Tell me it isnt so
CHICAGO -- The White Sox placed Scott Schoeneweis on the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday's game with the Cubs and called up rookie Felix Diaz to start Saturday's second game against the North Siders at U.S. Cellular Field.
But the biggest piece of pitching information could be the news that White Sox general manager Ken Williams reportedly is trying to finalize a trade for a pitcher. According to a Friday afternoon report on WCSR-AM in Chicago, the White Sox are very interested in acquiring Russ Ortiz from the Atlanta Braves to put at the top of their rotation.
Ortiz, who recently turned 30, has a 6-6 record with a 4.18 earned run average in 15 starts for Atlanta this season. But the right-hander holds a career 94-57 record with a 3.99 ERA. He was a prime target for Williams at the 2002 Winter Meetings.
When a deal to bring Ortiz to the South Side fell through, Williams made the move to pick up Bartolo Colon from Montreal. But the White Sox general manager declined any detailed commentary on possible dealings with Atlanta on Friday.
"I'd rather not discuss anything with regards to the trade market or potential guys we're looking at," Williams said. "I don't think it's fair to the players we have in uniform that are fighting every day to get us back to first place."
The move with Schoeneweis was made retroactive to June 22, caused by inflammation of his left elbow. Schoeneweis' physical malady could account for his recent poor stretch of pitching.
Schoeneweis has a 1-5 record over his last six starts, after starting the season with a 4-1 mark. The left-hander has allowed 24 runs over 37 1/3 innings during that stretch, for a 5.79 ERA.
A MRI was done on Schoeneweis' elbow, as well as a doctor's examination. No structural damage was revealed.
"It's really more precautionary than anything," Williams said of Schoeneweis' trip to the disabled list. "It was just Scott's feeling that he wasn't going to be able to go full bore tomorrow. So rather than be sorry, we're being a little safe.
"He thinks he would be able to make his next start [against Anaheim from July 7-9], but this puts us in a bit of a bind. I don't think it's conducive to fielding the best team, and I think it puts his career at risk sending him out there not completely 100 percent."
Schoeneweis returned to starting this season after a 1 1/2-year run in the bullpen. Schoeneweis recently mentioned that his arm felt good and that his stuff felt better than when he was winning consistently, but he could be hitting a wall after throwing more innings than he did last year combined with Anaheim and the White Sox. He now will get 10 days off via the disabled list and another breather at the All-Star Break, leaving him ready for the second half.
Diaz, 23, was 8-2 with a 3.51 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 13 games with the Knights. He recently was named to the International League All-Star team. Diaz was 0-1 with an 11.42 ERA in two starts for the White Sox, making his last appearance during a loss at Cleveland on May 17.
It will be a walk into highly charged ground for Diaz, pitching in front of 40,000 raucous fans Saturday afternoon. Of course, that is unless a new veteran hurler arrives in Chicago beforehand.
Williams seemed a bit taken aback, though, when asked if Schoeneweis' injury made it more imperative for him to close out a trade.
"I thought it was pretty imperative before," Williams said with a knowing smile.
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