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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Paul Konerko signing Wednesday took such a toll on the budget, not to mention general manager Kenny Williams, that the bullpen is going to have to wait.

After non-tendering closer Bobby Jenks and losing main setup man J.J. Putz to free agency this month, relief help is the White Sox's next order of business. But first, there will be a cooling off period.

"We have to go into a holding pattern right now just for a minute and try to be as creative as possible on the trade front," Williams said after the team announced the Konerko deal. "The free agent front is a little expensive for us right now so we have to try another way. That's all right. We've done it before."

Multiple reports connected free agent reliever Kerry Wood to the White Sox on Tuesday, right around the time the Konerko negotiations hit a snag. Now the White Sox will reassess their assets and who they would like to pursue.

One key component to their decision-making process is the presence of left-hander Chris Sale. He showed late in the season that he has the stuff to be a quality reliever, but he also could be needed to start if Jake Peavy isn't fully recovered from surgery to repair a muscle beneath his right shoulder.

"[Sale] will prepare this offseason to start, because we drafted him to start," Williams said. "We want him to stay on his same regimen he's used to, so he comes in the same kind of condition and he's the same guy you guys saw the last time you saw him pitch. And then we will go from there."

Going from there not only means he could slide into the bullpen when Peavy is ready, but he eventually could settle into the closer's role. There is also the possibility of bringing in veteran starting candidates to spring training on minor-league deals. If one of them could earn the No. 5 rotation spot, until Peavy returns, Sale can start the season in the bullpen.

"It's a little bit of bob and weaving, but there will be clarity soon," Williams said. "The fortunate thing is it's two relief spots and really we can close with either Sale or [left-hander Matt] Thornton. We are not looking for a closer. It's just getting to the closer."

Despite having the two lefties in Sale and Thornton, the White Sox are expected to pursue another reliever who can bring it from the left side. Call it the Minnesota Twins factor.

"We'll take a look at a third left-hander, a situational guy, somebody who can get [Twins lefties Justin] Morneau and [Joe] Mauer out," Williams said. "Then another right-hander. It will come together. We just have to make sure it's the right fit, the right pieces. But we are little bit limited right now."

The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent reliever J.J. Putz, according to multiple reports.

Read the entire story.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- White Sox general manager Kenny Williams has landed the big bat in Adam Dunn, retained catcher A.J. Pierzynski and freed up some salary by trading Scott Linebrink and non-tendering Bobby Jenks.

So does he like strutting into the winter meetings, which begin Monday in the Orlando area?

“Yes,” he said.

But has he accomplished all he wanted to do this offseason?

Not even close.

Next up on the agenda is a meeting with Paul Konerko’s representatives on Monday. Then there is the matter of shoring up a bullpen that is without a closer -- although Matt Thornton and even Chris Sale would be aimed toward that role if the White Sox needed to go that route.

White Sox's needs

First base: Konerko is Williams’ top priority. By creating some salary space, having Dunn and Pierzynski divert some salary, and doing some funny math in the marketing and accounting departments, Williams is confident he has a solid offer waiting for the veteran team leader. Dunn has been told he will only play first base one or two times a week, so if the White Sox whiff on Konerko, look for them to add a mid-level first baseman instead.

Bullpen: If Konerko is the No. 1 priority, putting together a gang of relievers is 1A. Free agent J.J. Putz remains a possibility to be re-signed. If Putz is back on the South Side, he would probably be the leader to assume the closer role. If Konerko doesn’t re-sign, it is likely that the money set aside for him would be put into acquiring relievers. Rafel Soriano has already been rumored as a free-agent option. If Thornton closes and Sale starts, another left-hander would be desired.

Bench: Technically the White Sox already have backups at each position. Omar Vizquel could handle shortstop and third base. Brent Lillibridge could handle second and center field. Mark Teahen could offer his services at third base, first and corner outfield. Ramon Castro returns as Pierzynski’s backup. But a fourth outfielder with some power off the bench could help. Andruw Jones had his moments in the role last season, basically giving no more and no less than what is expected of a backup.

So how will the White Sox pay for it all, especially if Konerko returns?

“We’re already looking under couches, the cup tray, everything [for spare change],” Williams said. “We’ll have the guys in spring training passing the hats. You think we’re kidding. We’re looking under couches.”

