Guillen: Garcia is a savior

Freddy Garcia was just supposed to fill in at the back of the White Sox' starting rotation this season, try to baffle opposing hitters with his array of off-speed stuff and win a game every now and then.

But over the first two-plus months of the season, the 33-year-old Garcia leads the Sox with 5 wins and 7 quality starts.

"I think Freddy is a savior this year because every time we need somebody to step it up and go more than 7 innings, Freddy's done it," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "If we don't have Freddy going that long, we'd be in deep, deep trouble right now because we'd have everybody in the bullpen done."

Garcia has come a long ways from 2007, when he had shoulder surgery that threatened to end his career.

"I left here, went to Philadelphia, got hurt there and had surgery," Garcia said. "Things started in '07. I had surgery and I missed almost three years. Now I feel good and whatever happens, happens."

Puzzling pair: Freddy Garcia has pitched well for the most part this season, and so has John Danks.

But the White Sox' other three starters - Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd - are a combined 9-16 with a 5.88 ERA.

Guillen is particularly worried about Peavy (4-4, 6.23 ERA) and Floyd (2-6, 6.64).

"I'm not concerned because I think they've got good stuff," Guillen said. "I'm concerned if somebody's hurt. Those guys are healthy, I think."

Guillen was asked if he had some medical information on Peavy and/or Floyd.

"They're healthy, yes," Guillen said. "They just haven't pitched well. They can prove me wrong. I expect a lot. The expectations for us, not just from me, was very high for the pitchers not because we're not crazy, because we think they're good enough to do that."

Peavy, who starts against the Indians tonight, has lost two of his last 3 starts while allowing 17 runs on 26 hits in 171/3 innings.

Minor matters: Class AAA Charlotte starter Daniel Hudson pitched 5 innings and allowed 1 run in a win over Pawtucket on Thursday. The right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.36 ERA in his last 7 starts.

Catcher Tyler Flowers is 4-for-35 over his last 10 games with Charlotte. He's batting .209 overall.

Third baseman Brent Morel was 0-for-5 in Friday night's win over Lehigh Valley. In three games with Charlotte since being promoted from AA Birmingham, Morel is 1-for-11.