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Chicago White Sox

29-38,
5th AL Central

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Yahoo! Sports - Jun 17, 5:20 am EDT

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Manager Robin Ventura is doing his best to make sure the finger-pointing doesn't start up with his team, especially after getting swept by the struggling Astros, losing the finale on Sunday 5-4 in Houston.

But as the Sox -- now 10 games under .500 -- sink lower in the standings, the criticism of decisions made in the offseason are getting louder and louder with a fan base that has quickly run out of patience with Ventura and first-year general manager Rick Hahn.

Specifically, the addition of free agent Jeff Keppinger, and the decision to allow catcher A.J. Pierzynski to walk via free agency, handing the keys to the car to Tyler Flowers behind the plate.

Ventura, however, went on the defensive when discussing Flowers, especially because the Sox continue to see him make progress on the offensive end. Despite hitting .220 after an 0-for-2 on Sunday, Flowers was still 10-for-30 (.333) with two homers and three RBIs in his last 10 games after he went homerless in his previous 23 games.

He also owned a .333 batting average (12-for-36) against the division, while throwing out 9-of-41 base stealers after a slow start in that department. More importantly, Sox pitchers have a 3.60 ERA when Flowers is behind the plate.

Ventura's message was that while there is enough blame to go around on an offense that is near the bottom in almost every category, singling out Flowers wasn't the way to go.

"Catching-wise, he's doing a great job calling a game," Ventura said. "For me, the hitting has become better. He's going to run into a guy where he does strike out. But the quality of at-bats has gotten better for me. And that's something we look at too.

"It's hard in this situation when we're losing games that you pinpoint one at-bat. You look at the quality of the at-bats, and it's getting better."

What Ventura also likes was the fact that Flowers remained confident in his abilities.

"You can't point a finger, just play the game," Ventura said. "Make sure you take care of your own business, pick guys up and be a good teammate. As soon as you start looking for reasons, you can't make it back from that.

"Guys who go out there have to feel confident what he's calling. You see when guys don't gel, you can see how uncomfortable it gets and it becomes more of a grind. When they're in sync, and a pitcher can just throw, it becomes an easier game."

Record:

28-38

Streak:

Lost four

Past 10 Games:

4-6

NEXT: White Sox (Jose Quintana, 3-2, 3.86) at Astros (Bud Norris, 5-6, 3.47)

Player Notes:

LHP Jose Quintana, winless over his last four starts, will start the series finale against the Astros Monday night at Minute Maid Park. Quintana is 0-1 with a 4.62 ERA over his last four starts, including a no-decision on June 11 against the Blue Jays, when he allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Quintana departed with a 5-4 lead that Toronto erased en route to an extra-innings win.
CF Alejandro De Aza belted a two-run home run in the ninth inning, his eighth of the season. De Aza moved into a tie for second place with Oakland Athletics CF Coco Crisp for the most home runs from the leadoff spot in the batting order. Entering Sunday, Cincinnati Reds CF Shin-Soo Choo had 10 home runs.
RHP Nate Jones allowed an infield single to Astros 2B Jose Altuve in the seventh inning, with Altuve coming around to score when Houston C Jason Castro followed with a home run off LHP Matt Thornton. Jones had his string of six consecutive scoreless appearances snapped when Altuve crossed home plate.
LHP Hector Santiago allowed three runs on five hits and four walks with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Santiago has recorded at least eight strikeouts three times this season and has totaled 23 strikeouts over his last 17 2/3 innings as a starter.
2B Gordon Beckham finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, posting his fourth multi-hit game since returning from the 15-day disabled list on June 3. In 12 games since returning from the DL, Beckham is batting .341 (15-for-44) with six runs scored and three RBIs.
OF Dewayne Wise is a combined 2-for-10 through three rehab games for Triple-A Charlotte. Wise has been on the disabled list since late May due to a strained right hamstring.

Quote To Note:

"Offensively, we are not getting it done. If I could sit here and put a finger on why (I would), but I can't. For once, I am speechless. I don't know why our offense is sputtering. We have the talent. We have everyone in place. We just aren't producing."

—DH Adam Dunn, after Sunday's 5-4 loss to Houston.

Medical Watch:

OF Dewayne Wise (strained right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 30. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on June 14. The hope was he would only need a handful of games before rejoining the major league team on the mid-June road trip.
RHP Jake Peavy (non-displaced left rib fracture) went on the 15-day disabled list June 6, retroactive to June 5. He likely will have to go on a rehab assignment before his return, which could occur in mid-July. He was given a timetable of 4-to-6 weeks to recover. However, the Sox said it would likely be closer to the six-week recovery time because they want to be extra careful with the veteran.
RHP Gavin Floyd (Tommy John surgery in May 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list April 28, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 7, when he underwent Tommy John surgery. He is out for the season. Recovery time is usually 14-19 months. Floyd said on June 9 that he was hoping for "a quick recovery," but knew nothing was promised.