Ozzie Guillen wants to keep Clayton Richard in the Sox starting rotation

Mark Gonzales:

“We’ll keep him in the big leagues — that’s for sure. I’m leaning toward starting him because this kid is making nice progress. We already did it [keep Richard in the rotation] this time. Why not do it for the next eight starts, whatever we have left [in the regular season]? In the meanwhile, we’ve got to see what’s best for the club. We’re in the pennant race, but the good deal for the future is to keep him out there.”

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Kenny turned down twice in his attempts to get Dan Haren?

Joe Cowley:

Arizona is rumored to have told Williams no twice in the attempts to land ace Dan Haren, but the growth of Richard could help pry Haren loose at this point.

BTW, Cowley also says the ‘Clayton Richard to the bullpen’ move isn’t a done deal.

Clayton Richard expected to return to the bullpen after tonight’s game

Mark Gonzales:

Left-hander Clayton Richard appears to be the starting pitcher for Sunday night’s game, but that could be his last start for awhile. Because of manager Ozzie Guillen’s desire for a second left-hander in the bullpen, Richard is expected to return to the reliever role he fulfilled for the first five weeks of the season.

John Danks to go on the DL?

whitesox.com:

But a corresponding roster move will need to be made with Torres’ arrival, and that move could involve a trip to the disabled list for Danks. It would be retroactive to the day after Friday’s first second-half start for Danks, who has an 8-6 record with a 3.98 ERA in 18 starts this season. Danks was unavailable for comment on Tuesday, as he was receiving treatment on the finger. Pitching coach Don Cooper simply is planning one start at a time.
…
Aside from Danks being down and out, the rest of the rotation remains the same. Mark Buehrle will finish the series Thursday against Tampa Bay, and Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon appear to be Friday’s starters for the split doubleheader at Comerica Park against the Tigers. Gavin Floyd will get the call on Saturday. Sunday’s starter looks to be an unofficial to be announced. If Clayton Richard struggles again on Tuesday against the Rays and Danks is ready to go after the one-start absence, Danks could slide into Sunday night’s slot and Richard would move to the bullpen. That move probably would send hard-throwing rookie Aaron Poreda back to the Minors, although the White Sox will need to make another roster move when Colon is activated on Friday.

Ozzie Guillen puts Clayton Richard on notice

Toni Ginetti:

The left-hander will start again Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in an important outing for himself and the team.

”He has to get better,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. ”[His potential] is why we have him in there now, but this isn’t the instructional league. I don’t want to see another outing like the last few.”

Sox pitching rotation

The current rotation is John Danks, Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Gavin Floyd and then Clayton Richard.

Aaron Poreda won’t be inserted in the starting rotation

Poreda will stay in the bullpen:

And then there’s Poreda, the hard-throwing left-hander who was the team’s top pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He has become an instant bullpen presence with a 0.90 ERA over eight games, but don’t look for him to be stepping back into the role he held so well to the tune of a 2.38 ERA over 11 starts at Double-A Birmingham at the outset of the 2009 campaign.

“Poreda is a reliever right now, and it’s unfair to him for me to start him,” said White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper. “He’s long since been stretched out. He’s getting over the hump and showing he’s a quality left-handed reliever. We don’t want to pull the plug on that.”

Bartolo Colon update and starting rotation update

whitesox.com:

After the minor uproar involving the entertaining ‘Where’s Bartolo’ saga from the past week, Bartolo Colon took the mound Thursday night for Charlotte and threw the ball fairly well, according to Guillen. “The control was outstanding, his velocity was not there and threw more breaking balls,” said Guillen of Colon, who gave up one run on two hits over five innings during the Knights’ 7-1 victory over Norfolk. “That’s it. You know the way Colon is. He’s like, ‘OK, let me go out and do it.’ It was nothing impressive, but it was good.” With Colon still a few starts away, though, Clayton Richard will remain in the White Sox rotation at the start of the second half. It looks as if Mark Buehrle will start the second half for the White Sox at home against Baltimore next Friday, followed by John Danks, either Floyd or Jose Contreras and then Richard. This alignment leaves three southpaws in line for the lefty-heavy Tampa Bay lineup and sets up Contreras for Detroit.

Ozzie stays with Clayton

Mark Gonzales:

Guillen said the Sox have studied videotape of Richard, “but we don’t have any better choice,” Guillen said. “We have to wait to see how Colon is doing, and see what happens. Right now, I’m supporting him (Richard).”

what about Freddy Garcia, Ozzie?

“He hasn’t turned the corner,” said Guillen, who talked to Garcia recently but said Garcia is “throwing well.”

BlackJack on Clayton Richard

Jack McDowell:

Manager Ozzie Guillen calmly states that the White Sox have “no other choice” but to stick with Clayton Richard in the rotation. But in the same breath, Richard’s struggles even prompted the young lefthander to almost beg out of the rotation! …

Ozzie Guillen doesn’t know what to do with Clayton Richard (UPDATE)

Mark Gonzales:

“I don’t know,” manager Ozzie Guillen said on whether the Sox could remain patient with Richard, who lasted one-plus inning and has failed to pitch at least six innings in seven of his past eight starts. “We don’t have any other choice right now.”

Colon updates also at the link.

Poreda not stretched out

Scot Gregor:

Over his last 5 starts, Richard has pitched 18 innings and given up 21 earned runs on 28 hits and 6 walks.

Rookie left-hander Aaron Poreda is anxious to move from the White Sox’ bullpen to the rotation. Poreda’s not stretched out enough to start right now, according to the Sox, but he has got to be an option to replace Richard.

LOL of the day

Ken Rosenthal speculates about possible Roy Halladay suitors:

White Sox. Ken Williams arranged a deal for Jake Peavy; why wouldn’t he act on Halladay?

Williams’ offer for Peavy, centered around left-handers Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard, probably would not be enough. But if the White Sox were willing to move superstar-in-waiting Gordon Beckham, look out.

Hahaha! Gordon Beckham! Freakin’ hilarious Ken!

Sox alter pitching rotation (UPDATE)

Mark Gonzales:

White Sox ace Mark Buehrle will make two more starts before the All-Star break and start the second half of the season July 17 against Baltimore.

The decision was made two days before the American League All-Star roster will be announced. The left-hander, who is 8-2 with a 3.09 ERA, has a chance to make the AL squad. If he’s selected, the Sox have the option of adjusting their rotation for the second half.

The rotation is set up so left-hander John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Buehrle will face Minnesota next weekend. …

UPDATE: Con Cooper doesn’t like the idea of Buehrle pitching in the All-Star game after his Sunday start:

Ozzie Guillen to be patient with Clayton Richard

Ozzie Guillen on whether he will keep Clayton Richard on the starting rotation:

”I’ll go for it,” Guillen said. ”This kid is our future. Hopefully we’ll build something for this year and for the future. We cannot forget how we do stuff here. We did it with a couple of pitchers, and I’m willing to do it with him. Be patient. It’s not going to be a nice one. It’s going to be a headache every day? So what? I’ll take that headache. I will take that responsibility to help him be what he should be.”