Megan Fox gets engaged to Brian Austin Green, Rocker Bret Michaels survives a brain aneurysm and LeBron James can now pick any team in the NBA to call home.
Yet, I still consider myself a luckier man. Why? Even though Sox Girl is hotter than Megan Fox, that’s not my reason. After our win over Steven Strasburg and sweep of the Nationals, the Chicago White Sox have a .500 record for the first time in what feels like two seasons. So why the mania over mediocrity?
Well, for the first time in months, fans can talk about something other than trading Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski, and can debate one simple question: Are the White Sox now play-off contenders?
By: Soxman
How can a fan get excited about a team whose record allows them to say they are nothing better than average? In a weak division no less? Here’s how:
At 34-34, the White Sox enter the final week of inter-league play just 5.5 games back in their division. Regardless of the records of the opposition, they have lost one game in the last two weeks, and their pitching has been exactly what everyone hoped it would be when the season began.
Looking at the starters numbers of the last 14 days:
Mark Buehrle, 2-0, 1.29 ERA, 13Ks
Jake Peavy, 2-0, 1.13 ERA, 12Ks
Gavin Floyd, 0-1, 1.23 ERA, 22Ks (3 starts)
John Danks, 2-0, 1.20 ERA, 10Ks
Freddy Garcia, 3-0, 4.58 ERA, 11Ks
Just when you were ready to anoint Sergio Santos the next White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks appears to applying the Atkins diet to his ERA (0.93 over his last ten appearances).
Sure, our hitting still has room for improvement. But there is cause for optimism here as well. As the weather warms up, so do the bats of our hitters:
A.J. Pierzynski, .333, 2HR, 5 RBI (last 54 ABs)
Carlos Quentin, .368, 5 RBI, (last 19 ABs)
Despite poor performance as a team in terms of run generation, we have some league leading producers:
Paul Konerko: 3rd in the AL in home runs (17), 5th in RBIs (51), 11th in walks (36), 7th in OBP. (396)
Alex Rios: 12th in the AL in home runs (13), 12th in batting average (.313), 9th in runs (46), 7th in stolen bases (20)
Juan Pierre leads the major leagues in stolen bases (27).
Pepper in the potential offensive sparkplug of Dayan Viciedo and the fact the Kenny Williams is now talking about the possibility of actually adding pieces, and Sox fans are indeed beginning to look at a half-full glass.
The true test begins tonight as the White Sox take on the team with the second best record in baseball, the Atlanta Braves in a season-defining three game series. With solid pitching, hitting and defense, facing the Braves at home should be a good test of the White Sox chances for contending in the AL Central.
Win this series and you can start playing “I’m a Believer” from the Monkees all over U.S. Cellular field. Get swept and many fans will start calling “code blue” on the season once again.
As White Sox fans, come out and support your team. Slowly they are starting to make good on the promise, fans such as myself, “didn’t stop believin,” was possible. Let’s Go White Sox!