WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY 26, 2016 “White Sox recall Ranaudo for Wednesday start” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Third straight walk-off fuels White Sox mojo” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Sale hopes to keep focus on winning” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Melky robs Bryant of HR with riveting catch” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Saladino extends White Sox magic vs. Cubs” … Scott Merkin and Carrie Muskat, MLB.com “Cheering section of one: Melky Cabrera add three highlight plays to the reel” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox win in walk-off fashion yet again, top Cubs 5-4” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Adam Eaton on clubhouse protests: ‘you’ve got to stick up for yourself’” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox bullpen taking pride in slogging through heavy, high-stress workload” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “Suspended White Sox ace Chris Sale to start Thursday against Cubs” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “White Sox will start Anthony Ranaudo Wednesday against Cubs” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “Retirement suiting former White Sox star Paul Konerko well” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “White Sox: Chris Sale discusses jersey-cutting incident, suspension” … Staff, CSN Chicago “Chris Sale says Robin Ventura ‘has to fight for us’ after uniform flap” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox continue protest of Mariners’ clubhouse attendant fees” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Tyler Saladino’s ninth-inning heroics for White Sox overcome Cubs rally” … Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune “Monday’s recap: White Sox 5, Cubs 4” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “White Sox ready to move on; are they also ready to make their move?” … Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune “Chris Sale channels his inner Jimmy Butler when talking about Robin Ventura” … Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune “A guy named Sale doesn’t understand jersey revenue is winning to White Sox?” … Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune “White Sox walk a fine line with angry Sale” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox walk off with 5-4 victory over Cubs” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Sale to start Thursday vs. Cubs; Ranaudo Wednesday” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Who’s irrelevant now? Sox top Cubs on Saladino walkoff in 9th” … Gordon Wittenmyer, Chicago Sun- Times “By any measure of WAR, Raines a Hall of Famer” … John Grochowski, Chicago Sun-Times “Latest controversy indicates it’s time for Sox to trade Sale” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “White Sox stiff Seattle clubhouse manager, but not because they’re frugal” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Third straight walk-off win for Chicago White Sox” … Jerry Fitzpatrick, Daily Herald “Levine: White Sox continue walk-off magic” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago “The Bernstein Brief: Now Chris Sale is blaming Robin Ventura?” … Dan Bernstein, CBS Chicago “Emma: White Sox won’t give up, even as management plans to sell” … Chris Emma, CBS Chicago “White Sox will pay Mariners’ clubhouse attendants after protest in Seattle” … Chris Emma, CBS Chicago “White Sox’s Chris Sale doesn’t regret standing up for beliefs in jersey – cutting outburst” … Staff, CBS Chicago “Chris Sale apologizes, says he was ‘standing up for what I believe in’” … Staff, ESPN “Amid Chris Sale drama, White Sox heroics just keep coming” … Kerouac Smith, FOXSports “How the Aroldis Chapman trade could impact a deal for Chris Sale” … Ken Rosenthal, FOXSports “Cut if out: White Sox edge Cubs in wild Crosstown opener” … Jon Greenberg, The Athletic “Saladino’s walk-off single pushes White Sox past Cubs, 5-4” … Associated Press

White Sox recall Ranaudo for Wednesday start Right-hander to face Cubs; Turner moving to bullpen By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO -- The White Sox made a change to their rotation, naming Anthony Ranaudo as the starter Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, replacing Jacob Turner.

Ranaudo was called up from Triple-A Charlotte to take the place of Chris Sale, who was suspended for five games after Saturday's pregame incident related to the 1976 throwback jerseys and his admitted "discarding" of them. Sale will return Thursday and pitch in the finale against the Cubs.

"We'll see what Anthony has got," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura, adding that Turner fits a little better in the bullpen. "[Ranaudo is] up here and is either going to be a guy in the bullpen or he's going to start a game, so you have a chance to see what he can do.

"You've seen some velocity, a good breaking pitch. It's just more of that. I think he's refined it a little bit more to be able to throw some strikes and have command. You're going to have to have it, especially if it's warm. So hopefully he's got it."

Ranaudo, 26, posted a 5-3 record with a 3.20 ERA over 13 starts for the Knights since he was acquired via trade from the Rangers on May 12.

"You have to take it day by day and stick with the same approach and trust who I am and what's got me here, and hopefully be in a position to help the team," Ranaudo said. "I'm excited definitely about these next couple of days."

Eaton talks about Seattle situation Adam Eaton, the White Sox right fielder and player rep, discussed the team's decision to not pay their clubhouse dues or tips at the end of a three-game series in Seattle to protest a new Mariners policy where 60 percent of the dues redirect into an account managed by the team. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the story.

"More or less we want to give the money to the people that are doing the work in the clubhouse," Eaton said. "We don't want the front office taking money from the guy that's down there working until 1 o'clock in the morning cleaning our uniforms and cleaning our spikes.

"We treat those guys with the utmost respect. They work their butts off. When we made a decision as a team not to pay, it was because we want that clubby to get the money he deserves. The front office, they're not down there during the day, they're not doing any work, and they're receiving the funds. We don't see that as a productive practice."

Eaton said that Seattle visiting clubhouse manager Jeff Bopp will be taken care of, but the White Sox want a policy change.

"The clubbies take care of us, we take care of the clubbies. That's how it's been ran for as long as I've known it," Eaton said. "I haven't been around very long, but some of the guys of 10, 15 years say the same thing. The policy that's in place for 29 other teams, they don't have a problem.

"When we pay a clubby, and the funds are going elsewhere, we get a little skeptical. It's our choice not to pay. There's no written rule, and it's the power of the players. We hope their outlook changes."

According to the report, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said the White Sox were the first team not to pay the dues this year.

"There has been some curiosity with other teams in the league, but nobody reacted the way the White Sox did," Dipoto said. "The fact that they decided to leave town without paying, clearly it's their choice. They don't have to. There's no rule that says you must."

Third straight walk-off fuels White Sox mojo Ventura credits team’s resiliency after win over Cubs By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO -- Just when the White Sox looked pretty much out of postseason contention … OK, let's be honest. At eight games back of Cleveland in the American League Central and 6 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays for the AL's second Wild Card slot, the White Sox certainly have their fair share of work ahead.

They are more likely to be sellers than buyers with 63 games to play and the non-waiver Trade Deadline less than a week away.

But with a 5-4 victory over the Cubs on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field before a sellout crowd of 39,510, the White Sox picked up more than their third straight victory. They produced their third straight walk-off victory, giving hope and more than a little momentum.

"Oh, it's huge," said White Sox reliever Dan Jennings, who blew the save in the top of the ninth but earned the win. "I don't think you can get more momentum than that."

It was the first time the White Sox have won on three straight walk-offs since Aug. 4-6, 1962.

"It's a morale booster for sure, and it's just good baseball," said White Sox second baseman Tyler Saladino, who delivered the game-winning single off of Mike Montgomery. "We've battled every single game we're in."

"We've been all over the place, but these guys are resilient, they fight back," manager Robin Ventura said. "They come every day to play hard. You need some stuff to go your way, and I think tonight is one of those."

Behind a quality starting effort from Miguel Gonzalez, the White Sox built up a 4-0 lead over the National League Central leaders going into the seventh. Javier Baez's two-run shot in the seventh cut the lead in half, and with the bullpen short Nate Jones and closer David Robertson due to their recent workload, the Cubs managed to tie the game with two runs in the ninth off of Matt Albers and Jennings.

Credit goes to Jennings, who allowed the game-tying single to Anthony Rizzo, but with two on and two out, struck out the struggling Jason Heyward with a fastball out of the zone on a 3-2 pitch.

Ventura pointed out things going the White Sox way, and one of those things was Melky Cabrera firing a strike to Saladino at second to nail Kris Bryant on an ill-advised attempt to stretch a single and give the White Sox a much-needed out in the ninth.

This White Sox bullpen has been overworked, in general, because of its need to pick up Saturday's contest with Chris Sale being scratched and eventually suspended five games for insubordination, violating team rules and destroying team equipment. Yet, the White Sox keep fighting, hoping one of their long-shot opportunities becomes a playoff reality.

"We sure would like to win by five or six, but with the way we've been going, we'll take any win we can get," said White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier, who hit a three-run home run off of Jake Arrieta. "Eventually, ride that horse and keep on rolling and start winning games without walk-offs. We'll see how that goes but it's a lot of fun. We're getting back in that fun zone again."

Sale hopes to keep focus on winning Ace apologizes to fans, teammates; wants to stay with White Sox By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO -- Chris Sale doesn't want to be traded -- and doesn't believe he will be -- in the wake of Saturday night's pregame outburst that resulted in him being scratched from his start that evening and then suspended five games by the White Sox.

"I want to win a championship in Chicago. That's been my goal from Day 1," Sale told MLB.com Monday afternoon during a 30-minute interview, his first public comments since Saturday. "It has never changed. I only get more passionate about it because I know that it's not easy winning a championship. There's a lot that goes into it.

"Our main focus should be winning. I know that every single player comes in ready to win every day. I can't speak on anybody else. ... I don't think I would be traded. I don't know for sure. I don't know what they are thinking now or what's going on."

For Sale, the core issue wasn't the uniforms themselves, although he did have issues with them, but putting business interests ahead of winning.

"Nothing else matters really," Sale said, in a calm and composed but still passionate manner. "People don't talk about the guys who get paid the most. They talk about the guys with the rings and teams that won the rings. Our guys in this clubhouse deserve, in every single game, the best opportunity to go achieve that goal of winning a championship. That's why we are all here. Nothing else matters."

There are, of course, financial considerations for the White Sox as there are for any business. Throwback days are popular with fans and often are accompanied by a spike in attendance. Switching uniforms at the last moment, without an opportunity to inform fans of the change, certainly could have engendered frustration on the part of fans who came to see the team play in those uniforms.

The issue, for Sale, began in Spring Training when the players were fitted for the special jerseys, which in 2015 were too large and therefore uncomfortable to play in. Sale said that players were not fans of this jersey overall, and he said then that if the jerseys fell on his day to pitch, he didn't want to wear them, in part because he never had pitched in an untucked jersey in his life.

On the night before Sale's Saturday start, he was advised that the '76 throwbacks were set for his start and Sale asked the clubhouse manager for a different uniform, then expressing the sentiment to pitching coach Don Cooper. Sale was in favor of the '83 throwbacks, which eventually were worn Saturday, because he didn't want the untucked style of the '76 uniform.

When he arrived Saturday and the '76 throwbacks were set out for the players, Sale again took his issue to Cooper and manager Robin Ventura, with whom he admittedly lost his cool. He did not get the answer he wanted and, upon returning to the clubhouse, Sale reportedly cut up his uniform and then those of his teammates, rendering them unwearable.

"When I saw that there was something in the way of that 100 percent winning mentality, I had an issue," Sale said. "I tried to bring it up and say, 'Hey listen, these are my thoughts and concerns,' and they got pushed away because of the business deal that was set in place. I'll never understand why we need to do something on the business side on the field that might impede us winning a game.

"[The '76 uniforms] are uncomfortable and unorthodox. I didn't want to go out there and not be at the top of my game in every aspect that I need to be in. Not only that, but I didn't want anything to alter my mechanics. ... There's a lot of different things that went into it. Looking bad had absolutely zero to do with it. Nothing."

In the end, Ventura told Sale there would be no last-minute change. "I didn't put promotion in front of winning," Ventura said. "But I think we all have things that we have to do. There has to be a line somewhere, and that's what ended up happening."

"Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department," Sale said. "If the players don't feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix -- it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that's when I lost it."

Ventura made the decision to scratch Sale, and Sale apologized Monday to the fans who came to see him and to his teammates, especially the bullpen, who he said he owes big time for their carrying the team in his place.

"I have regret, because I play 33 times a year at most in the regular season. So I put a lot of emphasis on when I play and I take a lot of pride in work that I do," Sale said. "When I can't or don't do that, yeah, I have disappointment in myself for not being there for my guys.

"Do I regret standing up for what I believe in? Absolutely not. Do I regret saying business should not be first before winning? Absolutely not."

Sale worked out Monday at the ballpark and said he did not think he and Ventura needed a sitdown. But their working relationship might have been altered.

"We'll find out when he gets back," Ventura said.

"I'm going to show up on Thursday and do what I've always done. That's get ready to play baseball and put everything I got into winning that game," Sale said. "I know my teammates are, too. So that's all that matters to me. It's unfortunate it got to this point."

Melky robs Bryant of HR with riveting catch White Sox outfielder climbs wall in 1st inning, then throws out Cubs star in 9th By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO -- It didn't take long for the first highlight to arrive during a 5-4 walk-off victory for the White Sox over the Cubs in Monday's opener of the Crosstown Cup series, with two games at U.S. Cellular Field and two to follow at Wrigley Field.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant hit what looked to be his 26th home run of the season on the first pitch he saw from White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez with one out in the first inning. But Melky Cabrera slowly moved back toward the left-field wall, leaped and reached over the wall to take away a home run.

Cabrera sat on the ground for a few seconds as applause from the sellout crowd cascaded down, before holding up his glove to show he made the play. He later applauded the catch with his hands over his head, enthusiasm Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn't share.

"I'm revoking Melky Cabrera's membership at my wife's gym in Tampa officially after today," said Maddon, referring to where they both work out. "He went over the wall. He made two great throws."

"I tracked the ball since Bryant made contact with it," said Cabrera through White Sox interpreter Billy Russo. "It wasn't a really hard fly ball, it was more high and I tracked the ball perfectly and when I jumped and I caught it I knew it because it tracked it very well."

This first-inning play was important but not as crucial as Cabrera's ninth-inning throw. Trailing by two, the Cubs opened the ninth with Javier Baez's double, Dexter Fowler's single and Bryant's single to left off of Matt Albers. Bryant tried to stretch the single into a double, but Cabrera nailed him with a perfect strike to second baseman Tyler Saladino to produce the inning's first out. The Cubs scored two to tie, but the White Sox won it in the bottom half.

