Guillen bites tongue after 2nd straight shutout loss
After yet another zombie-like effort Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox were up on the tee and manager Ozzie Guillen was holding the club.
But just when he was ready to drive away some frustration following a 6-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Guillen pulled up.
"I don't want to say something and then tomorrow morning I will regret it," Guillen said.
Not one profane word did he spew, but Guillen was clearly close to pushing the launch button after the Sox absorbed their first back-to-back shutouts in nearly 12 years.
They've also been held scoreless for 23 straight innings and have dropped four straight in what looked to be the easiest part of their schedule.
"We stunk today," center fielder Brian Anderson said after Indians starter Carl Pavano pitched a complete game while allowing just 3 hits. "I stunk. We realize that. I can understand the fans' frustration; they should be. We have a great team and it's only a matter of time before we click. We've got to start soon."
Referring to the Sox (25-29) as "great" appears to be a bit of a stretch.
"I think we're better than the way we're playing. I think," Guillen said with intended emphasis. "I hope I'm not wrong. I think we have a lot of talent out there. We just can't get it done."
In 3 straight losses to Oakland heading into the Cleveland series, Guillen gave plenty of credit to Athletics rookie starters Vin Mazzaro, Josh Outman and Brett Anderson for pitching a combined 20 innings and allowing just 2 earned runs.
Guillen wasn't so complimentary of Pavano.
"I'm tired to see those at-bats," Guillen said of his offense. "It's not tired bats, but I'm really tired to see those at-bats. And boring. I was yawning during the game like 35 times watching those guys hit."
When Mark DeRosa launched a 3-run homer off Sox starter John Danks to put Cleveland ahead in the third inning, Guillen started feeling a little green.
"I'm not going to say we're not trying," Guillen said. "I'm not going to say we're not working, we're not trying to get better, but it's just kind of, I think we're just dead.
"I know it's not easy when you're not hitting, when you're not scoring runs, to be exciting. But as soon as DeRosa hit that home run, it was a bad feeling in my stomach. I knew we weren't going to win this game, and that's not a good feeling to have when you're managing a ballclub."
The White Sox were playing without left fielder Carlos Quentin (disabled list) and right fielder Jermaine Dye (serving a two-game suspension). But as they try to pull out of another tailspin, it doesn't seem to matter who's in the lineup.
"The way I change my lineup every day, maybe I'll go out and pick a name out of a hat and hope for the best," Guillen said. "No matter who I play, where I play them, it's the same results."
Scot Gregor's game tracker
Friday's grade: See Thursday's grade (Hint: It starts with the same letter as futile).
Blank check: The Sox have been shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 9-10, 1997. That was manager Ozzie Guillen's last season as the club's starting shortstop.
Blank check II: The White Sox have not scored a run over their last 23 innings.
Blank check III: The Sox padded their major-league lead for most shutouts (9).
Blank check IV: After going 3-for-29 vs. Cleveland starter Carl Pavano, the White Sox are batting .216 at home this season.
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298854">Dye suspended two games<span class="date"> [6/05/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>