White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen wouldn't come out and say first-year infielder/outfielder Brent Lillibridge is on borrowed time, but he's likely the odd man out when Brian Anderson (strained right oblique) comes off the 15-day disabled list as early as this weekend.
If Lillibridge, a former top prospect of the Atlanta Braves, doesn't start listening to Guillen, it might be awhile before he's seen again on the South Side. ''[I'm] not disappointed, because he played against tough pitchers,'' Guillen said. ''But in the meanwhile, I talked to him. I said, 'Hey, you got to cut your swing down. You strike out too much. You got to use your legs. You got to use your abilities.' Keep saying that.
"'You keep doing what you're supposed to do and keep doing what you think you're supposed to do, you will hang around this game for a long time. You will make $10 million to $15 million in your career. But doing what you keep doing, you're going to have a tough time playing in the big leagues because you play a big man's game when you're a little guy.' And I think he's frustrated because you can see now he's angry and he's pressing.''
Lillibridge hasn't hit better than .176 this season, but Guillen said that won't go into the decision about the pending roster move.
''I'm going to make a decision what the ballclub needs,'' Guillen said. ''If we figure out we need a guy who can be around, playing every day -- because Lillibridge can play center field -- or having Brian and [Scott] Podsednik, then I don't know what way we're going right now. I'll have a better idea when we're sitting down [in a meeting].''
HEEL, YES
Outfielder Carlos Quentin said the cortisone shot in his left heel already has started working, and he planned to return to the starting lineup Friday in Toronto.
The injury traces back to an April 28 doubleheader against the Seattle Mariners in which Quentin was the designated hitter in Game 1.
''It was kind of cold and I hit the bag wrong,'' Quentin said. ''I played the rest of the day, woke up the next morning, and it was aching. I got treatment on it. It went away, came back, went away, and then it came back the worst just recently where I was feeling it in the outfield every single inning going in and out.''
The Sox used Quentin as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians, but he flied out with the bases loaded.
HEEL, NO
Jim Thome had a noticeable limp Wednesday as he continued to get treatment on his left heel. Guillen decided after Tuesday's game that he would not start Thome against Indians pitcher Cliff Lee because Thome has a career .208 batting average against him.
Thome is expected back in the starting lineup Friday against Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil.
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