By Mark Gonzales BALTIMORE - It was a strange scene Friday night when White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen walked onto the field to point at a man with a garden hose standing on top of the 40-foot hitter's eye in center field.
This added to the oddity of the Sox's 2-1 loss to Baltimore in 10 innings on Adam Jones' two-out single off reliever Tony Pena.
There was plenty of curiosity, from Mark Kotsay getting a late break on a grounder that cost the Sox a shot at taking the lead in the seventh, to Guillen arguing that Baltimore manager Buck Showalter was allow too much time to contest a blown call by first base umpire Jerry Crawford in the seventh, to 21-year-old Chris Sale making his major league debut in the bottom of the eighth of a 1-1 game.
But Guillen doesn't want to tax left-hander Matt Thornton and wants to see how Sale, who was drafted by the Sox only two months ago, can handle key situations in the midst of a division race.
The loss didn't cost the Sox (62-47), as they remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the American League Central after the Twins' ninth-inning loss at Cleveland that was shown in the Sox's coaches' room.
Sale, 21, walked Brian Roberts on four pitches and allowed a hit to Nick Markakis on an 0-2 pitch before he was replaced by Pena.
"Bad," was Sale's assessment. "I just went out there and I was hyped up. I wanted to do well, but I didn't have any feel. I just didn't show up."
Sale admitted he was nervous, "but those are no excuses. I still have to go out there and pitch. Like I said, I just had a bad day."
Kotsay, meanwhile, has five hits in his past two games after agent David Sloane confirmed to the Tribune that the Sox were interested in slugger Carlos Delgado. Kotsay strengthened his case by hitting a double and triple on the same day Delgado reportedly worked out for Boston.
But Guillen would have preferred that Kotsay not break toward home unless a ball was hit through the infield. Instead, Kotsay got a late break on Alexei Ramirez's slow grounder to first and was thrown out at home plate by first baseman Ty Wigginton.
"The play was to have the ball go through, but in that situation when you have a ball that's cued, your instincts just take over and you think you can make it," Kotsay said. "Obviously, he (Wigginton) made a good bare-handed play and the throw was on target so you tip your cap to him."
Outside of Gordon Beckham's solo home run in the third, the only other support Sox starter John Danks received was from Guillen, who went out to argue to third base umpire Chris Guccione that Showalter was allowed to continue his gripe with Crawford over an incorrect call on a catch by Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin that robbed Felix Pie of a hit in the seventh.
Guillen and Showalter appeared to stare at each other as they retreated to their respective dugouts.
"My job is I've got my pitcher (Danks) out there, but Showalter was doing his job," Guillen said. "He tried to get the play whatever it was. But I've got to protect my pitcher and I've got to try and get (Showalter) off the field because I've got a guy waiting to throw the pitch.''
Danks finished with a season-high 120 pitches in seven innings.
As for the apparent glares, "I don't pay attention to that (stuff)," Guillen said. "He's got his job, I got my job. I don't blame him for being out there, I blame the umpire for letting him be out there that long. He's got a job to do.''
The loss didn't cost the Sox (62-47), as they remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the American League Central after the Twins' ninth-inning loss at Cleveland that was shown in the Sox's coaches' room.
Sale, 21, walked Brian Roberts on four pitches and allowed a hit to Nick Markakis on an 0-2 pitch before he was replaced by Pena.
"Bad," was Sale's assessment. "I just went out there and I was hyped up. I wanted to do well, but I didn't have any feel. I just didn't show up."
Sale admitted he was nervous, "but those are no excuses. I still have to go out there and pitch. Like I said, I just had a bad day."
Kotsay, meanwhile, has five hits in his past two games after agent David Sloane confirmed to the Tribune that the Sox were interested in slugger Carlos Delgado. Kotsay strengthened his case by hitting a double and triple on the same day Delgado reportedly worked out for Boston.
But Guillen would have preferred that Kotsay not break toward home unless a ball was hit through the infield. Instead, Kotsay got a late break on Alexei Ramirez's slow grounder to first and was thrown out at home plate by first baseman Ty Wigginton.
"The play was to have the ball go through, but in that situation when you have a ball that's cued, your instincts just take over and you think you can make it," Kotsay said. "Obviously, he (Wigginton) made a good bare-handed play and the throw was on target so you tip your cap to him."
Outside of Gordon Beckham's solo home run in the third, the only other support Sox starter John Danks received was from Guillen, who went out to argue to third base umpire Chris Guccione that Showalter was allowed to continue his gripe with Crawford over an incorrect call on a catch by Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin that robbed Felix Pie of a hit in the seventh.
Guillen and Showalter appeared to stare at each other as they retreated to their respective dugouts.
"My job is I've got my pitcher (Danks) out there, but Showalter was doing his job," Guillen said. "He tried to get the play whatever it was. But I've got to protect my pitcher and I've got to try and get (Showalter) off the field because I've got a guy waiting to throw the pitch.''
Danks finished with a season-high 120 pitches in seven innings.
As for the apparent glares, "I don't pay attention to that (stuff)," Guillen said. "He's got his job, I got my job. I don't blame him for being out there, I blame the umpire for letting him be out there that long. He's got a job to do.''
why does kotsay have to be threatened with being released before he starts hitting ?
The Showalter era ends tonight. I just hope it's a blowout, I don't want to see Bobby come in and see if he can work out the kinks on his curveball.
If your choices are: always building for the future with young talent that may or may not develop, or getting in the playoffs three times every five years with a veteran club that knows how to win, well, I'll go with the latter.
Sox in first place. I don't know about you guys, but I'm enjoying it.
How nice it must be, "Death to the ignorant," to place yourself in a position where you can do no wrong. I have read nothing but Cubs fan on here over the last few months bashing the Sox for a loss, for only beating bad teams, and for Ozzie's mere presence. Yet here you are, ironically talking on a White Sox board about how White Sox fans go over to Cubs boards and talk nonsense because they care more about the Cubs than Sox. Get over yourself, you are the same as your so called "pathetic" Sox fans.
And Chris, Konerko was just recently quoted as saying how he and the players love it that Ozzie takes the spotlight so much because it keeps the media away from them. He's doing his job, so pipe down.
I stand behind the Sox 100% Yall Cubs fans can go on your own site and talk about being 15 out. We are in first place!
Why is it, every time I read about the Sox, Ozzie has to be center and steal the spotlight from his players. Let them shine Ozzie, take a seat, do your job and do it with grace and finesse. Only then will I feel you are with merit and validity rather than show boating.
Hmm? I guess a loss is too much stress for a Sox fan to discuss so y'all have to go and post on the cubs stories. Just proof that Sox fans care more about Cub failure than Sox success. Pathetic!