It appears as if Williams is trying to split the difference as the guy who struts around while still remaining humble somehow. It will be interesting to see how long he is able to strut this week at the winter meetings.

“Well, I love waking up in the morning after getting something done,” Williams said. “It’s not easy to get things done, to get better in this league. A lot of things have to fall your way. Just because you want a player, have an eye set on a trade or anything, doesn’t mean it’s going to work out. There’s only one team that if they want a player, they’re getting him. There’s only one team.”

Fortunately for Williams, the New York Yankees don’t seem to be interested in acquiring Konerko.

The White Sox are prepared to sever ties with closer Bobby Jenks at Thursday’s non-tender deadline, eliminating one more member of the 2005 World Series championship club.

According to a source with knowledge of White Sox business, the move to nontender Jenks is expected. The move has been anticipated ever since Jenks struggled with injuries that affected his performance in the second half of the 2010 season.

Jenks is said to have had a rocky relationship with manager Ozzie Guillen for a least a few years. Jenks’ most recent clash with Guillen came this past season after he was removed from his closer position. Jenks suggested that his history as a successful closer should have been enough to allow him to remain in his role.

Asked late in the 2010 season about his relationship with Jenks, Guillen said that he isn’t in his job to make friends, just to win games. Guillen also downplayed what was perceived to be an icy relationship with Jenks, saying he wasn’t worried about it.

Jenks also disappointed general manager Kenny Williams, who was asked about the team’s closer during the last homestand of the season.

“That's something we have to evaluate strongly, because I've been disappointed on a number of levels,” Williams said. “And there are certain things that I'm not going to talk about right now.”

Jenks made $7.5 million this past season and is in his last year of being arbitration eligible. If offered a contract, Jenks could be looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $9 million in 2011.

He broke in to the major leagues during the 2005 season, making a name for himself with a strong postseason that helped the White Sox to the title. He has saved 173 games for the White Sox while posting a 3.40 ERA in 329 appearances. He has a career strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.04.

If Jenks departs as expected, it would leave a large void at closer. The best candidate for the job currently under contract with the White Sox is Matt Thornton, although Chris Sale showed late in the season that he might be able to handle the role.

If the White Sox can re-sign free agent right-hander J.J. Putz, he would be the likely candidate to take over as closer.

As expected, reliever J.J. Putz and first baseman Paul Konerko declined the Chicago White Sox's offer of salary arbitration by the late Tuesday deadline, keeping their status unchanged on the free-agent market.

Read the entire story.

Tuesday is the final day major league free agents can accept arbitration from their teams. Paul Konerko and his agent Craig Landis must decide if a one-year guaranteed contract with the Chicago White Sox is acceptable or will they consider a two- or three-year deal with the White Sox or someone else down the line.

For example, if Konerko accepts arbitration, he is agreeing to a one-year contract. Konerko will come in with one salary figure and the White Sox will come in with another price. If they can't agree on an amount the case will go to an arbitrator who has been chosen in an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players association.

The arbitrator must choose one side's salary amount and cannot come up with a different figure. The comparisons are based on statistics and arguments made. These sessions take place between Feb. 1 and Feb. 20. Konerko made $12 million last season and that would be the starting point for both sides. After having had one of his best seasons ever with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs, Konerko may come in with a figure of $16 million while the White Sox may come in closer to $14 million. That's when the process begins.

As a free agent Konerko, 34, has drawn interest from a number of teams, including the Texas Rangers, who would use him as a first baseman and designated hitter. The consensus is that Texas will probably not bring back last year's DH, Vladimir Guerrero, even though he had a good season.

Konerko is a unique individual who has a conservative perspective of his situation and his value. In 2005 Konerko turned down a five-year, $65 million contract offer from the Baltimore Orioles, deciding to sign with the White Sox for five years and $60 million. If Konerko turns down the arbitration offer nothing really changes. The White Sox can still negotiate with Konerko. But if he signs elsewhere the White Sox receive two draft picks.

Reliever J.J. Putz is the other White Sox player who has been offered arbitration. He is expected to turn down the offer and continue to talk to the White Sox and other teams about a two- or three-year contract. If Putz signs elsewhere, the White Sox would receive a middle-round draft pick.

One week to go before the winter meetings and while the White Sox certainly have a game plan for the offseason, all has been quiet.

