white sox notes
white sox notes
Juan Uribe wasn't surprised to get a start Sunday -- manager Ozzie Guillen had said a day earlier his best hitter would be in the lineup for the homestand finale against the Minnesota Twins.
The surprise went to Willie Harris, moved from second base to center field to accommodate Uribe.
''I saw it [on the posted lineup] when I walked in,'' Harris said. ''Nobody really talked to me about it, but I'd been working on [playing center] in batting practice just in case. I just want to be in the lineup and playing."
With the White Sox offense in a slump, it was logical that Uribe and his team-high .352 average had to find their way back into the lineup. But Guillen didn't want it to come at the expense of Harris, who has been hitting well.
Center fielder Aaron Rowand hasn't been hitting well, though (.214), so Guillen decided to trust team reports saying Harris could handle center.
''Rowand is still there,'' Guillen said of Rowand's playing status. ''My thinking is 'can I do this?' The thing in the big leagues is you might start to doubt yourself. [Rowand] hasn't had the greatest at-bats, but he plays real good defense and he plays hard for me. I just want to try to get Uribe some at-bats, and there's only so much you can do as a manager. I wish I could play Uribe every day, but it's hard for me to figure out how.
''We'll try Willie in center field for a couple games. He won't be the [permanent] center fielder, but we'll try it for a few [games.] I just want to get my offense going.
''I've never seen him play there, but we'll see how it goes.''
Harris last played the outfield last season.
''I don't mind playing center,'' he said. "I like second base better, but I'm not disappointed at all. I'll be nervous for a minute but then I'll be fine. You just have to get a feel for the game.''
NO BROOMS: The Sox haven't been swept in a home series since May, 2003 when the Seattle Mariners took three straight, outscoring the Sox 26-5 in the series. The Twins last swept the Sox in Chicago in April, 2001.
The Sox are 10-2 in the final game of a series this season. They are 8-2 in the third game of series compared to 11-13 in the first two games of series.
K-O'D: Frank Thomas slugged his seventh home run of the season on Saturday, but Thomas went 1-for-9 in the series, striking out five times with three walks. He was the only Sox without a hit among Sunday's 15 hits, and was ejected after the fifth inning after his last strikeout for arguing balls and strikes with umpire Jim Wolf.
It was the eighth ejection in Thomas' career and his first since June 17 last season against Boston, also for arguing balls and strikes.
All of Thomas' home runs have come at home, a category in which he leads the American League.
LUCKY OR GOOD: Uribe's offense far outweighs his defensive skills, but he gets the job done in the field. ''I think he's a lucky infielder because the way he catches and throws, you have to be lucky,'' said Guillen, a former Gold Glove shortstop. "I tell him that every day -- 'you're not good, you're lucky.' ''
ERROR PRONE: Shortstop Jose Valentin continues to have fielding problems, committing two more errors Sunday after one Saturday. Valentin leads the team with eight errors despite playing in only 19 of the team's 36 games.
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Kelly Wunsch has been throwing a bunch at Class AAA Charlotte, and the left-handed reliever hopes the White Sox recall him or trade him when he is recovered from the tendinitis in his shoulder.
''I'm getting close to 87-88 [mph] where I'm most effective,'' he said, adding he is feeling about as good as he was in Charlotte in 2002 when he was coming off 2001 shoulder surgery. ''The difference is, I'm throwing more junk now. It's good junk. It gets people out.''
Wunsch knows the Sox are trying to trade him because general manager Kenny Williams has been talking frequently with his agent, Joe Sambito.
''They've either decided I don't fit with Damaso Marte [3.52 ERA] and rookie Neal Cotts [2.45] doing well as their [lefty] relievers or there's no interest at all,'' Wunsch said.
''If I can't get back there [Chicago], I'd like to be with another major-league club in July when [wife] Jessie and I are expecting our second child.''
Williams is continuing to seek ''the right place'' for Wunsch, who had a 2.43 ERA last season while leading the American League in lowest opponents' batting average (.139), slugging percentage (.169) and fewest hits per nine innings (4.25).
''Kelly is a major-league pitcher, there's no doubt about that,'' Williams said. ''If there is a possibility of a trade that makes sense for us, then we would entertain that thought.
''We spent about 45 to 50 minutes in spring training discussing his situation when we put him on the disabled list. He might not like where he is, but he certainly understands our thought process. There's just no spot for Kelly right now.''
Wunsch admits he could be seen as damaged goods after having been on the DL nine times in his 12-year professional career, including each of the last three seasons.
''This one's my fault,'' the 31-year-old said. ''I was lifting [weights] too much in Arizona and throwing a lot of long toss when I wasn't pitching. I wasn't giving myself enough recovery time.''
Wunsch, who has a 3.38 ERA in 10 Charlotte games with 10 strikeouts and only two walks in eight innings, is back from a three-game International League suspension for ''instigating'' a fight last week at Louisville.
''Their manager [Rick Burleson] sent a runner home with a 10-run lead on a fly to shallow center and the guy, who weighs about 225 pounds, creamed our catcher,'' Wunsch said. ''Burleson said he was trying to get the batter an RBI. That's some way to get one. The league claimed I started the fight, but Louisville actually instigated it.''
