Doctor’s in the house — but Sox not getting any better
“The mind is a strange thing, men. We must begin by asking it ... what is losing?Losing is a disease ... as contagious as polio.Losing is a disease ... as contagious as syphilis.Losing is a disease ... as contagious as bubonic plague.Attacking one, but infecting all.#148; #8212; from the movie, The NaturalIn our never-ending search to attach blame to the White Sox#146; miserable start, we present Dr. Jeffrey A. Fishbein.
He is the Sox#146; new sport psychologist after spending the past nine years in the same capacity with the Florida Marlins.
In his bio, Dr. Fishbein is linked to the Marlins winning the 2003 World Series.
So to be balanced, doesn#146;t the good doctor deserve some blame after the White Sox#146; record dropped to 11-21 following Wednesday afternoon#146;s 3-2 loss to the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field?
The topics of team mental health and having a sport psychologist on the payroll came up before the Sox fell for the 17th time in 21 games.
I think it is fairly safe to say manager Ozzie Guillen had nothing to do with the addition of Dr. Fishbein this season.
#147;When I was playing the game, nothing was mental,#148; Guillen said. #147;All the sudden it#146;s mental. ADD, I#146;ve got problems. I need to talk to a psychologist. That#146;s a bunch of (bleep). That#146;s an excuse, like it#146;s mental. You (stink)? Mental.
#147;Oh, but you#146;re not mental when you go 4-for-4. You#146;ve got the same brains. I don#146;t believe that players have mental problems. Mental problems, they have doctors. You have mental problem, you can#146;t play baseball.#148;
Off to their worst start since 1978, the White Sox have a load of mental problems according to Guillen#146;s theory.
It#146;s a given they can#146;t hit, considering the composite .236 batting average.
They have been even worse in the clutch lately, and were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position Wednesday.
And don#146;t forget about the base running and defense.
In their second straight loss to the injury ravaged Twins, who were playing without catcher Joe Mauer, left fielder Delmon Young, designated hitter Jim Thome and second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Omar Vizquel was caught stealing in the fifth inning.
That#146;s the 18th time they#146;ve been nabbed in 36 attempts this season. Juan Pierre was also picked off after singling in the first inning.
Defensively, Pierre made another error, his fifth, in the second inning and Vizquel was guilty of a costly mental gaffe in the sixth when he failed to cover first base on Matt Tolbert#146;s bunt.
Tolbert was credited with a single, and the Twins went on to score 2 runs in the inning to decide the outcome.
#147;That was my mistake all the way,#148; said Vizquel, who was playing second base. #147;I think I was worried more about the double play than being at first base for the bunt. Today I made a mistake and we paid for it.#148;
So toss Vizquel on the expanding blame list as well, but let#146;s get back to Dr. Fishbein.
He actually doesn#146;t go from locker to locker passing out inkblots, and he doesn#146;t have a clubhouse office with a couch.
Dr. Fishbein is simply available for players who feel the need to talk some things through, but Wednesday#146;s tough-luck starter, John Danks, is not a client.
Yet.
#147;If you want to get some things off your chest, he#146;s there,#148; Danks said. #147;I don#146;t use him, but I#146;m not against it.#148;
Third baseman Mark Teahen does talk to the doctor.
#147;For me, with my role changing this year, we#146;ve talked about that,#148; Teahen said. #147;Baseball#146;s such a mental game and it#146;s good to have an outlet.#148;
sgregor@dailyherald.com