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Mariners-White Sox Preview

Apr 23, 2010 - 5:02 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Seattle (9-7) at Chicago (5-10), 8:10 p.m. EDT

After being traded from Chicago's North Side team during the winter, Milton Bradley spoke out about feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome in the city.

He'll try to create some fonder memories on the South Side this weekend.

Bradley and the Seattle Mariners open a three-game series with the slumping Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday.

A notorious malcontent, Bradley spent 2009 with the Cubs, hitting .257 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs before being suspended Sept. 20 for the remainder of the season for conduct detrimental to the organization. He was traded to Seattle in December for pitcher Carlos Silva.

In March, Bradley said in an interview that he'd felt uncomfortable playing in Chicago, adding that fans' attitudes toward him played a part in his struggles. He also talked about his family having problems with people in the city.

Bradley's most recent visit to U.S. Cellular Field last June was especially memorable. He got into an angry exchange with Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who sent him home during the game.

Bradley sat out Thursday's 4-1 win over the Orioles with tightness in his left calf, but is expected to be in the lineup Friday. Despite a paltry .167 batting average thus far, he seems happy with his new home.

"Everyone makes it easy out here," Bradley said of playing in Seattle. "Every day, guys are great, whether you are up or down. That's something I haven't had my whole career. That is something I can't say I've had in any other place."

The Mariners have been up recently, as Thursday's victory completed a 7-2 homestand and a three-game sweep of Baltimore. They've lost five of their last six in Chicago, but are taking on a White Sox team that has played miserably recently, losing six of seven, including dropping two of three at home against Tampa Bay this week.

After winning the opener 4-1, Chicago (5-11) fell 12-0 on Wednesday and 10-2 on Thursday.

The White Sox are off to their worst start since 1997, when they opened 4-12. They are hitting a major league-worst .215 and have scored two or fewer runs in four of their last six games.

"I hope (the players) are embarrassed. I am. Our coaching staff is," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "If they don't believe they can win, if they don't want to be here ... let me know pretty soon before it's too late. I'm tired of what I see right now. Very, very, very, very tired."

Seattle will hand the ball to Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1, 4.50 ERA), who is coming off his best outing in three starts. He gave up two runs in six innings of a 4-2 win over Detroit on Saturday.

The left-hander's only previous start against the White Sox came at home last Sept. 16, when he allowed one run and nine hits in eight innings of a 4-1 win.

Chicago will counter with Gavin Floyd (0-2, 9.00), who failed to make it out of the second inning against Cleveland on Sunday, giving up seven runs and walking four in one inning of work. He pitched to five batters in the second without recording an out.

The right-hander is 1-4 with a 7.47 ERA in eight appearances against the Mariners.

Floyd will try to do a better job providing relief to the White Sox bullpen, which has pitched 17 innings in the last four games, including nine in the last two.