--LHP Mark Buehrle called getting pushed back a day in the starting rotation no big deal, especially since the Sox have done it the last two spring trainings in order to keep Buehrle fresh for the second half of the season. "Obviously, you would like to stay as much as you can in (regular) rotation," Buehrle said. "But it's like spring training, missing a little time is not going to hurt. It's kind of keeping everything fresh for the end."
--RHPs Bartolo Colon and Jose Contreras are each coming off terrible starts in Baltimore, but manager Ozzie Guillen made it clear on Friday that they are staying put in the starting rotation for now, insisting they, "are my two guys until they tell me they can't go anymore." He did admit, however, that he spent time with Contreras and pitching coach Don Cooper in their bullpen session, explaining that it was "the first time ever I went to the bullpen to see what they're thinking, what they're planning." --RHP Octavio Dotel was still the talk of the team after the reliever was one of the party of 30 or so members of the Sox team and front office to take a tour of the White House on Monday and meet President Obama. It was Dotel's second trip to the White House, but the first time he asked the leader of the free world for a hug. "Nothing against President Bush, but this was a totally different feeling," Dotel said. "President Obama was there, and he knows the White Sox. I took the chance (by asking for a hug)." A hug he received.
BY THE NUMBERS: 4 -- Home runs Jim Thome needed to tie Mike Schmidt for 13th all-time at 548 (through April 19).
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't think I've left spring training and felt the same. The season is a different animal and you're not pitched the same way during the season. It's a grind every day. I'm trying not to look back and not look ahead, just try to be as good as I can on that at-bat I have, and that's it." -- 1B Paul Konerko, on his strong start to the season.
