Richard gets 2nd start tonight

MINNEAPOLIS - Clayton Richard makes his second major-league start tonight, but the White Sox' rookie has pitched before at the Metrodome.

The details are a little sketchy, but Richards did take the mound against the University of Minnesota when he pitched for the University of Michigan.

"I think it was a rough outing here in college," Richard said. "I don't remember that great; it was a while ago."

Richard made his first start for the Sox last Wednesday, pitching 4 innings against the Texas Rangers and allowing 5 runs (4 earned) while striking out seven and walking one.

The 24-year-old lefty has another difficult assignment tonight against the Twins.

"I think everyone is well aware of the importance of this series," Richard said. "It's definitely in the back of our minds, but once you take the field you have to take it one game at a time. You can't really worry about the standings and all that.

"We have to worry about what we do out there."

Even though he was roughed up by Texas, Richard made a good impression on White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in his debut.

"I think this kid threw the ball well," Guillen said. "It's not easy when you go out for your first game against the Texas Rangers. I like what I saw, and that's the reason we're going to start him again. I think he'll handle it real well."

Slow recovery: Scott Linebrink worked up a pretty good sweat Monday afternoon, but the Sox' injured relief pitcher concentrated on his legs rather than his ailing right shoulder.

"I'm trying to take advantage of this time and doing some extra conditioning," said Linebrink, who is on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in the back of his shoulder.

"I just want to do everything I can to keep my body in shape so when we do start the throwing I'm not starting from scratch."

Linebrink did some light throwing at Detroit on Friday, and he's scheduled to play catch this weekend.

If all goes well, the workhorse reliever is hoping to rejoin the White Sox in mid-August.

"Once we do start playing catch, I don't see a week later me being on the mound or in a game," Linebrink said. "It probably will be a couple of weeks of a throwing program and a bullpen. They might want me to go on a rehab assignment. It all depends how I look when I start throwing pens."