Corky Miller Is Slightly More Useful Than a Pitchback

The White Sox reached a couple of milestone seconds (as in not firsts) with their victory over the Indians Tuesday night.

They won a game in which they allowed more than three runs for just the second time this year, and Corky Miller, the non-Thome/bullpen hero of the game, recorded the Sox' second caught stealing of the year.

Miller pegged Grady Sizemore, who appeared to get a good jump, with a quick, accurate throw to the second base side of the bag. I didn't get to see a definitive replay to know if Chris Getz was able to get the tag on Sizemore; Miller might have gotten the benefit of doubt by getting the ball to Getz well ahead of Sizemore. At this point I'll take the outs any way the Sox can get 'em.

Minutes later, it looked like the Sox were going to waste an opportunity to put some easy insurance runs on the board when Josh Fields struck out with the bases juiced. But Miller (surprisingly) ripped a 2-RBI single through the hole to give the Sox some cushion.

It probably says a lot about how bad the Sox back-up backstops have been the last three seasons that we -- I'm assuming it's not just me -- get excited when a catcher comes off the bench to make two seemingly simple plays.

In addition to Miller's efforts, Jayson Nix is proving to be a capable bench player (and maybe more). He jacked his second homer Tuesday night, and has played solid defense everywhere he's been asked to play. As soon as Brian Anderson, who heads out on a rehab assignment Wednesday, comes back Brent Lillibridgeis surely gone.

Nix would seemingly make Wilson Betemit expendable as well. The only skills that Betemit brings to the table that Nix doesn't is the laughable ability to play first base and hit left-handed.

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Clayton Richard gave the Sox exactly what they should have expected from him in his first turn in the 5th starters spot. He had to deal with a bizarre, inconsistent strike zone, and didn't figure to deep enough to be eligible for a win even in the most optimistic circumstances.

I don't know if he'll ever be able to survive the third trip through a major league lineup, so the Sox are going to have to have DJ Carrasco ready as his caddy every 5th day until they find a better option. Carrasco provided 2 innings of excellent relief to bridge to the high-leverage end of the bullpen tonight, which means Mark Buehrle better use his extra day of rest to work deep into tomorrow's game or it'll be a Turkey on Broadway kind of day.

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I haven't really addressed the elephant in the room that is Jim Thome yet this year. I've thought it fruitless to complain about his lack of production when all the Sox other options are downright embarrassing. All we can do is hope that he starts to heat up, take some walks and MASH TATERS like we know can.

I'd say that his two homers Tuesday were a sign that he's back on track, but he was really struggling to get around the bases on Paul Konerko's gap-splitting double. I fear that his heel injury could be a lingering issue much like Konerko's thumb last year.