Koch's velocity dips, but confidence soars

[greasywheels121]

From the Trib...

 

Closer Billy Koch has not allowed a run in his last 71/3 innings. He earned his 149th career save Sunday, tying Dan Plesac for 49th all time.

 

"I'm going at every hitter like I'm throwing 98 [m.p.h.]. I don't care what I'm throwing," said Koch, who was throwing in the low to mid-90s Sunday, according to the radar readings at the ballpark. "I have enough confidence in the way that I throw that it is [like] 98 to 100. When you take that much conviction into your games, I think you can be successful."

 

Cotts stays put

 

With Saturday night's demotion of Dan Wright, manager Ozzie Guillen said he has no immediate plans to make left-handed reliever Neal Cotts the fifth starter.

 

"I'm not going to try to fix something that's not broken," Guillen said. "This guy is doing an outstanding job in the bullpen (1.69 ERA). Is he going to be a starter in the future? Yes. He has a chance. I'm going to leave him [in the bullpen] and try to build him to become a starter.

 

"Cotts already has turned the corner. This kid throws tremendous. My plan from spring training was to bring him into a tough situation. And I did. It was in New York with the game on the line. To me, he is a big-league pitcher. It's up to him how he handles it. He has helped our bullpen and he has a chance to be special."

 

What will it take for Wright (0-4, 8.15 ERA) to make it back?

 

"If Danny throws the ball the way he threw the ball in spring training, he will be back," Guillen said. "If not, he is going to be [at Triple-A Charlotte] for a little while. I don't see the aggressiveness. [saturday] he was flat. I want him to get the command."

 

Ready or not

 

Jose Valentin is expected to rejoin the Sox on Tuesday in Baltimore after his rehab stint for a strained left hamstring at Charlotte. Valentin is 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts and one RBI in his first four games with the Knights.

 

"I don't want him to come back with [eight] strikeouts," Guillen said with a laugh. "I want him to stay down there. I hope it's the lights down there or some other excuse. I saw those at-bats and said, 'Wow!' But I think he is ready to come up."

 

In the groove

 

Frank Thomas has delivered a hit in 15 of his last 17 games and reached base in 20 of 21. His home run in the fourth inning Sunday was the 423rd of his career and 1,400th RBI. ...

 

Juan Uribe's hitting streak ended at seven games. ... Jon Garland is 5-1 with a 2.25 ERA lifetime against Toronto. ...The White Sox have homered in 13 straight games.