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White Sox notebook, 8/7
Stance adjustment pays off for Rios
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
Instead of holding the bat more vertically, Rios moved it down to rest on his shoulder until the pitcher began his delivery. While one game is not enough to say if the change made the difference, Rios had his best game at the plate since late June, when he went 3-for-4 against the Nationals.
“I hope he keeps swinging the bat like that, we need it,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “I don’t know what he did, I never asked him what he did. I told him the other day to raise himself up. I don’t know if it was that, but the last couple days, he’s swung the bat better.”
Rios continued to produce in Sunday’s 7-0 victory, going 2-for-4 with a double, homer and two RBIs.
Struggling Dunn sits against Twins lefty
MINNEAPOLIS — With the Twins starting lefty Brian Duensing on Sunday, White Sox designated Adam Dunn got a day off, his first in two weeks. Manager Ozzie Guillen said he may give Dunn another day off later on the road trip as well.
After picking up a few hits against the Yankees, Dunn went 0-for-7 in the first two games of the series against the Twins, with two walks, three strikeouts and a run scored.
“He’s struggling so much right now. Hopefully, with a little break we give him, we can get something better out of him,” Guillen said. “He was swinging the bat a little bit better in Chicago, but the last couple days he lost it.”
Dunn has just 54 hits in 331 at-bats and a .163 average to go along with a .294 on-base percentage, and he’s slugging just .302. His struggles drew national attention on Thursday when Stephen Colbert joked about Dunn threatening Bill Bergen’s record-low batting average of .139.
While his continued struggles could likely be affecting Dunn’s confidence at the plate, which would only compound the issue, Guillen thinks it’s more frustrating than anything for Dunn right now.
“I think mentally, he should be very exhausted,” Guillen said. “He’s missing pitches. He’s missing fastballs, he’s missing changeups, he’s missing breaking balls, guessing wrong pitches. Everything has piled up, one thing after another.”
With two months left in the season, it’s unlikely Dunn will be able to improve his poor offensive numbers. But Guillen hopes that Dunn will learn from this season and come back better prepared and in better shape for the 2012 season.
“He has to stay in shape now, he’s not 22 years old anymore,” Guillen said. “Now he has to learn that he has to prepare himself better. That happens to everyone. That happened to [Paul Konerko], that happened to [Mark] Buehrle.”
Brent Lillibridge started at first base in Sunday’s 7-0 victory and went 2-for-4 with a homer, his second in two games.
Stewart an option for rotation, bullpen
MINNEAPOLIS — Ozzie Guillen has not decided yet, but the White Sox manager said he’s leaning toward giving Zach Stewart another before putting him in the bullpen.
Stewart would likely pitch on Friday, if he did start again, but he could be needed out of the bullpen before then, which would be the most likely thing keeping Stewart from making a second start.
“I’m thinking, personally, we should keep him and give those guys six days,” Guillen said. “I don’t know yet, but … I have to know in the next couple days because I have to know exactly who I’m going to have in the bullpen and how I’m going to use them.”
Stewart allowed just one run on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings Saturday night in in a 6-1 victory to pick up his first Major League win.
While it remains a possibility that Stewart could start against the Royals, the right-hander would not start again the next time through the rotation, because the White Sox have off-days on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22, and using a six-man rotation through that stretch would give everyone too much time between starts.
Guillen said he would talk to White Sox general manager Ken Williams before making a decision on when Stewart would pitch next.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
White Sox ‘pen saves Stewart’s first win
MINNEAPOLIS — As he made his White Sox debut, right-hander Zach Stewart was told by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to have some fun, throw strikes and give the team a chance to win.
Stewart did just that, delivering a solid start and picking up his first Major League victory as the White Sox won their second straight, 6-1, over the Twins at Target Field on Saturday.
The 24-year-old right-hander pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Stewart tossed 79 pitches, 55 of which were strikes.
“That’s pretty much my usual game plan, just go out and try to throw a lot of strikes and attack the zone,” Stewart said. “And, you know, get ’em out.
“I like to go out and try to make them put the bat on the ball and hit ground balls and just save my pitch count to where I can throw later into games.”
Through four innings, Stewart had allowed just two singles and a walk before the Twins started to figure him out a bit. He got into trouble in both the fifth and sixth innings, but escaped with just one run allowed.
