Michael Jordan was hitless in four at-bats, making him 0-for-8 this spring, as a Chicago White Sox split squad lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 Monday.
Jordan, trying to make the switch from the NBA to baseball, hit three grounders and struck out once against four different pitchers. He fielded three fly balls cleanly in his second start of the exhibition season."I feel I have to do something better at the plate," Jordan said. "It's just a matter of taking it from batting practice to the games. I've been on base. The next thing is getting a hit."
Greeted by a smattering of boos for the first time this spring, Jordan started in right field and batted sixth. He said the boos didn't faze him.
"I'm pretty much used to it," he said. "I've dealt with it in my sport."
In the second inning, Jordan hit Zane Smith's first pitch to second base, and the ball deflected off Carlos Garcia's glove for an error. Jordan went to second on Mike LaValliere's single and advanced to third on Ozzie Guillen's groundout, but was stranded when Jack McDowell struck out and Joey Cora flied out.
"I'm sure he was just looking for a fastball," Smith said. "To me, it was just another hitter. But I can always tell my kids I pitched to him."
Jordan foul tipped a bunt attempt in the fourth against Scott Scudder, took three straight balls, swung at the next pitch and was called out on strikes.
Against Jeff Ballard in the sixth, Jordan hit the first pitch to shortstop Jay Bell, who threw him out at first. He hit the first pitch again in the eighth, this time off Daryl Irvine, and grounded to third baseman Frank Bolick.