Operating in a self-described holding pattern, general manager Kenny Williams said he is he is waiting for the market to establish itself. Call it patience or self-imposed financial restraints (or both),the White Sox are taking the conservative approach when it comes to re-signing players such as Paul Konerko, J.J. Putz and A.J. Pierzynski.

While the Tigers’ signing of Victor Martinez gives an early indication of where prices may go, more moves will need to be made around baseball before many teams, the White Sox included, know what they will be able to afford.

Enter baseball’s winter meetings. What Memorial Day means to summer, the winter meetings are to the offseason as the unofficial start to player movement and roster formation.

If there are areas where the White Sox might be proactive over the next week and a half, it might be with adding an affordable veteran piece to the bullpen or the bench. Otherwise Williams will wait for signings to happen in the coming days and on into next week before solidifying a plan to move forward.

And high free-agent prices won’t necessarily mean that the White Sox will be unable to make roster improvements. It only means that those trade plans the team has formulated and will start proposing in earnest next week during the nightly general manager gatherings will become more of a reality.

The White Sox might be restricted by their contract commitments for 2011, but they have plenty of wiggle room when it comes to being creative.

The Chicago White Sox offered salary arbitration to free agents Paul Konerko and J.J. Putz, and they declined to offer arbitration to A.J. Pierzynski and Manny Ramirez.

Read the entire story.

By the end of business Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox must decide whether to offer arbitration to their eligible free agents.

For the Sox, that list includes Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski, J.J. Putz and Manny Ramirez .

The Cubs only have one free agent in Xavier Nady.

Here's the scorecard for the Sox today: I look for them to offer arbitration to Konerko and Putz, and not offer to Pierzynski and Ramirez.

The Cubs will not offer arbitration to Nady. He has no ranking, therefore there would not be compensation.

The system works this way: if the Sox offer arbitration to Pierzynski, and he signs elsewhere, because he's a Type-A free agent, the team that signs him would give up a No. 1 pick from the June draft of 2011 if they're ranked in the top 15 record-wise from June 10. If the team signing Pierzynski ranks 15-30 by record, that team only surrenders a No. 2 pick and the Sox would receive a third-round pick from the MLB draft not impacting the signing team.

The Sox would also be on the hook for a guaranteed year to Pierzynski if he decides to accept arbitration. The Sox would have to pay him between $6-$7 million in 2011.

The White Sox most likely will not offer arbitration to Pierzynski, although the Sox would miss out on compensation if he signs elsewhere. It gives Pierzynski a better chance to sign with another team.

In the case of Konerko, the Sox most likely will offer arbitration. Konerko is a Type-A free agent. He made $12 million in 2010. If he would accept arbitration from the White Sox, his arbitration number would come in between $14-$15 million in 2011.

According to sources, the Sox also will offer Putz arbitration on Tuesday. He made $3.125 million last season, and Chicago would be tickled if he decided to take arbitration and sign a one-year deal. Putz is a Type-B free agent, meaning no compensation would be forthcoming from the signing club.

The Sox will not offer arbitration to Ramirez, who made $20 million in 2010.

Players offered arbitration must respond by Nov. 30. Teams must offer their own players under contract arbitration by Dec. 2.

Because of a rule change three years ago, teams are still allowed to sign their own arbitration-eligible free agents even if they don't offer them arbitration.

After Monday's look back at the White Sox’s starting pitching and a look ahead to 2011, here is a view of the bullpen.

RELIEF PITCHING
Look back at 2010: It’s completely unfair, of course, to blame the White Sox’s late-season collapse on the bullpen, but the relievers had some prominent roles. With the White Sox on a win streak entering the second half, Bobby Jenks blew a save at Minnesota. The White Sox and Twins seemed to move in opposite directions from that point. Another key moment was Jim Thome’s monster game-winning homer off Matt Thornton. Thornton, Jenks and J.J. Putz all had second-half disabled list stints. Chris Sale was impressive, but he figures to be leaving for the starting ranks.

Look ahead to 2011: Lots of decisions to be made here, especially with the all-important back-end of the bullpen. Jenks is expected to be non-tendered since both manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Kenny Williams seemed disappointed in the big right-hander by season’s end. Putz, a free-agent, figures to get a raise on the $3 million he made in 2010, but with whom? If he returns at a higher price, he could be asked to close. Sergio Santos showed promise and could be a future closer in the making. Williams’ first act upon returning from a brief respite to catch his breath could be to exercise Thornton’s $3 million option for 2011.

