what the hey, i'll start.....
whats with this? and no i will not be at a party tent this weekend.....damn
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Buehrle to start Friday vs. Tigers in rotation switch
BOSTON - Mark Buehrle and Todd Ritchie combine to give the White Sox a pretty formidable 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.
But the Sox' next three starters - Dan Wright, Jon Garland and Gary Glover - are still considered unproven commodities.
Garland was brilliant against the Red Sox on Wednesday night, and Wright has been solid in his last two outings.
But in an attempt to bolster the back end of the starting rotation, manager Jerry Manuel decided to shake things up.
Instead of taking his regular turn against the Tigers on Friday, Glover has been pushed back a day.
That means Buehrle starts against Detroit in the series opener at Comiskey Park. The Sox' ace will be followed by Glover, Ritchie, Wright and Garland.
"I was looking for an opportunity to split up the three kids,'' Manuel said. "We had talked about it as a group. Going into a series and you have those three kids pitching, that's kind of a mental edge for the opposition.''
Doing the job: It looks like the White Sox have finally found a reliable setup man for closer Keith Foulke.
No, it's not Bob Howry or Antonio Osuna, who shared the role earlier in the season.
It's Damaso Marte.
Acquired in a March 27 trade from the Pirates, Marte hasn't allowed a run over his last 8? innings.
The left-hander doesn't speak English well, but manager Jerry Manuel was happy to talk about Marte.
"It's a surprise that he's done so well, a pleasant surprise,'' Manuel said. "He goes right after hitters. He comes in and throws strikes and he blows some balls by people.''
Marte has been so dominant lately that Manuel is thinking about giving him some save opportunities.
"He has shown that he doesn't have any fear, or hesitancy, for getting us to (Foulke),'' Manuel said. "Against teams that are primarily left-handed, he might be a guy that could even save a game for us. That would be a big, big bonus.''
Huddle up: Manager Jerry Manuel doesn't know what was discussed in Tuesday's players-only pregame meeting.
But he was pleased that veterans Kenny Lofton and Frank Thomas took the initiative to organize the event.
"That's always good, when you get a team that polices itself,'' Manuel said. "That's a sign you've got a good thing going.''