Swisher ready for A's reunion
For three-plus seasons, he was the young, brash ringleader of Oakland's clubhouse.
Tonight will mark Nick Swisher's first on-field reunion with his old teammates, as the Athletics open a two-game series with the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
"I still talk to the guys I'm buddies with," Swisher said, "Chad Gaudet, Travis Buck, Custy (Jack Cust), a bunch of guys I keep in touch with. But as soon as you cross the white lines it's totally different."
Just 11 games in, Swisher already walks like a fixture in the White Sox' clubhouse with his carefree, confident attitude. His grinder style of play has endeared Swisher to Sox fans who called for Aaron Rowand's return to Chicago in the off-season.
"These guys have really welcomed me in," Swisher said, "and I can't thank them enough."
Swisher's old team is thought to be in rebuilding mode, after trading away Swisher, starting pitcher Dan Haren and center fielder Mark Kotsay in the off-season. But the A's are 8-5 and leading the AL West.
"The one thing that they have is good pitching," Swisher said. "We've got a good thing going here, and they have a good thing going there."
Future ace? After Gavin Floyd's near no-hitter Saturday, he is 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 2 starts, both against the Detroit Tigers.
Don't count White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen among those surprised.
"I think he has the chance to be a No. 1 or No. 2 pretty soon," Guillen said. "The stuff is there."
Stuff like the 3-2 changeup that froze Jacque Jones to start the eighth inning Saturday.
It was that stuff that made Floyd the No. 4 overall pick of the Phillies in the 2001 draft. After three underwhelming seasons in Philadelphia and a 1-5 record with the White Sox last year, perhaps Floyd is turning the corner toward realizing that potential.
"I think he wants to prove to people that they were wrong about him," Guillen said.
Not so fast return: Jerry Owens missed his flight to Charlotte on Friday, but he made it Saturday to go 0-for-4 with a run scored in his first rehabilitation start.
The way Sox outfielders are going, he could stay grounded in Class AAA.
"You guys (media) have Jerry back here already," Guillen said. "I only have to worry about 25 guys. If you're not on the big club, I'm sorry, I don't worry about you."
By the numbers: Game-time temperature Sunday was 41 degrees. … The White Sox are scoring a league-leading 6.4 runs per games. … Gavin Floyd is 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in 6 career starts against Detroit. He is 7-10 with a 6.85 ERA in 36 games (25 starts) against everybody else.
Scouting report
White Sox vs. Oakland Athletics at U.S. Cellular Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Sox' Mark Buehrle (1-0) vs. Greg Smith (0-0) today at 7:11 p.m.; John Danks (0-1) vs. Dana Eveland (1-0, 0.68) Tuesday at 1:05 p.m.
At a glance: The Sox close their homestand with two games against the A's, and every starter for this series is a lefty, with Buehrle the only veteran. Buehrle bounced back his last time out after a horrible opening-day performance, but Danks was knocked out by the Twins after only 21/3 innings in his last start. Smith, age 24, and Eveland, 25, are part of a youth moment for Oakland.
Next: The White Sox head to Baltimore for games Wednesday and Thursday
-- Scot Gregor