Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.You Oughta Know ...
That the Gordon Beckham era has begun in Chicago.
The White Sox announced after Wednesday's loss to the Athletics that they would call up Beckham on Thursday, one day short of a year after he was their first-round draft pick.
"He's going to play," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Where, we're going to find out. Is he going to play third base every day. I don't think so. But he will get plenty of at-bats. To me, he has to be in the lineup every day and get a good percentage of at-bats."
Just two days earlier, Guillen was singing a different tune:
"If we have Beckham here, we're in trouble."Well, the Sox need an injection of offense. They have scored three runs or fewer 26 times, more than any team except Kansas City, Seattle, Arizona and Pittsburgh.
After batting .298 in 38 games at Double-A, Beckham was promoted late last month to Triple-A, where he hit .464 in seven games (six doubles, no homers, no walks, two strikeouts). A shortstop at the University of Georgia, he has also played eight games this year at third base and four at second.
Beckham went eighth overall in the 2008 draft and is the fourth player from his class to make the majors, after San Francisco infielder Conor Gillaspie and relievers Ryan Perry (Detroit) and Daniel Schlereth (Arizona).
From the Trainer's Room ...
Kyle Lohse, who on May 23 was hit on his right (throwing) forearm by a pitch while batting, returned Wednesday but had to come out of his start for the Cardinals after just two innings because of soreness in the forearm.
St. Louis has already used eight starters, making it remarkable that it has the best team ERA in the majors at 3.64.
Numbers Game ...
Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist, who hit his fourth career grand slam in a rout of Kansas City, has 14 homers in his past 147 at-bats, dating to Sept. 25. Zobrist has started 11 straight games for the banged-up Rays -- five at second base and three each at shortstop and right field – and has reached base in 38 of his past 77 plate appearances, with five homers and 19 RBI.
In Their Own Words ...
"I've been talking to a lot of the guys, and this is not going to be viewed very highly in the clubhouse by any means. We're a team, and we were battling without our catcher, waiting for him to get back. To lose your best all-around player -- and that's what Nate was, in terms of power, speed and defense -- and to do it so early in the season ... that's going to be tough to get over." -- Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson on the team's trade of center fielder Nate McLouth to the Braves for three prospects.
Advance Scouting ...
The Phillies have not lost a series since May 12-14 against the Dodgers, and Thursday night last year's NLCS opponents begin another rematch, this time in Los Angeles (10:10 PM ET). Since that last series, Philadelphia is 15-4 and Los Angeles is 13-6. Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who held the Dodgers to one run in seven innings the last time he saw them, faces L.A. youngster and fellow lefty Clayton Kershaw.