"That was a huge play," Saladino said. "If he's safe there, it could change the whole dynamic."

"Cabrera gets in the corner, he throws the ball and it looked like [he was] flat-footed, right on the money and [Bryant] is out," Maddon said. "If that ball is off-line just a skosh, he's safe. That's a great throw from left field. That's one of those aggressive moments. I would never say [Bryant] did anything wrong. Give the defense credit -- they made a great play."

Saladino extends White Sox magic vs. Cubs By Scott Merkin and Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO -- The White Sox won Round 1 of the 2016 Crosstown Cup in walk-off fashion, 5-4, Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field. It was the third straight win overall for the South Siders, who lost a four-run lead but won it on Tyler Saladino's single to center to score J.B. Shuck, who singled to open the frame. It was also the White Sox third straight walk-off victory.

"It was just one of the those moments, really. Just trying to get a job done, really," Saladino said. "That's pretty much what everything is, but it was a lot of fun, a lot of energy there and it felt really good to get that done for the guys."

With Nate Jones and David Robertson out of action due to recent usage, the Cubs scored two in the ninth against Matt Albers and Dan Jennings to tie the game. Anthony Rizzo delivered the game-tying single.

Miguel Gonzalez started for the White Sox and allowed two runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two. His only blemish came in the seventh when Miguel Montero doubled and Javier Baez homered.

But that uprising cut the lead in half. The White Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third on Adam Eaton's run- scoring single against Jake Arrieta and took control in the sixth by really making Arrieta work. Tim Anderson struck out on a 10-pitch at-bat, followed by Melky Cabrera's walk and Jose Abreu's single. Todd Frazier then connected on an 0-1 pitch after Justin Morneau struck out, giving him 29 homers for the season.

"It's obvious I just need to execute better there," Arrieta said of the pitch to Frazier. "I threw him a first- pitch cutter. I need to be more expanded with that pitch. It was middle-middle, and he's in a situation where he's expecting balls in the strike zone, and you have to tip your cap -- he put a good swing on it. It really came down to that pitch and not being able to execute it the way I needed to."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Gonzalez's escape act: The Cubs had runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth following Willson Contreras' infield single and Jason Heyward's double, leaving Addison Russell with the chance to drive in the go-ahead runs. But Gonzalez struck out Russell looking to maintain the 1-0 advantage.

"I've thrown some good games," Gonzalez said. "Changing speeds, I think that helped early with the breaking pitches and all that. We made some great plays out there. I tip my hat to the guys. We played a really hard game today."

Melky saves a run: Kris Bryant would have had home run No. 26 in the first inning if not for Cabrera's great defensive play in left. Bryant lofted the first pitch he saw from Gonzalez toward the White Sox bullpen, but Cabrera moved back toward the wall, stretched over the fence and took the home run away.

"I'm revoking Melky Cabrera's membership at my wife's gym in Tampa officially after today," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He went over the wall, he made two great throws."

Easy over: With one out in the Cubs' third, Baez singled and reached second when Eaton overran the ball in right field for an error. One out later, Bryant singled and made a wide turn at first. Baez tried to score, and was thrown out at the plate, although he wasn't tagged immediately and tried to scramble to touch home. Baez found an easier way to score in the seventh. Montero doubled to lead off, and Baez followed with his 10th home run to pull within 4-2.

Rally caps: Trailing 4-2 in the ninth, Baez doubled to lead off, stole third and then scored on Dexter Fowler's single. Bryant singled and tried to stretch his hit but was thrown out at second. Jennings entered for the White Sox, and Rizzo greeted him with an RBI single to tie the score at 4. Contreras singled, but Jennings struck out Heyward to end the inning.

Bryant walked off the field slowly but Maddon said he was OK.

"Cabrera gets in the corner, he throws the ball, and it looked like [he was] flat-footed, right on the money and [Bryant] is out," Maddon said. "If that ball is off line just a skosh, he's safe. That's a great throw from left field. That's one of those aggressive moments. I would never say [Bryant] did anything wrong. Give the defense credit -- they made a great play."

QUOTABLE "We played well, we played really well. They just beat us today on a home run and they made some defensive plays. I think it's important always to truly evaluate what you saw and, not just because you lost, denigrate people because of that. We played really well today and [Arrieta] pitched well." -- Maddon

"It's just a lot of fun to play against them, It's for Chicago. Everybody comes out for this, I imagine most people wait for this kind of series. It's an honor to be a part of. It's a lot of fun. Everybody comes out ready and there's a lot of energy out here. It's an exciting series." -- Saladino

"I remember talking to Saladino during a pitching change and he said, 'Is this how playoffs are?' And I said, 'It's like this, bud, but it's louder and every pitch is scrutinized.' It's a little better, but we're right there on path."-- Frazier

REPLAY REVIEW In the fourth, the Cubs had runners at first and second with one out when Heyward hit a grounder to Saladino, who flipped to Anderson for the force at second. Anderson threw to first to get Heyward, who was called out, but the Cubs challenged the call, and after a review, it was overturned.

WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: Kyle Hendricks will start the second game of the intracity series, and maybe being in Chicago will help. He's 2-5 with a 3.63 ERA in eight road starts compared to 7-1 with a 1.36 ERA at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. CT.

White Sox: James Shields makes his 10th start as a member of the White Sox rotation. Shields is 2-3 with a 2.10 ERA over his last 34 1/3 innings covering five starts.

Cheering section of one: Melky Cabrera add three highlight plays to the reel By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

The human GIF made quite an impact on the White Sox on Monday night.

A staple of The Melky Cabrera experience the past year and a half has been the outfielder’s personal celebrations that come with every big play. Monday night’s edition included three rounds of festivities critical to the White Sox pulling out a 5-4 victory over the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field.

Cabrera got the party started almost instantly, robbing Kris Bryant of a first-inning solo home run before he patted himself on the back in only the way he does.

“I think every celebration is a motivation to try to give us a boost to our confidence and for the fans, too,” Cabrera said through an interpreter. “Every time you can make a good play, it’s good for your team and for your fans to try to invigorate the confidence.”

Cabrera not only leads the team with a .303 batting average -- he’s the biggest self-congratulator of the bunch. It’s as if the GIF function was created for the sole purpose of recording Cabrera’s awkward claps or fist pumps after every big play.

On Monday, he opted to clap for himself after he robbed Bryant of what would have been his 26th homer. Cabrera said he watched the ball the entire way off Bryant’s bat and drifted back to the warning track before leaping and snagging the ball just above the yellow line on the left-field fence.

On his way down, Cabrera landed hard on the warning track before righting himself against the wall, where he sat with each appendage sprawled in a different direction. At that point, Cabrera held up the ball to show the world he had it in his possession before he stood up and clapped for himself with both hands over his head.

“I thought after that play, things were going to be pretty good today,” said pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, the recipient of the play.

It was only the beginning.

Cabrera’s relay throw home in the third inning led to a rundown that netted an out at the plate when Javy Baez made an ill-advised decision to go home. Then in the ninth, Cabrera recorded the first out, which slowed a game-tying rally, when he fired a perfect strike to second base to throw out Bryant stretching a single into a double.

Each time, Cabrera cheered for himself without shame.

“He’s probably his own best (cheering section), but we try to keep up with him,” said reliever Zach Duke, who often views Cabrera’s celebrations from the bullpen. “It’s great. His celebrations, they’re just truly heartfelt, truly spontaneous and he has such a good time playing the game we can’t help but join in and enjoy the moment.”

White Sox win in walk-off fashion yet again, top Cubs 5-4 By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

The White Sox found yet another way to survive on Monday night.

All it took was a third straight walkoff hit, something they hadn’t done in more than 50 years.

Tyler Saladino helped his team shake off a second straight blown save when he singled in the winning run with one out in the ninth to send the White Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Cubs in front of 39,510 at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox, who had two game-winning hits in the ninth inning on Sunday, now have three in a row for the first time since Aug. 4-6, 1962. It also was the team’s fifth walkoff of the season as they improved to 49-50.

“It's a morale booster for sure, and its just good baseball,” Saladino said. “The guys are pumped.”

They should be.

Somehow a patchwork bullpen without two key arms kept the White Sox in position for Saladino’s heroics despite blowing a lead for a fourth straight day. J.B. Shuck started the ninth-inning rally with a single to right off Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery. Dioner Navarro’s sac bunt advanced Shuck into scoring position before Saladino fouled off an 0-2 pitch and singled up the middle. Cubs center fielder Matt Szczur couldn’t handle the ball and Shuck scored to set off a third straight wild celebration on the field.

“We’ve been all over the place,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “These guys are resilient. They fight back. They come every day to play hard. You need some stuff to go your way and I think tonight is one of those.”

The White Sox could use a truckload more given what they’ve experienced since the second half began 11 days ago. Not only were they slowed by a horrible West Coast road trip full of close, painful losses, the White Sox have dealt with a number of unforeseen elements over the previous four days.

They battled the heat, rain delays, suspended games and a suspended teammate, which has the bullpen as taxed as it has been all season. Not only have they played eight games decided by two runs or fewer, the White Sox bullpen had to cover all nine innings vacated by Chris Sale on Saturday/Sunday when he was scratched from his start.

Both Nate Jones and David Robertson were unavailable on Monday to help the White Sox nurse a two- run lead. Jones had pitched five times in six days and Robertson pitched three times in a span of 18 hours.

Even though he’d already made 12 pitches and pitched three of the previous four games, Matt Albers returned to the mound in the ninth to preserve a two-run lead. The Cubs took advantage as Javy Baez, who earlier homered, doubled, stole third and scored on Dexter Fowler’s RBI single. Fowler went to third as Kris Bryant singled and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double by Melky Cabrera, who made three big plays in the outfield. Anthony Rizzo singled past a drawn-in infield off Dan Jennings to tie the score. Jennings yielded another single but struck out Jason Heyward to strand the winning run at second.

Prior to the ninth, the White Sox had managed well enough.

Aided by his defense early, Miguel Gonzalez managed to pitch out of several jams throughout the night to keep the Cubs wrapped up.

Cabrera made a spectacular catch to rob Bryant of a homer in the first inning and he and Saladino combined to throw out Baez at home plate to end the third.

But Gonzalez did much of the rest on his own, including twice retiring Addison Russell with men in scoring position. He allowed two earned runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with two walks and struck out eight, which matched his season high.

The White Sox offense also struck first against Jake Arrieta. Saladino provided the team its first hit with a one-out double to left in the third inning and Adam Eaton singled him in to make it 1-0. They added three more in the sixth on Todd Frazier’s three-run homer, the 29th pitch of the inning by Cubs starter Jake Arrieta.

Arrieta -- who allowed four earned runs in six innings -- threw 37 pitches in the sixth and exited the game. The four runs proved just enough to hold off the charging Cubs until Saladino joined Eaton and Cabrera, whose game-winning hits started celebrations on Sunday.

“With the way we’ve been going, we’ll take any win we can get,” Frazier said. “Eventually, ride that horse and keep on rolling and start winning games without walk-offs. We’ll see how that goes, but it’s a lot of fun. We’re getting back in that fun zone again.”

Adam Eaton on clubhouse protests: ‘you’ve got to stick up for yourself’ By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

Whether you agree with them or not, the White Sox have consistently shown a willingness to fight for their cause all season.

Twice last week, and in March with Adam LaRoche, White Sox players took a stand against management decisions they don’t agree with.

The more recent incident of course occurred Saturday and ultimately led to Chris Sale’s five-game suspension for insubordination and destruction of team property.

White Sox players also made headlines when they declined to tip the Seattle Mariners clubhouse attendant as a form of protest to a new team policy instituted that redirects 60 percent of those tips back to a club account to cover expenses such as postgame meals, etc. Traditionally, all money tipped by players has gone directly to clubhouse personnel without team involvement. Eaton said players merely are standing up for their beliefs.

“You’ve got to stick up for yourself,” Eaton said. “As cliché as it might sound, it’s just power to the players. The players have a voice in this game and if you don’t feel like something is par for the course or up to standard, we definitely vocalize it. It’s not that we’re spoiled or anything like that.”

“It’s just the way things have been ran and how things have been, with the instance of Adam LaRoche, the kid coming into the clubhouse -- I thought we got a lot of support with all kinds of guys putting pictures up online of them and their kid being in the clubhouse. With the Seattle thing, the other 29 teams are doing it. Sale’s a little bit off the radar -- I kind of like it.

“We feel strongly about something we’ll do something about it.”

White Sox players met with Seattle assistant general manager Jeff Kingston during the trip to talk about the policy in a story first reported by Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Eaton said Monday that White Sox players have an envelope full of checks ready to hand over to Mariners visiting clubhouse manager Jeff Bopp when the situation is resolved. It’s not that they want to hurt Bopp, but they want the policy changed similar to how the San Francisco Giants quickly amended theirs last year. Eaton said the Cleveland Indians also tried to get around Seattle’s policy. He expects it will be an issue that is discussed in upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement talks.

“More or less we want to give the money to the people that are doing the work in the clubhouse,” Eaton said. “We don’t want the front office taking money from the guy that’s down there working until 1 o’clock in the morning cleaning our uniform and cleaning our spikes. We treat those guys with the utmost respect. They work their butts off. When we made a decision as a team not to pay, it was because we want that clubby to get the money he deserves. The front office, they’re not down there during the day, they’re not doing any work, and they’re receiving the funds. We don’t see that as a productive practice.”

White Sox bullpen taking pride in slogging through heavy, high-stress workload By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

It might be figuratively held together with chicken wire and duct tape at this point, and it hasn’t been entirely effective recently. But the White Sox bullpen can’t be criticized for a lack of effort.

