It basically came down to confidence. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has it with second-year reliever Ehren Wassermann and had lost it with veteran right-handed reliever Mike MacDougal.
So over the weekend, the first significant roster move was made, as the club decided to make the switch. Not that MacDougal had been struggling, going 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA, but the problem was an inconsistency in throwing strikes, as well as a lack of confidence in crunch-time. With veteran Octavio Dotel struggling with consistency right now, Guillen wanted another go-to reliever to get the ball to Scott Linebrink and closer Bobby Jenks. Wassermann, who was the final cut made by the team out of spring camp, offered that, not allowing a run over 7 2/3 innings in eight appearances for the Knights this season. He also struck out 10 while walking three in that span.
"I believe he's been pitching good," Guillen said of Wassermann. "I'm not the type of guy who sits down and looks at the minor league system every day. I got the report he was pitching good and closing games down there. We need a guy who can go out there and pitch one or two innings, especially against right-handed hitters, and help (Octavio) Dotel in tough situations."
Wassermann did get to face a batter in Sunday's win and walked him, but MacDougal was all but unusable unless it was mop-up duty. "He's got to start trusting his fastball a little bit more," Guillen said of MacDougal. "It's a shame, because with the stuff he has, we need better. We need more confidence. When I call to the bullpen, I don't (want to) worry about him throwing strikes. We sent him down so he can throw more strikes, trust his fastball and get him back to what he was."
MacDougal may have worn out his welcome on the South Side at this point, and the club could look to move him if the right deal comes around.
WHITE SOX 6, ORIOLES 1: Paul Konerko limped into the third game of a four-game series with Baltimore, hitting just .197 with three home runs. Now, the Sox are hoping Sunday's two-homer showing is just what Konerko needed to take off, as the Sox have won two-straight and have a chance to win the series against Baltimore on Monday afternoon. No one was as pleased with the offense from the team captain than starting pitcher Jose Contreras. The right-hander continued his comeback from a dismal 2007 season, going 6 2/3 innings and allowing a run on five hits, while fanning three and walking three. Both wins for Contreras have come against Baltimore, but he wasn't going to complain.
