http://www.sportsnipe.com Chicago White Sox, Team News, Updates, and Stats from all sports sources, updated continually. http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933225/mark-teahen-should-be-option-at-3b-for-white-sox.html More photos » Paul Sancya - AP In case you had forgotten: This is what a real 3B looks like. Browse more photos » It was fitting that Wednesday night's game officially ended on a 5-4-3 double play, because it unofficially ended in the 4th inning when Mark Teahen botched what should have been an inning ending double play.  John Danks was tasked with facing the Tigers on short rest thanks to Saturday's double-header in what seemed like a favorable matchup with Jeremy Bonderman. That matchup only got rosier when Miguel Cabrera and Johnny Damon were held out. Unfortunately, outside of Omar Vizquel the Sox offense wasn't up to the task of touching Bonderman. Vizquel took Bonderman deep -- 1st row deep -- in the top of the 4th to provide the Sox lone offensive highlight. The Sox lead was short-lived, however, as Teahen's second throwing error of the game opened the floodgates in the bottom half. Danks wasn't exactly stellar after the error allowing a single, double and two walks (one intentional), and you can't assume the double play, but it's a play that has to be made. If Alexei Ramirez makes a bad error like that, you have to just eat it and move on. But when Mark Teahen makes that error, his second in less than 30 minutes, after a season of proving every defensive metric right (he can't play defense), it's time to get him out of the lineup. There's no way he can make up for his play in the field with his league-average bat. Putting him in the lineup is a net-negative, every time. I have no doubt that Ozzie will pull Teahen tomorrow when he still has to cover for the loss of Gordon Beckham, the question is 'how?' I suspect it will be by shifting Vizquel to 3B and inserting Brent Lillibridge in place of Beckham's customary locale. I'm all for swinging for the fences and throwing the kid with 1 major league at-bat at the hot corner. Ozzie's been using all his bullets from the pen so far in September, why not do the same with the lineup? Teahen wouldn't be such a headache if he was only around for this season. Heck, he might already be gone if that was the case. But with 2 more years at $10+M, he's the Scott Linebrink of the offense. He makes too much money for anyone to want to deal with his shortcomings, and his salary will be just enough that we keep trying find someplace to get "value" out of him (read: where he can do the least damage). Unfortunately, that probably means at least another year of him getting reps in RF, where the Sox would be best served picking up a plus-offensive player while shifting Q! to DH.  And since we always complain when the Sox take a long time to lose, this one came in at a tidy 2:04, a humane euthanization. As for the Sox playoff hopes, they appear to be taking a swift kick in the nuts, as the Twins just broke up a Zach Greinke no-hitter to take a 3-1 lead. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933224/red-sox-11-rays-5.html ^Tampa Bay @ ^ Boston @ ^ Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933223/bonderman-helps-tigers-beat-white-sox-51.html DETROIT (AP) -- Jeremy Bonderman pitched eight strong innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the sloppy Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933222/tigers-5-white-sox-1.html ^Chicago @ ^ Detroit @ ^ Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933221/throwing-error-big-inning-cost-white-sox.html Jeremy Bonderman pitched eight strong innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the sloppy Chicago White Sox, 5-1, on Wednesday at Comerica Park. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932236/ozzie-talks-thome-again.html DETROIT - Jim Thome can keep hitting all the Herculean home runs he wants the rest of the season. That won't change the fact that White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen isn't losing one minute of sleep over the fact that he and the organization made the decision to go in a different direction with the left-handed hitter in the offseason, opening the door for him to sign with the Central Division-rival Twins. "I don't know about the organization,'' Guillen responded on Wednesday, when asked if he was feeling the heat with that decision now. "Myself, I know he's going to hit. Maybe the fans do. Maybe the media does. I really don't put attention to that. I don't. He had big hits for a lot of people. He had big hits for us. I don't put any attention to that. I don't. "If it's not Thome then it's going to be [Justin] Morneau. Jim is playing just because Morneau is not there. And I'm glad for Jimmy. Believe me, I'm very glad for him, I'm very happy for him. He proved people he could still play. I never said we thought he couldn't play anymore. I'm very, very happy for him. All those people can say whatever they want to say. I keep my head up. I go by what we think, what we feel was better for the ballclub.'' Thome wanted to come back to the South Side in January, but the organization felt that a DH-by-committee was better suited for the make-up of the team. At least it started off as the organization. Then during SoxFest, general manager Ken Williams inexplicably threw the decision onto Guillen's lap