Sox' Walking Wounded Put On a Health Show - Chicago Sun-Times

SARASOTA, Fla. The White Sox' version of M A S H held its firstmeeting Thursday with astonishing results.

The four players attempting comebacks from career-threateninginjuries enjoyed banner performances in the team's first exhibition. Bo Jackson (artificial hip) was so excited about 1-for-4 against thePirates that he said, 'My comeback is complete.' Ozzie Guillen (knee) was so enthused about a single that he clappedfor himself. Ellis Burks (back) thought so much of a three-run home run and RBIsingle in his first Chicago game that he went looking for his wife,Dori, to thank her for helping him get through rehabilitation. Dave Stieb (elbow) was the only one to temper his enthusiasm for twoeffective innings. 'I didn't impress myself,' he said.

Still, this M A S H unit had come out of the training room andinto the sunlight.

'We're Club Handicap with secret signs,' Jackson said. 'When weall go back to Chicago, we're going to put a big handicapped emblemon the bench where only we can sit.'

Burks said, 'I've never seen a team have three or four guysgoing through major rehab.

'Sometimes, Oz and Dave and Bo and I are in the weight room atthe same time. We get each other through it. I'll say to Bo, `Youcouldn't last one minute doing what I do,' and he'll say, `Oh, yeah,you couldn't get through what I do.'

'We both come out sweating like dogs.'

Guillen admitted he was 'kind of scared' about his first gamesince last April 21. But once he got on the field and heard the buzzof 5,022 fans, he was locked in.

'I don't want people coming up and asking, `How you feeltoday?' ' he said. 'No matter how I feel, I'm not going to say Ifeel bad.'

Manager Gene Lamont was going to take Guillen out after hisfirst at-bat, but Guillen said, `Gene, my family's here. I want toplay more.' '

Guillen then singled, hit a sacrifice fly and walked.

'I'm ready to play my 155 or 160 games,' he said after the 11-10loss.

Burks felt his accomplishments were the result of 2 1/2 hours aday of rehab in the winter and half that this spring. Dori had a lotto do with it, too.

'She made oatmeal this morning and said, `This will help yourstrength,' ' Burks said. 'Then she saw a hole in my sock and said,`Now I know you'll have a good day.' After the game, she said,`What'd I tell you?'

'I'm not superstitious, but after that, maybe I will be.'

BO GETS TESTY: Jackson became short with reporters, who arecoming from all parts of the country to see his progress.

'We're blowing this out of proportion,' he said. 'You should bedealing with an athlete coming back from an injury is all.

'You shouldn't be putting a diagram of a hip on TV becauseyou're not doctors.

'To be honest, this is a pain. I wish I could be Joey Cora,somebody normal who comes in, get dressed and goes home.

'I'm looking forward to the day I'm finished with sportsaltogether. I don't want to put up with you guys no more.'

Contributing: Jay Mariotti