--SS Orlando Cabrera will remain the team's leadoff hitter for the immediate future. Entering Sunday, the Sox have gotten a .202 average from that leadoff spot, as manager Ozzie Guillen waits for someone to emerge. Otherwise, expect general manager Ken Williams to start searching outside the organization. "Right now, I don't see another choice," Guillen said. "I just talked to Kenny about it and we kind of reviewed it. Jerry (Owens) still needs some at-bats (in Class AAA Charlotte). For us, we don't have a true leadoff guy. Hopefully, we'll start swinging the bats better, especially at that spot. In that spot, we need people on base, that's all that we need."

--DH Jim Thome said his slow start should not be blamed on the idea that his skills are diminishing because of age. "I just think that's going to be very common," Thome said. "It's always out there. You as a player have to block that out. You know yourself how you feel, you know yourself and how you work, and again, you put that time in and you hope rewards are there." When asked point blank if the .218 average he had entering Sunday, to go along with 38 strikeouts in 34 games played this year, had to do with him unable to perform at the same level, Thome replied, "No, not at all, not at all." Manager Ozzie Guillen did give Thome a breather on Saturday, sitting him against Seattle southpaw Jarrod Washburn. Not only because of his struggles, however. The Sox play their first interleague game in San Francisco next weekend, and Thome will only likely start one of those games because of the fact that there will be no DH. "I have to check who's pitching," Guillen said.

"He will play one of those days. I don't want to sit this guy for three days."

--OF Brian Anderson got his third consecutive start on Sunday, based on the fact that he's learning to be productive as a reserve. Anderson doubled in Friday's win and then had a home run on Saturday. "He helps me," Ozzie Guillen said of Anderson. "I can count on a guy from the bench." That's something Guillen couldn't do with Anderson last season. After starting the year as a reserve, he struggled so badly he was sent down by mid-May. "Last year, it was sitting long stretches, combined with the poor attitude I had," Anderson said of his turnaround in that role. "I was bitter because I wasn't starting and I was negative about it. Now, I'm a lot more positive about what I do and that helps."

--RF Jermaine Dye had been swinging the hottest bat in the lineup lately, going 7-for-17 (412) with three home runs and five RBIs in his previous five games before Sunday. But Ozzie Guillen figured it was a good time to give him a rest, with four games in Anaheim and then three in San Francisco this week. Nick Swisher moved to right field for the day, but Guillen is still deciding on if he will move Dye up in the batting order. He said he would likely see how things were going against the Angels before making that decision.

--RHP Gavin Floyd not only had his worst outing of the season on Sunday, but the shortest. The right-hander, who was emerging as the staff ace through the first six weeks, lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits against Seattle. Ozzie Guillen, however, wasn't too concerned, pointing out that all of the starters have had at least one stumble so far this season, and it was simply Floyd's turn.

BY THE NUMBERS
0.90 -- ERA for veteran reliever Scott Linebrink over his last nine games entering the week. The Sox were criticized around the league because there was a perception that they overpaid for the free agent.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"The pitching is carrying us all year long. Our pitching has kept us in the game and given us a chance to win. Our staff has been great, especially the bullpen. I have so much confidence in them, it's fun to manage that way." -- Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, on the quality job his entire pitching staff has been doing so far.

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