--Manager Ozzie Guillen is not afraid to praise the opposing pitcher, evident with the way he gushed over Kansas City starter Kyle Davies and the right-hander's outing against the Sox on Saturday. At the same time, the Sox manager is no stranger to throwing an opposing pitcher underneath the bus when he feels it's necessary. So while Twins starter Nick Blackburn got the win, going five innings and allowing two runs on eight hits, he also came away with tire marks on his back. "I don't give credit to the guys that don't deserve credit," Guillen said of Blackburn. "Believe me, I give credit to the pitcher when they deserve it. We didn't get the clutch hit; it wasn't because of the way he pitched."
--While it would seem a concern that the season could hinge on RHP Gavin Floyd's start Thursday, members of the coaching staff have pointed out that if the Sox have had a big-game pitcher this season, it's been Floyd. Eight of his 14 wins have come against teams with records of .500 or better, including beating the Twins three times, Boston twice and Cleveland twice. --LHP Boone Logan pitched his way out of any serious look at the postseason roster if the Sox even reach that point, but now he's pitching himself out of even being used by manager Ozzie Guillen at this point. Logan was brought in during Tuesday's loss to Minnesota, and he allowed two runs on two hits, recording just one out before Guillen lifted him. After the game, Guillen was asked about Logan and said this: "Boone, he looked the same way he looked all season long. That's my fault to put that guy in there."
--RHP Javier Vazquez was asked after the Tuesday loss about manager Ozzie Guillen's comments that he was not a big-game pitcher, but he downplayed them. "I don't read the papers, so I don't know what he thinks," Vazquez said. Considering Vazquez allowed five runs and lasted just four innings, it would be tough for him to dispute what Guillen said. Yes, the right-hander watched his record drop to 12-15, but only three of those wins have come against teams with winning records. The last was the Twins on June 6.
--OF Ken Griffey Jr. hit what seemed was a meaningless two-run homer in the ninth inning Tuesday as far as the Sox were concerned, but it gave "Junior" 610 for his career, passing Sammy Sosa for fifth place on the all-time homer list. "I'm trying to win games for these guys (and I've) been pressing a little bit," Griffey said. "We came up short, and that's the most important thing ahead of individual accomplishments. We got (Thursday's game) and we can take it, put them back in the same situation. We just need to play our game this time." Griffey did say that he has fixed a mechanical flaw in his swing, and that the homer could earn him more playing time down the stretch.
BY THE NUMBERS: 40-23 -- The Sox's record against the American League Central Division this season, through Sept. 19, which is a big reason they have been atop the division most of the year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I tell them no matter what we do for 150 games, people aren't going to remember that. People are going to remember what you do from today to the last day of the season. Then they're going to say they had a bad year or a good year or a great year. That's all they'll remember." -- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen's message to his team with the season winding down.
