Notes: Hermanson willing to back down

[greasywheels121]

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/ar...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Notes: Hermanson willing to back down

White Sox closer won't jeopardize team's chances to win

By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com

 

CHICAGO -- Dustin Hermanson wants to do everything he can to help the White Sox make a championship run. But if his back isn't ready to go, then the Sox closer is willing to take a backseat.

 

The lower-back problems that Hermanson has been dealing with are worse than what were first thought, the pitcher said on Tuesday. It's not something that will heal completely by the end of the season, and though the pitcher wants to be on the mound as much as possible, he isn't willing to harm his team's chances of winning.

 

"If I felt like I was going out there and taking a chance of hurting the team and not doing my job of helping them, then I'd sit myself out," Hermanson said. "I think it's more important for us to win than for me to try to keep going if I can't do it."

 

The prolonged injury has frustrated Hermanson.

 

"It's something that is going to be hard to heal," he said. "It's nothing that can't be fixed, but it's tough to fix it right now. It's tough to do the rehab program that I need to fix it during the season."

 

Completing the rehab program and still allowing for the ability to pitch has limited Hermanson's opportunities. The right-hander has appeared in only five games since Aug. 16, when he blew a save at home against Minnesota.

 

Hermanson admitted that the injury has affected his ability to throw and that he is not the same pitcher he was before the problem started.

 

"I don't have my best stuff," Hermanson said. "I haven't had it for a while since this has been going. But I don't feel terrible out there."

 

The rehab program should be enough to heal the injury during the offseason. Surgery is apparently not an option -- Hermanson was told that no baseball player has returned from such a procedure. Given that risk, Hermanson would rather not take the chance.

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen knows that his closer isn't the same pitcher that he was early on in the season, but he is still sticking with him to anchor the back end of the bullpen.

 

"When we have a save opportunity in the right place, Hermanson's going to have the ball," Guillen said.

 

But Guillen was also quick to add that he isn't afraid to take chances, either, if Hermanson takes advantage of the skipper's trust.

 

"I don't want him to go out there all of a sudden if he doesn't throw well, and then say he has a bad back," Guillen said. "Because if he says that, he's not going to close the game for me any more."

 

Ready to celebrate: The finish of Triple-A Charlotte's season on Monday meant that there were a few more fresh faces around the Sox clubhouse on Tuesday.

 

Brian Anderson and Jeff Bajenaru made their return to the club after being sent down a little over a week ago, while Joe Borchard earned a callup for the first time this season.

 

It has been a bit of a tough season for the 26-year-old outfielder, who was hitting under .200 for a good month after being sent down to Charlotte to start the year. But overcoming those difficulties made the return to Chicago a bit more special for Borchard, even though his role with the club will be very limited.

 

"When you look at the way the season went for me and what I was able to climb out of, it's incredibly rewarding when you are able to accomplish something like that," Borchard said. "From that standpoint, this has been my best season to date."

 

Both Anderson and Borchard seemed excited to have an opportunity to join a ballclub in the midst of a pennant race. Not every player fresh up from the Minors has that opportunity, and Borchard knows that all too well.

 

"You talk about an ideal situation to be called up, this is great," Borchard said. "I guess the only thing to do is enjoy it and go along for the ride."

 

Pitching still in question: The strong performance of Brandon McCarthy in Monday's game at Boston has forced Guillen to reconsider the possibility of a six-man rotation.

 

Though Guillen said on Sunday that he didn't want to alter the pitching rotation, McCarthy's outing has put that decision again into question.

 

"We think about it," Guillen said of the six-man rotation. "Right now, we try to figure out what's the best thing for the team, not the players. Whatever comes out the best for the team, that's what we're going to do."

 

McCarthy has gone 14 2/3 consecutive innings without giving up a run, but Guillen said too much credence shouldn't be put on his most recent accomplishments. He also said not to forget that the 22-year-old had his struggles earlier in the season.

 

"Now, because this kid pitched two [great] games, all of a sudden he's Cy Young," Guillen said. "This kid, he lost three games in a row [earlier this season], now all of a sudden he's the best pitcher the White Sox have. He throws real good, I like what I see. He's got good stuff and he faced a pretty good ballclub in their stadium."

 

No relief: If Guillen decides against using the six-man rotation, it will mean that McCarthy could get a chance to pitch in relief.

 

Though he hasn't pitched out of the bullpen in his career, it's something McCarthy is willing to try.

 

"I guess you never know until you do it, so maybe if I go down there, I'll find out I'm really comfortable -- maybe I'll find out I'm not," McCarthy said of the role. "But if that's where they put me, that's fine. I'll just have to adjust to that. It's what you get paid to do. I'm not worried about it if that's what happens."

 

Congratulations: A.J. Pierzynski and his wife, Lisa, welcomed a baby girl on Monday night in Orlando, Fla. Pierzynski was expected to rejoin the team sometime before Wednesday's night game.

 

Down on the Farm: Monday's games marked the end to the regular season for many of Chicago's Minor League affiliates. Charlotte closed out its season with a 10-4 loss to the Durham Bulls. Borchard finished off his season on a high note, going 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run. The homer was Borchard's 29th, tying him for second place in the International League.

 

Double-A Birmingham finished the regular season with an 8-4 win over Jacksonville. Designated hitter Chris Young went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Birmingham will begin its playoff run on Sept. 8.

On deck: Jose Contreras will look to continue his hot pitching streak on Wednesday as he faces the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field. Contreras is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA over his last six starts, walking just eight and striking out 32 during that span.

[WilliamTell]

I sure hopes he gets fine and can close, he deserves it.

[Whitewashed in '05]

Hermy is the man, that guy definitley deserves it and I hope he gets well soon because we need him.