Linebrink returning to form

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Bobby Jenks is still trying to reclaim his closer's role with the White Sox.

While he was out for a week with back spasms, J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton combined to blow three save tries.

The back of the Sox' bullpen is in disarray, but Scott Linebrink has quietly pitched his way back into the pressurized picture.

Reduced to mop-up man status in the second half of last season and much of 2010, the veteran reliever has been looking more and more like his old self while allowing just 3 earned runs in his last 161/3 innings.

What's caused the turnaround?

"The workload's definitely been the least amount I've had the last seven, eight years," Linebrink said. "So at this point in the season, I really feel good. I think we've managed to unlock a few things mechanically, too, and that's helped me be more consistent, especially with the off-speed stuff. That's helped out a lot."

For years, Linebrink was one of the best setup men in baseball. But the 33-year-old right-hander experienced some discomfort in the back of his throwing shoulder midway through the 2008 season and hasn't been the same.

Lately, though, Linebrink has shown some flashes of his stellar past.

"I think last year, and even the first part of this year, we kind of got in a rut of throwing a lot of fastballs," Linebrink said. "Being able to throw the off-speed stuff for strikes certainly takes them off the fastball. It was something with my delivery. We ironed that out and the off-speed stuff came along with it."

As for being moved to a reduced role during the second half of last season, Linebrink was not happy. But he's learned to deal with it.

"It was tough," Linebrink said. "Last year, I kind of struggled with it a lot. This year, I told myself, 'No matter what other people's opinions are of me or what role I happen to be in, I just have to go out there and do the job I know I can do.' I can't get down on myself. I've learned a lot through that.

"This game doesn't give you anything. You've got to go out there and work hard no matter what role you're in and the job stays the same. You've got to go out there and get people out."

Let's play two: With Friday night's rainout, the White Sox and Royals are going to play a doubleheader Saturday at Kauffman Stadium.

It could be a long night of baseball.

Game 1 starts at 6:10 p.m. (Channel 9), with Sox right-hander Freddy Garcia facing Phil Humber. In Game 2, it is TBA against Kansas City's Bryan Bullington on Comcast SportsNet.

Edwin Jackson started Friday for the White Sox and threw only seven pitches before play was halted.

There is a chance Jackson comes back and starts Game 2 Saturday night, but the Sox are more likely to go with reliever Tony Pena or make a roster move and bring up a minor-league starter.

Many members of the White Sox wondered why umpire/crew chief Joe West even allowed Friday night's game to start considered the rough weather in the area.