Over the last four days, White Sox relievers have had to throw 19 1/3 innings. To recap: Starter Jacob Turner only lasted 3 1/3 innings Friday against the Detroit Tigers, then Chris Sale was scratched from his start Saturday after blowing up over the team’s uniforms and earning a five-game suspension. The White Sox bullpen shouldered Johnny Wholestaff duties and threw eight innings on Saturday — right-hander Matt Albers started and pitched two of those innings despite throwing an inning in the team’s last two games — in lieu of the team’s All-Star ace.

David Robertson, who pitched a third of an inning in relief Saturday, pitched twice on Sunday (he allowed three solo home runs to the Tigers to blow the save in his second game). Nate Jones appeared in the first three games of the Tigers series, too, totaling 2 1/3 innings.

On Monday, both Jones and Robertson were given a much-needed rest day. So Zach Duke, Albers and Dan Jennings were called upon by manager Robin Ventura to cover seven outs against the powerful Cubs lineup. Albers blew the save, but Jennings’ strikeout of Jason Heyward with the go-ahead run on second set up Tyler Saladino’s walk-off single to net the White Sox a 5-4 win.

“We’ve picked up a lot of innings lately,” Robertson said. “Everybody’s just giving it everything they got right now. It’s obviously, we would’ve loved to have nothing but zeros go up, but that’s not the way baseball works. We’re facing a lot of good lineups. And we’ve just hung tough and tried to at least give us a chance to win. Thankfully, we’ve been very fortunate to walk off these last three games.”

It’s not just the volume of innings that’s taxing the bullpen, though. With three consecutive walk-off wins — the first time the White Sox have done that since Aug. 4-6, 1962 — have come plenty of high-stress pitches. Over the last week, the White Sox bullpen has the highest average leverage index in baseball, and that’s with this group shouldering the generally low-leverage early innings of Saturday’s game in place of Sale.

“The more we work, the more proud we are of what we do,” Jennings said.

Still, this group could probably use a breather. Without an off day until Aug. 1, though, the only way to get one is to be ruled out for a game, as Robertson and Jones were on Monday.

“Hopefully we can rotate, I know there’s some other guys that I know might need a day so maybe hopefully Nate and Robertson are really fresh tomorrow and we can build off that,” Jennings said. “(Or) maybe we can get that eight, nine, 10-run win where we can kind of sit back and relax a little bit, hopefully.”

Manager Robin Ventura said he went with seniority in choosing who to cover Jones and Robertson’s innings Monday, which helps explain why he didn’t use 2015 first-round pick Carson Fulmer against the Cubs. Fulmer’s recent control issues — he only threw 12 of 30 pitches for strikes in blowing a lead against the Tigers on Friday — could’ve played a factor, too.

“You’re trusting the guys who have been here,” Ventura said. “You’ve got some new faces that are out there, it would’ve been asking a lot to bring them in and put them in that.”

White Sox relievers have squandered leads in each of the team’s last four games, though: Fulmer on Friday, Jones on Saturday, Robertson on Sunday and Albers/Jennings on Monday. In addition to a short outing from Turner and no outing from Sale, the White Sox are missing right-handers Jake Petricka and Zach Putnam from a group that looked to be fairly deep earlier in the season.

The White Sox relief corps could certainly use a day off or at the least, as Jennings said, a blowout win where some of those young arms — Fulmer, Michael Ynoa and Tommy Kahnle — could polish off some low-pressure innings. But those easy wins have been few and far between this season: The White Sox only have three wins by more than three runs since May 14.

So if that trend continues, this group is going to have to continue to cover plenty of high-stress innings without a break, at least for the next week.

“Obviously the bullpen the last few days had to pick up the team, and we take pride in that,” Albers said. “Especially Nate and D-Rob were down today, shoot, they’ve been pitching every day too. Everybody else started to try to pick them up. That’s what we’re here for.”

Suspended White Sox ace Chris Sale to start Thursday against Cubs By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

Chris Sale will return to the White Sox mound Thursday against the Cubs for the first time since being suspended five games for cutting up his team’s 1976 throwback uniforms on Saturday.

The 27-year-old left-hander, who was issued a five-game suspension by the White Sox on Sunday for “violating team rules, for insubordination and for destroying team equipment,” will remain away from the team for the first three Crosstown games this week. Manager Robin Ventura said Sale would probably throw a side session sometime this week, but due to his suspension, any work will have to come on his own.

Ventura said he won’t necessarily have a discussion with Sale when the five-time All-Star returns to the club in the cramped confines of Wrigley Field’s visiting clubhouse later this week.

“He’s going to pitch. That’s what he does,” Ventura said. “I don’t think there has to be a big meeting or anything. He’s pitching Thursday.”

Because of Sale’s bizarre pregame incident, the White Sox on Saturday had to use six relievers — Matt Albers, Dan Jennings, Tommy Kahnle, Zach Duke, Nate Jones and David Robertson — to get through eight innings before the game was suspended due to a line of heavy thunderstorms that rolled through the South Side. Robertson on Sunday pitched the ninth inning of the suspended game and the ninth of the regularly-scheduled contest against Detroit (he gave up three solo home runs to blow the save in the second game) and is likely unavailable for Monday night’s Crosstown opener against the Cubs.

White Sox players said they moved on quickly after Sale destroyed those uniforms he didn’t want to wear, pointing to the team’s two wins on Sunday for supporting evidence. And Ventura doesn’t think a team- wide meeting is necessary to address any issues when Sale does come back on Thursday.

“Guys have seen a lot of stuff and it’s about playing, I think they’re about playing and we’ll go with that until something needs to be addressed,” Ventura said. “As far as playing, guys are just moving on and playing.

“… I’m sure they’ll have conversations about it. But I don’t think we need to have a whole team meeting and address it that way.”

White Sox will start Anthony Ranaudo Wednesday against Cubs By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

The last time the White Sox saw Anthony Ranaudo pitch, they drew five walks and scored five runs without recording a hit against the 26-year-old right-hander.

That disastrous outing — which came in a 13-11 White Sox loss to the Texas Rangers — was Ranaudo’s last major league appearance. The former LSU ace and 2010 first-round pick was traded to the White Sox May 12 for minor leaguer Matt Ball and spent the last two months with Triple-A Charlotte.

But with Chris Sale earning a five-game suspension for destroying throwback jerseys on Saturday, the White Sox needed to bring up another arm. And with right-hander Jacob Turner struggling in two outings in place of the injured Carlos Rodon, Ranaudo will start for the White Sox Wednesday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

“Hopefully I get another chance to go back out there and prove that’s not who I am,” Ranaudo said before learning of his scheduled start.

Ranaudo once was a big-time prospect, being ranked 67th in baseball by Baseball America prior to the 2011 season. But he’s never been able to find success in the majors and will enter his start with a 6.33 ERA and more walks (32) than strikeouts (28) in 58 1/3 innings from 2014-2016.

In 13 starts with Triple-A Charlotte, Ranaudo posted a 3.20 ERA with 53 strikeouts, eight walks and 12 home runs allowed over 78 2/3 innings.

“I think he’s refined (things) a little bit more to be able to throw some strikes and have command,” manager Robin Ventura said. “You’re going to have to have it, especially if it’s warm. So hopefully he’s got it.”

Ranaudo can’t afford to have his command escape him, as it did in May against the White Sox, when he faces the Cubs — which lead baseball with a 10.6 percent walk rate — on Wednesday.

If his Crosstown start goes well, Ranaudo could stick around after Sale returns on Thursday. But for now, the right-hander is happy to get another opportunity to prove himself at the major league level.

“It was a little unexpected at the time, obviously, with everything going on,” Ranaudo said of his call-up. “But it was awesome, yeah. I’m just happy to be here and whatever role I’m in, I’m excited about.”

Retirement suiting former White Sox star Paul Konerko well By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

Paul Konerko isn’t returning to manage the White Sox anytime soon, despite the team’s former All-Star first baseman fielding plenty of questions about the possibility.

For now, the 40-year-old Konerko, who’s in Year 2 of retirement and will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday's Crosstown opener at U.S. Cellular Field, is more concerned with fielding the balls hit or thrown by his seven-year-old son while they’re playing baseball in the park.

“I was in the park, my kid threw me a ball, a ground ball and I booted it,” Konerko said. “And some guy’s walking by the park and said, ‘you used to get that one, Paulie!’”

Konerko is spending plenty of time with his kids — Nicholas, Owen and Amelia — and is also keeping busy by playing a bit of hockey and working on a few business interests. One of those ventures is a T- shirt Konerko helped design, the proceeds of which go toward raising awareness for Sensory Processing Disorder, which Konerko’s oldest son, Nicholas, was born with.

Nicholas was born during the White Sox 2005 run to the franchise’s first World Series title in 88 years, and Konerko’s other two children were born while he was still playing in the majors. Because he missed a good chunk of his kids’ childhoods during baseball’s marathon regular season, Konerko doesn’t have a desire to get back into the game until he accomplishes what he wants as a father.

“I was gone for so long,” Konerko said. “I played for 20 years, and 10 years of that I had kids.”

So a return to baseball won’t happen for Konerko “Until I feel like I’m satisfied with where they’re in a position where I’ve done everything they want to do and they’re older,” he said.

Konerko doesn’t have an itch to coach or manage in the majors, too, thanks to his final season with the White Sox.

During that 2014 campaign, Konerko appeared in 81 games but also got a taste of what it’s like to be a major league coach. That glimpse into the life of a major league manager or assistant coach, and all the commitments, obligations and criticisms that come with it, led Konerko to walk away from the game “scared straight.”

“If I had not come back my last year, there’s a good chance I would’ve played out 2013 and probably got an itch to come back sooner,” Konerko said. “But my last year, I got a really good feeling of what it’s like to be a coach, because I was on the bench a lot, they kind of let me in on some things more, almost like a player-coach situation. And I think it scared me, because it’s not easy.”

So while some sections of the White Sox fanbase may want Konerko to come back and manage a team that’s “mired in mediocrity,” as general manager Rick Hahn said last week, that’s not something the guy with 439 career home runs is going to consider.

Plus, he actually does already have coaching duties right now.

“I’m the assistant coach on my kid’s seven-year-old team,” Konerko said. “Trying to work toward the head coaching job.”

White Sox: Chris Sale discusses jersey-cutting incident, suspension By Staff / CSN Chicago | July 25th, 2016

One day after being handed a five-game suspension, White Sox ace Chris Sale spoke exclusively to MLB.com's Scott Merkin about the incident that led to the suspension, his desire to win with the White Sox and his future with the team.

Below are Sale's quotes from Merkin's story, which can be found here:

-- "I want to win a championship in Chicago. That's been my goal from Day 1. It has never changed. I only get more passionate about it because I know that it's not easy winning a championship. There's a lot that goes into it.

"Our main focus should be winning. I know that every single player comes in ready to win every day. I can't speak on anybody else. ... I don't think I would be traded. I don't know for sure. I don't know what they are thinking now or what's going on."

-- "Nothing else matters really. People don't talk about the guys who get paid the most. They talk about the guys with the rings and teams that won the rings. Our guys in this clubhouse deserve, in every single game, the best opportunity to go achieve that goal of winning a championship. That's why we are all here. Nothing else matters."

-- "When I saw that there was something in the way of that 100 percent winning mentality, I had an issue," Sale said. "I tried to bring it up and say, 'Hey listen, these are my thoughts and concerns,' and they got pushed away because of the business deal that was set in place. I'll never understand why we need to do something on the business side on the field that might impede us winning a game.

"[The '76 uniforms] are uncomfortable and unorthodox. I didn't want to go out there and not be at the top of my game in every aspect that I need to be in. Not only that, but I didn't want anything to alter my mechanics. ... There's a lot of different things that went into it. Looking bad had absolutely zero to do with it. Nothing."

-- "I get you have to have the business side, and if you want us to take pictures with these things, whatever. If it's going to affect the style of play or the outcome of the game, I just thought that would be a no-brainer."

Chris Sale says Robin Ventura ‘has to fight for us’ after uniform flap By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

White Sox left-hander Chris Sale said he brought his concerns about pitching in the 1976 throwback uniforms to manager Robin Ventura and pitching coach Don Cooper before he took the drastic steps to destroy them before Saturday's game.

In an interview with MLB.com's Scott Merkin, Sale said the uniforms were "uncomfortable and unorthodox" and he didn't want them to keep him from pitching at his best. He said he first voiced his concerns about the uniforms in spring training and twice brought them up again before his scheduled start Saturday.

The Sox sent Sale home after the dispute and suspended him for five games the next day.

"Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department," Sale told the website. "If the players don't feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix — it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that's when I lost it."

Sale said the incident didn't increase his desire to be traded, and he will make his first start after the suspension Thursday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, adding an intriguing storyline to the City Series finale.

Ventura said he thinks Sale will throw a side session on his own to prepare for the start. He deferred to Cooper, who said he didn't want to talk about Sale but said Sale would be ready to pitch.

Ventura also said he doesn't think there needs to be "a big meeting or anything" with the team upon Sale's return.

"We'll deal with that when he gets here," Ventura said. "I'm sure they'll have conversations about it. But I don't think we need to have a whole team meeting and address it that way."

Sale told MLB.com he apologized to fans and teammates for missing Saturday's game. Ventura said he thought players had moved on after winning two games against the Tigers on Sunday.

"It has definitely been a swing of emotions," right fielder Adam Eaton said. "We love Sale. We love his competitiveness. We love the way he goes about his business. Tough go at it for sure, but at the end of (Sunday), the team stepped up and got two wins, which was huge.

"That's what we wanted to do here. We wanted to win ballgames. He'll agree with me 110 percent. That's what our main focus should be."

Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo will start Wednesday instead of right-hander Jacob Turner, who gave up 12 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings over two starts.

Ranaudo, 26, joined the Sox on May 12 via a trade with the Rangers for right-hander Matt Ball, and he has a 6.33 ERA over parts of three major-league seasons with the Red Sox and Rangers. He has a 3.20 ERA, two complete games and 53 strikeouts in 13 starts with Triple-A Charlotte since the trade.

