Sox general manager Ken Williams wanted to stay below the radar as long as possible this season, but with the Sox in a rut and speculation that the coaching staff could be on the hot seat, Williams finally addressed the media before Monday's 2-0 win over New York, and gave his state of the union report on his team.

"We have not hit, we have not pitched consistently and we have not caught the ball," Williams said. "All I can do is come to the clubhouse and give some hugs, offer some hugs, some support in that way. But the good things is, we have the ability, we have the talent. We've been down the road when we haven't played well and you have to look in the mirror and you know you don't have the talent. This is a quite different scenario where we have guys who have proven themselves in the major leagues and on championship clubs."

As far as manager Ozzie Guillen being on the hot seat or his coaching staff, Williams was adamant in saying that the players have to turn this around.

"The coaching staff is not throwing the baseball, not hitting the baseball, they're doing what they've always done," Williams said. "The first 10 games of the season, people talked about how well our offense was performing. We were hitting off the charts. When it turned around, we have to stand up and take the heat.

"(Hitting coach Greg Walker) is used to taking the heat and he's been consistent over the years the way teams have rebounded offensively. (Pitching coach Don Cooper) has taken his share. In professional sports, fingers will be pointed your way. None of them have gotten any dumber the last couple weeks. They're (the) same guys and I have a lot of confidence all of them."

But Williams did say that the club is extended with the $125-million payroll and would like to see less empty seats in the stands, but knows it's a two-way street with Sox fans.

"Chicago White Sox fans, you have to earn their patronage, and we haven't earned it, so I don't expect people to show up in droves until we earn it," Williams said. "This is the third week in April, a lot of games left and we will earn their respect and their patronage. Until then, I wouldn't expect it."

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