Key stat: The bullpen averaged a White Sox-record 9.05 strikeouts per nine innings, breaking the old record of 8.34 in 2009. Its 444 strikeouts also were a franchise record. It also had seven blown saves in the second half, compared to six in the first half.

Quote: “It’s one of those things where you have a lot of great arms out there and [there are] a lot of teams where these guys would be closers. It’s [also] one of those things where you hit a rough patch and get exposed a little bit.” -- Thornton

Wednesday: Catcher.

It was a season that manager Ozzie Guillen called “unique” and the reasons vary widely.

From in-fighting to a slow start to an improbable comeback and then a slow fade back into obscurity, the White Sox went through plenty this season. Jake Peavy’s season-ending injury was a tough blow, Paul Konerko’s MVP push was a highlight and Chris Sale’s emergence was a revelation.

Bullpen injuries, a dreadful start in April and May and some scathing Twitter critiques (mostly from Guillen’s son Oney), kept the drama flowing. By the end of the season Guillen and general manager Kenny Williams had kissed and made up, Brent Morel emerged as a talent for the future and nine victories over the final 11 games removed at least a little bit of the sour taste from a wild ride in 2010.

Here is what went right, what went wrong, questions for the offseason and what to look for in 2011:

OUTFIELD

What went right: Juan Pierre became exactly what the White Sox hoped he would be as a leadoff man, the only problem is that his emergence didn’t start until June. He became the first White Sox player to lead the league in steals (with 68) since Luis Aparicio in 1961. Alex Rios had the steadiest season of any White Sox player, batting .284 with 21 home runs and 88 RBIs. When Carlos Quentin had three multi-homer contests in a span of four games in early July it was the latest example of how damaging he can be on offense.

What went wrong: Pierre was brought aboard to spark the offense in Guillen’s small-ball vision, but a .260 on-base percentage and a .193 batting average in April was a major reason for the team’s slow start offensively. Sure Quentin had his red-hot run when the ballpark was playing small during the hottest part of the summer, but nagging injuries continued to cost him playing time, which ruined his consistency at the plate.

INFIELD

What went right: Omar Vizquel. Omar Vizquel. Omar Vizquel. With all due respect to Konerko, Vizquel’s unexpected contributions, especially on defense, were what made the White Sox click on the infield this season. Vizquel’s steady hand at third base came when the starting pitchers made huge improvements, and it was no coincidence. Shortstop Alexei Ramirez showed Gold Glove ability, while second baseman Gordon Beckham fought through a sophomore slump to post an impressive second half (.310 after the break). Konerko put up MVP-type numbers in what could be his final season on the South Side: .312, 39 HRs, 111 RBIs.

What went wrong: You know that left-handed run-producing bat the White Sox have been looking for? Mark Teahen was supposed to supply a portion of that, but struggled early (on defense as well), fractured a finger and lost his starting gig. Beckham was the club’s No. 9 hitter, but he was still supposed to give more than a .216 batting average in the first half.

ROTATION

What went right: Freddy Garcia’s 12 victories (a number that could have been as high as 16 with some help from the bullpen) gave the starting staff much-needed stability from the front end to the back. When Gavin Floyd was posting a 0.80 ERA in five July starts, he was pitching as well as anybody in baseball. John Danks might not garner any Cy Young votes, but he was a leader of the 2010 staff, going 15-11 with a 3.72 ERA. Mark Buehrle just keeps on churning out solid seasons, becoming the only active pitcher with 10-consecutive seasons of at least 10 victories, 30 starts and 200 innings. Edwin Jackson was an animal in his first four White Sox starts, posting a 0.96 ERA over 28 innings.

What went wrong: The starting pitchers can be forgiven for their slow start to the season, but when it was time to make up for it in September, they were nowhere to be found. With the season on the line, the White Sox’s staff set a dubious club record by not winning a game in 18 consecutive starts. The starters were 0-9 over that stretch with a 6.45 ERA. Sure Floyd was terrific in the middle of the season, but he has a career ERA of 6.30 in April, a 5.47 mark in May and a 4.44 mark in September. That trend continued once again this season.