Ranaudo is filling in for left-hander Carlos Rodon, who made his first rehab start with Charlotte on Monday night since spraining his left wrist. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

White Sox continue protest of Mariners’ clubhouse attendant fees By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

White Sox players recently staged a protest that had nothing to do with destroying jerseys.

Right fielder Adam Eaton confirmed Monday that Sox players declined to pay the visiting clubhouse dues during their three-game series in Seattle last week over concerns the money wasn't being distributed as intended.

Baseball players pay visiting clubhouse managers for their help during road series, but Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday the Mariners put 60 percent of the dues into a team-managed account, while the clubhouse manager receives 40 percent and tips.

Eaton, the Sox player representative, said they heard about the arrangement from other concerned teams before they went to Seattle and talked beforehand about how they would handle it. He said the Sox still intend to pay attendant Jeff Bopp but wanted to make a point about an issue they feel needs to be addressed.

"We're going to pay Jeff, but we want a policy change," Eaton said. "The people that do the work in the clubhouse, they bust their butts for us, and we want the money going in their pocket. The front office, I don't see the general manager or owner coming down and cleaning our shoes. It should go in the clubbies' pocket."

With no written rules on the subject, Eaton thinks it could be addressed in the next collective bargaining agreement.

"When we pay a clubbie and the funds are going elsewhere, we get a little skeptical," Eaton said. "It's our choice not to pay. ... It's the power of the players."

Doing his part: Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez applauded after Melky Cabrera jumped and caught Kris Bryant's fly ball above the left-field fence to prevent a first-inning home run Monday night.

"I thought after that play, things were going to be pretty good today," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez continued his solid July by allowing two earned runs on seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. It was a big outing to help a bullpen that had pitched 17 innings over three games against the Tigers from Friday to Sunday.

Closer David Robertson and setup man Nate Jones weren't available to pitch because of their recent usage, but manager Robin Ventura was able to stick with veterans Zach Duke, Matt Albers and Dan Jennings in the final 2 1/3 innings.

Gonzalez improved his ERA in July to 2.76 after posting a 5.86 ERA in June. He struck out Addison Russell with runners on second and third to end the sixth. And after giving up a two-run homer to Javier Baez in the seventh, he retired Dexter Fowler and Bryant before walking off to a standing ovation.

"Gonzo threw a great game," Ventura said. "He was fantastic, being able to spin it, take a little off."

Tyler Saladino’s ninth-inning heroics for White Sox overcome Cubs rally By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

Tyler Saladino rounded second base and raised both arms in triumph.

The man who ensured the White Sox would be 5-4 victors against the Cubs on Monday was about to enjoy the spoils of his single to center field, a bottom-of-the-ninth exhale that drove in J.B. Shuck with the winning run.

As Saladino braced for the embraces he was about to receive in front of 39,510 at U.S. Cellular Field, he spotted pitcher James Shields. Then a blur of men dressed in red, white and blue 1983 throwback uniforms piled on to celebrate the Sox's third walk-off victory in two days.

"I'm ready to grab on to him as much as he's going to grab me," Saladino said of Shields. "Just the other day, I was going out there to get Melky (Cabrera after a win).

"I don't really know how to describe it. You're just ready for the mob."

The ninth-inning drama wasn't contained to the bottom half. The Cubs scored twice in the top to tie the score at 4-4 and open the door for Saladino's big moment.

After fouling off two pitches, Dexter Fowler ripped a single off Jose Abreu's glove to score Javier Baez, who had led off with a double, and cut the Cubs' deficit to 4-3.

Kris Bryant followed with a single to move Fowler to third, but Bryant was thrown out at second while trying to take an extra base.

Anthony Rizzo then poked a single to left to score Fowler.

In the sixth, one pitch after Sox third baseman Todd Frazier's bat flew out of his hands and into the stands behind the Sox dugout, it was the ball's turn to fly. It took a different route, landing 410 feet away over the center-field wall after Frazier tagged a Jake Arrieta pitch for a three-run home run and a 4-0 lead.

"We sure would like to win by five or six, but with the way we've been going, we'll take any win we can get," Frazier said.

Baez tagged the Sox right back in the top of the seventh when he sent a Miguel Gonzalez pitch sailing over the left-field wall to score himself and Miguel Montero, who opened the inning with a double.

The Sox spared themselves two Cubs runs. In the first, left fielder Cabrera interrupted what would have been Bryant's 26th home run as it tried to sneak over the wall, snagging the line drive before tumbling to the warning-track dirt.

The Sox turned a Bryant single in the third into a 7-2-4-2, inning-ending out that ended with Baez and Sox catcher Dioner Navarro dancing around home plate before the latter finally tagged the former.

Gonzalez lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, seven hits and two walks and striking out eight.

Arrieta exited after six innings, permitting the Sox five hits, four runs and two walks and striking out six.

"He pitched very well," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Arrieta. "Gave up very few hits, very light contact. And he gave up one home run.

"At the end of the day, we lost the game, but you cannot start to denigrate people for one pitch or the fact that somebody didn't get a hit at the end."

Monday’s recap: White Sox 5, Cubs 4 By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

Meanwhile, a baseball game was played.

Almost lost in the Chris Sale drama on the South Side and the news of Aroldis Chapman's impending arrival on the North Side was the fact the City Series pitting the Cubs against the White Sox kicked off Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Sox came out on top with a thrilling 5-4 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 39,510.

At the plate Tyler Saladino knocked in the winning run in the ninth inning for the Sox while Todd Frazier dealt the big blow with a three-run homer in sixth. Adam Eaton also singled in a run.

It marked the third consecutive game the Sox had a walk-off winner after Saladino singled in J.B. Shuck.

For the Cubs, Javier Baez (3-for-4) had two-run blast in the seventh while Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo had RBI singles in the ninth as the Cubs mounted a comeback.

On the mound In the starting duel, Miguel Gonzalez bested Jake Arrieta by going 6 2/3 strong innings, yielding two runs on seven hits while walking 2 and striking out a season-high eight. Dan Jennings got the win in relief.

Arrieta went six innings and gve up four runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Reliever Mike Montgomery suffered the loss.

In the field Sox leftfielder Melky Cabrera leaped high over the wall to rob Kris Bryant of a homer in the top of the first inning.

The quotes "I'm revoking Melky Cabrera's membership to my wife's gym in Tampa." -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon

"It's a morale booster for sure, and it's just good baseball. We've battled every single game we're in. Walkoffs are always exciting. The guys are pumped. -- Saladino

"We won (Monday) because we played hard. Frazier hit a good homer and we played hard, all around. It was a good game for us. I think we had to do something good for the fans to celebrate and enjoy this victory." -- Cabrera

"These guys are resilient, they fight back. They come every day to play had. You need some stuff to go your way and I think (Monday) is one of those." -- Sox manager Robin Ventura

"I don’t think you can get more momentum than that. I think if you get a big win ... and you win by four or five runs, that feels good. But this is just an amazing feeling, and to do it three times in a row, I’m not sure how often that happens but it’s just a lot of momentum to us. We feel really good and the atmosphere is great in here. For all that’s going on, to have that is just a testament to what this team does, put winning above anything else." -- Jennings

“We sure would like to win by five or six, but with the way we’ve been going, we’ll take any win we can get. Eventually, ride that horse and keep on rolling and start winning games without walkoffs. We’ll see how that goes but it’s a lot of fun. We’re getting back in that fun zone again.” -- Frazier

Big number 3: The Sox's third consecutive walkoff win marked the first time they accomplished that since 1962.

Up next Cubs at White Sox, Tuesday, 6:10 p.m.; WGN-Ch. 9, ESPN

RH Kyle Hendricks (9-6, 2.27) vs. RH James Shields (4-12, 4.99).

White Sox ready to move on; are they also ready to make their move? By Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

The two most talked-about players of the City Series weren't even at the ballpark Monday for the White Sox's 5-4 walk-off victory over the Cubs.

Aroldis Chapman, the new Cubs closer, was en route to Chicago after learning of his trade from the Yankees in Houston, while Chris Sale, the White Sox ace, was in an undisclosed location waiting out his five-game suspension for slicing up his teammates' jerseys.

The Cubs and Sox decided to play anyway, entertaining a crowd of 39,510 on a perfect night at U.S. Cellular Field in the Sox's first sellout since the home opener.

After three days of nonstop discussion of the Sale incident, the Sox just wanted to move on, much like they just wanted to move on from the Adam LaRoche incident during spring training. They lead the league in moving on but still needed to make a move.

Todd Frazier, whose two-out, three-run home run off Jake Arrieta gave the Sox a 4-0 lead in the sixth, said everyone in the clubhouse "understood what happened" during Sale's snap.

"You can't turn back the clock," Frazier said. "I know when he gets back here, he's going to be ready to go, knowing the person he is. It's go time. We have a little over two months left. It's time to make a push.

"We have to get after it, start winning series like we did before the All-Star break, and hopefully with the two games (Sunday) we'll start dominating today and from here on out.

"There's no more looking back — coulda, shoulda, wouldas. It's that time."

The Sox won in walk-off fashion for the third time in two days, their first stretch of three straight walk-off wins since Aug. 4-6, 1962. There's no time like a Cubs-Sox series to start turning things around, or else go into a prolonged slump. We've seen it happen to both teams over the first 19 years of the interleague rivalry.

It was an unusual atmosphere for a City Series opener, mostly due to the media focus on Sale and Chapman.

Cubs President Theo Epstein spent a half-hour before the game defending the club for trying to win the World Series with a player suspended for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. Over in the other dugout, Sox manager Robin Ventura answered question after question about Sale, including "How will he stay fresh?" while awaiting his Thursday start at Wrigley Field.

"That part I don't know," Ventura said. "He's going to have to work out or do something."

Sale, in his first public comments since Saturday, threw Ventura under the bus to the team's website, a move that should make things a bit awkward the rest of the season. He blamed Ventura for not changing the team's decision to wear the "uncomfortable" throwback uniforms, which led to his jersey-slashing spree.

Sale defiantly accused the Sox of putting marketing ahead of winning.

"Do I regret standing up for what I believe in? Absolutely not," he said. "Do I regret saying business should not be first before winning? Absolutely not."

The Sale incident provided good fodder for Cubs fans looking to pile on the Sox, much like Carlos Zambrano's antics were fair game for Sox fans back in the day. Let's face it: The real reason for these games is so fans can rag on each other.

"Everybody talks a lot," Ventura said. "That's part of being a fan and being with a fan base and rooting for your team. I've never been somewhere that fans don't talk a lot. That's just part of the fun of coming to the games."

Remember that back in 2009, after Zambrano's Gatorade cooler-smashing incident at Wrigley Field, Sox pitching coach Don Cooper was asked on WSCR-AM 670 how they would handle such shenanigans.

"We're not going to allow it," Cooper said. "Enough's enough. You get excited, we'll be seeing you. We're not going to let you destroy the clubhouse, the dugout. He did what he did, but that ain't going to happen for us. The bottom line is we're not going to let you act like a fool."

Apparently what goes around comes around. Sale's petulance blew out the bullpen Saturday and Sunday and nearly cost the Sox on Monday because they weren't able to use David Robertson or Nate Jones.

That's the way things go during the City Series, in which more fun is in store Tuesday when Chapman reports to the Cubs.

Chris Sale channels his inner Jimmy Butler when talking about Robin Ventura By Steve Rosenbloom / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

The only thing missing was Chris Sale saying Robin Ventura needs to "manage harder."

That’s what I gathered after reading an interview with Sale that posted on MLB.com on Monday night.

The White Sox ace was explaining his reasons for cutting up his team’s uniforms Saturday night, a crazed act that led to his five-game suspension, and his hardest pitches were aimed at his manager and some franchise thinking that places sponsorship money over player performance.

Sale first voiced his unhappiness with having to wear the 1976 throwbacks in spring training because he hates pitching with an untucked jersey.

“[The ’76 uniforms] are uncomfortable and unorthodox,’’ Sale said. “I didn’t want to go out there and not be at the top of my game in every aspect that I need to be in. Not only that, but I didn’t want anything to alter my mechanics.’’

Sale said he asked the clubhouse manager for different uniforms Friday night in advance of his scheduled Saturday start and told pitching coach Don Cooper he was in favor of the ’83 throwbacks if there had to be a gimmick.

When Sale showed up Saturday and saw the ’76 throwbacks laid out, Sale went to Cooper again and then to Ventura, and then, kaboom. Sale admitted he lost it with Ventura. Steaming now, Sale returned to the clubhouse and started auditioning for “Full Metal Project Runway.’’

“When I saw that there was something in the way of that 100 percent winning mentality, I had an issue,’’ Sale said. “I tried to bring it up and say, ‘Hey listen, these are my thoughts and concerns,’ and they got pushed away because of the business deal that was set in place. I’ll never understand why we need to do something on the business side that might impede us in winning.’’

Sale has a case. Game-time, however, is not the time to try that case.

Sale should know by now that he has a contract with a small-market team, so any sponsored game is a good game on the South Side.

Sale’s anger with Ventura stemmed from the manager’s decision not to take his side and take his case upstairs. Ventura refused to make a costume change, and while the manager denied putting a team promotion ahead of winning, he did say that “I think we all have things that we need to do.’’

It was that attitude that prompted Sale to channel his inner Jimmy Butler in the interview.

“Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department,’’ Sale said. “If the players don’t feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix -- it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that’s when I lost it.’’

Say this for Chairman Reinsdorf’s organizations: Players feel comfortable displaying public contempt for their bosses.

Butler, at least, wasn’t running with scissors.

So Sale went nuts, and the guy who claims to be all about winning forced his team to wear out the bullpen for three days’ running as a result of his selfish act. That the Sox won all three games is amazing and beside the point. Whatever Sale did in the clubhouse wasn’t an act of a leader, but a child. Drake LaRoche would tsk-tsk him.

