Garland on Trading Block, Floyd's Future Uncertain?

The Chicago Sun-Times is looking into the future and speculating that more changes in the White Sox pitching staff might be in the cards:

Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez seem to be bookends heading into 2008, while Jose Contreras and his two-year, $20 million contract seem to be the book no one wants -- nor can lift. Jon Garland has set the stage to be moved in the offseason, while rookie John Danks has the inside track to being the No. 5 starter.

But if Garland is moved, that leaves a hole. The hope was that Floyd would have shown enough to allow the Sox to trade Garland and not blink. Now they are hoping that youngsters such as Gio Gonzalez and Jack Egbert continue their fast tracks and no longer are counting on Floyd.

Garland, if you're wondering, is 8-10 with a 4.90 ERA this season and 90-78 with a 4.49 ERA.

Can't Put the Pieces Together

How come Javier Vazquez can't put a good outing together? He seems to be able to put together a few good innings, but ultimately can't seem to find his way through a solid seven or eight innings that you need from championship caliber starting pitching.

This guy isn't getting killed by a thousand cuts, he's getting decapitated by one big guillotine of an inning.

Scott Merkin, MLB.com:

"As has been the case in most of Vazquez's starts over the past month, the Tigers got to the right-hander in their third time through the order Wednesday night and rallied for a 5-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 39,593 at Comerica Park. Vazquez, who was cruising along entering the sixth inning, allowed all five Detroit runs in the frame."

"...Vazquez has limited the opposition to a .228 average and has a 2.18 earned run average when facing hitters for the first time in a game. Those numbers barely jump the second time through, with a .229 average and 2.54 ERA. On the third head-to-head battle on a given night, Vazquez has a 10.09 ERA and opposing hitters have a .347 average."

OK, Javier, so I guess you get to pitch five innings or so and then we get B-Mac.

One Down, Two to Go

The White Sox passed part one of their gut check tonight with a solid 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

From MLB.com's game wrap:

Tuesday's complete White Sox performance also reinforced one point that has been abundantly clear for most of the past two seasons. The American League Central title still goes through Chicago, although neither team appears ready to yield the division crown after one lopsided victory.

Neither side will admit that the White Sox (58-34) have moved inside the heads of the Tigers (62-31), despite a 6-1 record against Detroit in 2006, a 4-0 ledger at Comerica Park and a 12-2 mark over the last 14 played in Detroit.

"I don't think it's a psychological edge," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "I think they've pitched better than we have and hit better than we have. Six times."

What the Sox got tonight, and what they'll need for the rest of the season was solid pitching. Garland continues to show signs that he just had a rough start and that last year wasn't an aberration. Now it is up to the rest of the rotation to shake off any rough outings and pick up the pace.

More from Scott Merkin, MLB.com:

Garland (9-3) won his fifth straight decision. He has not lost since June 8 at home against the Tigers. With 12 earned runs allowed in his last 38 1/3 innings -- a 2.82 earned run average over his last six starts -- Garland currently stands as the most consistent starter on the White Sox staff. The right-hander did nothing to hurt that status Tuesday, allowing one earned run on six hits over seven innings, striking out five and walking one.

Vazquez takes the ball tomorrow.

MLB.com: Entering his 18th start of the season Wednesday night, Javier Vazquez (9-4, 5.07) sits two wins short of 100 for his career and three losses short of 100. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 7.33 ERA in his last four starts and 1-3 with a 5.47 ERA lifetime against Detroit.