“Their guy did a good job of keeping us off balance,” said Twins starter Carl Pavano, who allowed two runs (one earned) on nine hits over eight innings. “It seemed like he had pretty good stuff, too. He had a good fastball and good secondary stuff, so you have to tip your hat to him as well.”
Stewart credited catcher A.J. Pierzynski for calling a good game behind the plate, noting that he just tried to follow Pierzynski’s lead.
With runners on the corners in the sixth, the White Sox turned an inning-ending double play to help Stewart get out of the jam.
“Once they saw that he was throwing strikes, they started swinging early, and he got some easy, quick outs,” said Pierzynski, who said he had never seen Stewart throw a pitch until in the bullpen just minutes prior to the game. “He made some pitches when he had to, the double play on Delmon Young [in the sixth] was huge.”
In the fifth, the White Sox got on the board with a walk by Brent Morel and a pair of singles by Juan Pierre and Paul Konerko. Morel scored on Konerko’s two-out single, while Pierre stole third base and scored as the throw got away from Twins third baseman Danny Valencia one batter later.
Alejandro De Aza scored from third in the ninth on catcher Drew Butera’s errant throw to second following a Joe Nathan wild pitch.
Konerko then plated another run with a fielder’s choice, and Brent Lillibridge launched a two-run homer off Nathan to put the game out of reach.
Chris Sale relieved Stewart with one on and one out in the seventh, and he retired the first two batters he faced.
After giving up a double and throwing a wild pitch in the eighth, he got two crucial groundouts by Jason Kubel and Jim Thome to keep the Twins from tying the game, and Jason Frasor got the White Sox out of the inning with a strikeout of Valencia looking on three pitches.
“I think everybody knows how tough he is,” Thome said of Sale. “He throws 97 [mph] and throws a slider. The thing he does real well is that his arm speed when he throws the slider is like his heater. It’s not coming out like it’s his heater, but his arm speed is very good.”
Sergio Santos worked a perfect ninth to finish out what Stewart started.
Before the game, Guillen said he would have to wait until after he saw Stewart pitch before he decided what the White Sox would do with the right-hander for the rest of the season.
The only thing that was certain after Saturday’s game was that Stewart will stay with the big league club for a while and has impressed his manager so far.
“I like his attitude and his presence on the mound,” Guillen said. “He’s got a pretty good makeup. Hopefully, he’ll keep it up like that.”
Will Stewart get another opportunity to start?
“The way he threw the ball, he should,” Guillen said.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
White Sox notebook, 8/6
Reliever Bruney designated for assignment
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
“The last four outings were very rough on him,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “But overall, he’s not pitched bad for us.
“I wasn’t crazy about him, but I was happy with what he did.”
Stewart given opportunity to help out
MINNEAPOLIS — After letting him make one start for Triple-A Charlotte, the White Sox recalled Zach Stewart for Saturday’s game against the Twins at Target Field to see what they’ve got in him.
Stewart arrived in the visitors’ clubhouse about three hours before game time, and he quickly got some introductions out of the way before trying to settle in and get ready for his start.
“We wanted to take a look at him,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “Because for the next few days, we’re going to see how he can help out this year.”
Before the White Sox acquired Stewart from the Blue Jays, he made three starts (0-1 with a 4.86 ERA) for Toronto. His start on Saturday was the fourth of his Major League career and his first since June 27 at Detroit.
Guillen told Stewart before the game not to try to do too much in his White Sox debut.
“‘Just go do what you’re supposed to do,'” Guillen said. “‘Have fun out there and we’ll take care of the rest. You did not come here to save us, you did not come here to be the guy that’s going to take us to the next level. You came here to help us win some games’.
“‘Just go out there and pitch. Just throw strikes.'”
Stewart followed that advice perfectly to pick up his first Major League win in the 6-1 White Sox victory. The right-hander allowed one run on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.
Starters get an extra day of rest
MINNEAPOLIS — With the move to bring up Zach Stewart to pitch Saturday’s game against the Twins, everyone else in the White Sox rotation was bumped back a day.
That includes Jake Peavy, who was originally scheduled to start on Saturday, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said the move did not have anything specifically to do with Peavy, who threw a season-high 115 pitches in his last start.