And then to follow that episode with comments reeking of disrespect, or at least frustration, for Robin Hoiberg is a lot of “I confess, it’s everyone else’s fault.’’

Whether emboldened or enabled, Sale has no problem speaking his mind. Screaming it, actually. And while Sale might’ve gone rogue with his shear madness, I’d be surprised if he’s the only Sox player who feels that way about Ventura.

So you might have the dicey situation of Sale wanting the manager to take the fight upstairs, while the wonks upstairs probably want Ventura to tamp down the loud kid.

The Sox, then, roll into the trade deadline hearing some hard comments from their suspended All-Star pitcher whose cost-controlled value in the wake of what the Cubs paid for Aroldis Chapman could make him a one-man rebuilding plan.

But here’s the thing: Sale said he doesn’t want to leave the Sox.

But it sounds as if he wouldn’t mind if Ventura did.

What’s more, it sounds as if Sale would drive him.

Maybe Sale can get the whole thing sponsored.

A guy named Sale doesn’t understand jersey revenue is winning to White Sox? By Phil Rosenthal / Chicago Tribune | July 25th, 2016

If you doubt the White Sox are as fully committed to the uniform business as any Major League Baseball team, check out the ballclub's online store.

The White Sox website peddles not just the standard unis you might expect in white, gray and black. There are Turn Back the Clock variations from 1959, 1990, 1983 and, as scissors-wielding ace pitcher Chris Sale helpfully reminded everyone over the weekend, 1976 (which itself is reminiscent of an early 20th-century design).

You're also invited to pick up their stars-and-stripes-infused jerseys from July 4, camouflage-accented jerseys from Memorial Day, jerseys with pink on them for Mother's Day and green in tribute to St. Patrick's Day. There's an array as well of practice jerseys and other tops that merely seem inspired by the team.

This may be a sport to many fans, fashion to others, but it's a business to everyone else.

For pro sports teams, especially in baseball and basketball, the great thing about hawking $100-plus sports jerseys is buyers don't realize most adults are not built like pro athletes and do not necessarily look good in them.

If a fan buys a specific player's uniform, there's also a reasonable chance he or she may be moved to stash it away or destroy it someday because of free-agent departure, trade, run-in with the law or botched play in a critical game.

White Sox fans who own Sale 49 jerseys, whether a retro design or not, are welcome to wonder at what point their sartorial souvenir will evoke its own nostalgia.

The team is entertaining trade offers for their star hurler, whose most-recent run-in with General Manager Rick Hahn over wearing that baggy 1976 shirt Saturday night blew up spectacularly. Sale reportedly cut up the throwback uniforms in which he and his teammates were supposed to play as a tie-in to a fan giveaway at the ballpark.

This cutting-edge fashion statement, if not the five-day suspension it earned him, advances the idea the White Sox have reached the cut-their-losses stage of this season. That will make it harder for the White Sox to sell themselves and harder to sell Sale, too, for that matter.

Sale was "upset that, in his view, PR and jersey sales were more important than winning," according to Ken Rosenthal (no relation), a Major League Baseball reporter for Fox and MLB Network.

If Sale wasn't comfortable throwing in the baggy 1976 White Sox jerseys the team was to wear, that's a fair topic for discussion. A starting pitcher needs to be comfortable on the mound. Whatever high ground Sale thought he was on, however, was undercut by the scissors.

Vandalism and destruction of property in the workplace rarely goes over well with management and tends to exhaust all room for compromise. All reason goes away when the sharp objects come out.

Besides, not to put too fine a point on this, this is professional baseball. That's professional as in money, revenue, fans in the stands and watching TV, buying and selling stuff.

Winning does generate good PR and strong sales of jerseys, hats and other licensed goods, but marketing and merchandise money make it easier to invest in developing, acquiring and retaining talented ballplayers. Like, you know, all-star pitchers.

This is reminiscent of that great scene in Albert Brooks' "Lost in America" — if you haven't seen the film, you owe it to yourself — in which the late Garry Marshall plays a Las Vegas casino boss who has to explain to Brooks that he cannot give Brooks and his wife their squandered savings back because gambling is how the Desert Inn makes its money.

Sales' 14 wins to date notwithstanding, the way the White Sox have played this season, they need to sell as many jerseys as they can, along with T-shirts, coasters, desk sets, jackets, pennants, toys, bats, pens, balls and hats. Lots of hats. Way too many hats.

The White Sox site sells dozens of baseball caps including designs in pink, sky blue, brown — brown!?!? — a variety of different camouflage designs and fonts the team would never go near. Many would look good in shreds.

This is not unique. None of it is, actually. In every major sport, there is a push to peddle the merchandise here and abroad. It sometimes causes problems.

Recall the brief to-do over whether the Houston Astros' 2012 revival of their original 1962 uniforms, dating to when the franchise was the Houston Colt .45s, would feature a pistol or not. (Ultimately, it did. Texans are sensitive when it comes to guns.)

When people wear branded sports stuff, the fans not only fork over cash but become walking billboards advertising the team, the league, the sport. That encourages others to line up with or against them and buy their own.

Winning brings in revenue, but revenue is winning. No matter how old the throwback jersey up for sale, it doesn't predate that idea. You'd think a guy named Sale would get that.

White Sox walk a fine line with angry Sale By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 25th, 2016

Whatever it was that fired when White Sox ace Chris Sale tore up those throwback uniforms Saturday has a lot to do with what makes him as good as he is.

Sale’s ridiculous and bizarre act, which forced the Sox to play without him and earned him a five-game suspension from the team, was the most ‘‘stupid and selfish’’ thing one National League scout has seen in 40 years of pro baseball.

That reaction to a story sports fans everywhere still are trying to wrap their heads around was shared by many, Sox fans included.

Sale, the favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award and a five-time All-Star, told MLB.com on Monday that he wants to stay with the Sox but wants manager Robin Ventura to stick up for his players. Sale didn’t want to wear the throwbacks because he said they were uncomfortable and could have interfered with his mechanics, and he lost his cool when didn’t get his wish after taking the issue to Ventura.

That angry man inside Sale makes him pitch angry, and that only makes his excellent stuff seem better, some say.

‘‘What makes him so good is he has pinpoint control, and he has no qualms about hitting you right square in the back,’’ a veteran National League scout said. ‘‘He scares the daylights out of most of these guys.

‘‘It’s fun to watch that guy. He’s an angry guy. He pitches with prejudice. And I like that. I like players that scare other players.’’

On the opposite side of the spectrum is right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, mild-mannered and non- threatening but extremely effective of late. Gonzalez entered the game with a 2.77 ERA in his last four starts, then strung together six scoreless innings before giving up a two-run home run to Javy Baez in the seventh inning of a game the Sox would win 5-4 on Tyler Saladino’s walk-off single against Mike Montgomery that scored J.B. Shuck in the ninth, the Sox’ third walk-off victory in a row since Sale was sent home after his outburst Saturday.

Sale not taking the ball Saturday placed a burden on a Sox bullpen that was still running on fumes Monday – Nate Jones and closer David Robertson were unavailable – leaving Zach Duke, Matt Albers and Dan Jennings to relieve Gonzalez. Albers gave up three hits in the Cubs ninth and Jennings allowed the tying single to Anthony Rizzo but struck out Jason Heyward with Rizzo on second to keep the game tied.

J.B. Shuck singled leading off the ninth and was bunted to second before Saladino delivered.

“You’re looking for key wins when it doesn’t look very promising and these guys find a way to continue to fight,’’ Ventura said. “I’m proud of them. These last few days have been tough ones and we’re still fighting and winning games.’’

Todd Frazier’s three-run homer to center against Cubs ace Jake Arrieta in the sixth gave the Sox a 4-0 lead.

A revved-up sellout crowd of 39,510, which seemed to be split down the middle, watched Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera take a homer away from the Cubs’ Kris Bryant with a leaping catch in the first as it was all Sox early, followed by a Cubs rally late and capped by Saladino’s heroics that raised the Sox record to 49-50.

The suspended Sale likely was cheering it all on from home.

‘‘I love [Sale],’’ the NL scout said. ‘‘I think it’s great for the game. The game has always had these crazies. I wish Ty Cobb was still alive.’’

White Sox walk off with 5-4 victory over Cubs By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 25th, 2016

Tyler Saladino singled to center in the bottom of the ninth inning against Mike Montgomery, scoring J.B. Shuck from second to the give the White Sox a 5-4 victory over the Cubs in the first game of the season between the city’s crosstown rivals before a sellout crowd at U.S. Cellular Field. It was the third walk-off victory in a row for the Sox (49-50), who hadn’t won three games in a row in their last at-bat since August 1962, according to STATS LLC.

The Cubs had rallied from a 4-0 deficit and scored two in the ninth against the Sox depleted bullpen to tie tie it. Closer David Robertson and Nate Jones were unavailable because of recent heavy workloads.

Todd Frazier’s three-run homer against Jake Arrieta in the sixth gave the Sox a 4-0 lead.

“We sure would like to win by five or six, but with the way we’ve been going, we’ll take any win we can get,” said Frazier, who has 29 homers. “Eventually, ride that horse and keep on rolling and start winning games without walk-offs. We’re getting back in that fun zone again.”

Javy Baez answered Frazier’s homer to center with a homer to left, cutting the Sox lead in half at 4-2, and the Cubs tied it in the ninth with on RBI singles by Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo against Matt Albers.

Saladino, playing in place of second baseman Brett Lawrie (hamstring) doubled down the left field line against Arietta, and Adam Eaton lined a single near the right field line to score Saladino with the game’s first run in the bottom of the third.

Miguel Gonzalez, who entered with a 2.77 ERA over his previous four starts, pitched six scoreless innings before the Cubs got him for two in the seventh. After Baez’ homer, Gonzalez retired Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant before Sox manager Robin Ventura brought in left-hander Zach Duke to face Anthony Rizzo.

In the top of the first inning, Baez became the third out when he was thrown out at home by Saladino, the second baseman, on Bryant’s single to left fielder Melky Cabrera. Cabrera’s throw missed the cutoff man and carried all the way to Dioner Navarro, the Sox catcher. When Bryant got hung up between first and second, Baez broke for home and was out, but it took a one-hand scoop of Saladino’s low throw and a scrambling tag after Baez leaped to avoid the tag.

Baez had advance to second when Eaton, the right fielder’ overran his soft bloop single.

Cabrera took a run away from Bryant in the first inning when he reached above the yellow line on top of the left field fence to snag a fly ball.

Sale to start Thursday vs. Cubs; Ranaudo Wednesday By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 25th, 2016

White Sox ace Chris Sale will make his next start against the Cubs Thursday at Wrigley Field, and Anthony Ranaudo, not Jacob Turner, will start Wednesday.

Sale is eligible to come off the suspended list Thursday. He was suspended Sunday for violating team rules, for insubordination and for destroying team uniforms before his scheduled start against the Tigers Saturday.

The Sox host the Cubs Monday and Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Field before the Crosstown Series shifts to Wrigley for two games.

Ranaudo was 5-3 with two complete games and a 3.20 ERA for AAA Charlotte in 13 starts this season. The Sox acquired him in a trade with the Texas Rangers for right-hander Matt Ball on May 12. Turner made two starts in place of Carlos Rodon (disabled list) and didn’t get past the fourth inning in either one.

Sale, objecting to wearing 1976 throwback uniforms, cut them up before Saturday’s game, which he was supposed to start, and was scratched from the lineup and sent home. The Sox announced the suspension the following day.

Asked if Sale will need to address his teammates when he returns, manager Robin Ventura said, “I don’t think so. Guys have seen a lot of stuff and it’s about playing, I think they’re about playing and we’ll go with that until something needs to be addressed.”

Ventura was forced to start reliever Matt Albers and five other relievers, using up almost his entire bullpen.

“Yeah, I’m sure they’ll have conversations about it,” Ventura said. “But I don’t think we need to have a whole team meeting and address it that way.

“We’ll deal with that when he gets here.”

Lawrie improving Second baseman Brett Lawrie (hamstring) missed a fourth straight start but could play, Ventura said.

“Really today, if he wasn’t able to go he probably would have gone on the DL,” Ventura said. “I think he’s still at the point if we can give him today it would be better. But he can go in there if we need him to play.”

Mariners clubhouse manager will get paid, Eaton says

White Sox players left Seattle last week without paying clubhouse dues and tips in protest of the Mariners’ new policy that puts 60 percent of the dues into an account managed by the team, but visiting clubhouse manager Jeff Bopp will get paid by the players one way or another.

“I will say that I have an envelope full of checks ready to be sent out,” Sox player rep Adam Eaton said Monday.

The Sox declined to pay because Mariners management made itself part of the financial relationship between players and clubbies, which allows Bopp to receive 40 percent of the dues, all tips and his salary. The other 60 percent of the dues goes to a team account and helps pay for food and the salaries of clubhouse assistants.

Other teams have tried to get around the Mariners policy, including the Cleveland Indians, Eaton said.

“We want to give the money to the people doing the work in the clubhouse,” Eaton said. “We don’t want the front office taking money from the guy down there working till 1 in the morning cleaning our uniforms and spikes. We treat those guys with the utmost respect. They work their butts off. When we made the decision as a team not to pay it’s because we want that clubbie to get the money he deserves.

“We’re going to pay Jeff but we want a policy change. We’ve reached out to other teams and they’re going to do the same thing.”

Such arrangements are expected to be included in the next collective bargaining agreement. The current one expires in December.

Rodon rehab Left-hander Carlos Rodon was scheduled to make a rehab start Monday night with AAA Charlotte at Louisville. Rodon has been on the DL since July 9, retroactive to July 6, with a sprained left wrist. Rodon is 2-7 with a 4.50 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 16 starts. Eight of his starts have been quality starts.

