Fields struggling with transition

CLEVELAND -- Josh Fields got a much-needed break on Sunday.

Not only is the White Sox' rookie 3-for-18 with 5 strikeouts on the road trip, Fields is adjusting to playing left field.

"It's been a challenge,'' Fields said. "I have a lot more respect for guys that play different positions. It's not easy.''

The converted third baseman has had some misadventures since moving to the outfield Aug. 26, but Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is trying to make the transition as smooth as possible.

"We ask a lot of this kid,'' Guillen said. "Play third base, and all of a sudden we make the decision to take a look at him in the outfield. I told him that whatever happens out there, blame it on me. I want him to be relaxed, but he's looked better. He's a good athlete. He's not going to be a Gold Glove, but I think his only bad day was the first day in Chicago when he missed the ball.''

Back in action: With Josh Fields on the bench, Scott Podsednik started in left field after missing 11 games with a strained right rib-cage muscle.

It's been an abysmal season for the injury prone Podsednik, who was sidelined for two months with a strained right adductor and three weeks with a strained right rib-cage muscle.

Nearing the end of his one-year, $2.9 million contract, Podsednik is not expected to be back with the White Sox next season. With Fields playing left, Podsednik's exit was all but sealed.

Manager Ozzie Guillen said the 31-year-old Podsednik still has value, even if it's with a different team.

"He deserves a shot, man,'' Guillen said. "When he's healthy, he plays good for us.''

Guillen said Podsednik's intense training schedule is the cause for much of his health problems. The left fielder strained his adductor on an off-day (April 16) while he was working out at U.S. Cellular Field.

"The problem about Pods, in my opinion, is he works too hard,'' Guillen said. "He doesn't give his body a rest. We talk about it. Every time I see him, he's in the room working with medicine balls or jumping all over the place. Some time you have to rest to give the body a chance to recover.''

Heading out: Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is expected to miss the Sox' three-game series in Detroit because of the death of his wife's grandmother. Donny Lucy, who was called up from Class AAA Charlotte on Saturday, is likely to catch his first major-league game Tuesday.

At various times this season, Juan Uribe, Alex Cintron, Mark Buehrle and Paul Konerko have all left the club because of a family death or illness.

"Weird things,'' Ozzie Guillen said. "I've never been on a ballclub where every week someone is dying in the family. It's a real weird kind of year. But that's not an excuse because the people out there still have some talent to at least to play better.''