By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer
In honor of Clayton Richard's first MLB start, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the first starts of some other White Sox call-ups. Here are a handful of guys Kenny Williams has thrown into the fire:
Dan Wright, Aug. 1 2001
Wright had actually pitched in relief a few days earlier, but with the Sox rotation in shambles he would get the starting nod the rest of the year. Wright threw five unspectacular innings on his way to the win.
Neal Cotts, Aug 12, 2003
Not Cotts' most memorable start, but I'll get to that in a minute. The lefty had been racking up huge strikeout numbers in the minors before walking the tightrope against the Angels in his first big-league appearance.
The game that stands out in the minds of most Sox fans is this one. Skipper Jerry Manual elected not to pitch Mark Buehrle on short rest, instead tossing Cotts against the Yankees. In Yankee Stadium. In the middle of a heated pennant race. Cotts didn't make it out of the first inning.
Arnie Munoz, June 19, 2004
Even Rodney Bolton didn't have one this ugly on his resume. Munoz left after three innings with the Sox behind 11-1.
Brandon McCarthy, May 22, 2005
Even going against the Cubs in the pressure cooker that the Crosstown series can be, McCarthy was solid in the 4-3 loss. He later took over for Orlando Hernandez and helped the Sox hold off the Indians down the stretch. The rest is history, as they say.
Charlie Haeger, May 10, 2006
The knuckleballer was rocked for six runs by the Angels and was banished to the bullpen the rest of the season. A call-up isn't likely this year before September.
Lance Broadway, Sept. 27, 2007
Broadway was impressive in his only big-league start with eight strikeouts in six innings against the Royals. He hasn't been impressive at AAA Charlotte this year.
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