“It gives everybody one more day of rest,” Guillen said. “We’ve got [17] games without a day off. I think we will need [Stewart] in the starting rotation or in the bullpen, just in case, as a long man. Then we have two doubleheaders with Cleveland and Minnesota.”
Guillen said the team did not plan to go back to a six-man rotation. It could happen, but the decision would be influenced by Stewart’s performance in his start.
Peavy said the six-man rotation has had a lot to do with the success of the starting rotation.
From a personal standpoint, Peavy has benefited from the six-man rotation as he works to recover from an injury last July in which the tendon that anchors the latissimus dorsi muscle to the rear of his right shoulder had detached.
Peavy put in plenty of hard work in the offseason to get back for the White Sox this season, but even with the six-man rotation has only worked seven or more innings three times.
“I think it’s helped all of us,” Peavy said. “It’s certainly helped me, there’s no doubt. Coming back off this surgery … my body’s just not responding the way we wanted it to.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Quentin’s homers back Buehrle against Twins
MINNEAPOLIS — Had it not been for an error in the first inning, Mark Buehrle might have been able to toss a shutout Friday night at Target Field. Instead, he settled for a dominant victory over the Twins, his ninth win of the season.
Buehrle did not allow an earned run in his eight-inning outing, and right fielder Carlos Quentin blasted a pair of homers as the White Sox won, 5-3, over the Twins.
A fielding error by Adam Dunn at first base allowed Twins leadoff hitter Ben Revere to reach in the first, and a Joe Mauer single and Jason Kubel home run made it 3-1. But those would be all the runs the Twins would score, as Buehrle allowed just two hits the rest of the way with three strikeouts and no walks.
“I haven’t had much success on the road against these guys. I was lucky to get a win today,” Buehrle said. “The last couple games, I’ve been feeling good, but I’ve just been falling behind in the count a lot and getting the pitch count up. Today, I was attacking — strike one. They were putting the ball in play early in the count.”
Chicago snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory, while Buehrle allowed three runs or fewer for the 17th straight start, the longest streak by a White Sox pitcher since Dave Lemonds also went 17 in a row in 1972. Over that stretch, Buehrle has gone 8-3 with a 2.40 ERA, allowing just 31 earned runs in 116 1/3 innings.
Buehrle improved to 26-19 in his career against Minnesota, and he also has pitched at least six innings in each of his past seven starts.
“The ball moves a lot, especially against a lefty,” Revere said. “You never know if it’s going to come in or go away. And he’s quick. His tempo is quick. He’s a tough cookie. But that’s why he’s one of the best pitchers in the American League.”
Quentin hit his 22nd home run of the year in the third, a solo shot, and his 23rd home run in the fifth, scoring Dunn and putting the White Sox ahead for good.
With Paul Konerko still bothered by a calf injury after being hit by a pitch on Sunday, the big night for Quentin came at a great time and helped the White Sox end their losing streak.
“He got a big hit for us,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Quentin. “Everybody has to contribute a little bit without having [Konerko 100 percent]. I don’t know how [Konerko] is playing, he can’t even run the bases. … Everybody has to pick it up a notch and try to help.”
After not walking in four straight games, the White Sox walked seven times during Friday’s victory, with the most crucial being the one-out walk picked up by Dunn in the fifth just before Quentin’s two-run blast.
Twins starter Nick Blackburn was not sharp, as he allowed four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, while walking six batters with just one strikeout.
Blackburn had been successful against the White Sox in the past, entering the game with a 9-5 record and 3.72 ERA in 17 games (16 starts) versus Chicago. This season, Blackburn was 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA over three starts against the White Sox before Friday’s loss.
Lately, though, Blackburn has struggled against everybody.
Since tossing eight shutout innings against the White Sox on June 16, Blackburn has gone 1-5 with a 7.45 ERA, allowing 46 runs (37 earned) on 69 hits over 44 2/3 innings.
“I’ve just been tinkering around the plate too much. With the way things have been going, I haven’t been trusting my pitches lately,” Blackburn said. “Tonight, everything was down in the strike zone and had good movement, but I just wasn’t relaxing enough. I tried to throw everything on the corner, instead of just trying to get ground balls.”
