Jackson falls by West-side; Ump's decision to start game uses up hot starting pitcher

Umpire Joe West already has cost the White Sox fines this season, but on Friday night, the feeling was that West, the crew chief for the start of the series with the Royals, may have cost them even more.
Despite bad weather projected in the Kansas City nfl jersey
area throughout the evening, West decided to start the game between the Sox and Royals. It lasted a total of five hitters before it was first delayed, then eventually postponed.
That left the Sox angry, as well as scrambling with how to handle tonight's traditional doubleheader, which will start at 6:10. Because of Fox's exclusive TV rights, a day-night doubleheader was ruled out.
How did it affect the Sox specifically? Edwin Jackson, arguably the Sox' hottest starting pitcher, threw seven pitches, on top of the usual pregame warm-up, which basically disqualifies him from coming back tonight and pitching.
Freddy Garcia will start Game 1, but the Sox were still trying to determine a Game 2 starter late Friday. It will be either a roster move or a bullpen game, with Tony Pena the likely candidate.
Either way, Jackson becomes a non-factor for almost a week and a half from when he pitched last until when he takes the mound again. And there's more strain on a bullpen which already is putting in enough overtime lately.
The real kicker is that after starting Game 1 at 6:10 and then Game 2 30 minutes after Game 1 ends, the Sox have to come back Sunday against Zack Greinke. First pitch is 1:10 p.m.
Thanks to the Minnesota Twins winning Friday night -- a laugher over a Los Angeles Angels team that looks like it's ready for the offseason -- the Sox will start the three-game marathon 4? games behind in the American League Central race.
''I'm sure it's cheated everyone before,'' Jackson said of the weather. ''Unless you really just started Dallas Cowboys jersey
playing baseball, I'm sure you've been cheated by the weather before.''
Then came the million-dollar question -- or at least the one that could have led to a nice fine depending on how Jackson answered it: Did he feel that West's judgment cheated him?
''That's his decision,'' Jackson said. ''No reason to get mad over something you can't control. Not to make a decision on if we start a game or not -- that's his decision, that's his call. Ask him how he feels about it.''
Jackson said he briefly discussed starting one of the games tonight, but that idea was quickly vetoed by the coaching staff and manager Ozzie Guillen.
''When you're in a situation like that, you're pretty much fighting a losing battle,'' Jackson said. ''I don't think there are too many managers in the league that will let a pitcher warm up, start a game and then come back and finish it [the next day]. I don't think it's an option.''
Friday's decision-making was poor at best. For conspiracy theorists, it could go even a step further. West was responsible for the Mark Buehrle ''balk game'' on May 26 in Cleveland, when Buehrle was called for a balk by West, leading to Guillen being ejected when he argued about it. An inning later, West called Buehrle for a second balk, leading to Buehrle's ejection.
Guillen and Buehrle made it very clear how they felt about West after that game, with Guillen calling him a ''f---ing a--hole'' and Buehrle suggesting West was trying to draw attention to himself to promote his country-music album. Buehrle and Guillen were fined after the episode, as was West.
The Sox start the series with the Royals in a good place, having beaten them three straight games to take a 7-5 lead in the season series.
SLIDING
Excuse the Sox if they're not used to being in second place as of late. They were in first Chargers jersey
place for 33 days before losing their grasp on it Aug. 9.
BIG HURT IN BOOTH
Sox legend Frank Thomas will cover Steve Stone's broadcasting duties tonight, with Game 1 on WGN, followed by Game 2 on Comcast.