Shouting match 'no big deal'
Pile loss on top of loss on top of loss and eventually tempers are going to boil.
But rather than take his frustrations out on the Boston Red Sox during Sunday afternoon's game at U.S. Cellular Field, White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski chose hitting coach Greg Walker instead.
After grounding out against relief pitcher Manny Delcarmen leading off the seventh inning, Pierzynski returned to the dugout and exchanged words with Walker. Had bench coach Joey Cora not stepped in, the verbal exchange might have turned physical.
According to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, Pierzynski was upset with Walker because Delcarmen was throwing cut fastballs, and that pitch apparently was not in the standard scouting report.
Guillen sided with Walker in the dispute.
"(Pierzynski) didn't know Delcarmen was throwing cutters,'' Guillen said before the White Sox rallied to beat the Devil Rays 5-4 in a makeup game Monday afternoon. "That's the 20th time we've faced Delcarmen since I've been managing. If he doesn't know what (Delcarmen) has, don't make excuses. That's a bad excuse. You put the coach on the spot to listen to that.
"I'm not protecting Greg Walker, but I think Greg Walker was right. I'm sorry about A.J. I love him, but he was wrong and has to admit he was wrong. When someone is right, I will let him know he's right.''
Pierzynski said the incident was "no big deal'' several times.
"If you think this is the first time Walker and I have gotten into a shouting match, then you're going to be wrong,'' Pierzynski said. "It's no big deal. It was just the heat of the moment. Walk and I have gotten into it before and today we're fine. It's no big deal, just a frustrating weekend.''
Walker declined to comment.
While losing four straight to the Red Sox, the reeling White Sox were outscored 46-7.
"I have nothing but respect for Walker, and I hope he feels the same way about me,'' Pierzynski said. "It's an issue that shouldn't be brought up but is going to be because of the way we're playing. If we were playing better, no one would care. It just is what it is and hopefully, we're done with it after today.''
Not only did Guillen back Walker, he said the entire White Sox' coaching staff is expected to return next season.
"I think those guys are doing their job,'' Guillen said. "As long as they keep working the way they are, as long as they can still help us, I don't see why not. I don't think I'm going to blame the coaching staff because of the way we played. I don't blame the coaching staff; I blame myself. I take full responsibility because I know (Sox coaches) do everything in their power to make those guys get better."
In his first three seasons as White Sox manager, Guillen didn't hesitate to make changes on the coaching staff.
First-base coach Rafael Santana was reassigned after the 2004 season, and his replacement, Tim Raines, was let go after last season.
"I had a couple guys who coached for me who were my dear friends,'' Guillen said. "I don't think they we're doing what they were supposed to do, and I fired them. I'm the type of person, I don't bring friends to the game. I bring people to help me and this organization get better. This group of guys we've got here, they're doing what they're supposed to do.''
White Sox 5, Devil Rays 4
At the plate: The White Sox hit 3 straight home runs (A.J. Pierzynski, Jermaine Dye, Juan Uribe), and 4 overall (Josh Fields), in the seventh inning. The last time the Sox went back-to-back-to-back and added a fourth homer in the same inning was Aug. 21, 2005, against the Yankees' Randy Johnson. Tadahito Iguchi, Aaron Rowand and Paul Konerko hit consecutive home runs, and Chris Widger also went deep against Johnson.
On the mound: Jose Contreras pitched 7 innings and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits while winning his first start since June 18.