CHICAGO -- Barbers and salons should be on the alert over the next few days in the Chicagoland area. A.J. Pierzynski and Joe Crede soon might be making an appointment.

In a story that belies a lack of pressing baseball issues for a team that had won six of their last seven games entering Monday's contest with Kansas City, chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's request for Pierzynski and Crede to turn their long hair into neat haircuts took on a life of its own. The request was delivered to general manager Ken Williams earlier last week, with Pierzynski mentioning the topic during his Monday morning appearance on WSCR, the White Sox flagship radio station.

Pierzynski already had planned to get his hair cut Thursday at a place recommended by hitting coach Greg Walker. Crede still wasn't sure where the job was going to be done.

"I have no idea. I've never gotten my hair cut in Chicago before," said a smiling Crede. "I don't mind it. I'm not going to make it into a big deal. It's a rule, so you have to follow it."

Despite pitchers Freddy Garcia and Neal Cotts also sporting long and somewhat wild hair, Pierzynski said that only himself and Crede were in line for the haircuts. They were two players who started growing their hair long during the drive to the World Series title in 2005, and simply kept it going in the offseason.

Much like Crede's nonchalant reaction to the edict, Pierzynski said the haircut was not a big deal. The White Sox catcher actually mentioned the possibility of donating his hair to 'Locks of Love,' the cancer charity for young patients who have lost their hair during treatment. Manager Ozzie Guillen joked that they should sell their clippings on eBay, with people willing to buy pretty much anything.

A very direct Williams saw no issue with the haircuts, but also couldn't figure out the story angle.

"Jerry Reinsdorf asked me to tell them to get a haircut and look more presentable, so I asked them to get a haircut and look more presentable," Williams said. "What's the issue? What's the problem?"

"I just hope it doesn't change either of their luck or our luck, because we were playing OK," added White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko with a laugh. "You don't want to mess around with the baseball gods. At the same time, I understand if the guy that writes you checks says cut your hair, off to the barber shop you go. That's that."

Warning, but no fine: Mark Buehrle's checking account did not take a hit after Sunday's pair of tarp dives during the second rain delay, as a meeting with Williams after batting practice Monday produced no fine. It did produce a warning to avoid this little entertainment form in the future and a critique of his head-first slides.

"He just said that I had bad technique and I was going to get hurt," said Buehrle of his meeting with Williams. "It's fun going out there, but I see the point that if I get hurt, it's going to be a big loss for the team. I don't want to get hurt and mess our chances up."

Buehrle has performed his version of rain-delay theater on three previous occasions, with the help of reliever Billy Koch, infielder Willie Harris and bullpen catcher Man Soo Lee in the past. But Sunday's effort will be his final performance, unless he wants to make a charitable donation.

Even with Buehrle's antics being curtailed and Pierzynski and Crede's upcoming haircuts, the White Sox were not worried about the fun being taken out of a very loose clubhouse.

"Hopefully not from the players' standpoint," Konerko said. "You're dealing with issues, facial hair and haircuts, that goes on in other clubhouses. We're not the first team to deal with that kind of stuff."

No need to analyze: With seven home runs in his first 12 games, matching his entire total from an injury-plagued 2005 campaign, and a run scored in each of the first 13 games, Jim Thome has been asked countless times to break down his early success. But Thome steadfastly avoids getting too technical with his accomplishments.

"You know what, I'm having so much fun playing and being here that I try not to get wrapped up in that sort of stuff," Thome said. "It's a pleasure to be with these guys and play baseball and be healthy again."

Thome has taken notice of other early power sources, though, such as Detroit's Chris Shelton (nine home runs) and Cleveland's Travis Hafner (seven home runs).

"Shelton is having a very good year. We just came from there," Thome said. "I know Hafner is doing very good. A lot of credit should go to those guys."

Down on the farm: Anderson Gomes tripled and drove in two, giving him 10 RBIs for the season, during Class A Winston-Salem's 3-2 loss at Kinston Sunday. ... Micah Schnurstein's two hits were the only bright spot in Double-A Birmingham's 10-0 loss to Tennessee. Ray Liotta was touched for five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, while Brian West yielded three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. ... Andy Gonzalez launched his first home run, and Paulino Reynoso struck out three in 2 1/3 innings of relief, but Triple-A Charlotte fell to Pawtucket, 10-3.

Third to first: Williams understood and supported the decision of Sunday's umpiring crew to nurse the contest through the top of the fifth, despite the heavy rainfall and the infield quagmire. Williams would have felt the same way even if his team ended up on the short end of the final score. "There was an opportunity for them to take the lead," Williams said. "If the situation was reversed, I would have looked at my team and found fault in it more than anything." ... With five runs scored in the first Monday, the White Sox have outscored their opponents 17-5 in the opening frame this season. ... Hideo Nomo made his first start of the season for Charlotte on Monday night. ... Cal Ripken Jr. was in attendance at Monday's game.

Up next: Jon Garland tries to get back on track Tuesday evening against the struggling Royals. But facing Kansas City is no instant recipe for success for the right-hander, not after getting smacked around Kauffman Stadium in his season debut. Garland carries a 13.94 ERA into the game, as well as 23 hits allowed in 10 1/3 innings.