Sox can't even get a rain delay right in loss Tuesday
From top to bottom, the White Sox can't do anything right.
Add legendary groundskeeper Roger Bossard's name to the list, not that many people noticed.
With just 21,666 in the seats at U.S. Cellular Field, largely thanks to “premier” ticket pricing with the Yankees in town, Tuesday night's game was delayed at the start for 45 minutes due to inclement weather in the area.
Well, it never rained, and the Sox fans that even bothered showing up could have been out of their misery much earlier had the game started on time.
Instead, the skies opened for real in the middle of the seventh inning, creating delay No. 2.
In a perfect world, rain would wash out the remaining 55 games on the White Sox' schedule. That's how painful it's been to watch them perform during this latest stretch of uninspired baseball.
The Sox trailed New York 6-0 when heavy rain and lightning hit after the Yankees were retired in the top of the seventh inning. And that was the final score when the game was officially called about an hour later.
Go ahead and blame starter John Danks for the lopsided score, but you can't expect White Sox pitchers to keep throwing up zeros when the offense rarely — if ever — shows up.
Having allowed just 4 earned runs in his last 36⅔ innings, Danks came in as one of the hottest starting pitchers in the major leagues. His mound opponent, Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes, came in with an 8.24 ERA.
Danks didn't have it, allowing 4 runs on 9 hits in 6 innings, but he didn't have any run support, either.
Even though Hughes has been ineffective while dealing with a shoulder injury, he held the Sox scoreless over 6 innings and allowed just 3 hits.
No matter what he does — or doesn't do — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has been unable to light a sustained fire under the offense.
One of Tuesday's highlights, if you want to use that word, was Adam Dunn leading off the second inning with a single to short right field.
It has been a miserable season for Dunn, who came into the game with the lowest batting average in baseball at .162.
Before the game, Guillen was asked what he is seeing when Dunn's at the plate.
“I want to cry,” Guillen said. “A lot of swing and a miss.”
Dunn's mental makeup also was questioned again. And again Guillen took a shot at Dr. Jeffrey Fishbein, who is in his first season as the Sox' team psychologist.
“We have a guy we pay like $200,000 to help (Dunn),” Guillen said. “Where is he? Somewhere around here. They pay him a lot of money to work with the head guys. It ain't working right now.”
How fitting, and “It Ain't Working Right Now” sure sounds like a more accurate slogan than “All In.”
Danks tried staying positive after the White Sox fell 5½ games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers.
“We're not where we want to be, but there are still a lot of games against (the Central) division,” Danks said. “I feel like the ball's still in our court. We just have to play good baseball.”
sgregor@dailyherald.com