Mark Buehrle had a back-to-basics session Tuesday after three consecutive poor outings.
Under the supervision of pitching coach Don Cooper, Buehrle worked on more than just throwing to bullpen catcher Man Soo Lee.
“We’re looking to do a lot of old stuff we always did,” Cooper said. “Get balls in to right-handed batters. Work on back-foot breaking balls to right-handers–sinkers and changeups away and down.”
A greater emphasis has been placed on right-handed batters because they’re hitting .304 against Buehrle.
Cooper said the Sox have been careful not to tax Buehrle between starts because he has thrown 126 innings this season and is on pace for his sixth consecutive season of at least 200 innings.
“If you’re not walking guys or not really struggling in games, sidelines become overrated,” Cooper said.
Cooper isn’t bothered that Buehrle is close to reaching his career high of 61 walks, as long as they don’t fuel rallies.
“I don’t like it when Saturday he walks the first guy (Johnny Damon) in the game,” Cooper said of Buehrle’s 14-3 loss to the Yankees in which Damon walked and scored on Derek Jeter’s double.
“It’s simply location.”
Manager Ozzie Guillen said there are no plans to alter the rotation after he spoke with Cooper and Buehrle, whose ERA swelled from 3.22 to 4.43 in his losses to the Cubs, Boston and the Yankees.
Paying up
A.J. Pierzynski gladly accepted an offer by WSCR-AM morning show host Mike North to pay the $250 fine Major League Baseball assessed him for “inciting the crowd” after Cubs catcher Michael Barrett slugged him May 20.
North told Pierzynski he would write the check to Bob Watson, MLB’s disciplinarian.
“Mean man, mean guy–an unwarranted fine. From the Mike North Morning Show,” North told Pierzynski he would write on the check.
