TORONTO It's a new season, but it starts where the old onestopped for the White Sox.
There may be an easier way to open a baseball season, but therecertainly can't be a better psychological showdown than SkyDome,Opening Day, White Sox vs. Blue Jays.
Or a more bitter one, considering the start of this afternoon'sgame will be delayed while the Blue Jays are fit for theirchampionship rings. The White Sox should be fit to be tied. Theymight not have rings on their fingers, but they should have chips ontheir shoulders.
"You know the White Sox are going to come at you," World Serieshero Joe Carter said. "There has to be bitterness toward lastyear."
It will be more than a subtle season-beginning reminder of whatcould have been, if they could have played the remainder of thepostseason.
"You mean kind of like rubbing their noses in it?" Torontopitcher Dave Stewart asked.
Yeah, kind of like that. Kind of like inviting the failedsuitor to the wedding.
It might hurt, but the White Sox will watch this ceremony fromthe visitors' dugout. They will watch the Blue Jays celebrate withrings on their fingers. They will watch the glitter from 45 diamondsand know what wearing that ring signifies in diamond terms.
"That's what you play the game for, to wear that championshipring," Carter said. "It's something you work for all yourprofessional career.
"The White Sox are going to be in the dugout saying, `That couldhave been us.' "
It could have been, except the White Sox lost to the Blue Jaysin last fall's American League playoffs, one "man" short and twogames short of prolonging their season.
"It might motivate them a little, because they'll be there towatch the ring ceremony," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "Butwe've got to play them sometime. We might as well open in thefire."
If there is a difference between a two-time world champion andone-time division champion, it is in using motivation. And the BlueJays know how they'll use this early-season setting for superioritybetween the AL's two best teams.
"Maybe it will be a psychological thing from their standpoint,but to this ballclub it's just another game," Carter said. "That'sthe way we always look at it. Every team thinks it's a big seriesagainst the Jays. We get it every day, because they know when theyplay the Blue Jays they have to come out with their best."
The Sox didn't come out with their best foot forward when theylast visited SkyDome.
In fact, Bo Jackson put his foot in his mouth by uttering his"one man short" comment. George Bell stepped all over himself whiletrying to tromp on manager Gene Lamont.
"Experience really helps in pressure situations, when the fansare on you and your teammates are biting at each other," Carter saidof last year.
"You would never see anything like that happen over here. Welike one another. We have 25 guys who are gamers."
Twenty-five guys who have an attitude.
"We're the fox and the dogs are always chasing us," Stewart said. "Until someone beats us,we're going to be champions."
And to the champions go the spoils. Like rings worth thousandsof dollars and thousands of fans joining in the fun.
The Blue Jays inherently feel they are very special, because they have been through all thisbefore.
"The pressure is off, so we can go out and have fun," Cartersaid. "This is a relaxed ballclub."
Cocky, confident champions. Ring wearers, for those in theopposing dugout who can bear to watch.
Kind of like rubbing their noses in it, eh, Dave Stewart?
"No, the best part is it generates fan interest and it is a wayto get ourselves into the season with the Adrenaline flowing,"Stewart said. "That's a good springboard."
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