If Tehans not the answer who is?????

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- So much for all that spring training feel-good business about how the games are merely a prelude to the regular season.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen remained calm after an 8-3 defeat to the Cleveland Indians on Saturday, but appears close to be blowing his lid if the team doesn't start playing better soon.

Aside from some good at-bats and a three-run fifth inning, Guillen had little to be pleased with after the White Sox fell to 1-5 after the opening week of games.


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"That was the ugliest we played all year spring," Guillen said. "I'm not panicking, but I expect to pick it up a notch [or else] I will throw people under the bus or send people down. But right now I've gotta be cool, be patient. I can't ask any more of them."

Guillen said he needed to see improvement immediately after the White Sox play split-squad games next week, but he didn't specify if that meant Monday's split-squad games or Thursday's.

Mark Teahen appeared to already have taken himself out of the running for the starting third-base job with two throwing errors Sunday. But Guillen was even remaining patient on that front as well.

"We've got to give [Teahen] a shot, but obviously, we've got to make plays," Guillen said. "Our biggest friend to a pitcher, especially when a pitcher's in trouble, is defense. But he's only been out there for a couple of games.

"I've got to talk to our coaching staff and [GM] Kenny [Williams] in the next meeting and see what we're going to do, if we're going to give him a shot at third base or move him all over the place. That's the next step, because it's not fair for him or anybody. [It will] clear his mind -- will I be [at third] or not? We've got to try to make the decision as quick as we can and go from there."

About the only thrill Guillen and the rest of the coaching staff had Saturday happened early in the game when the White Sox's bat boy beat the Indians' bat boy to a ball at the backstop. Guillen and bench coach Joey Cora each gave their bat boy an emphatic high five, with Guillen then pointing at the Indians' bench for emphasis.

"That's how bad the game was," Guillen said about naming his bat boy as the highlight of Saturday's game. "That was the only excitement we had in the game

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.