A Plea for Calm, Dedicated to My White Sox Fan Brethren

In lieu of my standard week in review piece for the South Siders, I have instead decided to soothe the fragile nerves of White Sox Nation.

In the face of fresh questions about Ozzie Guillen's capacity to lead, as well as a lengthy winning streak for that other team in town, it is perfectly understandable that Sox fans are questioning their own team. However, there are five things that everyone needs to keep in mind while crying in their Schlitz over the fate of our Pale Hose.

1. The team is in first place

This is the most obvious point. If you had asked a lot of baseball experts who would be in first place at the beginning of June in the AL Central, two teams would have come up: the Indians and the Tigers. The White Sox were on no one's radar, but Kenny Williams quietly assembled a solid group of guys predicated around veteran leadership and youth in certain spots.

Question marks going into the season were quickly alleviated, as the team got off to a solid start, even earning eight consecutive victories at one point. In what was supposed to be the toughest division in baseball, the White Sox have persevered through the most road games of any team, and are entering a stretch where they are at home most of the time in the month of June. More on this point later.

2. This team still has veteran leadership at its core

Paul Konerko and Jim Thome: two older ballplayers who are struggling at the plate this season. They are the veterans on this team that the young guys look to for leadership, and they provide it. Granted, their numbers are definitely down this season, but their impact is in the intangibles.

For any team to succeed in the playoffs, and ultimately win the World Series, they need guys who have the "been there, done that" workman-like attitude that these two, in addition to AJ Pierzynski and Jermaine Dye, have displayed frequently.

The rotation is also anchored by Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez, who both have taken their experiences in high-pressure baseball and given those lessons to John Danks and Gavin Floyd. This is invaluable.

3. The starting pitching and bullpen have been great

Let's face it, without the pitching, this team would be up a creek without a paddle. The team ERA is solid, their starters are rolling along, and the bullpen, which cost them SO MANY games last season, has finally begun to look like a cohesive unit.

Javier Vazquez has been his usual solid self this year, mowing down hitters and eating up innings. In addition, he has lightened the load of expectation on the younger starters in the rotation.

In the bullpen, two guys have stood out. The signing of Scott Linebrink was one of the most underreported pieces to Ken Williams's grand plan. He has been a dominant eighth-inning pitcher, often pitching on the same level as a guy on the other side of town, Carlos Marmol. He may not have the strikeout total, but he has the ERA and the WHIP that all managers covet.

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