Clayton Richard can see the shadow. Actually it's more like an eclipse.  It's the shadow of Bartolo Colon. With Richard failing miserably yesterday against Cleveland and the hefty Colon pitching well in his first triple A rehab start, it's almost a foregone conclusion that if each keeps going in their respective directions, Richard may be the one pitching at Charlotte soon. 

Yesterday afternoon, the Sox young lefty didn't make it out of the second inning, surrendering six runs and three walks to the Cleveland Indians.  Meanwhile, down south, Colon tossed five innings in 65 pitches, forty for strikes, giving up only one earned run against Norfolk.  Not bad for a guy whose pictures was plastered all over milk cartons on Wednesday.

Even though Richard was on short rest, the odds against him are becoming apparent.  He hasn't looked good in his last three starts, he is walking too many and his fast ball is making hitters like Kelly Shoppich look like Albert Pujols.  If the Sox are going to continue to make a run at Detroit, it's all hands on deck and unfortunately for Richard he may not have the right stuff for a stretch run.

Enter the veteran Colon who struggled earlier as the Sox fifth starter.  But if the Sox have learned anything this year, it's sometimes a little minor league rehab goes a long way into restoring the luster on an aging veteran.  Jose Contreras flat out stunk in April, but a few weeks in Charlotte and he's back as good as ever.  It's obvious that the Sox brain trust is hoping for the same out of Colon, as the odds of them obtaining Doc Halladay are probably slim and none given the low attendance and all (right, Kenny?)

Richard needs to come out of the all-star break well rested and firing strikes.  Otherwise, the Sox have a big (pun intended) reason to move him back to the bullpen or to Charlotte.

Lightning Round

• My head scratching moment from yesterday's game is why Ozzie went with Corrasco over Poreda in the second inning.  I guess because Corrasco is a righty, but still, Poreda hasn't pitched in fifteen forevers and was a lot fresher than Corrasco.  I get the feeling Ozzie and Coop are avoiding using him except when things appear out of control.  That leads me to believe if Colon comes back, Poreda goes down. Even if Colon is released, Poreda may get sent down when Carlos Quentin returns.
• Tonight, it's White Sox baseball live from the house of horrors known as the Twinkie Dome.  After getting swept by the Yankees, the piranhas should be in a foul mood. 
• Erin Andrews gets some chin music.  You can interpret that any way you want. (Sports By Brooks)
• A day after I went on record as saying how much I enjoyed the college football team of Mike Patrick and Todd Blackledge, ESPN moves my cheese. (Sports Media Watch)
• With his starting rotation injured or not performing well and his team slipping further behind St. Louis, Brewers GM Doug Melvin may have little choice but to empty his farm system again to obtain an A-list starter.  (Sports Bubbler)
• One of the country's greatest screenwriters takes a whack at writing the baseball movie that can't be written.