"Oh, it's amazing. Look at this, look at everyone here. I'm star struck. I can't believe it. It's a dream come true."
Poreda walked onto the field, carefully crossing the chalk line one step at a time, emulating Moonlight Graham from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams.
"It's a once and a lifetime experience," Poreda said, "It's just amazing, I can barely breathe right now."
The news of his promotion got out to his friends on Facebook before reaching the Chicago media outlets, something that Poreda couldn't help doing.
"I was just so excited I wanted to shout it out to the world," Poreda said with a smile. "It just snowballed a little bit."
After Jose Contreras' strong start last night, the White Sox will stick with the current rotation they have and put Poreda in the bullpen.
"Because I don't want to," manager Ozzie Guillen said when asked why Poreda won't be in the rotation. "He has good enough stuff to start, but this is about winning."
Pitching from the bullpen is not new to Poreda, who last saw time there during the Arizona Fall League.
"I don't think it is going to be a big transition. I came out of the bullpen a little bit in high school, in college - I did in the Arizona Fall League - so I know how to get ready. I'm excited to have the opportunity and I'm looking forward to coming out of the bullpen."
Poreda credits being invited to Spring Training and getting familiar with some of the players for being more relaxed in the clubhouse.
"Definitely calmed my nerves a little bit," Poreda said. "I recognize most of the guys here. It is not that a big of a change."
Poreda got a lot of attention last month when he was nearly shipped off to San Diego in a deal for Jake Peavy. Now that he is here, fans expectations high.
"I feel like there is a lot of expectations, but I feel like that is going to fuel my fire and make me work harder and prove everyone right."
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