Who’s irrelevant now? Sox top Cubs on Saladino walkoff in 9th By Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun-Times | July 25th, 2016

The team with the reigning Cy Young winner on the mound gets outpitched by the team starting a 30- something journeyman who might get traded by Monday’s trade deadline?

The team buzzing over its trade for the best available closer on the market loses in the ninth inning?

The team that can’t keep its players from vandalizing their own uniforms stays focused long enough to beat the so-called World Series favorites with a walkoff single in the ninth?

Welcome to the latest installment of Cubs-Sox, where White Sox second baseman Tyler Saladino got things started Monday night with a single to center off Cubs newcomer Mike Montgomery for a 5-4 victory in the first of four straight games this week between the clubs.

“The last few days have been tough ones, and we’re still fighting and winning games,” said Sox manager Robin Ventura, whose club won on a walkoff for the third straight game – in the aftermath of last week’s for-sale sign and ace Chris Sale’s uniform-shredding tantrum over the weekend.

It was the first time since 1962 the Sox won three straight on consecutive walkoffs.

“When we play each other it’s always a pretty intense atmosphere, and the players on each side are always into it as well,” said Cubs ace Jake Arrieta, who appeared headed to a second consecutive strong start out of the break before a two-out, three-run homer by Todd Frazier made it a 4-0 game in the sixth.

“It just really came down to that one pitch and not being able to execute it like I wanted to,” he said.

Arrieta, who still figures to be the biggest difference maker for the Cubs this season after they acquired 105-mph closer Aroldis Chapman Monday, looked like he was building off his seven-inning start five days earlier until the Frazier homer.

“Jake was really good,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, “except the one pitch.”

He’s still looking for his first win since June, and second quality start since June 17.

The National League’s reigning Cy Young winner looked like the pitcher who was that dominant factor for last year’s playoff team when he retired seven of the first eight he faced – before Saladino’s one-out double in the third turned into a run when Adam Eaton followed with a single to right.

Arrieta retired nine of 10 after that until walking to Melky Cabrera with one out in the sixth, three batters ahead of Frazier.

Meanwhile, Miguel Gonzalez — who drew the attention Monday of scouts from contenders looking for starting help — allowed just five hits in six scoreless innings against the Cubs until Miguel Montero and Javy Baez led off the seventh with a double and two-run homer, respectively.

Gonzalez retired Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant before giving way to Zach Dukes, who got Rizzo on a popup to end the inning.

Despite Saladino’s headline-making heroics in the bottom of the ninth it was the guy in left field in the top of the first and top of the ninth with an even greater play-making impact on the outcome.

“I’m revoking Melky Cabrera’s membership at my wife’s gym in Tampa,” Maddon said.

Cabrera leaped at the wall to rob Kris Bryant of a home run in the first inning, then prevented the Cubs’ tying rally in the ninth from becoming a bigger inning – throwing out Bryant at second trying to stretch a single for the first out of the inning after a run had already scored.

Bryant’s strange and befuddling day at the plate also included an inning-ending single in the third. With Baez rounding third from second on the hit to left, Bryant headed toward second on the throw home – resulting in an eventual 7-2-4-2 out at the plate.

“I think this series always ends up with some weird stuff,” Ventura said.

By any measure of WAR, Raines a Hall of Famer By John Grochowski / Chicago Sun-Times | July 25th, 2016

Now that Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza have their Hall of Fame plaques, a little speculation about who’s next is only natural.

First-time eligibles for 2017 will be led by longtime Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez and outfielder Manny Ramirez, who spent most of his career with the Red Sox and Indians and hit one of his 555 home runs in a brief stint with the White Sox.

Among the holdovers, Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell received 71.6 percent of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote this time around (75 percent is needed for election). Outfielder Tim Raines, whose 23-year career included five with the White Sox, received 69.8 percent.

The ‘‘Hall of the Very Good’’ label sometimes gets tossed at Raines. It’s a label that sometimes is directed at players whose contributions come in areas that are undervalued.

Raines wasn’t a big power guy, with 170 homers and 980 RBI. His greatest skill was reaching base, and his .385 on-base percentage made him an elite leadoff man. His 808 stolen bases rank fifth in baseball history, and he was successful on 84.7 percent of his attempts.

On-base skills weigh heavily in Raines’ favor in advanced stats such as wins above replacement, which levels the playing field when comparing players of different eras who competed under changing conditions. We can look at full-career value with career WAR, peak value with best seven-year WAR or balanced value with JAWS, which averages career WAR and seven-year WAR.

With 20 Hall of Fame left fielders and Raines, we can divide them into one group of 11 and one of 10 under each WAR category, using bWAR from Baseball-Reference.com.

Career WAR Top 11: Ted Williams, 123.1; Rickey Henderson, 110.8; Carl Yastrzemski, 96.1; Ed Delahanty, 69.5; Raines, 69.1; Al Simmons, 68.7; Fred Clarke, 67.8; Goose Goslin, 66.1; Billy Williams, 63.5; Jesse Burkett, 62.9; Zack Wheat, 60.2.

Bottom 10: Willie Stargell, 57.5; Joe Medwick, 55.6; Jim O’Rourke, 51.3; Joe Kelley, 50.6; Ralph Kiner, 49.3; Jim Rice, 47.4; Heinie Manush, 45.8; Lou Brock, 45.2; Chick Hafey, 30.1; Monte Irvin, 21.3.

Seven-year WAR Top 11: Ted Williams, 69.2; Henderson, 57.5; Yastrzemski, 55.4; Delahanty, 48.5; Simmons, 45.7; Kiner, 43.6; Goslin, 43.3; Raines, 42.2; Billy Williams, 41.3; Medwick, 39.7; Stargell, 38.0.

Bottom 10: Burkett, 37.2; Kelley, 36.2; Rice, 36.2; Clarke, 36.1; Wheat, 34.7; Manush, 34.7; Brock, 32.0; Hafey, 27.1; O’Rourke, 24.2; Irvin 21.2.

JAWS Top 11: Ted Williams, 96.2; Henderson, 84.1; Yastrzemski, 75.8; Delahanty, 59.0; Simmons, 57.2; Raines, 55.6; Goslin, 54.7; Billy Williams, 52.4; Clarke, 52.0; Burkett, 50.0; Medwick, 47.6.

Bottom 10: Wheat, 47.4; Stargell, 47.0; Kiner, 46.5; Kelley, 43.5; Rice, 41.8; Manush, 40.2; Brock, 38.6; O’Rourke, 37.8; Hafey, 28.6; Irvin, 21.2.

If you want to draw a ‘‘Hall of the Very Good’’ line, Raines is well above the boundary. In career, peak or balanced value by the numbers, he rests firmly in the upper half of Hall of Famers at his position.

Latest controversy indicates it’s time for Sox to trade Sale By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 25th, 2016

I thought Chris Sale's clubhouse rampage before Saturday night's game against the Tigers was his unorthodox way of trying to force a trade.

A day later, after talking to his suspended ace starting pitcher, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn denied the theory.

"I don't want to get into the specifics of an exchange but at no point, I will say, did he express the desire not to be a Chicago White Sox," Hahn said.

Talking to MLB.com's Scott Merkin before Monday night's game against the Cubs, Sale also denied he wants out.

"I want to win a championship in Chicago," said the American League's best pitcher. "That's been my goal from Day 1."

That might be true, but Sale couldn't really be blamed for feeling he's much more likely to win a championship in a different uniform -- one that isn't tattered.

This is his seventh season with the Sox and he has yet to appear in the playoffs. Sale told MLB.com he destroyed the 1976 throwback uniforms scheduled to be worn Saturday because they were "uncomfortable and unorthodox."

He proceeded to drag manager Robin Ventura into the controversy, which is a clear indication a player wants to be moved. According to Sale, Ventura should have told the front office to pull the sponsored '76 uniforms before he felt compelled to pull out the Ginsu.

"Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department," Sale said. "If the players don't feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix … it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that's when I lost it."

Sale was involved in another altercation with the easygoing Ventura late in the 2014 season, and he was sent home.

In April of last season, he was ejected for his role in a brawl against Kansas City. Once out of the game, he got dressed and tried to get into the Royals' clubhouse after play resumed.

In spring training, Sale unloaded on vice president Kenny Williams after Adam LaRoche abruptly retired.

Now there is this, and you have to seriously wonder if Sale's days with the White Sox are going to end before Monday's nonwaiver trade deadline.

If the Sox can't get enough in return for a great pitcher with a contract to match, maybe they wait until the off-season when more teams would be bidding.

Or maybe they keep Sale through 2019 and forget about the latest meltdown.

On the rumor mill, it sounds like the Dodgers are willing to trade a package of young talent headed by 19- year-old starter Julio Urias.

If that is true, don't be surprised if Sale is soon setting sail for Los Angeles.

White Sox stiff Seattle clubhouse manager, but not because they’re frugal By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 25th, 2016

When they were playing the Mariners in Seattle earlier this month, White Sox players didn't pay the usual visiting clubhouse dues or give the usual tips.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal first reported the story, but it's not like Sox players suddenly became cheap.

Seattle management decided to take 60 percent of the dues paid by visiting teams and place it in a team- managed account this season, and the Sox took exception.

"When we went to Seattle, me being the player rep, you hear coming in that the way our money was going, it wasn't going to the same place it was going to when we were going to other ballparks," Adam Eaton said. "Other teams have tried to get around it, the Cleveland Indians being one of them, and another AL Central team, I'm not sure the team, but I know there were two teams that came in and tried to get around the process and putting tip only on the check.

"More or less, we want to give the money to the people that are doing the work in the clubhouse. We don't want the front office taking money from the guy that's down there working until 1 o'clock in the morning cleaning our uniform and cleaning our spikes. We treat those guys with the utmost respect. They work their butts off."

Eaton said the Mariners' visiting clubhouse manager, Jeff Bopp, is going to be getting money from the White Sox for his efforts.

"We're looking for a change in policy," Eaton said. "We've reached out to other teams, and they're going to do the same thing."

Rotation change: The White Sox scratched Jacob Turner from Wednesday night's scheduled start against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Anthony Ranaudo, who joined the Sox on Sunday from Class AAA Charlotte, replaces Turner.

"He's the guy that fits a little bit better going into the bullpen," manager Robin Ventura said of Turner. "And then we'll see what Anthony has got. He's up here and is either going to be a guy in the bullpen or he's going to start a game, so you have a chance to see what he can do."

Turner made 2 starts for the White Sox and allowed 12 earned runs on 12 hits and 7 walks.

In 13 starts with Class AAA Charlotte, Ranaudo was 5-3 with a 3.20 ERA. The Sox acquired the 6-foot-7 Ranaudo in a May 12 trade from the Rangers for minor-league pitcher Matt Ball.

Injury report: Making a rehab start for Charlotte Monday night, Carlos Rodon pitched 3.2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 2 walks.

On the disabled list with a sprained left wrist, Rodon could rejoin the Sox's rotation in Minnesota this weekend.

Third straight walk-off win for Chicago White Sox By Jerry Fitzpatrick / Daily Herald | July 25th, 2016

The National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs rallied from a 4-run deficit for the second straight day, but it wasn't enough Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field to defeat the inspired Chicago White Sox, who won their third straight game in walk-off fashion 5-4.

Having blown a lead in the top of the ninth for the second game in a row, the Sox again found a way to win, this time against recently acquired Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery.

J.B. Shuck led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to center, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Dioner Navarro and scored standing up when Tyler Saladino singled to center fielder Matt Szczur, who couldn't make a throw to the plate after bobbling the ball in the outfield.

"Just trying to get a job done, really," Saladino said. "That's pretty much what everything is, but it was a lot of fun, a lot of energy there and it felt really good to get that done for the guys."

As for the White Sox winning three straight in their final at-bat?

"You're looking for key wins when it doesn't look very promising, and these guys find a way to continue to fight," manager Robin Ventura said. "I'm proud of them. I think these last few days have been tough ones and we're still fighting and winning games."

With Sox closer David Robertson unavailable to pitch after making 3 appearances in two days against Detroit, Ventura allowed reliever Matt Albers to open the ninth inning after he struck out Miguel Montero to end the eighth with the tying run at second base.

Albers was greeted by a leadoff double from Javier Baez and singles by Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant before exiting with a 4-3 lead in favor of Dan Jennings, who was touched for a one-out, opposite-field single to left by Anthony Rizzo, tying the game at 4-4.

However, the Cubs couldn't take the lead after trailing by 4 runs as they did Sunday in a 6-5 victory at Milwaukee as Jennings struck out Jason Heyward with the go-ahead run at second.

"My take-away is about how we came back again with a chance to win that game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "If you're a Cub fan, you have to like the way the players fight down to the last drop. I loved it, thought it was great."

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Saladino doubled against Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta and Adam Eaton followed with a run-scoring single.

That's how it stayed until the sixth, when Todd Frazier drilled an Arrieta curveball over the center-field fence for a 3-run homer and a 4-0 Sox lead. Though he struck out six without a walk, Arrieta allowed 4 earned runs on 5 hits in 6 innings in a no-decision.

He was outdueled by Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez. The 32-year-old held the Cubs to 2 earned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks in a 104-pitch performance over 6⅔ innings.

Levine: White Sox continue walk-off magic By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO (CBS) — The White Sox made the big plays and continued their walk-off magic Monday night, taking the opener of the four-game Crosstown Classic series against the Cubs on Tyler Saladino’s game- winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win.

It was the White Sox’s third straight walk-off win.

“This is south side baseball,” Saladino said. “Everybody shows up for work here every day. We don’t win every day, but we put the effort out.”

The three straight walk-off wins have come after ace left-hander Chris Sale’s outburst Saturday in which he cut up team uniforms in frustration. The White Sox hadn’t walked off in three straight games since June 4-6, 1992.

“We have been all over the place,” manager Robin Ventura said. “These guys are resilient and fight back. They come every day to play hard. You have some stuff to go your way, and tonight was one of those.”