in a town hall meeting. Guillen decided to stick to the plan, going with a rotating DH that would involve Mark Kotsay, Andruw Jones, Paul Konerko, Carlos Quentin and even Juan Pierre at times. Now that spot belongs to Manny Ramirez, while Thome has excelled with Morneau still on the shelf because of post-concussions symptoms. "We're not in second place right now because of Jimmy,'' Guillen continued. "We're in second place right now because Minnesota play good and we have two very bad months. We played good without Jimmy and we played bad without Jimmy. That's the way it is. If people want to ... I said two months ago, if Chicago fans, if White Sox fans want to blame somebody and they want to point the finger at me, I'll take it. I'm big enough. I'm enough man to take it I've been criticized before and when you're the manager, that's not the last time you'll be criticized. "They can say 'Blame it on Ozzie.' Why not? I will take the blame. Believe me, if the Minnesota Twins win, it's a team effort. It's not just Jim Thome. Did Jim help? Yes he did, a lot. I'm glad for him. The ballclub, if you look at spring training, once again, if you look at the starting rotation ... who's those guys? The second baseman [Orlando Hudson] was looking for a job all over the place. The shortstop, everybody go, '[J.J.] Hardy who?' Those guys are playing well for them. ... Well, if they want to look at all those things and throw them away and blame Ozzie for not having Jim Thome, well they can do that. I'm fine with that.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932235/morneau-optimistic-hell-be-back-this-season-canadian-press.html MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau says he's still optimistic that he will play again this season even though he's been out of the lineup for two months because of a concussion. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932234/bonderman-helps-tigers-beat-white-sox-51-ap.html Jeremy Bonderman pitched eight strong innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the sloppy Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday. Chicago, trying to catch Minnesota in the AL Central, entered Tuesday's game with a seven-game winning streak, but has been outscored 14-2 by the Tigers over the last two nights, including seven unearned runs. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932233/beckham-gets-good-news.html Beckham gets good news Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932232/viciedo-ready-for-anything.html Viciedo ready for anything Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932231/manny-taking-bruising.html Manny taking a bruising Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932230/paciorek-thomas-covering-booth.html Paciorek, Thomas covering the booth Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932229/this-gamethread-worth-two-in-bush.html Next Game Chicago White Sox @ Detroit Tigers Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010, 6:05 PM CDT Comerica Park John Danks vs Jeremy Bonderman Mostly clear. Winds blowing out to center field at 15-20 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 65. B-R Preview | Game Notes | Box Score | MLB Gameday Complete Coverage > Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932228/white-sox-fall-51-to-tigers.html Jeremy Bonderman pitched eight strong innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the sloppy Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday. Chicago, trying to catch Minnesota in the AL Central, entered Tuesday's game with a seven-game winning streak, but has been outscored 14-2 by the Tigers over the last two nights, including seven unearned runs. The four-game series ends with a day game on Thursday. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2931040/afternoon-sports-club-are-sox-overusing-starters-lets-count-ways.html Mark Potash: Whether John Danks or Gavin Floyd pitches for the White Sox on three days rest today against the Tigers, it's a mistake. Even if it works it's a mistake. Sox starters don't need more work, they need less. Every Sox starter's workload is up or flat since the All-Star break and the wear-and-tear is showing. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2926859/sox-in-brief-daley-news-guillen-will-stick-managing.html DETROIT -- Ozzie Guillen loves politics, just not enough to ever get involved in it. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2926858/puzzling-hand-pain-frustrates-beckham.html DETROIT -- It isn't often that Gordon Beckham doesn't have a smile on his face. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2926857/backbreaking-defeat.html DETROIT -- It was finally sounding like the Twins were flinching on Tuesday afternoon. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2926856/sox-are-only-game-in-town.html Rick Telander: Let's lay it straight, Chicago: There's only one game to watch. The White Sox. That's it for now. The Sox are in a race to the postseason with the Minnesota Twins. The race might come down to the final moment of the Sox' last inning against the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field on Oct. 3. