The White Sox hit the panic button on pitching again this week and show how little respect they have for the Cubs. In order to give their starters one to two days extra rest they will be giving horrible middle reliever, Zach Stewart, a spot start in Monday’s series opener.

The part that I find more comical is the announcement came as the Braves announced that youngster, Brandon Beachy, was headed to the DL with elbow soreness. Beachy is leading the majors with a 2.00 ERA and has had an outstanding season thus far. It seems like the Sox reacted to that news, but it may all be coincidental.

Ventura stated that Chris Sale will get two days extra rest with a day off on Thursday and it will be good because he does not want to limit Sale’s pitch count from start to start. That makes sense to me, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to take Peavy out of his rhythm right now, so why not start Stewart in game two? Peavy would still get an extra days rest with the off day on Thursday, unless there’s been some secret meeting and Peavy’s arm is feeling tired. Would anyone be surprised? He hasn’t pitched this much in nearly three years, and why wouldn’t he have an issue since he has every other season with the Sox.

I’m just over here speculating but it seems a bit strange, other than it’s a reaction to what happened with Beachy and they did not want to single out Sale again this season. Plus, I think there might be another reason they announced it Sunday. The Sox received good news about John Danks and his sore shoulder, no damage. They might be setting up the rotation so Danks can return this weekend and they can skip Phil Humber. That makes even more sense to me, since Gavin Floyd is getting the perfect confidence builder on Wednesday, the Cubs. I’m not going to declare a shutout, but a quality start is definitely in order.

The Cubs could not show up at US Cellular Field at a better time, after the Sox return home from a 2-4 road trip, which could and should have been a 4-2 road trip. At the very least it should have been 3-3, but Ventura went to the closer when he should have stuck with the starter, Jose Quintana. Quintana threw 77 pitches over 8 innings with only five hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. As Ventura stated in a post game interview, “This is what Reed does,” Ventura said. “And we have a lot more games to go even with ‘Q.’ He pitched great, but right there I wanted to go to the closer.”

We’ll add that post game statement from Ventura to the “No Shit” files, but it does not mean you bring him in just to add to the stat line when you have a starter who made the best team in baseball look like little leaguers for eight innings. No need to go to the closer at that point let Quintana finish the game. Going to the closer makes even less sense with the extra day or two rest everyone’s getting this week.

Again, the good news the Cubs come into the Cell tonight and hopefully they don’t decide wake from their slumber for this series. I’d say they have something to prove, but the Cubs play like a team that just doesn’t care. Go Sox!