5-0 Yankees

White Sox losing train now seven cars long. Lead in the AL Central at 9 games.

Nevertheless, panic has hit the streets I'm sure in White Sox Neighborhood (yeah, we're just not big enough a fan base to be called a "Nation". Maybe someday.)

Maybe if this skid had happened in mid-May, when the Sox lead the division by only a couple of games, it would have been shrugged off as just another one of those misleading Sox seasons which was inevitably going to crash down by mid-July. Now, with the division seemingly clinched a week ago, even a hint of a sluump sends every Sox fan into a tizzy, wondering if the most spectacular of all baseball collapses is at hand.

I would agree that for the Sox to fail to make the postseason at this juncture would represent a catastrophe unrivaled by almost any in baseball history - perhaps the 1964 Phillies, losers of 10 straight to close the season and miss despite leading by 6 1/2 with 12 to play would be the topper.

The calls for Ken Griffey, Jr. become louder. Can Kenny Williams reach deep enough into his pockets to make Reds owner Carl Lindner swallow his pride and admit the Hometown Hero will never lead Cincinnati to greatness?