Sox’ Rios quietly accepts demotion
His inability to hit all season has gotten Alex Rios into some big trouble.
Lashing out about being demoted to the bench is not going to help the White Sox’ struggling center fielder, so Rios took the high road when approached by two reporters Friday following batting practice.
“If you guys want to talk about what Kenny (Williams) said, I’d just rather keep it quiet,” Rios said.
Alejandro De Aza came up from Class AAA Charlotte on Wednesday and started in place of Rios in center field against the Tigers. De Aza’s 2-run homer was the difference in the Sox’ 2-1 win over Detroit.
De Aza was back in the starting lineup against the Red Sox Friday, and manager Ozzie Guillen talked to Rios about his situation.
“Obviously, he’s not a happy camper,” Guillen said. “I don’t expect him to be happy. But in the meanwhile, he wishes he was playing better. He wishes things went a different way. But like I say, it’s hard to kick the guys in the (bleep) that way when they’re down. That’s not my style. I never did it before.
“I will figure out the lineup. I will figure out how to get him some at-bats. But in the meanwhile, I talked to him about giving me some bullets. Give me something I can grab (so) people don’t criticize me because I play him.”
With left-handed starters facing the White Sox the next three games — Jon Lester and Andrew Miller for the Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday, and CC Sabathia for the Yankees on Monday, Guillen said the right-handed Rios is likely to play while the left-handed De Aza sits.
New guy:
After joining his new team Friday, relief pitcher Jason Frasor said all of the right things.
Acquired in Wednesday’s trade that sent Mark Teahen to Toronto and Edwin Jackson to the Blue Jays and the Cardinals, Frasor grew up in Oak Forest and pitched at Southern Illinois University.
The 33-year-old reliever said he was a Cubs fan as a kid.
“You get older and you just kind of lose faith, I guess,” Frasor said. “I’m a White Sox fan, I’m a huge White Sox fan now.”
Frasor is also expected to be a huge asset in a bullpen that was beaten up by the Sox’ erstwhile six-man starting rotation. Taking some of the load off workhorse Jesse Crain in Frasor’s main role.
“I think when you’re in a pennant race you pitch until you tear something,” said Frasor, who was 2-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 44 appearances with the Blue Jays this season. “You have no regrets. You’re in the stretch and you do what you can to help the team.”
Minor matters:
Right fielder Dayan Viciedo was still out of the lineup Friday night for Class AAA Charlotte. Viciedo has missed a full week with a sore thumb ... Center fielder Keenyn Walker, the Sox’ top draft pick this year, is batting .333 (20-for-60) with 7 doubles and 11 stolen bases in 15 games with Advanced Rookie Great Falls.