Buehrle haunted by 'that one bad inning'
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- It happened on Opening Day, when Mark Buehrle gave up 7 runs in the first inning.
And it happened in Buehrle's last start, when he allowed 5 runs in the first.
When he hasn't pitched well this season, Buehrle has typically been bombed in one inning. That's the main reason the White Sox' ace left-hander is a disappointing 2-6 with a 5.26 ERA heading into Sunday's start against Tampa Bay.
"I really can't pinpoint one thing,'' Buehrle said. "I've had 6 out of 11 quality starts, which is not the highest, but I've given my team a chance to win. You want to be higher than that, but for where my record's at, my numbers, it doesn't really seem to match up.
"Just go out there and keep doing what I'm doing and stay out of that one big inning. In the ones where I haven't had thrown a quality start, that one big inning, that's what's haunted me.''
Buehrle has gone through tough stretches before, and he had a forgettable 2006 (12-13, 4.99 ERA). The 29-year-old pitcher isn't worried about his slow start this season.
"I think in previous years I've been more mentally messed up than I am right now,'' Buehrle said. "I think it's because I've gone out there and thrown the ball pretty well in the majority of my starts. Take that one big inning away or a certain play or certain pitch away, and the game totally changes and I could have almost every game being a quality start. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened.''
Uribe coming back: Juan Uribe was back with the White Sox on Friday after a three-game rehabilitation assignment with Class AAA Charlotte. Uribe, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, batted .182 (2-for-11) with the Sox' top farm club. The second baseman is eligible to be activated today.
"I feel a lot better,'' Uribe said. "I ran and I don't feel the strain now.''
Manager Ozzie Guillen said he's probably going to platoon Uribe and Alexei Ramirez at second base.
"Whoever gets hot is going to play, and I'm going to pick the matchups here and there and see what happens,'' Guillen said. "Right now, I cannot say exactly what the move is going to be.''
Cabrera, Guillen talk: Shortstop Orlando Cabrera talked with manager Ozzie Guillen before Friday's game. Cabrera and Guillen were at odds over the former's decision to contact the official scorer and complain about error calls during two different games.
"We're fine,'' Guillen said. "I'm really excited about him coming and talking to me about it. I think he dug his own hole. Everything was nice and clean and I was really pleased because he showed me how much respect he has for his teammates, that's No. 1, and for the organization, that's No. 2, and for me, that's No. 3. I worry more about what his teammates think about the problem than what I was thinking.''