Sox GM: 'We're underachievers'
White Sox general manager Ken Williams was in a bad mood Monday as his team returned to U.S. Cellular Field to play the Royals.
"I’m not happy with the road trip," Williams said. "We lost two games we should have won, which puts us a half-game out of first place. We’ve thrown away a dozen games that way this year. ... But we deserved what we’ve got. [Heck] no, I’m not happy with a lot of what I see. We’re underachievers."
At 60-58, the Sox are 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers with 44 games to go in the regular season. Williams said he was tired hearing about injuries holding the Sox back.
"Whatever it is I don’t want to hear it anymore," Williams said. "Yes, we can be a dangerous playoff team, but you first have to play well enough, play smart enough, play intense enough, to where you show you want to be in the playoffs. It can’t just be lip service. I don’t want to hear it anymore. Get the job done.
"I know they want it," he said. "We’ve got a good group of guys here. Nobody would be here if I didn’t feel that we had a good group that wanted it. But it’s mid-August. It’s time to turn it up a notch. If you’re going to show you’re a playoff team, now is about as good a time as any."
The White Sox play the Royals at 7:11 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet. White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle (11-6, 3.70) will oppose Royals right-hander Brian Bannister (7-6, 4.26).
Here is a look at the lineups for Monday's game.
Royals:
1. Willie Bloomquist, 2B
2. Brayan Pena, C
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Miguel Olivo, DH
5. Alberto Callaspo, 3B
6. Mark Teahen, RF
7. Mitch Maier, LF
8. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS
9. Josh Anderson, CF
White Sox:
1. Scott Podsednik, DH
2. Gordon Beckham, 3B
3. Jermaine Dye, RF
4. Paul Konerko, 1B
5. A.J. Pierzynski, C
6. Carlos Quentin, LF
7. Alex Rios, CF
8. Alexei Ramirez, SS
9. Jayson Nix, 2B
-Tom Musick
