(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Things are trying to fall into place.

The White Sox rain-shortened road trip was a modest success as the South Siders return home with a record of 5-3. They went 3-2 over the last week (Monday to Sunday) and both losses were by a single run.

On Saturday night, they withstood sloppy fielding (four errors), a determined Reds team, and a shaky ninth inning from Bobby Jenks to nail down an ugly 10-8 win.

On the other side, a bullpen meltdown Thursday cost the Sox a Wrigleyville sweep, and a lack of offense on Friday gave Jose Contreras his first loss since returning from the minors.

Things are trying to fall into place, but the Sox still have no identity.

With the best team in baseball coming into Chicago and Round Two of the Crosstown Classic this weekend, the Sox are facing what Ed Farmer likes to the call "the moment of truth."

Is this ballclub set up to make a run at the divisional title, or is a summer fire sale in the near future?

The good

Interleague play is over, so the Sox can rest easy: no more pitchers in the batting order. Although Mark Buerhle showed his muscle in Milwaukee, Ozzie Guillen would much rather have Jim Thome getting regular at-bats and hitting balls the other way.

Also, the top of the order is clicking.

Scott Podsednik and Alexei Ramirez combined to go 16-43 (.373) with 10 RBI and eight runs scored last week. Ramirez had three home runs in four days, two to give the Sox the lead after the fifth inning.

With a good 1-2 punch setting the table (Pods has 10 steals since entering the Sox lineup in late May), opposing hurlers will have to pitch the middle of the order very carefully.

The bad

Clayton Richard is looking like a flash in the pan. He only lasted three innings in his start at Cincinnati, and his sixth-inning error opened the door to Sox's only loss to the Brewers.

The rest of the rotation has looked solid in the last two weeks, but with Richard faltering, the No. 5 spot is becoming a black hole once again.

The bullpen is also hitting a wall.

The lack of success from the starters in May and early June means their workload has increased to the point where only D.J. Carrasco and Matt Thornton can be counted on.

Scott Linebrink blew the save to the Cubs on Thursday, and Bobby Jenks gave up a run and two hits Saturday night to make a close game closer.

This week's starting pitchers need to last at least six innings and hold down a pair of good offenses this week so the bullpen can get some rest.

What's at stake

The Dodgers have the National League's best pitching staff and a great offense that has run even without the presence of Manny Ramirez. Matt Kemp is a double threat that can hit and cover ground in center field, and Joe Torre's wizardry has made Juan Pierre into a good ballplayer again.

All this has led to great early season success as the Boys in Blue are the only team 20 games over the .500 mark.

As Jim Thome has said, this series is a great litmus test for the White Sox.

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