Chicago Sun-Times

Chris Sale stymies Angels again in White Sox’ win

Sat, 18 May 2013 01:39:46 -0500

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels have seen enough of Chris Sale for a while. The White Sox can’t get enough of him. Five days after pitching a one-hit shutout against the Angels at U.S. Cellular Field, Sale blanked the struggling but star-studded Halos again. He struck out a season-high 12 in 7 2/3 innings in a 3-0 victory that extended the Sox’ winning streak to a season-high four games. Relying more on his big slider, Sale (5-2) allowed three hits. Two of his three walks came in the first inning. His scoreless-innings streak reached 23, and he lowered …

Tyler Flowers has handled job behind plate

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:13:07 -0500

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Six weeks into the Tyler Flowers experience, the White Sox stand firmly behind their catcher. As tempting as it is to lament the loss of A.J. Pierzynski’s bat in light of the team’s awful start offensively, the Sox like what they see from Flowers, despite his .202 batting average and .265 on-base mark. “Catching-wise, he’s done everything we’d hope he’d do,’’ bench coach and former catcher Mark Parent said Friday. “He’s throwing better, and as far as running a game and calling a game, there’s no better guy to have back there.’’ Since taking a shot two …

Conor Gillaspie’s fielding better than expected

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:11:25 -0500

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Along with providing one of the White Sox’ better bats, third baseman Conor Gillaspie has been adequate on defense. That’s saying something because Gillaspie’s glove was something of a minus while the rookie was in the Giants’ farm system. “The main thing at third is always being ready for the ball, especially with a team like [the Angels] with so many right-hand hitters,’’ Gillaspie said. “If you take a couple pitches off or kind of get lazy on 3-0 or 0-2 and don’t expect a ball, that’s when it gets to you. I’m usually OK when I’m …

Slower bat has plagued Adam Dunn during time with Sox

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:41:10 -0500

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The last thing Adam Dunn wants is another Comeback Player of the Year award. One was enough. A ‘comeback’ qualifier needs a very bad year — such as Dunn’s in 2011 when he batted .159 with 11 homers and 42 RBI in his first year with the White Sox — to preface a good one. Dunn has nine homers and 18 RBI, on pace for 38 homers and 77 RBI, but with more bombs than singles (eight) through Wednesday, his average (.156) is cause for concern, even for a 33-year-old slugger with 415 career homers. “He has …

Sox thump Twins, but Keppinger looking for answers

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:30:59 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — Jeff Keppinger is about to become a bench player or, at best, a rotation guy in the White Sox’ infield. That isn’t what he had in mind when general manager Rick Hahn signed him to a three-year, $12 million contract after he batted .325 last season for the Tampa Bay Rays. Since spring training, when Keppinger was rapping out two hits a day and making it look easy, the wheels have fallen off. Dropped to eighth in the lineup, he broke an 0-for-16 streak with an infield single and a two-run, lead-padding double in the Sox’ 9-4 victory …

Huge game could be wake-up call for Adam Dunn

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:31:11 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — No rest, no problem for Adam Dunn. A bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived Dunn erupted in a big, big way on Wednesday, launching two home runs to left-center field and leaving a mark on the left-field wall with a double in the White Sox’ 9-4 victory against the Minnesota Twins. Sleep on the road can be an issue for Dunn, and he couldn’t shut it down when his head hit the pillow in the team hotel after Tuesday night’s game. He flipped on the CMT network hoping to doze off, and that didn’t help. “Saw the sun come up,’’ he said. …

White Sox work fundamentals before 4-2 victory over Twins

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:08:06 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — On top of being just plain bad, the White Sox had to cope with bad luck, bad umpiring and bad equipment Tuesday. There wasn’t much they could do about those things, but they could do something about their bad defensive play. That’s why manager Robin Ventura and his staff called for a practice five hours before the start of the Sox’ 4-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Under a hot sun and unseasonable 90-degree temperatures, infielders, outfielders, catchers and pitchers spent about 45 minutes working on the basics of catching balls and being in the …

A rare back-to-back relax for Konerko

Wed, 15 May 2013 02:25:06 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — Sometimes, one day is not enough. Robin Ventura learned while playing for Joe Torre that a multi-day break can do wonders for cleaning out the system and re-fueling the tank, so the White Sox manager gave captain Paul Konerko his second day off in a row Tuesday night. When Konerko was given Monday off, Ventura told him he might go back-to-back, so Konerko wasn’t surprised to see Adam Dunn playing first base and Dayan Viciedo at designated hitter for a second consecutive night. “That’s for him to decide,’’ Konerko said. “I came in ready to play, but it …

Yet another game of error ball in White Sox’ ugly 10-3 loss

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:26:30 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — The Sox led the American League with a franchise-record fielding percentage last season. This year they rank last. And are somehow getting worse. Another bad act in the comedy of errors that is threatening to trash a 2013 season before Memorial Day was staged at Target Field on Monday night in a 10-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The box score shows one error, a misplayed grounder to shortstop Alexei Ramirez’s left that manager Robin Ventura saw as an inning-ending double play. But there was more bad defense for a team that — get this — was built …

Ventura gives ‘worn down’ Konerko day off

Tue, 14 May 2013 07:34:27 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS — Paul Konerko took a rare day off against a left-hander Monday, a reminder that the White Sox’ captain is no longer 30 years old. “Yeah, I’m a little worn down, like everybody,’’ Konerko said. To keep him as fresh as possible, manager Robin Ventura has used Konerko as a designated hitter on artificial turf and cold days and plans regular days off for the 37-year-old. Konerko is hitting in the clutch (.360 with runners in scoring position), but he’s batting .172 overall with one home run and five RBI in his last 16 games. “[It’s been] a little …