Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Mark Buehrle Calls the Rangers Cheaters

The Chicago White Sox might be feeling the pressure of their situation. Just seven games up on Cleveland going into the final month of the season, the White Sox are in position to win the division. Down the stretch Chicago would like to keep their position as the first place team and not enter into the Wild Card race.

Everyone on the team feels the pressure in a situation like this but for pitchers it's got to be tough, so tough that Mark Buehrle called the Texas Rangers cheaters on Tuesday, saying that the team signals pitches to batters through a high-tech light system in center field.

Buehrle suggested that the Rangers knew what he was throwing Monday night in the White Sox 7-5 loss. He repeated the accusation again on Tuesday before the two team’s doubleheader.

“I’ve heard rumors, so it’s not just me saying this.” Buehrle said. “I’ve heard it from tons of people. Something’s going on because they hit good at home. The way they hit here, you’d have to raise an eyebrow to figure something’s going on. Look at the stats. I’m not making this up.”

In response, rangers home run leader Mark Teixeira said, “It’s crazy and it’s funny. It’s an outrageous comment, an outrageous claim.”

Texas DH Phil Nevin jokingly asked Rangers manager Buck Showalter why the lights weren’t working when he went 0-4 with two strikeouts Monday night.

White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen said there could be another reason Buehrle gave up nine hits and seven runs –four earned- in seven innings. “The way Buehrle pitched yesterday, it seemed they didn’t need signs. Everything was right over the plate.”