The Dream Is Over

Sox officially eliminated last night, and they didn't even bother to fight to the bitter end, losing in Cleveland 14-1. A Twins victory over the hapless Kansas City Royals (something the Sox should've had a few more of) ended the agony about a half-hour later.

Seriously, the Sox went 11-8 against Kansas City, AKA the Worst Team in Baseball. The Detroit Tigers are on track to go 17-1 against them. Something just didn't click with this year's guys.

More to come on this later. For now, a moment of silence please...

Oh What's the Point...

The Last Stand isn't turning out to be a very rousing one (although this junk might actually be better than a certain X-Men movie which was in fact The Last Stand).

Ozzie's only words after tonight's 9-0 loss to the Mariners was "embarassing". And then some. The Sox even wasted a chance to revive their playoff hopes from flatline to asystole by failing to take advantage of both Detroit & Minnesota losses.

The only bright spot in this 1-3 opening half of the homestand was Freddy Garcia's follow-up masterpiece in the 7-0 win over the Tigers on Tuesday. Otherwise, it's just been confirmation of what the 2006 White Sox Eulogy should be: Good, But Not Good Enough.

Tonight's Chicago Tribune asks the question: What reason stands out as to why the Sox will miss the playoffs? Choice A was the obvious - the Twins & Tigers were both better. Some times that's how baseball is. You can have a team capable of 92 wins - my final prediction for the Sox - and be stuck at home, even in the Wild Card era. That would be good enough for the playoffs in the NL this year, and most AL years, but not in 2006. Oh well.

To get back to the point, while Choice A seems pretty obvious, the poll is quite strange because Choice C is directly responsible for the fact known as Choice A. It shocked me to learn this statement made in Choice C, but after about 2 seconds reflection it sounded about right. The 2006 White Sox have won 21 fewer games against opponents with sub-.500 records. 21 fewer than 2005. And somehow they will only lose about 6 to 7 games off of their total won-loss record. It's the definition of underachieving, of not taking care of business. If that number at this point in the season were 13, the Sox would be preparing to clinch the AL Central.

And can I just ask: for the love of God, what happened to Neal Cotts? It was like I turned around one day and his 4-0, 1.94 ERA was gone, replaced by an ERA close to five and a pathetic string of appearances with at least one run allowed. The most alarming numbers for him: 10 HR allowed in 53 innings for '06, compared to 1 in 60 all of last season. Also just 43 strikeouts vs. 58 a year ago. That's what it took to ignore 23 more hits allowed (61 vs. 38) as his most damaging statistic.

We'll keep bantering about this wheeze to the finish line later. For now I'm just going to savor the last few games of the season, then pop in the Complete 2005 Playoff Run on DVD during October.

The Last Stand

Now coming to a theater near you - the end of a fun ride.

I want to be supportive at a time like this. In fact, you need to be supportive at a time like this. But the time for hopes and kisses has long since passed.

Here's the reality, about to be written in stone during the final 13 games: in 2006, the Chicago White Sox were good, but nowhere near good enough.

If it wasn't a letdown from the starting pitching, it was a complete meltdown in the bullpen. If it wasn't suspect defense by players who don't belong on the field to begin with (Rob Mackowiak, please pick up the white courtesy phone), it was the offense completely forsaking the concept of a clutch hit.

Here's where the SOX STANDINGS are as of now, before the start of play on September 18th:

WHITE SOX, 84-65
4 games back in the Wild Card, 5 games back in the Central
Magic # for the Playoffs: 18

The sliver of good news: the Sox begin a three game set with Detroit tonight and have a three game set with Minnesota to finish the season. Sandwiched in between are 4 games with the last-place Mariners and three with fourth-place Cleveland.

13 games. To have any chance the Sox need to go 11-2, maybe even 12-1 or hit the jackpot with the Baker's Dozen. It would be damn near impossible for a club playing out of its mind, and the Sox just aren't anywhere close to that this year.

And here's something else. If I pulled away anything from this weekend, in which Notre Dame got spanked and Frank Thomas delivered what will probably be looked at as the finishing blow to the Sox playoff chances, it's this: players come and go. Managers, owners, media pundits, hypesters, they come and go. But the fans remain. Fans give a program some measure of pride, confidence, a sense that no matter what, they'll always have somebody in their corner.

