Guillen tries to keep 2 losses in perspective

CLEVELAND -- It's only two games.

That's the same thing the Cubs and the Tigers were saying Wednesday.

It's only two games.

But the Cubs and the Tigers weren't the White Sox last season, and it would only be human nature if a player or two on the Sox found themselves thinking that it's 2007 all over again.

"If they do that, then they're a bunch of losers,'' said manager Ozzie Guillen after the Sox dropped their second straight to the Indians. "If they think that, then they should pack it in and go home, and they should tell me so I don't have to live through it again.

"But there's 160 games left and I don't think they're doing that. I love what they're doing, the way they fight back in these games. I like the attitude. I believe in my team.

"Obviously, the performance is not there yet the way we want, but we face a Cy Young winner (C.C. Sabathia) and the (fourth) runner-up (Fausto Carmona) for two days.''

And that has left the White Sox with a disappointing, though not disconcerting, 0-2 start.

"We didn't think we'd go 162-0, and we're not the only team that didn't win so far,'' Guillen said. "There's some teams that are supposed to be in the World Series this year that have the same record we have.''

But the 2007 White Sox were so bad that when asked if his team likes being an underdog, Guillen replied, "With the year we had last year, we shouldn't even be in the league this year.''

In the league, they are. In the race, maybe later. In the win column, not yet.

And still to play on this road trip are four games with Cleveland and Detroit, two teams picked by the entire world to stomp on the White Sox this season.

"I told the players (Monday) that if we lose a few, then people are going to say our season's over,'' Guillen said. "If we win a few, then everyone will say we turned it around.

"I told the players one week doesn't make our season either way. It's 162 games if we win or lose this week.''

The 2 defeats on their own aren't disturbing, but certain aspects of them, like the pitching of Mark Buehrle and Mike MacDougal, are too reminiscent of 2007 for the faithful to have blind faith.

"People have a right to think what they want, especially after what we did last year,'' Guillen admitted. "But all this stuff about starting good, and having confidence, that's for the fans and the media.

"We have confidence in ourselves.''

Guillen has good reason to believe in starter Javier Vazquez, who was brilliant for all but a couple of typical Vazquez sequences, when he lost his way and ultimately the 7-2 decision.

As for MacDougal, the erstwhile setup man now relegated to long relief, he entered 2008 as he exited 2007.

With the Sox trailing 4-1 in the sixth, MacDougal proceeded to give up 2 runs on a walk and 3 hits to the first four batters he faced, removing any opportunity for a Sox comeback.

Down 5 runs, they did load the bases in the eighth, but Jermaine Dye, batting .571 at the time, struck out to end the inning and the Sox' chances.

"I believe in his stuff because he's got such great stuff,'' Guillen said of MacDougal, who settled down after the bad start to pitch 2 scoreless innings. "I have to stay with him until he shows me he can't do it, but I know he can do it.

"I believe in him and I believe in our team. There's a difference between being honest and being hysterical. It's two games. We'll play better.''

Indians manager Eric Wedge thinks so, too.

"You look at that lineup and you look at that staff and that team is scary,'' Wedge said of the White Sox. "They had some injuries last year that really hurt. If they stay healthy, they'll be part of this (division) race.''

Of course, what else would Wedge say?

"I'm telling you what I see,'' Wedge said. "I don't care about predictions and what people see on paper with us and Detroit. Besides, on paper, the (White Sox) have as much potential as anyone in the American League. I can see that.''

Despite being outscored 17-10 in two games, Guillen sees it, too.

"You know, if we're in the pennant race in September, nobody's going to remember these two games here in Cleveland,'' Guillen said. "If we win 20 games in April, but we're 10 games behind in September, nobody will care about April then, either.

"You can't get caught up in this two games or that two games. We're gonna lose two games some other time this year and we're not gonna quit.

"It's not easy in the league. We knew that. It's not easy. But we also know we have to prove people wrong about this team.''

Not that there's any hurry, but today would be an appropriate time to start.

brozner@dailyherald.com