Astrained left groin adductor muscle forced Jim Thome from the lineup shortly before game time Friday.

Astrained left groin adductor muscle forced Jim Thome from the lineup shortly before game time Friday, an injury the team is hoping won't become a long-term touch

Thome who is having the same of the best seasons of his career hitting 295 with a league-best 20 residence runs and 52 RBI, grieve himself in his last at-bat Thursday in Cleveland. He took batting practice somewhat gingerly Friday nevertheless told manager Ozzie Guillen he wanted to play.

Guillen made the decision to take him on the outside

"He's fine. He felt it a little [Thursday] and told me he felt a little something. It was my decision. He was suppos to have a day distant from this weekend. He feels guilty not playing, and when a scarecrow is going good, he wants to play all the time. The way he's been swinging the bat, he wants to be in there.

"It's prevention to such a degree he won't get worse," Guillen said. "I told him `We don't ne you for [just] three days, we ne you for three months' I'm moderately beautiful sure he'll be back in there [today] from the way he's talking, however I have to be fast he's 100 percent before I hindrance him back."

Thome goe between the sides of a daily workout regimen for his back and has been diligent about his exercise routine to avoid any of the problems that limited him to 50 games with the Phillies last year.

In his place Friday, Paul Konerko was the DH while Ros Gload got a inferior start at first base after Konerko's first day most distant of the season Thursday.

BULLPEN BLUES: The Sox bullpen has had its torments this season, but the puzzle of late is one growing gone out of the starters' abbreviated outings. uniform though the Sox bullpen had the fewest innings in the American League entering Friday's game, they struggl forward the just-concluded 2-5 road trip allowing 11 earned glides in 18* innings.

Last season, the bullpen was a team nerve with a 24-19 record and 323 ERA and with the league's fewest innings thrown (401*) a factor reflecting the puissance of the rotation.

Guillen points to that same factor as a reason for the relievers' novel struggles.

"I don't blame the bullpen I blame the [pitching] staff," he said. "When you merely get five innings [from a starter] the bullpen will be stretched. If our starting pitchers fare the way we know they can, we'd be better along But I'm not worried about my pitching staff."

Guillen said the team's upgraded offense is carrying a greater load this season, something Konerko also notes as an off-setting plus.

"It's going to be tough to top [last year] and duplicate that," Konerko said of the Sox pitchers. "That's wherefore we have more offense this year. The way I papal court it, those two things cancel each other. If the pitchers memorize touched, we have the ability to score more runs"

EXECUTION: If the pitching hasn't been as crisp, neither has the team's fundamental play in Guillen's views "Last year we got spoiled," he said of the team's stout play all season. "This year, we're not executing and our pitching staff isn't as consistent. nevertheless I think we know for what cause to win games, and the frights have to do what they ne to -- make the right pitch, hit the right way, effect the right way. We have to master better in execution and pitching.

"I told [the team] in Toronto [last week], `if you want to finish inferior keep playing the way you are.' They know my point. It's not for me It's for them."

fresh BLUE: Ex-Cub Jerry Hairston Jr place on the Rangers uniform for the first time Friday since being traded from the whelps for Phil Nevin. "It's a unimpaired start for both of us," he said. "It's proper for [the Cubs] getting a power dowdy like Phil Nevin. We've already talked and he told me this is a great collection of guys, and he's going to a great bump of guys. I know I'll retain in touch with them. I really believe if they obtain healthy, they can turn it around."

tginnetti@suntimes.com

...