White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez got instant defensive help when left fielder Melky Cabrera robbed Cubs slugger Kris Bryant of a home run in the first inning with a perfectly timed jump. Gonzalez settled down after that, holding the Cubs to five hits over six scoreless inning before Javier Baez hit a two-run homer off him to pull the Cubs within 4-2 in the top of the sevening.

Gonzalez went 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out eight and walking two.

Cub ace right-hander Jake Arrieta was roughed up in the sixth inning, when White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer to give his team a 4-0 lead after Arrieta struggled with his command and pitch count. That inning changed after a 10-pitch at-bat by White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. Arrieta made 37 pitches in the inning and left the game trailing 4-0.

Arrieta went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out six and walking two.

The Cubs scored two in the top of the ninth to tie the game. They could’ve had a huge inning if not for an over-aggressive Bryant, who lined a hit to left field with with nobody out but was thrown out at second by Cabrera trying to stretch it into a double. Dexter Fowler reached third on that play, and Anthony Rizzo followed with a single to drive him in and tie the game at 4.

Caberera’s throw proved to be huge.

“When he gets to a ball, his throws are as accurate and strong as anybody,” Ventura said. “He is a really smart player and always seems to know what to do. That was a big play for us, and it probably saved the game.”

Cabrera also extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

“I do not lose focus, I give my best every night,” Cabrera said. “I have a lot of pride in what I do. I am very proud of what I can do on defense. I just try to take advantage of everything I can on offense and defense. I like to play well in all areas of the game.”

Cubs manager Joe Maddon complimented Cabrera on his play, with a personal touch.

“I am revoking Melky Cabrera’s membership in my wife’s gym in Tampa,” Maddon joked. “He went over the wall, made a great throw, actually two great throws. He just played a really great game.”

The Bernstein Brief: Now Chris Sale is blaming Robin Ventura? By Dan Bernstein / CBS Chicago | July 25th, 2016

(CBS) Ace left-hander Chris Sale thinks pitching in an ugly jersey would make the White Sox less likely to win, apparently, so he cut all the shirts up in a bizarro tantrum for the ages.

He also thinks the whole ordeal is manager Robin Ventura’s fault, because of course he does. There’s something really off about Sale, a deluded hot-head who told MLB.com why he initially unleashed a tirade directed at Ventura before Saturday night’s game.

In Sale’s warped mind, Ventura didn’t advocate hard enough on his behalf against team officials to postpone or move the uniform promotion, so that’s why the slashings had to happen.

“Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department,” Sale said. “For them to put business first over winning, that’s when I lost it.”

Sale said he had made it clear both in spring training and on Friday night that he wanted to avoid wearing the 1976 throwback, and he blew up when his immediate bosses couldn’t or wouldn’t get that done.

How an untucked jersey has anything to do with winning remains unclear, but what is now obvious is that the enabling of Sale through multiple episodes of temper-fueled misbehavior has created a player who feels empowered to act like a child.

When he can curse out the team’s executive vice president with no consequences, we can’t be surprised he’d dare to say the manager’s inaction was the reason he lost his mind again.

Emma: White Sox won’t give up, even as management plans to sell By Chris Emma / CBS Chicago | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO (CBS) — While anticipation built outside U.S. Cellular Field as the Crosstown Classic arrived Monday, the White Sox’s clubhouse was rather quiet and mostly empty.

Three-and-a-half hours before the rivalry was to be renewed between the Cubs and White Sox, a home clubhouse that’s usually filled with energy was without much of a peep. Players were hiding out as the media came looking for answers to the latest controversy.

Here are the White Sox, 6.5 games back of a wild-card spot and 8.5 back of the AL Central lead. They entered Monday at 48-50 and with trade winds blowing. The White Sox faced a bleak outlook even before ace left-hander Chris Sale cut up the team’s 1976 throwback jerseys in a protest Saturday, then was sent home and suspended.

The White Sox started this season with the whirlwind of the Drake LaRoche saga and subsequent Adam LaRoche retirement that led to Sale’s first protest against the organization. They went 23-10 to start the season, endured a tailspin from there and have danced around the .500 mark ever since.

“It’s go time,” White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier said. “We have a little over two months left. It’s time to make a push. We have to get after it and start winning series like we did before the All-Star break.”

Frazier’s optimistic outlook is admirable. The White Sox need it, too, because they have every reason to hang their heads. They lost five of six to open the second half, and general manager Rick Hahn made it known that players are available, including Frazier. After Sale cut up the jerseys, they went on to win two games.

During their batches of hope this season, the White Sox traded for right-hander James Shields, called up shortstop Tim Anderson and signed designated hitter Justin Morneau. They wanted to patchwork a contender after starting hot. Sticking to White Sox organizational philosophy, they were going for it again.

Now, the White Sox are looking for a last-ditch effort to salvage their season before the trade deadline next Monday. It starts against the Cubs and their best record in baseball. Gone are the discussions of adding Jay Bruce or Carlos Gonzalez, as Hahn is taking calls on Sale and left-hander Jose Quintana while viewing Frazier, Morneau, first baseman Jose Abreu, outfielder Adam Eaton and just about anybody else as trade chips.

“Our job is to play baseball,” Morneau said. “We can’t really control if you’re going to get traded unless you have a no-trade clause.”

Added Frazier about the possibility of being traded: “Who, me? Oh, really? I haven’t really kept up in it.”

The White Sox are 27th in positional WAR at a lowly 5.7 mark. Their strong rotation and All-Star tandem of Sale and Quintana hasn’t been enough to make up for a lineup that just hasn’t been good enough. The struggles of Abreu are a great concern, and Frazier’s .210 average hasn’t helped anything. They were supposed to be the White Sox’s biggest bats on offense.

Frankly, there have been problems all across the lineup for the White Sox. A comeback in the standings isn’t likely. Of course, the White Sox players are committed to fighting for 2016.

“That’s what we’re here for,” said Morneau, who was brought in to help a contender. “I don’t think anybody in here shows up not expecting to win and not expecting to play the way the team played earlier in the year.”

Added White Sox manager Robin Ventura: “They’re resilient. Any time something happens, which we had the other day (in the Sale incident) or earlier in the year (with the LaRoche exit), they bounce back and they play well.”

Ventura’s status as the fifth-year manager is among many questions facing this team. If the organization was truly dedicated to contending, Ventura may have been fired. Their current approach for reshaping a contender went halfway — and certainly not any closer in the standings.

Saturday’s incident with Sale was just the latest in a bizarre White Sox season. One of the team’s most important players and greatest leaders acted in an unfortunate matter over an unimportant detail. He put his teammates and organization in a difficult spot — as if things weren’t bad enough.

Once again, the White Sox were an embarrassment — a laughingstock for the baseball world.

The White Sox are positioned to sell, whether it’s Sale or Quintana, Frazier or Abreu, or just about anyone else who could bring a rebuild to the south side. That would seem to be the wise maneuver after a difficult stretch proved what this team really is.

Players can launch their newest and most important protest to the White Sox organization by winning games and proving this team can contend. They believe it can happen, but it’s certainly not very likely.

“There’s no more looking back — could’ve, would’ve, should’ve,” Frazier said. “It’s that time. Two month’s push.”

White Sox will pay Mariners’ clubhouse attendants after protest in Seattle By Chris Emma / CBS Chicago | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO (CBS) — White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton knows the Mariners’ visiting clubhouse attendant by name: Jeff Bopp.

At each stop, players connect with the “clubbies,” who run errands and provide amenities and comfort. In return, the players pay dues and regularly dole out tips. That wasn’t the case last week in Seattle, though, as Chicago players left without providing payment to Bopp. They did so as a show of protest toward the Mariners’ policy, which designates 60 percent of the money to a team account. The Mariners are the only organization in baseball to enact such a mandate.

The Mariners put that 60 percent toward food and the salaries of clubhouse assistants, a team official told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, indicating the money still gets to the “clubbies,” just in a different manner.

Eaton and his teammates have a respect for the traditional system. And Eaton has an envelope full of White Sox checks that he will send to Bopp.

“The policy that’s in place for 29 other teams, they don’t have a problem,” said Eaton, his team’s player representative. “When we pay a clubbie and the funds are going elsewhere, we’re skeptical. It’s our choice not to pay. There’s no written rule. Power to the players. We hope that their outlook changes.

“The clubbies take care of us, and we take care of the clubbies.”

Eaton believes that the policy will change within the collective bargaining agreement.

The White Sox had learned of the Mariners’ new rule from players of other teams, not from Bopp. They decided it would be best to protest this rule in order to take care of Bopp and his staff. Typically, the head clubhouse manager dispatches portions of the tips to his whole staff.

Recently, the Giants mandated a similar rule that took money from the clubhouse manager. Once there were disputes, the legislation was reversed soon after.

“We’re just hoping and waiting for a policy change,” Eaton said. “If there’s no change, he may receive a check in the offseason from an anonymous source — maybe a bundle full of cash or something like that. Jeff Bopp will get paid in some way, shape or form.”

White Sox’s Chris Sale doesn’t regret standing up for beliefs in jersey – cutting outburst By Staff / CBS Chicago | July 25th, 2016

(CBS) Breaking his silence after receiving a five-game suspension for an incident in which he cut up the White Sox’s throwback uniforms before Saturday’s scheduled start, left-hander Chris Sale expressed remorse for not being on the mound for his teammates but expressed no regret for standing up for his beliefs.

“I have regret, because I play 33 times a year at most in the regular season,” Sale tole MLB.com. “So I put a lot of emphasis on when I play and I take a lot of pride in work that I do. When I can’t or don’t do that, yeah, I have disappointment in myself for not being there for my guys.

“Do I regret standing up for what I believe in? Absolutely not. Do I regret saying business should not be first before winning? Absolutely not.”

Sale was upset with the 1976 throwback uniforms — which were scheduled to be worn in conjunction with a promotional giveaway — because they’re “uncomfortable and unorthodox,” and he was angry manager Robin Ventura didn’t stand up for him on this issue and call for different jerseys to be worn. Sale expressed his desire to wear anything besides the 1976 uniforms to Ventura and pitching coach Don Cooper, but when nothing changed, he had his outburst and was then sent home.

“Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department,” Sale told MLB.com. “If the players don’t feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix — it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that’s when I lost it.”

Sale indicated he doesn’t want to be traded and his goal is still to win a championship in Chicago.

“I don’t think I would be traded,” Sale said. “I don’t know for sure. I don’t know what they are thinking now or what’s going on.”

Sale’s suspension runs through Wednesday, and he’s scheduled to start Thursday against the Cubs. He’s 14-3 with a 3.18 ERA.

Chris Sale apologizes, says he was ‘standing up for what I believe in’ By Staff / ESPN | July 25th, 2016

Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale has apologized in his first public comments since he was given a five- game suspension stemming from a dispute over the team's throwback uniforms Saturday, saying winning was -- and remains -- at the center of his actions.

"I have regret, because I play 33 times a year at most in the regular season. So I put a lot of emphasis on when I play and I take a lot of pride in work that I do," Sale said in an extensive interview with MLB.com on Monday afternoon. "When I can't or don't do that, yeah, I have disappointment in myself for not being there for my guys."

Sale said he was sorry to fans who came to see him pitch and to his teammates, especially the White Sox bullpen.

"Do I regret standing up for what I believe in? Absolutely not. Do I regret saying business should not be first before winning? Absolutely not," Sale said.

The left-hander also put a spotlight on manager Robin Ventura.

"Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department," he said. "If the players don't feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix -- it was as easy as hanging up another jersey, and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that's when I lost it."

According to ESPN and multiple reports, Sale expressed displeasure over having to wear the White Sox's 1976 navy-blue collared throwbacks, and the matter escalated from there, culminating in a confrontation with a member of Chicago's front office. The team then decided to send Sale home from U.S. Cellular Field.

Sale reportedly cut up the 1976 throwbacks during batting practice so they couldn't be worn. Fox Sports reported that Sale disliked the uniforms because he thought they were uncomfortable and believed the White Sox were putting "PR and jersey sales" ahead of winning.

"When I saw that there was something in the way of that 100 percent winning mentality, I had an issue," Sale told MLB.com. "I tried to bring it up and say, 'Hey listen, these are my thoughts and concerns,' and they got pushed away because of the business deal that was set in place. I'll never understand why we need to do something on the business side on the field that might impede us winning a game.

"[The '76 uniforms] are uncomfortable and unorthodox. I didn't want to go out there and not be at the top of my game in every aspect that I need to be in. Not only that, but I didn't want anything to alter my mechanics. ... There's a lot of different things that went into it. Looking bad had absolutely zero to do with it. Nothing."

Sale will start Thursday against the crosstown rival Cubs.

"I'm going to show up on Thursday and do what I've always done. That's get ready to play baseball and put everything I got into winning that game," Sale told the website. "I know my teammates are, too. So that's all that matters to me. It's unfortunate it got to this point."

Speaking before Monday night's win over the Cubs, Ventura said he doesn't think he needs to meet with Sale before the outing at Wrigley Field.

"Not necessarily. He's going to pitch," Ventura said. "That's what he does."

Sale said his focus remains on advancing and winning a World Series, and that "nothing else matters."

"I want to win a championship in Chicago. That's been my goal from day one," Sale told MLB.com. "It has never changed. I only get more passionate about it because I know that it's not easy winning a championship. There's a lot that goes into it.

"Our main focus should be winning. I know that every single player comes in ready to win every day. I can't speak on anybody else. ... I don't think I would be traded. I don't know for sure. I don't know what they are thinking now or what's going on."

The suspension cost Sale $250,000 of his $9.15 million salary. He also was fined about $12,700 -- the cost of the destroyed jerseys -- a person familiar with the penalty told The Associated Press.

Ventura also announced Monday that right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, who was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday to take Sale's spot on the roster, will start Wednesday against the Cubs. Right- hander Jacob Turner, who allowed four runs and five hits in 3⅓ innings in his last start, Friday against Detroit, will move to the bullpen.

