Possessing the lowest batting average in the American League and playing without one of their top sluggers caused the White Sox to take deeper measures Tuesday night while starting an eight-game trip at Seattle’s pitcher-friendly Safeco Field.
“Good, I’ll take my chances,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I have a good pitching staff. We have to create runs. We know how to play in big parks. Every time we play in pitchers’ parks, we’ve had success in the past. [The Mariners] have a great club, a great hitting team. We can’t do much lately without those guys in the lineup because we don’t get on base.”
The Sox lineup featured Jermaine Dye in the third spot for the first time this season, Juan Uribe batting seventh for the second time and the debut of Luis Terrero, who was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte to take the place of struggling Brian Anderson.
Terrero provided instant offense when he ripped a home run in first Sox at-bat in the third inning for a 1-0 lead but the Sox trailed 3-2 after seven innings.
Guillen, meanwhile, wanted to give catcher A.J. Pierzynski a rest before putting his name in the lineup.
“In the meanwhile, if I put Terrero, [Pablo] Ozuna and [Gustavo] Molina in the same lineup, I don’t think we look that strong,” said Guillen, whose lineup featured six position players batting .229 or lower. “And that’s why I put in A.J. That’s why I have to think about the lineup, move [Dye] and bat him third, Ozuna is swinging better and move him up, hopefully Crede gets hot and all those guys get together and get hot and make it easier for us.”
But Jim Thome’s rib cage injury has compounded the Sox’s hitting woes. They entered Tuesday’s game with a .225 batting average and averaged 4.1 runs a game in April, nearly two runs fewer than they averaged in April 2006.
More alarming is their inability to hit in the clutch. They also rank last in the AL with a .220 batting average with runners in scoring position and were 3-for-22 in those situations in their past four games.
It’s a stunning contrast from their .307 mark with runners in scoring position last year.
The Sox briefly pondered activating catcher Toby Hall and employing him as a designated hitter, but Hall’s recovery from a torn right labrum remains uncertain.
Hall did make 20 throws from home plate to second base and 15 from home to third after early batting practice Tuesday, but he was throwing at much less than full velocity.
Guillen maintained the collective slump overshadows the losses of leadoff batter Scott Podsednik and Thome and any need to explore help from outside the organization.
“Not yet, no,” Guillen said. “I think Thome should be back quickly. Podsednik, I don’t know. It may take a while, but we have the people.
“If those guys were hitting the way we think they hit, we wouldn’t miss Thome. But we do miss him because we [aren’t swinging] the bat well at all. If those guys hit the way they’re supposed to hit, I think we’re going to need him but not miss him that much. Right now because we’re not hitting, we need him desperately.”
Guillen gave Terrero the start in center in place of Darin Erstad, whom he wanted to give a day off against Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn.
Terrero was selected from Charlotte because of his ability to play all three outfield positions and run exceptionally well, Guillen said.
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mgonzales@tribune.com
*IN THE WEB
EDITION: For Tuesday’s late result, go to chicagotribune.com/sports
*UP NEXT: Wednesday at Mariners, 2:35 p.m., Comcast SportsNet
