Cooper on Shields: We need more strikes

CLEVELAND — To hear Don Cooper tell it, James Shields’ problem is as plain as day.

Just throw more strikes, the White Sox pitching coach said Sunday.

“Listen, we’re going to continue to go with what we worked on the other day, which is ride, get extension out there,” Cooper said. “There’s nothing glaring. Here’s the dilemma: Right now, we need more strikes, simple as that. First-pitch strikes, getting ahead in the count. When you see after 30 pitches, it’s 15 balls, 15 strikes, we need more strikes than that. You’ve got to attack, and specifically earlier in the count to get into pitcher’s counts.”

Shields’ performance in his last start with the San Diego Padres and his first three with the Sox have been horrible.

Since joining the Sox, Shields has allowed 21 runs on 25 hits with nine walks and five strikesouts over 8 2/3 innings. He made it through five innings in one start but was KO’d in the second and third innings of the others, facing 62 hitters and seeing his ERA climb from 3.06 before his last start with the Padres. It’s the kind of extended performance that gets pitchers taken out of starting rotations.

“We’re working on him using his legs, riding and staying behind and over the ball,” Cooper said. “Staying on his pitches, to drive the ball, get out front a little bit more, get more extension. That’s the difference we saw in the last film session, and that’s the only thing that’s there.”

The Sox believed Shields may have been tipping pitches. Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is for sure — hitters have not been fooled by what the right-hander is throwing up there.

“I’ve looked at tipping, a lot of people have looked at tipping, and we’re still addressing that,” Cooper said. “But before tipping, we need strikes. The main thing as far as I’m concerned is not tipping first, it’s more strikes first. When anybody dominates the game it’s because you’re throwing strikes and you’re throwing 2-1 strikes at least, and we’re not there.’’

Shields is the fourth Sox pitcher to allow six-plus earned runs over four straight starts, joining Alex Fernandez (1991), Vern Kennedy (1936-37) and Sugar Cain (1936), and the first pitcher in the

majors to give up 31 earned runs over a four-start stretch since Jose Contreras with the Sox in 2007, according to STATS.

The Sox will throw Shields back out there for his next start, against a good hitting team, the Boston Red Sox, in hitter-friendly Fenway Park on Thursday afternoon.

If he doesn’t get ahead in counts, it could make for a bad way to end a road trip that is off to an 0-3 start after two walk-off losses and a blowout defeat against the Indians.

This and that

Closer David Robertson said the Sox clubhouse remains tight despite the team’s free-fall performance. “Everybody is still getting along. Nobody is at each other’s throat, so it’s great. It’s a good group of guys. We’re playing hard. We just need things to turn our way.’’

*Shortstop Tim Anderson had his fourth multi-hit game and has hit safely in seven of 10 since being called up from AAA Charlotte.

*Todd Frazier was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and two walks, dropping his average to .197.

*The Sox have eight of Carlos Rodon’s last nine starts.

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