No matter who you play and where you play, winning is the ultimate goal for every major league franchise to start a new season. This is no different for the Chicago White Sox, who did exactly what the club sought to do in Cleveland. They took the series.
The Cleveland Indians are not thought to legitimately compete with the upper echelon of the American League, but traveling to win a series from a division foe reaps the same rewards regardless the strength of the opponent.
We as White Sox fans know this all too well, and last season’s struggles within our own division sit fresh in our collective heads. Finishing 88-74 is one thing, but getting beat up within our own division at the same time only distanced us from an elusive playoff spot.
The White Sox finished 32-40 against foes in the AL Central, which diluted our 56-34 record against the rest of Major League Baseball. Some notables from that putrid AL Central record: 10-8 against the lowly Kansas City Royals and an insurmountable 5-13 against the division champion Minnesota Twins. Those kind of stark contrasts within our own division cannot be repeated.
The first step to solving the issue unfolded in Cleveland over the weekend, where the White Sox captured the series, winning two out of three games. Not only is the monkey off the back to start the year, but the White Sox took key steps toward the top of the division.
Here are your reasons why the White Sox will continue their success, based on the opening weekend of the 2011 baseball season.