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2926855/tigers-end-white-sox-winning-streak.html DETROIT (AP) -- Justin Verlander allowed five hits over seven innings and the Detroit Tigers ended the Chicago White Sox's seven-game winning streak with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919604/throwing-its-good-thornton-injury-might-be-serious.html KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Chris Sale better be really good. Because the 21-year-old left-hander, who was pitching for Florida Gulf Coast University just three months ago, might be the reason the White Sox' pennant hopes sink or swim over the next week. Matt Thornton told the Sun-Times on Sunday morning that the soreness in his pitching forearm that was managed earlier in the season has now turned into something worse. How much worse? Enough for the laid-back left-handed veteran to now have some concerns. "I'm not concerned with my overall health,'' Thornton said. "I'm concerned about missing some time is what I'm concerned about. Hopefully it's something I bounce back from quickly with this little time off. I've blown my elbow out before and done that kind of stuff, and it doesn't feel like that. It's in the muscles, it's in the belly of muscles, so in that way I'm not scared of it. But at the same time it's something you've got to be careful with for sure.'' The unknown is what really seems to be bothering Thornton. Considering what he means to the fortunes of the Sox, especially in the backend of their bullpen, that unknown should be keeping certain members of the Sox organization up a little at night right about now. The plan is to get Thornton back to the South Side tonight, see how it feels tomorrow and then map out a more specific plan. "Right now sore is all we know, yeah,'' Thornton said. "Don't know what's going on or what's next. It's one of those things where you just have to wait and see. Hopefully it's something minor.'' The red flag is that when he had the forearm soreness earlier in the season, Thornton was able to pitch through it. Now, some everyday activities are casing pain, while throwing is out of the question. With a 2.66 ERA, five saves and a team-high 50 appearances this year, Thornton's value is without equal to that Sox bullpen. Add the fact that he also has the most strikeouts by a lefty reliever in all of baseball since 2008, as well as the fact that left-handed hitters were hitting .169 against him this season, as well as fanning 37 times, well, the first-place Twins will find life a little easier if the injury is deemed serious. Best-case scenario? Thornton was hoping to be back by mid-week. "Throwing? It's not good,'' Thornton described. "Kind of something I've been battling - not battling - but normal soreness that I can usually fight through, pitch through, get through and warm-up through. Usually I could warm-up and I would be fine. Now warming up has turned into some pretty good soreness. I've got to take a step back, and the hope is that at the start of this next home series [beginning on Tuesday], I'll be ready to go by that series or the weekend. I don't know. Kind of got to wait and see.'' With Thornton on the shelf for the time being, that means Sale is all they have from the left side out of the bullpen. The Sox better hope that's enough for now. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919603/mannywood-on-south-side.html Ken Williams had to choose his words carefully on Tuesday, as the general manager was bombarded with questions surrounding the rumors that the White Sox will try and claim Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez if, and when, he is put on waivers and clears to the South Side. "Well if I spoke on that ... it's a violation of tampering rules and it's very clear and prohibited for me to speak on another player on another team, so you have to speak in generalities all the time,'' Williams said. "You guys know me, I prefer to sit back and when we do something we'll make an announcement, otherwise there's just no sense talking about anything.'' While Williams played it cool for the media, a source told the Sun-Times that not only is Williams feeling good about the prospect of Mannywood on the South Side, but the GM, "is pushing all his chips on getting Manny Ramirez.'' Not only to help give the offense a presence, but Williams likes the message that it sends to his team this time of year - "that the race isn't over until he says it's over,'' the source said of Williams' thought process. But there are still some breaks that have to fall the right way for the Sox. If the Dodgers do put Ramirez on waivers, the Sox would owe him $1.1 million for the rest of the season and another $3.3 million in deferred money. Ramirez can still veto the move to another team because of his full-no trade clause, forcing the Dodgers to pull him back. That's why Williams wasn't blowing up "Manny being Manny'' balloons just yet. "Well that's a Jerry Reinsdorf question that we will probably revisit if and when someone goes on the waiver wire that may get to us,'' Williams did say of taking on the extra salary. "I think the assumption is for everyone out there that just because something moves across the scroll of your television that that is the truth. I'm not going to confirm or deny it, but I will say a lot of times names are being put out there that have gone through waivers or are going through waivers, and they have not in fact been put on waivers. I guess it's just the nature of the beast, and I will answer any question you guys have on it, but I won't answer them directly.'' That's