When I go down, I go down swingin', and I know what I went down for. Let's "give 'em a finish", as the Hawk would say.

SOX PRIDE

Can't ever take it away...

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'...

OK - Freddy Garcia pitching 7 and 2/3 of perfect ball qualifies as a reason to believe.

In other news: Minnesota not only loses the game to Oakland, but has now lost Francisco Liriano for the rest of the season. Could this be the break the Sox need?

SOX STANDINGS: 84-62, 1.5 Back in the Wild Card, 3.5 in the Central
MAGIC # for the Playoffs: 19

8:20 PM ET Update -- Rangers 4, Tigers 0.

The Death Knell...

In 2005, the White Sox rallied around "Don't Stop Believin'", that awesomely bad '80s power anthem from awesomely bad '80s pop rockers Journey.

No word yet if AJ Pierzynski has adopted another late-season rallying song, but at this point a good suggestion would be Rod Stewart's "Reason to Believe".

With the Tigers winning by virtue of 3 solo homers and a good pitching performance from Kenny Rogers, and the Twins AGAIN dipping into their magic well for a comeback win against Oakland, last night's extra-inning affair in Anaheim was a game the Sox needed to have. For their own psyche, 1.5 is a lot less a mountain to climb than 2.5.

Well, mission un-accomplished. First, the Sox squandered a quality outing from Mark Buehrle - 7 innings, 3 runs, and two of them coming off a Juan Rivera homer in the first. I only mention that because if you happen to catch the replay of Rivera's blast, your thoughts will be the same as mine: WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING SWINGING AT THAT PITCH? It wasn't even a little below his knees. It was tailing towards his ankles. Yet somehow he golf-balled it over the left field fence.

Then the Sox wasted the outstanding relief effort of Matt Thornton, who retired Garret Anderson with the go-ahead run on 3rd in the 8th. In the top of the 9th they had first and third, 1 out and couldn't score. Then Bobby Jenks came on to intentionally walk Vlad Guerrero and needed only one pitch to get Rivera to ground into a double-play to end the 10th. Then in the 11th Ross Gload was at second and nobody could pick him up. (This all relates to the fifth when the Sox gambled with the double-steal and lost; I know a lot of people hate Scott Podsednik for this, but stealing 3rd is about the only thing he's been consistently great at this season - 26 of 28 before last night's attempt).

So finally, with all these blown chances you knew it was coming - Chone Figgins (who, if you believe the LA Times might be part of a package for the Halos to get Joe Crede in the offseason, thereby sparing Kenny Williams the torture of having to negotiate with Scott Boras) singled in the winning run with 2 out in the 11th.

SOX STANDINGS: 83-62, 2.5 Back in the Wild Card, 4 Back in the Division
Magic # for the Playoffs: 21

But really - if the Sox can't win that game, what can they win in the big picture this season? Grinder Rule #30 is that "Good Enough, Isn't". While that may sound like Yoda talking, it's gonna wind up being a pretty neat summation of the 2006 White Sox. If any of these 3 teams battling in the AL Central were in the NL, they'd be about one win away from clinching and already setting up their postseason rotation. The Sox have been good, sometimes great, but ultimately not great enough this year. They need to gain 2.5 games in the final 17. It can definitely be done.

I'm just looking for a reason to believe THESE Sox can do it.

It's Too Depressing

Sox Drop The Ball, 9-1 to the Indians.

STANDINGS: 1/2 Behind the Twins for the Wild Card
Magic # for the Playoffs: Stalled at 24

Panic time?

Those Pesky Twins

A.J. Pierzynski had 2 home runs against his old team, but the Sox still dropped 2 of 3.

The Minnesota Twins have to be about the 9th-best team in the American League, in terms of raw talent. With the exception of Johan Santana and Joe Mauer, I wouldn't take one player from the Twins and put him on the Sox.

And yet, just as they've been doing since 2001, the Twins keep poking and prodding and blooping and gnawing until you look around to discover you have no skin left. Hence Ozzie's all-too-perfect nickname for them, The Piranhas.

