straighten it out. Usually, that's just a meniscus or something getting underneath the kneecap or getting in the knee, that gets caught, and he couldn't straighten it or bend it. So, then he went out and it became more. They tried to make sure it wasn't his hip, and we're still trying to figure that out.”