Lack of support not getting Floyd down

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Good news for the White Sox - Gavin Floyd takes the mound in the second game of the series against the Royals on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Bad news for the Sox - see the good news.

While Floyd has allowed a minuscule 3 earned runs in 29 innings over his last 4 starts, the right-hander is 0-1 over the stretch.

And for the season Floyd is getting just 2.8 runs per game, the second-lowest offensive support among American League starters.

If the lacking backing is bothering the 27-year-old pitcher, Floyd is hiding it very well.

"The way I started the year, I finally got back on my feet and I'm just thankful for that," Floyd said. "Just keep on pushing. Baseball can be a weird sport; there are some years when you're giving up 4 runs and getting wins. Just kind of take it for what it is and hope the team wins."

In past years, even when he was winning 17 games for the White Sox in 2008, Floyd often would start questioning his own ability when things weren't going well, and he always seemed to have focus issues.

Now that he's maturing at the major-league level, Floyd finally has been able to put everything together.

"I feel strong," said Floyd, who has trimmed his ERA from 6.64 to 4.80 over his last 4 outings. "And my mind, my attitude, it feels different. I feel like everything is flowing real good. I've probably been searching for six years, when I was real raw with Philly, there was something that was kind of missing.

"I think I found the right attitude after the adversity I went through, and I hope it continues."

If Floyd continues to throw 96-mph fastballs with one of the best curveballs in the game, he's eventually going to find his way to the winner's circle.

"He's been very good for the last 3 or 4, and even more than that," Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. "Right now, Gavin seems to be locked in pretty good.

"We're going to just stay out of his way and try to keep him in the groove he's in. Sometimes the best coaching is staying away and not doing too much coaching. He's throwing it very well."