Memo to Ozzie Guillen: Stop using Scott Linebrink to close

The closer role hasn't been a problem for the White Sox since the days of Billy Koch, Tom Gordon, and Damaso Marte. Since those horrendous years, Shingo Takatsu, Dustin Hermanson, and Bobby Jenks have all done excellent jobs closing out games in the ninth inning.

But now, the White Sox have a problem. Jenks was put on the 15-day disabled list today and hasn't pitched a game since June 29 after experiencing pain in his back, leaving a hole in the back of the bullpen.

Ozzie Guillen chose Scott Linebrink, easily the best relief pitcher on a team that's full of high-caliber bullpen pitchers, to fill that role.

And Linebrink hasn't got the job done.

This isn't meant to be a knock on Linebrink. It's more a knock on Guillen for continually throwing Linebrink out there in situations he is going to have trouble succeeding in.

Linebrink has allowed ten earned runs in all of 2008. Only two of those runs have come in the eighth inning, and the last time he allowed a run in the eighth was April 15 against Oakland.

The other eight runs he has allowed have come in either save situations or tie games. He allowed two walk-off home runs (to Cliff Floyd May 30 and Aramis Ramirez June 20) before becoming the closer, and those were the only two runs he allowed in the months of May and June.

Okay, so maybe these could have been viewed as aberrations, considering Linebrink has been the White Sox's best relief pitcher.

But doesn't it seem to signal something about Linebrink? Maybe he's not suited for that ninth inning role.

Granted, Linebrink pitched well enough to deserve a shot at the closer's role with Jenks out.

And, yes, Linebrink pitched a scoreless ninth in a tie game as early as July 1.

But when the White Sox have a pitcher in their very own bullpen with closer experience, why not leave Linebrink in his usual eighth inning role and put Octavio Dotel in as the closer?

Dotel has logged 82 saves in his career, including 11 in 2007 while with the Royals. He's never been a great closer, but he at least should be given a shot.

Linebrink isn't the answer with Jenks—who, thankfully, is scheduled to return to the White Sox after the All-Star break—on the disabled list. You just have to hope that this recent rough stretch for Linebrink (3/4 blown saves, five earned runs in last four appearances) doesn't negatively affect his confidence when he returns to that eighth inning role.

There's one thing that's for sure, though: if Jenks stays hurt or goes down later in the year, Guillen should stay away from calling on Linebrink to try to nail down a big-game save.

Again, this isn't a knock against Linebrink, who is a fine pitcher in his own right.

He's just not a closer.