PHOENIX - With the regular season set to open in less than two weeks, the White Sox' bullpen is facing potential trouble in Shingo Takatsu and Billy Koch.

 

But the starting rotation just might be better than expected.

 

Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and projected fifth starter Dan Wright have all been sharp this spring, and Esteban Loaiza finally looked like a 21-game winner in Monday's Cactus League outing against the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Determined to attack hitters from beginning to end, Loaiza pitched 6 strong innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits.

 

"That's what I wanted to do, get my tempo, get my rhythm and throw strikes,'' said Loaiza, 21-9 with a 2.90 ERA last season. "I felt really good today. The first couple of games in spring training, I started to think too much. I realized in my last outing against Anaheim, after two innings, I just said, 'I'm going to go out there and throw it.' That's what I did today and I felt good.''

 

Loaiza was particularly strong in the first 3 innings, when he faced the minimum number of hitters.

 

"The way he threw the ball today, that's what I expect from him,'' said Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "He only had 70-something pitches in 6 innings. I'm really happy with what he did. I think that's the Loaiza everybody wants to see. I think right now he's ready to go, and hopefully he can extend it all the way to the end.''

 

No relief: Shingo Takatsu continued to struggle Monday, allowing 1 run on 3 hits in º inning.

 

The 35-year-old Japanese right-hander reliever now has a 10.80 ERA in the Cactus League and opposing hitters are batting .444 against him.

 

While it looks like Takatsu is completely overmatched, Ozzie Guillen isn't expressing too much concern.

 

"He threw pretty good,'' Guillen said. "One ball should have been caught and he's out of the inning, but I'm happy with what I've seen. He puts the ball over the plate. He threw the ball a lot better than he has in the past.''

 

Koch hit hard: While his fastball is still lacking its old velocity, closer Billy Koch managed to throw 6 scoreless innings in his first five Cactus League appearances.

 

On Monday, Koch was tagged for 3 runs on 3 hits on 1 inning.

 

"He wasn't locating the ball real well,'' Ozzie Guillen said. "And when you get behind the hitters, they are going to do a lot of damage to you.''

Damn...2 weeks ago I was worried about the starters and confident in the pen. Now it's the other way around..