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By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
06/14/10 1:36 AM ET
- Cooper 'disappointed' but optimistic
- Pierzynski now holds no-trade veto
- Jones tackles unfamiliar leadoff spot
- Peavy humbled by 100 victories
- Santos enjoying rivalry
- Third to first
"Believe me, there's nothing better than to win," Guillen said. "I got tears in my eyes when I saw the kid [Patrick Kane] put the puck in the net. I don't know nothing about hockey or the players' names. I watch a couple of games and I love it and have fun, but I had flashbacks. I know how those guys feel right now."
Guillen had a chance to hold the Stanley Cup when the Blackhawks presented the trophy to the Wrigley Field crowd prior to Sunday's contest. That transfer from Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville to Guillen drew a fair share of jeers from the Cubs faithful. Both teams joined the Blackhawks at the pitcher's mound for a Chicago sports photo in honor of the Stanley Cup's presence.
Cooper 'disappointed' but optimistic
CHICAGO -- Don Cooper has resided as the unofficial president of the "Cup is half full" club since taking over as the White Sox pitching coach eight years ago.
For most of the time during the past decade, Cooper's talented charges have rewarded that upbeat frame of mind. But even during this trying 2010 campaign, when a starting rotation predicted to be one of the best in baseball spent time as the worst in the American League by ERA, Cooper's faith hasn't been shaken.
"We have not been pitching, for however many games we've played so far, like we wanted or expected to do," Cooper said. "Maybe this is the start of it. That's my thinking. We finally have put a few good ones together, and hopefully it becomes contagious."
Over the last six games, White Sox starting pitchers have a 4-2 record with a 1.51 ERA. Each rotation member has hurled a quality start, while giving up 31 hits and seven earned runs over 41 2/3 innings. This group effort has dropped the staff's ERA from 5.20 to 4.87.
As a unit, the quintet of Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle, John Danks, Freddy Garcia and Gavin Floyd have a 22-26 record, with Garcia and Danks really being marked as the only true positives from the season's outset. But Cooper truly believes better days are ahead.
"Each guy has had some good moments and some poor ones," Cooper said. "The pluses outweigh the minuses individually. But the bad ones have been really bad, and a lot of times, that can overshadow any good going on.
"Stunned wouldn't be the word," continued Cooper, when asked to describe his rotation's overall poor start. "Disappointed at our lack of consistency. You look at Freddy: two bad and the rest good. Danksy: two bad, and the rest good. Buehrle has had good and bad, no in-between, and Peavy has had good and bad, no in-between.
"When guys don't do well like Peavy and Buehrle, you expect a lot more and that's OK. We have high expectations."
Pierzynski now holds no-trade veto
CHICAGO -- As of 11 p.m. CT on Sunday night, White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski officially reached 10 years in the Majors and five straight years with the White Sox. That 10-and-5 status means the White Sox can't trade Pierzynski without his approval.
Of greater importance to Pierzynski was the questions now can stop as to whether he believed a trade was imminent prior to this date.
"You guys can quit asking me about it now," Pierzynski said with a laugh. "You guys are in trouble now. Now, you guys are stuck with me."
In a conversation with MLB.com last Sunday, Pierzynski said he still would consider a trade if the White Sox were out of contention and he had a chance to go to a playoff contender.
Jones tackles unfamiliar leadoff spot
CHICAGO -- The first spot in any lineup involving Andruw Jones has not been occupied by the veteran outfielder since April 10, 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Jones finished 0-for-4 during Atlanta's 1-0 loss to the Phillies on that particular day.
Those leadoff responsibilities fell to Jones on Sunday night against the Cubs, as White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gave Juan Pierre the night off before Monday's day off. Jones didn't see the need for a change in approach at the plate because of a move from an RBI spot in the batting order.
"It's just a spot in the lineup," Jones said. "You might bat fourth and lead off the game in the next inning. So, you just have to have a good approach, go out there and just try to get on base."
Jones exited Sunday's 1-0 loss two home runs away from 400 for his career, but also hitting .211 this season and with just 12 hits in his last 81 at-bats. The great start to the season, when Jones hit six home runs in April, has since been forgotten, but Jones believes a turnaround is possible.
"I feel good," Jones said. "I just went about two weeks and I wasn't feeling good at the plate, but I kept working on things and now it's good to get the opportunity to go out there and put up some good at-bats."
Peavy humbled by 100 victories
CHICAGO -- Somewhat lost in the hoopla emanating from Friday's series opener of the Crosstown Classic was Jake Peavy reaching the milestone of 100 career victories.
Peavy felt "blessed and honored" to be healthy enough to reach this total.
"Getting 92 in San Diego was something cool. It was special for a long time," Peavy said. "But it's a new chapter of my life.
"I'm going to try to win 100 more and go from there. So, we'll see what happens. It's very humbling."
Santos enjoying rivalry
CHICAGO -- Talk of the rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox being less intense this season due to both teams' struggles apparently didn't make its way to Sergio Santos. The White Sox rookie reliever pitched one-third of an inning in Saturday's 2-1 victory, striking out Chad Tracy to end the seventh to preserve the game for Mark Buehrle, and counted that strikeout as one of his most memorable moments as a professional athlete.
"I'll tell you what, this was one of the top two times this year where I really felt my blood is going, my hairs were sticking up, my chest was pounding," Santos said. "Other than making my [White Sox] debut, this was such an exciting environment. This rivalry is done in a different environment than most."
Santos has attended games between the Dodgers and Angels and even NFL games between the Raiders and Rams. He said they both fall a little short to White Sox/Cubs.
"Cubs fans love their team. White Sox fans love their team," Santos said. "It's done in such a way where it's competitive. They live and die by their team, and that makes it exciting."
Third to first
Gavin Floyd has carried a no-hitter in the seventh inning on three occasions during his career. The first happened on April 12, 2008, against Detroit, covering 7 1/3 innings, and then on May 6, 2008, against Minnesota, covering 8 1/3 innings. Sunday's effort against the Cubs lasted 6 2/3 innings in a 1-0 defeat. ... The White Sox dropped to 132-103 in Interleague Play but still hold a 39-36 edge over the Cubs. Their five-game winning streak against the Cubs came to an end.
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
