In Wednesday night's 15-inning victory over the Royals, Sox relievers worked the following outings:
- Nick Masset: One batter.
- Matt Thornton: Three batters.
- Scott Linebrink: Five batters.
- Bobby Jenks: Eight batters.
- Boone Logan: Seven batters.
- Octavio Dotel: 11 batters.
And in the 15th, Esteban Loaiza just began to warm up.
That's why I don't get
this signing on its face:
Now he's back to help the White Sox out of the bullpen in a long-relief and spot-starter role.
"That's the way we're going to start with him," White Sox manager Ozzie
Guillen said. "That will give us an opportunity to use [Nick] Masset
more. Because the way Masset is pitching, I think we should use him a
little bit more.
Since May 24, Masset has pitched one full inning over two outings. If Guillen managed his bullpen a little differently, Masset would've entered in the 13th or 14th inning with plans to pitch for the next five, or until the game ended.
I suppose this can't hurt for a week or two, but if Paul Konerko and Jim Thome continue to struggle (their respectively clutch and mighty home runs Wednesday night notwithstanding) and Jermaine Dye keeps popping things up as well, the Sox will have a much bigger need for another bat on the bench. At this time, Loaiza is the second long reliever in the bullpen for a team that has rarely needed one.
Unless the Sox plan to play more 15-inning affairs. With a lockdown bullpen and a lock-up offense, that's not entirely out of the question.
There is
one other reason that makes a little sense...
My old man just called and said Levine was just on ESPN 1000. He said
part of the reason for all this was to protect Mark. Levine claims
Buehrle has had a shoulder problem since ST, and he can't start on 5
days anymore, but needs a week. Now I don't know how much of this is
factual(if Levine is correct, I know he said it), but I suppose we will
find out pretty soon.
If that's the case, I'd rather see Charlie Haeger.
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With that, I'm heading to the motherland for a long weekend. You'll still get game and minor league recaps and something about
the draft, but posting will be sporadic otherwise.
South Side Sox will be the place to be during the draft later today.
I'm hoping for
Justin Smoak, myself. Or
Aaron Crow, merely because he went to Missouri.
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Minor league roundup:
- Charlotte 4, Pawtucket 2
- Charlie Haeger allowed one hit over 6 1/3 innings, but left in the seventh, after loading the bases with a HBP and two walks -- the only two he issued on the night.
- Scott Sauerbeck walked the two batters he faced, but Mike MacDougal worked out of it with minimal damage, striking out three over 1 2/3 perfect innings.
- DH Josh Fields tripled in one at-bat, and struck out the other three.
- Chris Getz went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Mississippi 4, Birmingham 3
- Cole Armstrong had his second straight three-hit game, and has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. He doubled and drove in two.
- Carlos Torres allowed three runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts.
- Myrtle Beach 4, Winston-Salem 2
- John Shelby went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.
- Anderson Gomes hit a solo homer for the other run.
- Matt Zaleski struck out five over five, but allowed three runs.
- West Virginia 8, Kannapolis 5
- Jason Rice struck out seven over three innings -- but also allowed five hits, four runs and two walks.
- Charlie Shirek pitched for the first time in a full month: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K
- Christian Marrero and Sergio Morales hit solo homers.
- Logan Johnson had the only multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.