never a problem for his manager, however. Ozzie Guillen was asked flat out if he would want Ramirez added to the mix, and didn't hold back. "I don't know,'' Guillen responded. "Manny hasn't played in the big leagues in a little while. If Kenny asked me if you need Manny or do you want Manny here, I'm going to say yes because you know why? He's going to bring him anyway. Then why not?'' As far as if Guillen could handle the free-spirited Ramirez? "I can handle anyone,'' Guillen responded. "I don't have to handle the players. The players handle themselves. I've had players who have come to the ball club with a reputation that they're bad for the ballclub and with me they were very good. "Bringing players aboard is not my department. My department is write the lineup and make the guys play the best they can. If Manny comes here, he's more than welcome. I don't have any phone calls from Kenny, I don't have any phone calls from Rick [Hahn] or Jerry. To me, it's rumors. Kenny also does stuff very quiet, not with me, with the media and people. If he comes here then we have to wait to see when he comes here to see what happens.'' As Guillen point out, another sticking point could be Ramirez's famous dreadlocks. Reinsdorf has a strict policy about hair, even coming down on Joe Crede and A.J. Pierzynski early in the 2006 when they went grunge post-World Series. "I want to see how Jerry Reinsdorf is going to confront the hair,'' Guillen said with a laugh. "It ain't going to be my f------ department.'' Guillen did make it clear that if Ramirez did join the mix the slugger would follow his rules or "he won't play.'' But "Manny being Manny'' was the least of Williams' concerns. "Listen, I'm a byproduct of someone giving me a second chance,'' Williams said. "So is the manager and a lot of these players. And we've had success by bringing them in and putting our arms around them and telling them, 'Who amongst us doesn't make mistakes here and there? Who amongst us doesn't have a period of time we wish we couldn't take back.' These guys are just doing it on a public stage.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919602/latest-on-mannywood-all-things-sox.html Ken Williams is well-versed in the bobbing and weaving that has to go on this time of year. Whether it's to avoid a tampering fine by Major League Baseball or Williams simply not wanting to show his hand, the White Sox general manager was again careful in how he discussed the latest rumors swirling around the South Side. On whether or not they had put a claim in for reliever Trevor Hoffman that was blocked? "I have no comment on it,'' Williams said. "Because if I answer that question, I'm going to give you an answer that I'm going to give you, and the next time you ask a question, and I don't give the answer in the same form, then it will tell you what I'm doing. It establishes a pattern, and you can figure me out.'' Williams also couldn't comment on slugger Manny Ramirez, but was asked about having a few more tricks up his sleeve other than the obvious. "It's possible,'' Williams replied. "It's always possible. Sometimes the most obvious things are the most unrealistic things to accomplish, so you always got to be looking for what you actually can accomplish. And sometimes small marginal growth is sometimes just as effective as the more obvious bigger thing that you're not going to get.'' Manager Ozzie Guillen offered up even less when asked about adding to the roster. "You guys make me get in trouble because if I say something about Manny Ramirez, that's tampering or whatever you guys call it,'' Guillen said. "No. I just talked to Kenny a couple minutes ago and nothing out there. I think they've got to go through waivers and I don't know how long the waiver is. Seeing the rules a lot of people are on waivers. Can Manny Ramirez be our savior or whoever come out, I don't know? I don't have any comment about Manny because I can't.'' Mixed message If Guillen is in fact leaving the South Side after this season, that would be news for his realtor. The manager admitted on Thursday that he was looking to buy a house in Chicago. "I have a beautiful house back in Miami and in Caracas, but that's the place I live the most,'' Guillen said of staying put. "I like competition and I like to compete. I like people to ask me questions and to second-guess me. I like people to hate me. I like that. Why not? I'm not a perfect guy. Some people love me, some people hate me. I like that.'' September help Williams was also asked about September call-ups and if the Sox had moved forward in that department as far as narrowing down the names. "No, we've had to deal with some other things recently and haven't gotten to that point yet,'' Williams said. "But I've talked about it with my staff and minor league people.