Harrelson hoping Sox get tougher after 7-2 loss to Tigers
It was Ken "Hawk" Harrelson night at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday night, and the White Sox honored the TV broadcaster for 25 years of service.
There's not a bigger Sox fan around than Harrelson, so it's no surprise he tried finding a silver lining in the midst of one of the darkest seasons in memory on the South Side.
"What's happening this year reminds me of '83," Harrelson said. "That team started off (16-24) and wound up winning 99 games and won the division by 20 (games). I'm not going to say this club is going to do that, because I don't know if this club is as tough as that '83 club.
"I hope this team has some of that in them. If it does, we will have some fun the rest of the way. If they don't, it's going to be a long year."
It's been a long 10 weeks so far, and the Sox' slow start has the vultures hovering overhead looking to acquire players like Paul Konerko, Bobby Jenks, A.J. Pierzynski, Mark Buehrle and even Jake Peavy.
Remember what Peavy said after losing to the Indians on Saturday when asked if he expects general manager Kenny Williams to break the club up?
"It's Kenny's call," Peavy responded. "You know, certainly I'm one of the guys, if he did something, that something may be done with. I don't know. That's the GM's job and I won't ever get into that. He can do as he pleases."
According to an ESPN report, Williams has contacted fellow GMs to let them know that anyone and everyone is available.
The White Sox' GM has been as patient as possible through the rough early going, but how many more games like Tuesday's 7-2 loss to the Tigers can he can watch before starting an overhaul?
Not only did the Sox fail to hold a 2-0 lead after five innings while wasting a rare solid start by Gavin Floyd, they dropped to 4-20 in games following a win.
And getting back to Harrelson's questioning of their toughness, the White Sox are 1-15 in their last 16 after victories.
"I don't know," manager Ozzie Guillen said when again asked why the Sox are seemingly incapable of putting a win streak together. "A lot of bad things are happening to us. We just can't get a combination of good hitting and good pitching."
The White Sox did get to Detroit starter Armando Gallaraga in the fourth inning on Mark Kotsay's 2-run homer. But that was the extent of the damage they inflicted on the right-hander, who made international headlines last week when umpire Jim Joyce's blown call with two outs in the ninth inning cost him a perfect game.
The Tigers rallied back with 6 runs in the seventh - 5 were off reliever Matt Thornton - and the Sox (24-33) fell 91/2 games behind the Twins in the AL Central.
"Shoot, I wish I had the answer for why I've been struggling," Floyd said when asked about the White Sox' disappointing season. "Obviously, you're frustrated. If we can get everything to work together, good things will happen."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Scot Gregor's game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Tigers 7, White Sox 2</p>
<p class="News"><b>Classy move:</b> The announced U.S. Cellular Field crowd of 20,776 gave Detroit starter Armando Galarraga a standing ovation when he came to the mound in the first inning. Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game by umpire Jim Joyce in his last outing. Sox leadoff man Juan Pierre greeted Galarraga with a single.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Worn out?</b> Matt Thornton's heavy workload appears to be taking a toll. The lefty allowed 5 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in a third of an inning. Thornton's given up 7 earned runs in his last 21/3 innings.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Still struggling:</b> Is it time for Gordon Beckham to go back to Class AAA Charlotte? In addition to making his sixth error, Beckham was 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts. He's batting .199.</p>
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