What does White Sox general manager Ken Williams wear, a 44 long?
It might be time to find out.
After watching his team struggle to a 45-49 record in the first half, Williams said Monday: “They better do the job, otherwise they will have to fit me for a straightjacket by October.”
After the Sox’s horrendous start Thursday night that left them with a 10-9 loss against Detroit, there might be no point in waiting for a fitting.
The Sox decided to wait out a series of thunderstorms to get Thursday’s game in. That turned out to be a foolish choice.
Bartolo Colon didn’t throw the first pitch until 10:11 p.m. after a rain delay of three hours and six minutes.
Colon was ineffective from the start. He needed 43 pitches to complete the first inning, during which Detroit got on the board with a two-run homer by Dmitri Young.
Colon lasted just 32 1/43 innings–his shortest start since Oct. 1, 2001–against a team that entered the game hitting .228, the lowest batting average in baseball.
After dispensing with Colon, the Tigers teed off on David Sanders, chasing him from the game with four consecutive hits as the Tigers took a 9-1 lead in the fifth.
When Jerry Manuel walked to the mound to remove Sanders, what was left of the home crowd booed the embattled manager. Before the game, Manuel said he didn’t need to be told where he stands.
“No, we have to win games,” he said. “It’s that simple. Where I stand is really irrelevant. The heat or whatever I take, that’s part of the job. I’ve always said I would rather it be on me than the players. I think we have a good team and I think we are ready to really make a run at it.”
Sox highlights came from Joe Crede, who hit a solo homer in the third off lefty Mike Maroth, Miguel Olivio, who hit a three-run homer off Maroth in the 7th, and 9th-inning home runs by Carlos Lee and Carl Everett to cut the lead to one.
“We’re playing teams [Detroit and Cleveland] that beat us up on the road and put us in this position,” Manuel said.
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Up next
Friday: Matt Roney (1-3, 3.34) vs. Mark Buehrle (7-10, 4.24). 7:05 p.m., WCIU-Ch. 26, WMVP-AM 1000
Ticket exchange
Fans can redeem tickets or ticket stubs from Thursday’s game for
a ticket to another game. Contact the Sox at 312-674-1000.