BULLPEN

What went right: The steadiest group on the team, until it was hit with a rash of injuries in the second half, the bullpen blended a nice mix of veterans and young pitchers. Bobby Jenks had 19 saves in 20 chances in the first half, while J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton proved to be an effective lefty-righty setup crew. Right-hander Sergio Santos, in just his second full season as a pitcher posted an impressive 2.96 ERA in 51 2/3 innings. Left-hander Chris Sale was even more impressive over just 21 second-half outings, showing just why the White Sox drafted him in the first round in June.

What went wrong: Calf, back and forearm injuries left Jenks with 27 saves, the least in any of his five full seasons. Jenks wasn’t the only reliever whose injuries hampered the team. Thornton and Putz were on the disabled list at the same time during a key stretch during the second half. Other issues: Santos allowed 32.2 percent of inherited runners to score, while Tony Pena had a .341 batting average against vs. first batters.

MANAGEMENT

What went right: After a slow start, Guillen was still able to guide the club to 88 victories, an impressive feat considering the White Sox were just 9-14 in April and 22-28 at the end of May. Williams admitted he doubted his abilities to access talent when the White Sox were off to a brutally slow start, but his decisions were validated when the club made a mid-season run to get back into contention.

What went wrong: From the day Guillen’s son Oney left his position with the team during spring training, the manager and Williams were on shaky ground, only repairing the relationship during the final week of the season. Williams took a chance on Teahen that didn’t work well in Year 1 of a three-year deal. Sure it was admirable that Williams took a chance to make the team better down the stretch, but Manny Ramirez didn’t come close to reviving his 2008 magic, and the White Sox were left holding a $4 million invoice.

OFFSEASON QUESTIONS

If Konerko doesn’t return, then who plays first base? Could they use the Konerko money to convince Adam Dunn to come to Chicago? Who will close if Jenks isn’t brought back, as expected. Putz is a free agent and Thornton has a team option, leaving a number of decisions to make in the bullpen. If the team doesn’t want to commit to free agent A.J. Pierzynski for multiple years, would they be willing to bring him back for just 2011?

The White Sox have no less than 14 player personnel decisions to make this winter. Free agents: Konerko, Pierzynski, Putz, Kotsay, Vizquel, Garcia, Ramirez and Andruw Jones. Arbitration eligible: Jenks, Danks, Quentin, Pena. Contract options: Thornton, Ramon Castro.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2011

Konerko’s return is 50-50. The team is interested and so is Konerko, but the veteran said that even if the White Sox are the highest bidder, it won’t guarantee that he comes back. Sale is expected to be converted back into a starting pitcher and could be the No. 5 starter if Peavy isn’t ready to return from a shoulder muscle injury by Opening Day.

Starting Brent Morel at third base and Dayan Viciedo at first leaves too many offensive question marks, so if Konerko doesn’t re-sign look for the White Sox to make a push for a veteran first or third baseman. The same goes for catcher if Pierzynski isn’t re-signed: look for the White Sox to bring aboard a veteran backstop for one or two years. Expect the White Sox to quickly exercise Thornton’s $3 million option for 2011.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -– Paul Konerko is the White Sox’s biggest free-agent issue this offseason, but plenty of time will be put in on building a bullpen for 2011.

The return of Bobby Jenks remains in question. The big right-hander is arbitration eligible and because he figures to be due a raise on the $7.5 million he made this season, there is a chance the White Sox won’t tender him a contract. That would make Jenks a free agent.

But Jenks isn’t the only one who will be searching for a payday this winter. J.J. Putz is also a free agent and the veteran is in line for a two- and possibly three-year deal. The 33-year-old made $3 million this season.

Matt Thornton has a $3 million option for 2011 that seems almost certain to be picked up. His $2.25 million option for this season was picked up shortly after the 2009 season ended.

Another bullpen candidate for 2011 is Tony Pena, who is arbitration eligible.

The White Sox are expected to go ahead with their plan to make Chris Sale a starter. If Jake Peavy isn’t ready to go once the 2011 season starts and the White Sox don’t re-sign Freddy Garcia, Sale could open the season as the team’s No. 5 starter. If Peavy is ready or Garcia returns, Sale is expected to start at Triple-A Charlotte to open the season.

But having Sale in the bullpen certainly would be tempting. The left-hander closed out Saturday’s victory in a non-save situation and now has a 1.40 ERA this season in 19 relief appearances.

“He’s been great and as long as this kid is healthy, he’s going to be nasty,” manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Assuming Thornton’s option is picked up and Pena is asked back, that gives the White Sox a bullpen of Scott Linebrink, Sergio Santos, Thornton and Pena in 2011 with a few vacancies. That’s far from what was considered one of the best bullpens in baseball this season.

“I think the pieces we have a lot of teams would die to have,” Thornton said this week. “With the addition of Sale here in the last month, and Sergio had a great year, J.J. had another solid year, Bobby was great when he was healthy. You have a lot of great arms out there and a lot of teams where these guys would be closers for. It’s one of those things where [we] hit a rough patch and get exposed a little bit.”

That rough patch was the second-half injuries to Jenks, Putz and Thoronton that slowed the bullpen’s charge into the second half. Not only that, but Santos faded some in the second half, something that was understandable since the right-hander is in just his second season as a pitcher.

Santos has emerged as a key bullpen piece for the future and could be a possible closer in the future, although it might be too soon to expect him to close in 2011. It is something he aspires to down the road, though.

“In this game you can never stop getting better,” Santos said. “I feel like any kind of promotion, whether it be a consistent setup guy or hopefully a closer, at the end of the day to be a closer would be a dream come true. It’s something that I would look forward to and make a goal. I’ll just control what I can.

“I can’t jump into the manager’s mind and say, ‘Hey, put me at closer.’ But hopefully with the work I do on the field and how I prepare it will make them look at me as an option to be a closer. At some point that’s what I’d like to do.”

By the numbers

6: Consecutive White Sox victories over the Angels after Saturday’s 6-2 triumph. The last time the White Sox won six consecutive games against the Angels was from April 7-June 10, 1992.

Quote

“That’s … I don’t know what to say about that. That’s tough. Obviously we haven’t pitched the way we wanted to pitch this month. We’ve kind of let the team down in some respects. We’re going to try to win these last eight or nine games and have a little momentum, have a little encouragement going into next year.” -– John Danks, when asked about his victory Saturday that snapped a run of 18 games without a win for a White Sox starter.

Look ahead

White Sox right-hander Tony Pena (4-2, 4.87) is taking over the rotation spot left vacant by Gavin Floyd, who is dealing with soreness in the back of his right shoulder. Pena will be opposed by Angels right-hander Jered Weaver (13-11, 2.99) who just received his team’s pitcher of the year award in an on-field ceremony before Saturday’s game.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- It has all pretty much fallen apart now, but when it first started to turn in the second half it was a string of bad luck that befell the White Sox.

The White Sox are 30-33 in the second half, and have pretty much been dealing with bullpen injuries that entire time.

The unfortunate events first started with a sore lower back for Bobby Jenks on the 10-game road trip to open the second half. A month later it was both Matt Thornton (elbow inflammation) and J.J. Putz (knee tendinitis) going to the disabled list on the same day. Jenks is hurt again, this time with ulnar neuritis (a sore forearm).

“It throws the bullpen alignment in shambles a little bit,” Matt Thornton said about injuries to key relievers. “We had a good going there where Sergio [Santos] would come in and finish an inning out for a starter and then J.J. [Putz] and myself would throw the seventh or eighth inning depending on the matchups and Bobby would be our closer. When you name somebody the closer everybody works to get him the ball. That’s what we had going real well.”

Consistency from the starting rotation also started to wane in the second half, adding additional strain to the bullpen.

“Everything revolves around our starting pitching, always,” Thornton said. “When we were in the midst of our great run in June, July and the start of August, it was all starting pitching. Starting pitching and defense is going to win baseball games.”

It was the bullpen that had to absorb all of the outs in Monday’s game at Oakland, when starter Gavin Floyd had to leave while facing the leadoff hitter due to tightness in the back of his right shoulder. Tony Pena delivered sox scoreless innings, but Scott Linebrink gave up three runs (one earned) in one inning and the White Sox were left with a 3-0 defeat.

Where the first half was good times for the bullpen, things seemed to change after the All-Star break, especially with key relievers.

Santos had a 1.93 ERA in 28 innings in the first half and has a 4.71 mark in 21 innings of the second half. He had a .216 batting average against before the All-Star break and a .311 mark after it.

Thornton had a 4.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the first half and just a 3.29 ratio in the second half while watching his ERA jump from 2.70 to 3.86.

Putz had a .200 opponents’ on-base percentage in the first half compared to a .354 mark in the second half. His strikeout-to-walk ratio also jumped from 6.67 to 3.00

Jenks gave up 14 earned runs over 32 2/3 innings in the first half. In just 20 innings in the second half he gave up 12 earned runs. Jenks, though, improved in some areas like his 2.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio compared to a 5.50 second-half mark. He also had 14 first-half walks compared to four after the break.

“You have ups and down in a year and everybody’s going to have their bullpen struggle at different times of the season,” Thornton said. “Very rarely do you have a team that’s lights out from the beginning of the season to the end and we’ve had five really good months of baseball form the bullpen, quality pitching and done a good job or the most part. You’re always going to have bad games here and there but consistently over the long haul we’ve done a pretty good job.”

Indeed, the bullpen’s 8.97 walks per nine innings would be a franchise record if the season ended today. That mark is the best in the American League. The White Sox relievers are also third in save percentage (73.6) as well as fifth in saves with 39. Their 3.90 ERA was sixth.

“I think the pieces we have a lot of teams would die to have,” Thornton said. “With the addition of [Chris] Sale here in the last month and Sergio had a great year, J.J. had another solid year, Bobby was great when he was healthy. It’s one of those things where you have a lot of great arms out there and a lot of teams where these guys would be closers for. It’s one of those things where you hit a rough patch and get exposed a little bit.”

By the numbers

7: Consecutive defeats for the White Sox after Monday’s 3-0 loss to the A’s. It is the club’s longest losing streak since losing seven consecutive April 28-May 5 2008.

“Very bad [play]. I don’t know if it was a late night last night but today was kind of flat. Hopefully we change back to the [regular] emotions. Today was kind of a lousy game. I don’t think we got anything done. We had something going on the bases with two outs and struck out. Meanwhile if we have to make an excuse, that’s the excuse for the way we played today,” - Guillen, after the team arrived at its Bay Area hotel at 4 a.m. Monday and was shut out by the A’s later that night.

Look ahead

White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle (12-11, 4.16) will try for his second career victory at Oakland when he pitches there Tuesday. His first career victory in the A’s home park came earlier this season. He is 1-6 at Oakland in his career with a 4.23 ERA in 13 games (11 starts). Buehrle needs 7 2/3 innings to reach 200 for the 10th time in his career.

Buehrle will be opposed by A’s right-hander Trevor Cahill (16-7, 2.84), who has posted all of his victories since the start of May. As of Monday, Cahill was tied for sixth in the AL with his 16 victories. He is 10-2 at home this season with a 1.58 ERA in 13 starts.

CHICAGO – From the sound of it, Bobby Jenks might have thrown his last pitch of the season, and possibly his last in a White Sox uniform.

The right-hander, who is signed through this season, continues to deal with a right forearm strain that first started to plague him last week at Detroit. He is expected to at least miss the rest of this homestand.

“Bobby has a long way to go,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Bobby might be pitching, maybe, I expect, I don’t know if he will be, in Detroit series. Hopefully when we go to the West Coast he’ll be ready to pitch. I cannot say the date because I don’t hear anything positive about the situation. That’s why I got to hold on and see how he’s doing.”

The White Sox head out on a six-game road trip to Oakland and Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels starting Monday.

Jenks burst onto the scene in 2005, helping the White Sox win a World Series. He has been an elite closer ever since, saving a career-best 41 games in 2006 and compiling 173 saves in 5 1/2 seasons.

But he is making $7.5 million this season and figures to make even more in 2011 in his final year of arbitration eligibility. If the White Sox non-tender Jenks, he becomes a free agent.

If the club does decide to part ways with the hard-throwing right-hander, they would likely then work at re-signing J.J. Putz, whose contract expires at the end of this year. Putz, Sergio Santos and even rookie Chris Sale would be in line to take over the closer role next year.

DETROIT -- On the day J.J. Putz returned from the disabled list, not all news was good for the White Sox's bullpen.

Bobby Jenks is dealing with forearm tightness that will keep him out of action for at least a few games and possibly more. Jenks, who had back issues at the start of the second half, first felt forearm discomfort early in the series against the Tigers and it hasn't gotten much better.

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