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Guillen confirms Colon will pitch tonight

The starting pitcher listed on the Charlotte Knights' Web site for Thursday night's game against the Norfolk Tides is Carlos Torres, but the Knights still are expecting Bartolo Colon to take the mound.

Perhaps the Knights were playing it safe by leaving Torres on the site, because as of 10:45 p.m. ET Wednesday, Colon hadn't reported to the team.

"He never showed up last night," said John Agresti, the Knights' director of media relations. "He's still scheduled to start tonight."

The Knights are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and manager Ozzie Guillen said on Thursday the Sox have confirmed Colon will pitch tonight, according to ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine.

The Knights host the Tides for a 7:15 p.m. ET start, and Agresti said players don't start rolling in until 2 p.m.

"The 'Bartolo Watch' is going on," Agresti said.

Chicago general manager Ken Williams said Tuesday that Colon was supposed to be in Charlotte preparing for Thursday's start.

Colon was put on the disabled list June 9. He was 3-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 11 starts with the White Sox.

Guillen joked about Colon on Wednesday.

"I worry about Colon because Colon was a big-time Michael Jackson fan," Guillen told reporters. "He might [watch] the TV and cry all day long. Maybe he is in L.A. at his funeral, because I can't find him. When he gets to Charlotte, Oney [Guillen's son] will call me to say he's there.

"Nobody knows how big of a Jackson fan Colon was. I'm serious. He might be depressed a little bit," Guillen added.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.