For the White Sox, it was just their second win against the Twins this season, and their second in the teams’ last 12 meetings.
“Especially when we play these guys and we never beat them,” said Guillen, whose team is 8-29 in its last 37 games against Minnesota. “I don’t care how it comes, as long as we win.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
White Sox notebook, 8/5
Ozzie hoping to see Thome blast No. 600
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
MINNEAPOLIS — If it were up to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, he’d get to see Jim Thome hit his 600th career home run this weekend, but in a Chicago victory at Target Field.
“To be honest with you, I hope when he hits it, it’s not to win the game, but I’d like to watch it,” Guillen said. “I don’t want that to win the game, but I don’t mind watching that.”
Guillen managed Thome when the Twins slugger was with the White Sox from 2006-09. During that time, Thome blasted his 500th career home run, which delivered a walk-off victory over the Angels.
Thome entered Friday’s game sitting just two home runs shy of becoming the eighth player in Major League history to reach the 600-home run mark. He also carried a nine-game hitting streak into the weekend, a stretch during which Thome hit two home runs and batted .424 with four doubles and seven RBIs. Thome was out of the starting lineup on Friday.
“Maybe my team wouldn’t say the same … they don’t want to give up the home run, but they would like to watch that because they love that guy here,” Guillen said. “He’s one guy I can say, whoever was on this ballclub when he was here, they will say the same stuff to you.
“If he hits it and we win, I’d like to see that.”
Walks not part of White Sox offense vs. Yanks
MINNEAPOLIS — It had been more than 40 years since the White Sox went four straight games without picking up a walk on offense until they did so this week while being swept by the Yankees in a four-game series.
The White Sox last went four games without a walk from Aug. 5-8, 1968. Since 1919, the club has never gone five straight games without a walk. Paul Konerko walked in the first inning of Friday’s game against the Twins to end the streak.
While he knows his team can be aggressive, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was surprised to learn that his team did not walk once against the Yankees. Still, he could understand how that might happen in a four-game sweep by New York.
Between the Yankees’ pitching and his team’s desire to get something going offensively to stop a losing streak, the White Sox did not take a single free pass in the series.
“Too aggressive, or a lot of strikes?” Guillen said. “When you throw strikes, you win four games. That’s exactly what it is, I always say that.”
Ozzie impressed with Humber despite loss
MINNEAPOLIS — Things have not gone Philip Humber’s way on the mound since the beginning of July, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen liked what he saw from him Thursday against the Yankees.
“He threw the ball great yesterday, very good,” Guillen said. “Especially with the way those guys were hitting.”
Over his last four starts, Humber has gone 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA, allowing 18 runs on 29 hits over 20 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .341 against Humber, and have struck out just 17 times in that span.
The best of those four outings was his last, when Humber went 6 1/3 innings with four runs allowed on five hits as the White Sox lost, 7-2, to the Yankees.
And while his overall numbers for the season are still impressive, at 124 innings, Humber is reaching the point at which the White Sox will have to start paying attention to his workload.
Over the last five years, Humber has totaled just 51 1/3 innings in the Majors, while tossing no more than 139 innings during a season in the Minors.
“We’re aware [that] this guy has never thrown 140 innings in the past,” Guillen said. “Minor League innings … that’s nothing. Minor League innings compared to big league innings, I think it’s doubled, because here you’ve got to grind it out every pitch.”
Konerko in lineup, but mobility limited
MINNEAPOLIS — Since being hit by a pitch on his left calf Sunday, mobility has been an issue for Paul Konerko, who returned to the lineup Thursday after missing three games.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen admitted he struggled with putting him in the lineup, knowing how much discomfort Konerko was dealing with.
“Konerko is a brave man,” Guillen said. “This guy is very sore, very sore. I’m just happy to have him in the lineup, because if you see him walk around — when he got the first ground ball [Thursday], I felt guilty, because I think good managers don’t play players like that.”
Konerko was in the lineup again Friday as the designated hitter, and could remain at DH through the weekend.
“I was guilty about seeing [Konerko] running the bases, he just barely can push his foot down,” Guillen said. “He said he’s fine. Well, if he said he’s fine, he’s playing.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
A Schelling For Your Thoughts 