White Sox trying to laugh off sluggish start

MILWAUKEE - Adam Eaton says he doesn't care if his White Sox teammates are laughing with him or at him.

As long as they're laughing, it's all good.

"A club that can laugh together usually will win," Eaton said before his big offensive game Monday night game at Miller Park.

The laughter started a week ago at U.S. Cellular Field, when Eaton was talking about his early struggles with the bat.

"I do believe that I'm the straw," the Sox' leadoff hitter said. "I'm the guy that gets guys going."

Eaton's teammates obviously read the quote, and T-shirts were quickly circulated throughout the White Sox' clubhouse. The shirts feature Eaton's face on a stir stick in a martini glass.

When Gordon Beckham delivered a game-winning single against the Reds Sunday with two outs in the ninth inning, he made a stirring motion with his hands as he celebrated on the field with Eaton and the rest of the Sox.

Was he making fun of Eaton? Or was Beckham just having fun?

"We're just messing around and having some fun," Beckham said. "I mean, it's always fun to win games and it's definitely fun to win like that. I haven't had that feeling in like six years so that was a lot of fun for me. It was good, a good day."

The joke was on Beckham Monday as a photograph from his younger days hung prominently in the Sox' clubhouse at Miller Park.

"That's the showing of a good team," Eaton said. "I was fortunate to be on a couple of championship clubs in the minor leagues and that's what you have in the clubhouse. Just fun going and guys giving each other a hard time. T-shirts that make no sense. And pictures of guys when they were in their teens."

Waiting game:

The White Sox still have some time before deciding their starting rotation for a weekend series at Oakland, but Carlos Rodon remains very much in play for Friday's opener.

"Any time you have him on your team it's a nice problem to have," manager Robin Ventura said of his rookie left-hander. "He can do a lot of things for you. We all know eventually his starting is going to be happening. Whether it's now or later, that needs to be discussed and we need to have a definite plan with that."

Bright spot:

Gordon Beckham used to be the White Sox' starting second baseman, but he was traded to the Angels last August after another poor showing with the bat.

Beckham is back as the Sox' utility infielder this season and he's performed well over the first five weeks of the season.

"I guess when you don't have that opportunity every day, at the start of the day you appreciate it a little more, maybe," Beckham said. "I don't know. I just did a lot of work and I worked on my game out there (in Anaheim), so I feel like that's kind of come through."