Amid Chris Sale drama, White Sox heroics just keep coming By Kerouac Smith / FOXSports | July 25th, 2016

While the Chicago White Sox deal with the fallout of Chris Sale's throwback shredding on Saturday, things are actually going pretty well on the field.

On Sunday, after announcing Sale's five-game suspension for insubordination, the White Sox had two walk-off wins over the Detroit Tigers.

Then on Monday, the team was set to begin a series against the Chicago Cubs, only to find out their crosstown rivals had made a trade for flame-throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman.

Unfazed, the White Sox opened Monday's game with a gem of a play by Melky Cabrera, going over the wall to rob Kris Bryant in the first inning (watch the video above).

And how did they end it?

With another walk-off, of course.

For what it's worth, Chapman is expected to join the Cubs for Tuesday's game and the White Sox will get Sale back in time to start Thursday's series finale.

How the Aroldis Chapman trade could impact a deal for Chris Sale By Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports | July 25th, 2016

Thoughts on the fallout from the Aroldis Chapman trade:

*If I were White Sox general manager Rick Hahn, I would take the exact approach that Yankees GM Brian Cashman did with Chapman when negotiating deals for left-hander Chris Sale.

In the American League alone, Hahn could tell the Rangers, Astros and Red Sox, "You want the one starting pitcher who could help you win the World Series? He won't come cheaply." He could deliver the same message to the Dodgers in the NL, knowing that they missed out on Cole Hamels last July and are just plain missing Clayton Kershaw this year.

The White Sox could effectively name their price for Sale, who is under club control at below-market rates through 2019 and a more attractive trade candidate than Chapman, a potential free agent.

Hahn's reported five-player request is not unreasonable -- the Yankees got four players for Chapman, including the Cubs' No. 1 prospect, shortstop Gleyber Torres, and an experienced major-league pitcher, right-hander Adam Warren.

For Sale, the White Sox could ask for Rangers right fielder Nomar Mazara, for Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, for Dodgers lefty Julio Urias, for Red Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada and/or left fielder Andrew Benintendi.

And they would not at all be out of bounds.

If no team wants to meet the White Sox's price, fine -- the Sox could involve an even greater number of suitors in the off-season, and perhaps make an even better deal. Or hold Sale again.

Like Cashman before him, Hahn holds the best toy. But unlike Cashman, he is not facing the loss of a prized asset for only a draft pick. He can wait and wait and wait.

*The Nationals declared five untouchables in the Chapman talks (Joe Ross, Lucas Giolito, Trea Turner, Reynaldo Lopez, Victor Robles). The Indians seemingly were unwilling to part with either of their two top outfield prospects, Bradley Zimmer or Clint Frazier.

Yes, Chapman is a rental, but now the Nats' top two left-handed hitters, Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy, might end up facing Mr. 105 mph in the post-season. The Indians, meanwhile, could miss out on a rare opportunity, during a season in which many recent AL powers are down.

Those clubs were not in as advantageous a position as the Cubs, whose abundance of young position players enabled them to do something big. But give Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer credit for seizing the moment, even though their farm system is probably weaker than both the Nationals' and Indians' overall.

One rival executive identified only three elite prospects in the Cubs' system -- Torres, outfielder Eloy Jimenez and second baseman/outfielder Ian Happ. Yet, as young as the Cubs are at the major-league level, their competitive window is somewhat narrow, with right-handers Jake Arrieta and John Lackey eligible for free agency after next season.

The time to strike was now, and the Cubs knew it.

*Considering the return that the Yankees received for Chapman as a rental, it's natural to assume that the "asks" for Royals closer Wade Davis and Yankees lefty Andrew Miller will be even higher.

Davis, after all, is under club control through next season, Miller through 2018, both at club-friendly salaries. But here's the problem: The Chapman trade, like the Shelby Miller trade, was an outlier.

The danger now is that the Yankees' return for the Chapman deal will have the same chilling effect on the relief market that the Braves' return for Miller did on the starting-pitching market.

Teams started thinking, "If the Braves could get Dansby Swanson, Aaron Blair and Ender Inciarte for Miller, imagine what I could get for Pitcher X." Prices shot up, and the market stalled.

The same thing could happen with Davis and Miller. The return for Chapman might have set too high a bar.

*The Chapman deal did not become official until after Epstein, Hoyer and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts spoke on the phone with the reliever about his domestic-violence allegation and were satisfied with the response.

The Cubs received permission from Major League Baseball to talk with Chapman early Monday morning, sources said. The call took place at 1 p.m. ET, about one hour after some reported the deal was done.

While it's unlikely the Cubs would have backed off over anything Chapman might have said -- and unlikely that Chapman would have said the wrong thing -- the team had the right to walk away based upon the outcome of the call, sources said.

The conversation was the final condition of the deal.

*Chapman is arguably the game's top closer, but for years many in the industry have wondered if he could be used more often in multi-inning stints, or even in specific high-leverage matchups before the ninth inning.

The Dodgers, before pulling out of a deal for Chapman last off-season, planned to deploy him creatively, with Kenley Jansen remaining their closer. The Yankees, on the other hand, immediately made Chapman their closer when he returned from his 30-game domestic-violence suspension.

The Cubs surely will use Chapman in the ninth as well, at least in the regular season. But if manager Joe Maddon needs Chapman to counter the Nationals' Murphy and Harper in the eighth inning of a postseason game, he surely will use his weapon accordingly.

As one Cubs person put it, "In the postseason especially, all bets are off."

*Warren did not pitch as well for the Cubs as he did for the Yankees, but he served as something of a utility man for the team's rotation, making one start so that Maddon could give his other starters extra rest.

Without Warren, the Cubs will be more vulnerable if one or more of their starters deals with injury or fatigue.

Right-hander Trevor Cahill or lefty Brian Matusz likely would get the first call; both are stretched out at Triple A. Righty Jordan Pries, acquired from the Mariners in the Mike Montgomery trade, represents another option; he pitched well for Iowa on Monday night.

In theory, left-handed relievers Montgomery and Travis Wood also could start, but neither is stretched out.

Cut if out: White Sox edge Cubs in wild Crosstown opener By Jon Greenberg / The Athletic | July 25th, 2016

The Walk-Off White Sox did it again Monday night, pulling another victory from the jaws of defeat, this time in honor of their lame-duck manager Robin Ventura, who was tragically killed in a Chris Sale interview that was posted during the game.

RIP Robin, you died as you lived, staring straight ahead, forever in disbelief. (Sale is in disbelief too, apparently.)

With a lifelike Ventura in charge, the Sox beat the Cubs in the first game of the Series Formerly Known as the BP Cup, 5-4, thanks to a walk-off hit from Tyler Saladino in the bottom of the ninth.

You can say the crosstown series has lost its luster — especially when one team is underachieving — but U.S. Cellular Field was boisterous all night as Cubs fans and Sox fans cheered on their teams. While there isn’t any hatred left between the teams — Unless White Sox bench coach Ricky Renteria is still sore at Cubs president Theo Epstein for firing him to hire Joe Maddon — when you put these teams on the same field, it’s usually a good time.

Sox fans went nuts when Melky Cabrera robbed Kris Bryant of a homer in the first and when Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer, his 29th, off Jake Arrieta in the sixth. Cubs fans equaled their ardor when Anthony Rizzo tied it in the ninth. The announced attendance was 39,510, only the second sellout of the season.

“During a pitching change, I was talking to Saladino and he said, ‘Fraz, is this what the playoffs are?’” Frazier said.

Uh, not quite. Cubs-Sox is best known for the extracurriculars that happen around it, from A.J. Pierzynski slugging it out with Michael Barrett to Lou Piniella roasting Steve Stone in an interview.

“I think this series, you always end up with some weird stuff,” Ventura said. “There’s always something.”

Ventura was talking about Melky Cabrera starting a “goofy” rundown with a rifle throw from left field, but he also could’ve been referring to Sale crushing him in a story that went viral during the game. We’ll talk with Ventura about that interview before Tuesday’s game.

In an exclusive interview with MLB.com beat writer Scott Merkin, Sale explained why he cut up the team’s uniforms Saturday in protest for having to wear a throwback jersey. As it turns out, Sale was angry that Ventura didn’t fight to let Sale change the uniforms on the fly, which were part of a long-planned promotion.

As if Ventura, a lame-duck manager for a sub-.500 team, doesn’t have enough on his plate. Now he has to curate the uniforms? Who is he, Buck Showalter?

“Robin is the one who has to fight for us in that department,” Sale said in the story. “If the players don’t feel comfortable 100 percent about what we are doing to win the game, and we have an easy fix — it was as easy as hanging up another jersey and everyone was fine. For them to put business first over winning, that’s when I lost it.”

Sale’s wacky story has been the talk of baseball, but the Cubs stole their thunder Monday afternoon by trading for Aroldis Chapman. Cubs president Theo Epstein drew the big media crowd when he spent more than a half-hour explaining the move.

After that, the game almost seemed secondary, but it still turned out to be pretty interesting.

Without Sale, who was suspended Sunday for five games, the Sox (49-50) have won three straight, all walk-offs. (One of those wins came Sunday afternoon in a continuation of Saturday’s postponed game.) Imagine the Cubs fans’ heckling when Sale starts Thursday night at Wrigley Field. Let’s hope he doesn’t pull a Tony Phillips into the crowd.

No one mentioned Sale in the post-game clubhouse, but his presence was felt with the team having a short bullpen after having to cover for him Saturday. Back-end guys Nate Jones and David Robertson were unavailable. Miguel Gonzalez pitched 6 2/3 innings, with lefty Zach Duke replacing him to face Anthony Rizzo in the seventh.

Matt Albers worked 1 1/3 innings, starting the ninth with the Sox leading 4-2. Javy Baez led off with a double and scored on a Dexter Fowler single. Bryant moved Fowler to third with a single but was thrown out by Cabrera trying to take second. Rizzo tied the game with a single off Dan Jennings.

Jennings got the last two outs to earn the blown save and the win. He was more focused on the latter stat.

“We feel really good and the atmosphere is great in here,” Jennings said. “For all that’s going on, to have that is just a testament to what this team does, put winning above anything else.”

Give the Sox credit, they’ve looked like roadkill numerous times over the past three months, but they keep peeling themselves off the pavement.

They might not be a playoff team — OK, definitely not — but they beat one on Monday and had some fun doing it.

Saladino’s walk-off single pushes White Sox past Cubs, 5-4 By Associated Press | July 25th, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Saladino hit a game-ending RBI single, and the Chicago White Sox put a damper on the Chicago Cubs’ trade for Aroldis Chapman with a 5-4 victory on Monday night.

J.B. Shuck sparked the winning rally with a leadoff single against Mike Montgomery (3-5), who was acquired in a deal with Seattle last week. Shuck advanced on Dioner Navarro’s sacrifice and Saladino followed with a bouncer into center field.

Dan Jennings (4-2) got two outs for the win. The White Sox also got two victories in their last at-bat on Sunday against Detroit.

The Cubs trailed 4-2 before Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo each hit an RBI single in the ninth. They had runners on first and second with two out when Jennings struck out Jason Heyward to escape the threat.

Javier Baez hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who were coming off a nice weekend series in Milwaukee.

Todd Frazier hit a three-run drive off Jake Arrieta and Miguel Gonzalez pitched into the seventh inning, helping the White Sox to their third consecutive win. Melky Cabrera made an outstanding leaping catch in the first, robbing Kris Bryant of a home run.

Moments after he lost his bat into the stands in the sixth, Frazier drove the next pitch from Arrieta over the wall in center for his 29th homer. He also connected against Arrieta last year, when the ace right-hander allowed just 10 homers all year long on his way to the NL Cy Young Award.

The NL Central-leading Cubs had won seven of 10 after a midseason slide, and they bolstered their already solid bullpen with the acquisition of the hard-throwing Chapman in a trade with the Yankees on Monday. The left-hander is expected to join the Cubs for Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox.

“When you make a maneuver like this, it’s got to be obvious that it’s going to be very helpful,” manager Joe Maddon said, “and it’s very obvious that this will be.”

Chasing their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs sent top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, versatile pitcher Adam Warren and minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford to New York for Chapman, who has 166 saves and a 2.16 ERA in seven years in the majors.

“It’s an aggressive move,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “It was tough to give up what we gave up, but if not now, when? This is the appropriate move given where we are and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

While Chapman gives Chicago a shutdown reliever for its bullpen, the Cubs are still looking for Arrieta to get back on track. He pitched seven crisp innings against the Mets in his previous start, but allowed four runs in six innings against the White Sox and has just one win in his last six outings.

Gonzalez struck out eight and was charged with two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, but departed with a no-decision after the Cubs rallied in the ninth.

WORTH NOTING White Sox closer David Robertson, who had pitched three times in two days, was unavailable.

SALE’S RETURN White Sox ace Chris Sale will start on Thursday at Wrigley Field in his first appearance since he was suspended for five days for destroying collared throwback uniforms the team was scheduled to wear. The 27-year-old Sale was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against Detroit and sent home after he cut up an unknown number of jerseys before the game. The 1976-style jerseys were navy and sported unusual collars on a hot and humid night.

TRAINER’S ROOM Cubs: SS Addison Russell was in the starting lineup a day after he departed Chicago’s 6-5 victory at Milwaukee with a left heel contusion.

White Sox: 2B Brett Lawrie (strained left hamstring) missed his fourth consecutive game, but manager Robin Ventura said he was available in an emergency. … LHP Carlos Rodon (sprained left wrist) allowed two earned runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte. He also had a throwing error.

UP NEXT Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-6, 2.27 ERA) looks to continue his breakout year on Tuesday night against White Sox RHP James Shields (4-12, 4.99 ERA). Hendricks is 5-0 with a sparkling 0.72 ERA in his last seven games, six starts. Shields has dropped each of his last three starts, but has a 2.08 ERA in 21 2/3 innings during the slide.