The Sox were equal to the task this weekend against the Twinkies, yet still managed to lose two of three. Friday was a team failure with runs being cut down at the plate and Javy Vazquez, Neal Cotts, and David Riske blow a 3-0 lead for a 6-5 loss. The ghost of Steve Bartman was invoked as well, with the final out being recorded after a fan interfered with Justin Morneau's attempt to catch Jermaine Dye's foul pop. Then on Saturday, Jose Contreras remained in his free-fall and put the Sox in a 5-1 hole...yet JD cranked a 2-run shot off Joe Nathan in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 7...only to have Nick Cobb (er...Punto) win the game with a seeing-eye single in the 11th.

So for those of you who were contemplating suicide after the first two games, the news that Mark Buehrle was set to start the finale probably didn't move you too far off the ledge. Buehrle has just one win in his last 11 starts. Sunday, however, he was dynamic to the tune of 1 run over 7 and 1/3. The win pulled the Sox back to within a half-game of the Wild Card lead and held position at 5.5 back of the Tigers in the Divisional race.

With the Sox playing Tampa Bay in the middle of the week followed by a trip to Cleveland, the top 3 teams in the AL Central could also be the top 3 teams in the American League by Labor Day, with all of them seperated by 2 to 3 games. Whole lotta baseball left to play...

Showdown Series The Third, Stanza 4

White Sox 10, Tigers 0.

SOX STANDINGS: 75-52, .5 Ahead in the Wild Card, 5.5 Back in the Central. Magic # for the Playoffs: 36.

Now that's what I call momentum.

The Sox pick up another brilliant start from Jon Garland, who's not only matching his first half of 2005 during this run, but exceeding it because his best starts have come at a time when his team needs them the most. Last Saturday it was Garland who got thrown into the fire against Minnesota's hottest starter to try to stem talk of an easy sweep; today he needed to come up with a great start to help the Sox salvage the split. Mission accomplished on both fronts.

The Sox offense rediscovered the art of clutch hitting during the last two days also, with Jermaine Dye the biggest hero. He finished the series with 3 HR and 6 RBI in the final two games. This could wind up being akin to what Minnesota did to the Sox in 2003 - drop the first two of a key four-game set, then take the second two to break even and then take off from there. We'll just have to wait and see...

TOMORROW -- Sox Vs. Twins. Radke vs. Vazquez. 7:35 CT.

Showdown Series The Third, Stanza 3

White Sox 7, Tigers 5.

SOX STANDINGS: 74-52, .5 Ahead in the Wild Card, 6.5 Back in the Central. Magic # for the Playoffs: 37.

JOE!!! CREDE!!! JERMAINE!!! DYE!!! BOBBY!!! JENKS!!!

Pretty soon, everybody's gonna have their name turned in to an obnoxiously loud catchphrase uttered by one Hawk Harrelson.

But those three Pale Hosers certainly stand out as the heroes of tonight's much-needed win. Pretty game? Not when Freddy Garcia needed all of one inning to squander the lead after JD's 3-run homer in the first. Nor when Matt Thornton relieved in the sixth inning and surrended a 2-run double to Sean Casey to tighten the game at 6-5. However, here's what matters: was it a win? Hell yes.

The Sox have a big opportunity to re-establish some momentum with Jon Garland heading to bump for the series finale. In 2005, you'd absolutely love to be in this situation becuase you felt there was no way the starter wouldn't deliver. And despite Jonny Hollywood's recent hot streak, is anything a given with this Sox team?

NEXT GAME: 1:05 ET Thursday, Jon Garland vs. Nate Robertson.

Showdown Series The Third, Stanza 2

Tigers 4, White Sox 0.

SOX STANDINGS: 73-52, .5 Ahead in the Wild Card, 7.5 Back in the Central. Magic # for the Playoffs: 38

We in trouble now, ain't we?

The Sox spent a lot of time scratching their heads at the strike zone of home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, and while it was wider than David Wells' belly, what good does moaning about it do? That's Hawk Harrelson's job.

And piss-poor strike zone or not, the White Sox rotation continues to be the team's undoing. Tonight it was Mark Buehrle's turn to pitch just poorly enough to give the Sox no chance at a win, surrendering 2 first inning runs and 4 over his scatter-shot 5 and 1/3 innings.