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919601/new-face-white-sox-manny-era-begins.html CLEVELAND - Mark Kotsay sat in a chair, chewing on a power bar hours before Monday's game with the Cleveland Indians and a day before "Manny being Manny'' becomes an overplayed slogan around the South Side. If there was one current White Sox player that should have been upset with the news that Manny Ramirez was acquired off the waiver wire by general manager Ken Williams earlier in the day, it should have been Kotsay. After all, his playing time is about to go from sufficient to suffering overnight and at a crucial part of the season. "You shouldn't have feelings, not in this game,'' Kotsay said. "That's my goal from the get-go ... in Arizona [back in spring training], how do we get to the finish line in first place? I don't worry about playing time, I don't worry about at-bats at this point. You just worry about getting to the postseason.'' Kotsay wasn't alone, either, as the entire organization was sending the same voice. "Yes, we did try to get him at the deadline,'' Williams said of the entire Ramirez saga. "The thought behind it was very simply for us we not only want to get into the playoffs, but once we get into the playoffs we'd like to have a chance to do something special. The teams that are there have some good pitching and you're going to need to need a hitter that can not only hit good pitching but hit good pitching in the clutch. This guy's been there and done that before and it's just a matter I think of him getting his timing back and he'll be effective.'' Better yet as far as Williams was concerned, he landed Ramirez without giving anything back in return. It ended up being a straight waiver wire move, which put the Sox in the books for approximately $1 million that needs to be paid this year and another $2.8 million that needs to be paid by 2013. "We had an opportunity to put a player, various players actually, into the deal and cut into some of the money, but we determined that we'd rather be awarded the player on a claim and keep our talent to be able to continue to be able to challenge for a championship every year,'' Williams said. "So that was our decision, at the end of the day, to absorb the dollars. And we feel good about it for the 2010 season and depending on what we do, we'll feel good about it when the rest of his money is due in 2013. "But if we're all wearing rings around here, or we gave ourselves the best shot, you don't even have to wear the ring. You just have to feel like you gave it your best shot to capitalize on a season that can be great.'' Ramirez is flying to Cleveland before Tuesday's game, and manager Ozzie Guillen wasn't sure if he would have him in the lineup to make his debut or not, but the hope is Ramirez can add a presence to a lineup that in moments this season has vanished for games, even weeks, at a time. Ramirez, 38, might be the right guy for the job, considering his resume reads like a Hall of Famer, hitting a career .313 with 554 home home runs, 1,828 RBI and 1,538 runs scored over an 18-year career. Then there's that little matter of what he did in 2008 after the Dodgers acquired him, carrying Los Angeles to the postseason by hitting .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBI in 53 games. His mission now? Help make up the four games the Sox need to in order to run down the first-place Twins. "It's about 25 guys, well maybe about 31 because maybe three, four, five guys come up,'' Guillen said. "It's about everyone man. OK, what if we have Manny here and he hits a three-run home run and we're down by seven runs? It doesn't mean anything. Everybody here has work to do. If we do what we're supposed to do then we will make a run. If Manny comes here and is unbelievable, that might help, but that doesn't guarantee any wins. Not because he's here, 'Oh, we're in.' '' Guillen plans to hit Ramirez fifth, and also to play him primarily as the DH. There could be a few innings spent in left field to give Juan Pierre a breather, but very few. As far as the Sox extending an offer to Ramirez - a free agent-to-be - beyond 2010, Williams wouldn't rule anything out. "I go into this with an open mind,'' Williams said. "He is our DH right now. Let's see how it goes; let's see how he fits. Let's see how we all end up and what we have to work with dollar wise next year. But that's 2011. Let's worry about 2010 now is my message to everyone.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919600/peavy-facing-some-uncertainty-for-start-2011.html BOSTON - Jake Peavy would like to tell his front office, his teammates and all of White Sox Nation that he will be fine come spring training, that go ahead an pencil him into that Opening Day starting rotation for 2011. But in the straight-shooting world of Peavy, that's not something he can do with 100 percent confidence. He likes the results of the surgery he underwent to repair the detached lat in his right shoulder. He is confident in the rehab schedule that lies in front of him the next five months. He even likes the pit bull mentality he is taking into that rehab. The reality, however, is there is still a lot of uncertainty that comes from this injury. Considering the Sox owe Peavy $16 million in 2011 and then $17 million for 2012, there's also a lot of nail-biting. "I don't really know and I don't think the doctors really know,'' Peavy said of his return to the mound. "They expect me to make a full recovery but said a lot of this is uncharted territory. They think it will be the case, and we hope that will be the case, but at the end of the day nobody can say, 'At this point and time, you're going to feel this way.' '' Peavy was actually discussing his prognosis with former Braves great John Smoltz before Sunday's game with the Red Sox, with Smoltz now a broadcaster for TBS. One of the main topics was where Peavy would be for the start of 2011. "Smoltzie and I were just talking in here, and