Nowadays, anytime Ozzie needs a lead locked down, Linebrink is the guy he calls in. Also, Bobby Jenks has remained one of the lockdown closers in baseball. With guys falling like flies out of that role in bullpens throughout baseball, he has been consistently among the best at the game at going through the meat of a team's order and sending them down shaking their heads.
4. They are loaded with pleasant surprises
This is an area that cannot be overlooked. Every year, on playoff caliber teams, players that aren't really talked about during spring training end up having a huge impact on the club. Guys like Troy Tulowitzki with the Rockies and Curtis Granderson with the Tigers come to mind immediately. The Sox have two such players this season.
When Juan Uribe went down with a hamstring injury, