Joe Girardi: Sox slump could be beneficial

[bjm676]

Girardi: Tough times could be beneficial

 

As difficult as the last two weeks have been on the White Sox, some believe the tough times might benefit them in the long run.

 

"I actually think it's a good thing for them,'' New York Yankees coach Joe Girardi said. "They're hungry, and that's a good thing. You use what you can to your advantage and go with it.''

 

What the Sox lack that teams like the Yankees have is experience in a pennant race -- especially knowing how to weather the bad times.

 

But what other teams lack that the Sox have is a big cushion in the standings, thanks to their strong first half.

 

And even inexperienced players know every team, no matter how good, goes through losing streaks at some point in a season.

 

"We didn't have a lot of experience in 1996,'' said Girardi, the Yankees' catcher that year, "and we won the World Series.''

 

Just getting to the playoffs is the Sox' goal for the moment, along with getting healthy. The loss of leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik to a groin injury has been a glaring element in the team's struggling offense. The Sox are 18-17 since the All-Star break, and Podsednik has been hobbled that whole time.

 

For all the clamor about another bat for the lineup, the fact remains the Sox' offense was built to rely on speed, opportune baserunning and hit-and-run attacks. That was the formula that resulted in remarkable success in the first half, when the pitching and defense also meshed.

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen knows his team likely will need that formula in the final weeks of the regular season, making the return of a healthy Podsednik more important than even a trade.

 

"I don't want to say Pods' [absence] is the reason [for the losses], but this kid is a big part of this team,'' Guillen said. "I don't want to make excuses that we're missing Scotty. We do miss him, yes, but we're losing because we're playing bad baseball.''

 

But bad at-bats also might be a product of pitchers being able to attack the Sox lineup differently without Podsednik.

 

"For the guys hitting near him, yes, maybe a little bit,'' hitting coach Greg Walker acknowledged. "He definitely changes things. I don't think that's as big a factor as not having him creating havoc on the basepaths.''

 

Second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who has been so successful hitting behind Podsednik, typically got a diet of outside fastballs from pitchers trying to get the ball to the plate quickly. Iguchi said Sunday he doesn't think pitchers are throwing differently to him now.

 

But Iguchi has told Japanese media who cover him daily that he is trying to adjust his hitting approach because he is batting more often without a runner on base. A regular home-run threat in Japan, Iguchi has said he is concentrating more on pulling the inside pitches he does see and hitting for power. The homer he hit to right field off Randy Johnson on Sunday to start the Sox' six-run fourth inning was a sign of that.

 

Podsednik is eligible to return from the disabled list Monday, but having him at or close to full strength is just as important. So is the health of closer Dustin Hermanson, third baseman Joe Crede and first baseman Paul Konerko -- all nursing back problems.

 

The Sox' 6-2 victory Sunday helped shake off the mental toll of the seven-game losing streak.

 

"I wouldn't say it was critical, but we just needed to go out and win a game,'' catcher Chris Widger said. "You don't doubt the things that work. You doubt being able to do the things that work. We just weren't able to execute [during the losing streak].

 

"If you just take it day by day, you'll be fine. It's still only August.''

 

Guillen was encouraged enough to predict big things for the 10-game trip that begins today with a three-game series against the revived Minnesota Twins.

 

"I've never felt this way before, but I feel we're going to have a pretty good road trip,'' Guillen said. "I have a lot of confidence about this road trip. I don't know why, but we've been playing good on the road, and I think we're going to do well. We hit a wall where we couldn't do anything right. Hopefully, we'll turn around now.''

[WSNS-TV44]

Humm,I hope Girardi's right.

[Yossarian]

I'd say we'll know the answer in a week or so.

[WhiteSox311]

Didnt joe giradi invent popcorn?

[Yossarian]

Didnt joe giradi invent popcorn?

I thought Al Gore did.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Didnt joe giradi invent popcorn?

If he lived in Mexico some 5,000 years ago he might have.

[RockRaines]

Joe Girardi was in a lifetime slump.