Smoltzie had Tommy John, so he said, 'It must be hard because with Tommy John you know on Day 48 you need to be making this many tosses from 40 feet,' '' Peavy explained. "That uncertainty that I have is the kicker here that we just don't know. "I feel very confident that I will start my throwing program at the beginning of the year. I mean I don't want to miss anymore time than I have to, but at the same time we got to make sure we take things the right way.'' Sox general manager Ken Williams has been very optimistic that Peavy will be up and running in 2011, and up and running for the start of the season. At the same time, he also said that the team's hope was to be able to re-sign free agent-to-be Freddy Garcia in the offseason, and actually take six starting pitchers into camp with Peavy, Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Garcia all in the mix. Add to the fact that rookie Chris Sale will likely begin the season in the minor leagues, converted back to the starting pitcher he was in college, there will be some flexibility. Peavy didn't fault his GM for making sure the rotation was insulated. "I did have major surgery and we have to make sure that I didn't take any steps back,'' Peavy said. "We have to be cautious and if that means take a couple extra weeks in spring training to get going ... I certainly don't want that to happen, and the plan is to do everything I can to be ready for the start of the season.'' As far as what today holds for Peavy, well, he's basically just a highly-paid cheerleader now. He's on the current road trip with the Sox, getting the beginning stages of his rehab in, but also sitting back and wondering what if. Former slugger Frank Thomas had to deal with something very similar back in 2005, as foot problems forced him to the sideline after a solid first half showing, leaving him to watch the team go on to winning a World Series. It was Peavy who said way back in January that he wanted "what the boys did in 2005. I want that dog pile, that memory, that ring. If you're not dreaming of that same thing, I question where you are as an athlete.'' That hasn't changed. "I still want that more than anything, and I want this group of guys, my buddies that I have shared some playing time with, to do that - albeit I don't know if I need to be in that dog pile but I'll certainly be on the outskirts of it and so happy for my teammates,'' Peavy said. "I mean you want to be a contributing factor for a team that gets to the World Series and to play in that is anyone's dream. That's the tough part about this, but I pushed as hard as I can, we pushed through some injuries to try and be out there for the boys, and if anything I did end on a good note.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919599/minnesota-on-mind.html DETROIT - Sooner or later, one of them has to blink. The White Sox were hoping Sunday would be that day for the Minnesota Twins. Then they watched one of the more bizarre calls of the season bail the Central Division leaders out of a ninth-inning jam, as Texas third base coach Dave Anderson was called for interfering with Michael Young for the final out of the game and a 6-5 Twins win. "Only thing missing was the Metrodome,'' Sox team captain Paul Konerko joked on Monday, pointing out the fact that the Twins are no strangers to fortunate wins over the years, especially when they played in the friendly confines of the dome. Obviously, the move outdoors to Target Field hasn't changed much. The Twins are leading and the Sox are chasing. "Yeah, I would say a little bit,'' John Danks responded, when asked if it was getting frustrating to know the Sox are playing so well, but barely closing the gap. "[Minnesota's] playing a tough team like Texas, you would expect Texas to be able to take at least one off of them, but they're a good team and they're playing well right now. We just have to take care of business.'' As much business as they can take care of feeling like Minnesota simply won't slip up. Sunday was just the latest reminder of that, after the Sox fought back to beat Boston and were looking for some help from Texas. Then it was snatched away in the ninth, just when Texas was rallying. "It's pretty rare but you learn something new all the time in this game,'' Danks said of the play with Young. "I didn't even know that it was possible to win like that, but ... it's tough. Good teams find ways to win, but we just have to stay within striking distance. We have a big series with them coming up.'' A week away to be exact, as the Twins and Sox are scheduled to face each other just once more this season - a three-game showdown on the South Side beginning on Tuesday. "I think it's bringing the best out in both teams,'' Konerko said of the race. "We're hanging in there. It's definitely easy to get discouraged when the team is winning a lot and you feel like you're playing well and not moving. It's why it's so tough. "That's why when it's 162, when you do win the division, the three times we have it's such a great feeling because you feel like it's the hardest thing to do. It's such a battle all year. It should be hell. It should be tough. For us ... it's still very, very possible, but the numbers are shrinking. At some point, hopefully we make a move. But I think it's bringing the best out in both teams. Like I said two, three, six months ago, it will probably come