(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
With another loss to the Red Sox, the White Sox are showing how incredibly mediocre they are. As is their record of 63-63.
This current road trip where the White Sox visit Fenway for four, Yankee Stadium for three, the Metrodome for three, and Wrigley for one game, was going to show us if the White Sox deserved to make the playoffs rather just be a benefactor of circumstance. That circumstance being a division that is bad by American League standards.
It is the little things.
Last night when Jose Contreras made a two-out, bases loaded error the Red Sox pounced for five more runs after the error.
Tonight in the eighth inning of a tie game, Victor Martinez threw a ball meant to go back to pitcher Hideki Okajima into center field. This allowed Carlos Quentin to get into second with no outs and eventually to third on a Paul Konerko still with no outs.
Jermaine Dye promptly hit an infield pop out, A.J. Pierzynski struck out, and Alex Rios popped out.
The very next inning Scott Linebrink gave up three runs, including two with no outs and no one on base. The night before Octavio Dotel made any come back impossible by giving up three runs after getting the first two outs in the seventh inning after the White Sox crawled back from being down 9-4 to make the game 9-7. Dotel made the game 12-7 and out of reach.
Last night both starters were terrible, but the Red Sox bullpen gave up one run in four-and-one-third innings and the White Sox gave up five runs in five-and-one-third innings. Tonight both starters were great and it came down to the bullpens.
The White Sox bullpen gave up three runs in one-and-two-third innings and the Red Sox bullpen gave up no runs in two-and-one-third innings.
They have started out losing the first two games of this road trip where they could have proven themselves and are showing they are exactly what we thought they were; mediocre...for now at least.
The White Sox have a future staff of Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Jake Peavy.
They have future prospects in Jordan Danks, Tyler Flowers, and Dayan Viciedo. Gordon Beckham looks like the real deal, while Chris Getz has had a pretty good rookie season.
Alexei Ramirez has not had a sophomore slump by any means and Carlos Quentin has shown great signs since returning from injury. Alex Rios finally gives them defense in the outfield and another young talented bat with some speed to go along with it.
Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski hold up as the veterans and either Jermaine Dye or Jim Thome will be re-signed, unless both give a hometown discount in which case both could be back.
The reign of terror of Jose Contreras and Octavio Dotel will finally come to an end as well at the end of this season.
The White Sox have built a team the right way.
The future is bright, but the present is incredibly mediocre.
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