This Sox victory an inside job

The White Sox didn't thoroughly enjoy the beating delivered by the Cubs last weekend.

And they especially didn't like how easily the Cubs were able to do it.

So there was plenty of evidence Friday to suggest the Sox weren't going to let Cubs batters stand comfortably in the box, extend their arms and punish waist-high fastballs on the outer half.

"I just told our guys if we keep pitching (Aramis) Ramirez outside, he's going to keep killing us. If we keep doing it with (Jim) Edmonds, he's going to keep killing us,'' White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said before the Sox' 10-3 victory on the South Side. "They kick our (butt) every time we pitch away.

"As a manager, it really bothers me. You have to be honest inside to open up the outer part of the plate. If you go away, away, away, they're gonna look out there.

"I don't care if the (hitter) gets (mad). I'm not saying hit someone, but you have to throw inside to have the rest of the plate.''

Sox GM Kenny Williams was far less diplomatic about it, which is at least a mild upset.

"Our guys have to pitch inside. If they don't, they're going to hear it first from the dugout and then from me and whoever else,'' Williams said. "Last weekend, we didn't and you saw the results.''

Before the Great Home Run Race of 1998 that saved baseball from itself and the world from Communism, players didn't dare dig in the way they do today, when high-priced sluggers expect protection from the umpires and have no fear of an inside pitch.

"It's a different generation, that's all,'' Williams said, shaking his head. "Hitters try to intimidate pitchers by yelling at them if they come inside. I think the pitcher needs to tell the hitter to shut the - to shut the blank up and get back in the box.

"Umpires have a lot to do with it. If a guy's getting lit up, and he tries to come inside, and accidentally hits someone, the umpires react.

"They think he's throwing at the guy. It might be he's just trying to get the plate back, and keep from getting pounded, but they don't allow for the game to be played.''

Sox starter Jose Contreras struck out Ramirez in the second inning Friday on a pitch inside with Ramirez fully extended, swinging from the heels and leaning out over the plate, expecting an outside pitch he could hit into Lake Michigan.

On the other hand, Contreras left a 1-1 slider up and out over the plate in the seventh that Edmonds murdered to right field.

"It's hard to hide what you like to do out there,'' said Sox hitting coach Greg Walker. "If you don't change it up, the hitters are going to know before the game even starts.

"With the technology, with the film and computer, players know what a pitcher's going to do if he doesn't alter his location and speed. If you're stuck in a pattern, players are gonna find it pretty quick.''

At least for one day, the Sox adjusted and the Cubs took the beating, but today, as they say, is another day.

"We got to show up and do it again,'' Guillen said. "Ain't nothing in this game easy.

"Nothing.''

Left out

Orlando Cabrera got the Sox flying in the first inning Friday when he tagged on a fly to left, made second, and then scored on a basehit.

Cabrera (2 hits, 2 runs, walk) was very aggressive in challenging out-of-position left fielder Eric Patterson three times, and the Sox ran on Patterson seven times, all successful, which led to a pile of runs.

"The scouting report said he was a second baseman, so I was going to make him make a perfect throw,'' Cabrera said. "It's not his fault, but I knew a second baseman isn't going to have a good enough arm to play out there.''

Effort less

Jermaine Dye stole third in the midst of the Sox' 7-run third inning, even though Geovany Soto's perfect throw beat Dye by several feet.

The problem was Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was standing comfortably in foul territory, far from the action, where he could avoid contact, and he didn't get the tag down on Dye before the runner reached the base.

That's baseball

So last weekend, the Cubs were coming off the tough travel schedule and swept the Sox.

Now, the Sox were coming off the tough week and come home to pound the Cubs Friday.

"The only thing I know for sure about baseball,'' said Ryan Dempster, "is you never know anything for sure about baseball.''

The quote

Ozzie Guillen on the series with the Cubs: "If our fans think these games are more important than games against Kansas City or Detroit, they're crazy. I know people think I'm crazy, but to me, that's crazy.''

Style points

Geovany Soto crushed a solo shot Friday with the Cubs down 8-0, but he didn't dance or skip, or hop or admire. He just dropped the bat and ran around the bases.

You gotta love that.

Rose Parade

No. 1 pick Derrick Rose, who threw out the first pitch, found himself escorted around the ballpark by Bulls GM John Paxson on Friday, but he stopped long enough to say, "I expect to be a franchise player and a leader, and I expect to be a great player for the Bulls. They shouldn't have taken me No. 1 if I didn't think that.''

And finally -

Ken Williams on Don Cooper's hamstring injury, suffered Thursday in L.A.: "When you are in that poor of shape to begin with, your rehab doesn't have to be that extensive. Basically, we are trying to get him to the point where he can climb five steps.''

brozner@dailyherald.com