down to the last week, the last weekend. That's what we hope.'' And while the Sox players can say that they have put the Twins in the back of their minds, only focused on the series they are currently playing in, the truth is that Minnesota is very much in the forefront. J.J. Putz was discussing the current four-game series with the Tigers, and guess where his thoughts drifted? "Detroit's going to give us everything they've got,'' Putz said, "and then we've got the showdown with Minnesota, which might be the make or break series. It would be nice if [the Twins] would hit a skid in the next four or five days and we can have the chance to win out, but all we can do is win games.'' Actually, the Sox play the Tigers and then have three games with the Royals. Then there was injured pitcher Jake Peavy talking about how far the Sox have come since their slow start. "We just need someone to beat Minnesota, that's the bottom line, can someone help us out?'' Peavy said. "It would be nice to be a couple games closer before we have that big series against them [next week]. We got to take two-of-three, and three-of-three would be even better.'' Meanwhile, manager Ozzie Guillen might have the smartest approach. Guillen said he wakes up every morning putting it into his mind that Minnesota has already won that day. "Mentally I always say we need wins,'' Guillen said. "It's nice when [the Twins] lose, but the way things are going for them I expect to be close enough in the pennant race when we face them. I don't expect anybody to go out there and do us a favor. In the meanwhile, we wish they'd lose. But we just have to continue to play the way we are and take it for the best.'' Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919598/beckham-his-right-hand-we-have-problem.html DETROIT - It isn't often that Gordon Beckham doesn't have a smile on his face. That's why it was obvious on Tuesday that the White Sox second-year second baseman was experiencing some high levels of concern with a right hand that was hit by a pitch on Aug. 30, and still not showing signs of improving. The pain became so bad before Game 2 of the Tigers series that Beckham was scratched from the start with no timetable for a return. "I'm not sure if we'll get it looked at again or not,'' Beckham said. "It's interesting because it seems like it hurts in a different place every day. The pain just moves around my hand. It's frustrating because the first thing we looked at said it's not broken. You would think it would be feeling a little bit better. So I don't know. I don't know what we're going to do or anything. "I can't swing a bat like I'm capable of so I have to get out of there. I've got to give our team the best chance to win and I don't feel like ... I can't really hold on to the bat. You need both hands to swing.'' Beckham initially was given four days off to rest the hand when it happened in Cleveland, returning Saturday in Boston. He was still receiving treatment, but Tuesday was a setback. To what extent? That remains to be seen. "Obviously, you're concerned when it hurts,'' Beckham said. "I'm not really sure what's going on. I don't know why the pain is jumping from different places. There's not much I can do about it. I think I just have to rest it and hopefully it'll get better. I don't know.'' Manager Ozzie Guillen felt confident that there were enough bodies to hold down the fort for a short time, and his hope was that Beckham would be back sooner than later. "Well, we got people out there,'' Guillen said. "Other guys have to step it up. This kid [Beckham] has been playing very good for us. We still have people there who can help us. I don't think it's going to be anything of that magnitude where he'll be out 15 or 20 days. I hope not.'' For now, Guillen will lean on Omar Vizquel at second base, with Mark Teahen at third. With the rosters expanded, he also has Brent Lillibridge, Brent Morel and Dayan Viciedo as options. As for Beckham, he's hoping that a few more days of rest will do the trick, as he would love nothing more than the chance to build on a .333 batting average with 14 doubles and seven home runs over his last 47 games. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919597/moves.html Friday, March 14, 2008 Postgame Roster Moves Following today's game, the White Sox optioned pitchers Jack Egbert and Adam Russell to Class AAA Charlotte and optioned catcher Cole Armstrong to Class AA Birmingham. We have 36 players remaining in camp.... Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919596/sox-pick-up-podsednik.html It’s been a week, and the Sox have a 4-3 record. Not great, but good enough to be in second place, a half game behind the Royals in the Central. Currently, they’re scoreless in Detroit. But I thought I’d post the news that Scott Podsednik, who was released in spring training by the Rockies [...] Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919595/contreras-decent-sox-fail-miserably-in-det.html Final score, Det 9, Sox 0. What can be said, the Sox could get anything going offensively, getting only 4 hits with nothing but a few walks after the 5th. The defense looked (sounded?) sloppy at times (esp later in the game) And then you have the pitching, which has been pretty good this [...] Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919594/game-6-take-2.html By Phil Rogers NEW YORK -- Lineups and starting pitchers are the same for the Yankees and Angels as they resume the weather-interrupted ALCS. It's the Angels' Joe Saunders vs. the Yankees' Andy Pettitte, and lineups stayed the same as... Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919593/hardball-moving-to-chicagobreakingsportscom.html Hello, Hardball readers. We've moved your blog. Please take a look at chicagobreakingsports.com, the site for breaking sports news important to Chicago, including White Sox and Cubs. Contributions come from the staffs of the Chicago Tribune, WGN-Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720... Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919592/manny-ramirez-goes-1for3-in-white-sox-debut-sportingnewscom.html Manny Ramirez, hitting fifth and serving as the DH, was 1-for-3 with a single and a strikeout in his Chicago White Sox debut Wednesday. He also was hit by a pitch. Ramirez was acquired earlier this week via a waiver claim from the Los Angeles Dodgers and was in uniform Tuesday. Despite coming to the on-deck circle in the ninth inning, however, he didn't have an at-bat Tuesday. The slugger grounded out in his first at-bat Wednesday and struck out his next time up. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919591/ramirez-pinchhits-for-white-sox-hit-by-pitch-ap.html Red Sox fans got one more chance to show their feelings toward Manny Ramirez in the series finale with the Chicago White on Sunday. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen decided to keep Ramirez out of the starting lineup after he played both games of a doubleheader sweep over Boston on Saturday. But in the eighth inning, Ramirez came up as a pinch-hitter in a tight game. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919590/pierzynski-singles-in-10th-chisox-win-7th-row-ap.html The Chicago White Sox keep finding ways to win. A.J. Pierzynski hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning and finished with three RBIs on Monday, and Chicago beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 for their seventh straight win. The White Sox are second in the A.L. Central, 3 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins. "Keep battling, not giving away at-bats. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919589/white-sox-team-report-yahoo-sports.html The White Sox know that the Minnesota Twins aren't going to just hand them the division. Especially after the players witnessed the ending to Sunday's Minnesota win over Texas, when Rangers third base coach Dave Anderson was called for interfering with Michael Young for the final out of a 6-5 Twins win. "Only thing missing was the Metrodome," Sox captain Paul Konerko joked on Monday, pointing out the fact that the Twins are no strangers to fortunate wins over the years, especially when they played in the friendly confines of the dome. The move outdoors to Target Field doesn't seem to be changing much. "Yeah, I would say a little bit," John Danks responded when asked if it was getting frustrating to know the Sox are playing so well but barely closing the gap. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919588/white-sox-rhp-garcia-leaves-start-stiff-back-ap.html Chicago White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia has left his start against the Detroit Tigers after two innings with a stiff lower back. Garcia came out with Chicago trailing 2-1 on Tuesday night. He allowed three hits, including Johnny Damon's two-run homer in the first inning. He was replaced by Lucas Harrell. Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919587/putz-expects-to-be-back-when-eligible.html Putz expects to be back when eligible Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919586/white-sox-silence-fenway-crowd-in-game-1.html White Sox silence Fenway crowd in Game 1 Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919585/white-sox-keep-pace-sweep-dh-in-boston.html White Sox keep pace, sweep DH in Boston Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919584/santos-feels-back-on-track.html Santos feels back on track Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919583/good-record-may-be-enough.html Good record may not be enough Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919582/ozzie-tweaks-finale-lineup.html Ozzie tweaks finale lineup Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919581/improbable-rally-lifts-white-sox-in-boston.html Improbable rally lifts White Sox in Boston Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919580/rios-alexei-get-breaks-on-holiday.html Rios, Alexei get breaks on holiday Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919579/aj-caps-neversaydie-win-for-white-sox.html A.J. caps never-say-die win for White Sox Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919578/replay-overturns-ingeamp39s-tiebreaking-homer.html Replay overturns Inge's tiebreaking homer Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919577/vizquel-sets-mark-for-nonus-born-players.html Vizquel sets mark for non-US born players Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919576/pierre-white-sox-clemente-nominee.html Pierre is White Sox Clemente nominee Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919575/teahen-confident-in-abilities-at-third-base.html Teahen confident in abilities at third base Chicago White Sox - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates