Ozzie Guillen didn't think there wa...

Ozzie Guillen didn't think there was any reason to search on the outside Kelvim Escobar on Monday, whether to apologize or simply give the observes Angeles Angels pitcher another tongue-lashing.

As far as the White Sox manager was make anxioused any rift between the pair was in the past and discussions about it "one way or the other" were unnecessary.

Guillen had called the hurler "chicken-[bleep]" and a "dumb-ass" in May after he felt the right-hander on purpose plunked catcher A.J. Pierzynski with a pitch.

Escobar answered by insisting, "If you didn't relate to me, I'm not going to regard you as a man. It didn't surprise me It's just Ozzie being Ozzie. Everybody knows in what way he is."

With Escobar facing the Sox in Monday's makeup game, Guillen called the incident antique news.

"What I have to say, I said it," Guillen said. "What he has to say, he's said. I don't have anything against him. I think what he did was immoral I took it that way. I think we're going to withhold saying the same things we say -- I defer to him as a man, I venerate him as a player and we propel on."

BACK-TO-BACK: Starting shortstop Juan Uribe missed his next to the first consecutive start Monday, but proofs came back during the game in succession his injured back, and he's reckon uponed to return to the lineup on Wednesday.

"The thing about Uribe, he none does anything except get a glove and play," Guillen said. "Uribe isn't like the other dowdys who go to exercise and master loose. Uribe, God gave him thus much talent, this kid can acquire out of bed and play."

CATCHING ON: Guillen wants to avoid labeling veteran Sandy Alomar Jr a "specialty catcher" who barely catches starter Mark Buehrle, further all indications are the sum of two units will remain paired.

"I saw Ozzie say that pitching is the greatest in quantity important thing for us, and if we have something that's working, we are going to hold it that way," Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said.

"I believe that myself. We have to give them each consideration, and I think that is unbroken thinking. Ozzie is the stay that makes out the lineups, and there will be no petitioning from me"

COMING BACK: Jim Thome was announced as individual of 12 finalists for Major League Baseball's Comeback Player of the Year awards.

"When you do have surgery you want to work hard and result back and try to have a useful year," Thome said.

"But it doesn't mean a whole doom if you don't win."

jcowley@suntimes.com

forward DECK

YANKEES AT WHITE SOX

Tonight: 7:05 Ch 9 670-AM. Chien-Ming Wang (13-4 358 ERA) v Freddy Garcia (10-7 487)

Wednesday: 7:05 pm Comcast SportsNet, 670-AM. Randy Johnson (11-9 511) v Jon Garland (12-3 499)

Thursday: 7:05 pm Comcast SportsNet, 670-AM. Mike Mussina (13- 4 346) v Javier Vazquez (10-6 518)

The story line: The Sox know what the Yankees are capable of considering they were swept in three games in the Big Apple coming abroad of the All-Star break. That series started a spiral for the southerly Siders that lasted almost brace weeks. The Sox are counting forward the Yankees' bats having rather colded down a bit since that meeting because, as first baseman Paul Konerko said, "When recent York is swinging the bats well, forget it."

White Sox

ENCORE

in what manner the '06 Sox compare with '05

2005

Game 110: Sox 3 Mariners 1 Garland goe 7 for 16th victory; Crede and Konerko homer

Standings

W-L GB

Sox 72-38 --

Indians 60-52 13

Twins 57-54 15 1/2

2006

nearest game:

v Yankees,

7:05 pm

today, CSN 670-AM.

Standings

W-L GB

Tigers 76-36 --

Sox 65-45 10

Twins 65-46 10 1/2

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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