Short rest does in another Sox starter in
Javier Vazquez again showed he is not a good pitcher on just three days' rest during Saturday's start against the Indians.
With Jose Contreras out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon and Clayton Richard and Lance Broadway unable to step up and fill his spot, the Sox have been trying to get by with a four-man rotation for much of September.
Vazquez, who allowed 7 runs in 4/1 innings against Cleveland, has been abysmal.
Gavin Floyd was so-so on three days' rest at Minnesota Thursday, but Mark Buehrle fared pretty well.
Buehrle gets the call again today, even though the left-hander threw 121 pitches over 7 innings against the Twins Wednesday.
"We have to be careful," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I know this game is very important to us, it's a do-or-die thing, but I've got to take care of those guys. Because if you get hurt, if something happens to you because we tried to win the pennant, that's not fair.
"He's going to dictate to me how he feels. I'll go by what he says. Hopefully he's not lying to me; hopefully he's not trying to be a hero."
If the Sox need to play Monday's makeup game against the Tigers, Gavin Floyd gets the start on three days' rest.
Ready for Freddy? If the White Sox need to play Monday's makeup game against the Detroit, Freddy Garcia is going to start for the Tigers.
The only way the game will not be played is if the Twins beat the Royals today and the Sox lose again to the Indians.
"He already sent me 20 text messages," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Freddy wants to win, believe me. He's going to be ready to beat us."
While helping the White Sox win the World Series, Garcia pitched on the South Side from 2004-06 before being traded to the Phillies for Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.
Garcia won only 1 game for Philadelphia before having surgery on his right shoulder. He missed most of this season as well, but is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA for Detroit. Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Aug. 12.
"He's going to show he can still pitch," Guillen said. "I think we need to be prepared because Freddy's a big-game pitcher. I know they don't need that game, but he's going to go out there and do what he is supposed to do."