I’m not going to throw the towel in quite yet on the Chicago White Sox season, however, with each passing day, the playoff window is growing smaller and smaller.
Chicago currently stands four and a half games behind the impressive Minnesota Twins (7-3 over the past 10 games) for first place in the AL Central.
This season had been a bumpy road so far.
As everybody knows, the White Sox started off the first couple months as an average baseball team, then surged ahead during a beautiful month-and-a-half stretch before All-Star weekend in which they rose ahead of Detroit and Minnesota to grab a slim hold on the division. Ever since then, it’s been a dog fight with Minnesota.
September, as it always is, will be a huge month. We only have one more tough series with Minnesota (about half-way through the month), but even with that, Chicago is going to have to go through some tough teams if they want to play into October; two series’ with Detroit book-end a three-gamer with Minnesota, and then the worst of it, a seven day stretch with the Angels and Red Sox (both teams probably out of contention, but nevertheless, always tough to play).
I’m not saying Chicago is out, but it will be a very tough road. And because of recent play (losing two of three to Minnesota, and then two straight to Kansas City) it looks like there will be an early exit.
At the beginning of the season, if someone told me that Paul Konerko would be batting .300+ with 30 home runs, Alex Rios would be our MVP, and Juan Pierre would have 50 stolen bases, I would be ecstatic.
That’s where we are currently and still the White Sox are not where they should be.
Who’s to blame?
Kenny Williams
Grabbing Alex Rios turned out to be a fantastic move, as his play this season has been terrific. He’s been the five-tool player that he was in the past. However, Williams made a huge mistake this trade deadline by not making moves to get a left-hand bat, a reliever, or a good starting pitcher.
Trading Daniel Hudson for Edwin Jackson was odd, considering that Hudson is a young pitcher with potential and Jackson is a young pitcher without potential who’s been pretty terrible this season.
Ozzie Guillen
Guillen is a good manager and the White Sox are lucky to have him, but he should know by now to shut his mouth when the media comes rolling in. He has been a huge distraction this season with his talk about Latino players. What he said was unnecessary, especially during such an important time of the season.
Jake Peavy’s Injury
Boom! Just like that Chicago lost its ace.
With the success that Danks, Floyd and Buehrle have had recently, Peavy could have made this team not only a division winner, but also a dangerous team if they did reach the postseason.
During the season a team can win with three good starters and then junk for their fourth and fifth man, but if a team survives in the playoffs it’s because they have that excellent fourth starter. Rolling out Danks, Floyd, Peavy and, Buehlre in a seven-game series would have been tremendous.
The Bullpen
For lack of the better word, the bullpen is shit.
We’re reaching the point in Bobby Jenks career where he needs to be taken out to the shed and shot like a horse with a broken leg. It’s been a goddamn joke so far, and Chicago has no chance of getting through September unless Jenks, Matt Thorton and JJ Putz get their heads back into the game.
Like mentioned above, Chicago’s schedule is very tough for the next month. They have the talent to win this division, but they haven’t been showing it as of late. I think Ozzie can get this team going. We need to start playing like we did in June and July, when we were sweeping Milwaukee, Texas and Atlanta.
The AL Central is arguably the worst division in the majors, and with the players on this team, there isn’t any excuse if the White Sox don’t take it.
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