I'm not gonna lie, this is starting to get serious. Much like that September collapse in 2003, I can feel the season starting to slip away. And you know who's fault it is? Those g***am Royals. If the Sox had been required to play a real team after the sweep of Detroit last week, they'd have built themselves into a groove. As it is, they let up against inferior competition and have been knocked off their game.

The good news is the Sox have two more cracks at Detroit, and have already faced the Tigers two best pitchers. It's time for "Big Game Freddy" to make an appearance during tonight's contest.

TONIGHT - 7:05 ET, Freddy Garcia vs. Zach Miner

Showdown Series The Third, Stanza 1

Tigers 7, White Sox 1.

SOX STANDINGS: 73-51, .5 Ahead of the Twins in the Wild Card (6.5 Back of Detroit). Magic #: 39 and Holding.

F---. F---. F---, F---, F---.

Where's Jose's stuff when you need it? It took Contreras three and a half years to record his first complete game shutout in the majors, last Friday against this same Detroit squad. Since then he's looked like he has absolutely no clue what's going on. In back to back starts he's given up 7 earned runs and allowed his ERA to balloon over 4. Is nobody safe on the Sox pitching staff? It's tough to fault a lack of offensive production during these last two games when you consider the Sox faced off against Johan Santana and Justin Verlander on consecutive days, but it's still all about the pitching with this team. The starters give them a chance to win, they'll come out with a 'W' more often than not. The starters put them in a 7-1 hole, and it's tough to bounce back.

Answer: Major League Leader in Road Victories

Question: Who is Jon Garland? White Sox 4, Twins 1.

SOX STANDINGS: 73-49, 5.5 Back of Detroit, 2 Up on Minnesota for the Wild Card. Magic # for the Playoffs: 39.

Garland twirled an outstanding game tonight, going into the 8th while allowing 1 unearned run. Twin counterpart Brad Radke was almost as good, but couldn't pitch over two uncharacteristic errors by his defense - both led to Sox runs, and Rob Mackowiak provides the finishing power with a 420 foot bomb.

It's not just that the Sox got the kind of pitching performance that was automatic in 2005, or that they picked up a game on the Tigers. With Johan Santana matched up against Javy Vazquez tomorrow afternoon, this was a game the Sox had to have, and they responded that way. Was the game perfect? No, but Garland setting down 14 in a row, a few web gems by Joe Crede, run-scoring production from the bench and bottom of the order, and capitalizing on the Twins mistakes (they don't make many, after all) bode well for the team's confidence.

The Sox now have 40 games left - 7 against the Tigers, 6 against the Twins, 3 against the Red Sox, 3 against the Angels and 3 against the Athletics. In September they'll have to travel to several places that have traditionally been Houses of Horror, particularly the Oakland Coliseum. The starters might be tired - they can rest later. Coffee is for closers, and it's time for the Sox biggest asset to step up their game in a championship setting.

TOMORROW - Javy Vazquez vs. Johan Santana, 1:10 CT.

Showdown Series Part Deux, Episode Three

White Sox 7, Tigers 3. Sweep, baby, sweep.

SOX STANDINGS: 70-46, 5.5 Back. Magic # for the Playoffs: 45

For starters, let me say that much like Bruce Banner, you wouldn't like Pudge Rodriguez when he's angry.

The Sox were back with the tried-and-true 2005 formula - they got two good scoring chances in the first two innings and capitalized on both (bases-clearing double by Alex Cintron capping the early production). The day's starter stepped up when needed (Freddy Garcia was touched for 3 runs in the first four innings, then buckled down to retire the last 12 he faced.) The bullpen continued to bring it as Matt Thornton killed Detroit's last chance to get back in the game, inducing a first-pitch ground ball double play from Carlos Guillen in the 8th. Bobby Jenks sealed the sweep with a nasty curve on Curtis Granderson with two runners on in the 9th...and the crowd went wild.

As well they should. Sweeping any team in baseball is huge, particularly the team you're trying to catch. But for the Sox to dominate this series the way they did on the second weekend of August speaks a lot about their character - and surely is planting seeds of doubt in the Tigers' head. Are they cracking under the pressures of a long season and the knowledge that the defending champs are now charging fast? Hard to say. Surely, however, the Sox have a chance to kick Detroit while they're down - a four-game set against Kansas City is on the docket for the Sox, while the Tigers head for Boston and three games against Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, and David Wells. First place could very well be on the line when the teams hook up for four more next week at Comerica.

Showdown Series Part Deux, Episode Two

White Sox 4, Tigers 3.

SOX STANDINGS: 69-46, 6.5 Back

Two weeks ago the Sox jumped in the way back machine, time-warping into September of 2004. Now it seems they're playing as well and as loose as October 2005.

For the fifth straight game, Comiskey rocked in a high-stakes, late-season game against a fellow playoff competitor. And for the third time in five games, the Sox emerged victorious by one run. They took advantage of costly errors. They delivered clutch hits. They played good defense (at least, far more often than they played bad defense). They got a serviceable effort from their starter. And Bobby Jenks closed the door.

Mark Buehrle was on fire to start the game, striking out seven in the first four innings. He couldn't bail himself out in the fifth after Juan Uribe slow-charged a grounder and failed to convert the double play, allowing the Tigers to plate 3 runs. That's okay though, because Kenny Rogers couldn't pick up his D either, as they made far more costly blunders. Carlos Guillen fumbled away a slow roller from Sandy Alomar. Marcus Thames misplayed a line-shot single from Brian Anderson. Brandon Inge threw away a sure-fire twin killing which led directly to the decisive run.

So what do we make of these last two games? All of a sudden the offense is putting together some solid performances, Contreras pitched like an ace, Buerhle showed marked improvement and the bullpen retired all 9 batters they faced. It helps to remember who's still chasing who, however. The Sox could really use a sweep tomorrow and gather momentum, especially when you consider they next welcome in Kansas City for 4 while Detroit heads to Boston.

TOMORROW: 1:05 CT, Freddy Garcia vs. Zach Miner.

Showdown Series Part Deux, Episode One

White Sox 5, Tigers 0.

THAT was huge.

Jose Contreras turned in a classic 2005 performance in a game that was probably the most important for the Sox since the 2005 playoffs. Not that catching Detroit should be first and foremost on their minds, but to come out in a series opener in your home park against the best team in baseball and the game's hottest young pitcher with a 3-hit masterpiece is the definition of "ace".

The offense displayed an unusual amount of patience as well, waiting out Justin Verlander's 97-mph heat (which was down to about 92-93 by the fifth inning; perhaps his arm is more than merely 'tired') and pouncing on his average breaking ball. Jim Thome and A.J. Pierzynski each belted two-run homers, and Scott Podsednik and Tadahtio Iguchi again set the table at the top of the order, each picking up a pair of hits. Pods was even up to his old tricks on the basepaths, baiting Verlander into an errant pickoff throw that moved him from first to third and led to the Sox first run. While you'd like to pile on in a game where you outhit a team 15-3, this is still no time to be complaining about style points. J-K-W: Just...Keep...Winnin'.

They also say that momentum only lasts as long as the next day's starting pitcher. In ordinary times as a White Sox fan, you'd look at the schedule and see Mark Buehrle heading to the mound on Saturday and feel pretty damn good. Good, that is, until realizing that Buehrle's 2006 season has nosedived since July 1 and he's 0-6 in his last 9 starts. But then again, Jose was only 1-4 in his previous six before tonight.

Game 2: Mark Buehrle vs. Kenny Rogers, 12:20 CT.

Sox: 68-46, 7.5 Back in the Division, 1.5 Up in the Wild Card (Magic # for the Postseason: 47)

The Resurrection of Javy Vazquez

Holy s&*t.

The Puerto Rican Jim Parque looked like vintage Pedro in Toronto today, fanning 13 over 8 outstanding innings. The Sox offense pitched in as well for a 7-1 victory, assuring the Sox the series win. Jose Contreras starts tomorrow against A.J. Burnett.

July 31st - D-Day Passes in Silence

Well, July 31st came and the trade deadline went, and the Sox will battle the final two months of the season with the team they had for the first four largely intact, minus a few tweaks.

Chris Widger & Cliff Politte out. Sandy Alomar, Jr. & Mike MacDougal in. I really like the MacDougal trade - he's as devestating as Jenks is when he has command of his fastball and allows David Riske to move into a more comfortable role as the sixth/seventh inning bridge man. Lots of Sox fan are moping about this being the second straight year in which Kenny Williams failed to land a big fish in the trade deadline.

Excuse me for asking, but why does a team which leads the majors in runs scored need Alfonso Soriano? Another popular topic of conversation among Sox fans is the plummeting skills of Scott Podsednik (supposedly), yet you trust Soriano in left field in a close game? Or Rob Mackowiak, God forbid?

The biggest problem this team had six weeks ago was its bullpen. That need has been addressed as Kenny picked up MacDougal, Riske, & Matt Thornton to plug the holes where once existed Dustin Hermanson, Politte, & Damaso Marte. This has the potential to once again be a shutdown 'pen with an undervalued starter in Brandon McCarthy available as the first line of defense in a slugfest.

Ah, slugfests. Seems the Sox are in a lot of those lately. Last year all four regular Sox starters had ERAs under 4.00. This year only one does (Jose Contreras), while Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Mark Buehrle are all flirting with 5.00. Don't even get me started on Javier Vazquez, also known as the Puerto Rican Jim Parque. But if the Sox offense can power the team long enough for the rotation to emerge from its funk, the Sox could have something special cookin' once again in October.

That's all dependent on the rotation actually emerging from its funk. It's been kind of depressing over the past six weeks to see the Sox biggest asset get transformed into their biggest liability. Do Freddy, Mark, Jon, & Jose have enough in them for another go-round?

(Sorry Javy, no late season resurgence for you. Please begin consulting El Duque on how to be a a postseason bullpen savior.)

The Turning Point

In a month it could be looked as a home run of Jeff Abbott proportions. Or it could've just been dumb luck.

Some of you may recall Jeff Abbott's pinch-hit shocker of a home run in a May 2000 game against the Twins that seemed to snap to Sox out of a slumber and propelled them to a divisional title. Ross Gload entered last night's game against the Orioles after Paul Konerko shanked a foul off his ankle, and stepped to the plate with 1 out, the bases loaded, and the Sox trailing 4-2.

Gload deposited a 3-2 hanging slider into the left field seats for a 6-4 White Sox Winner, easily the most important win of the season. The Sox had just come off an ugly homestand (it seems like a long time ago that they possessed the best home record in the majors) and needed to recharge themselves on a road trip against two weak teams (Orioles & Royals) and one semi-contender for the playoffs (Blue Jays) before returning to Comiskey on August 7th for the biggest homestand of the year.

Mission accomplished so far. Jon Garland & the Sox pitching staff didn't exactly capitalize on the newfound momentum as they nearly fumbled away an 11-4 lead in today's game, but the Sox bats slugged just enough for a 13-11 win. Javy Vazquez vs. Bruce Chen in tomorrow's finale has all the makings of another slugfest, but then the way Garland had been pitching up until now suggested that today would be kind of easy, right?

Point remains the Sox have taken the series and put themselves in position to sweep before heading to the doormat of the Majors, the Kansas City Royals. When you're in the thick of the playoff race, you'd much rather discuss a 13-11 win than a 1-0 loss. Remember what Vin Diesel says...

Who the F*&K is Gerald Laird?

Answer: a goofball catcher who somehow went 4-5 with 2 home runs as the Sox crash and burn in the finale against the Rangers, 10-2. Joe Crede's 9th homer was the only offense and staked Mark Buehrle to a 2-0 lead, but for the second straight start Buehrle could not escape when he needed it the most, letting in 3 runs in the sixth that blew the game open.

So now comes the uber-important six game stretch with the Tigers and Indians back-to-back at Comiskey. We'll have a full preview of this during tomorrow's episode of Soxcast. Check it out!

Big Hurt Now The Big A

May 22nd - Frank Thomas enters Comiskey Park as a member of the visiting team. Signs a one-year deal with the Oakland A's today, which has been expected since the Winter Meetings in early December.

Frank Thomas, We Salute You.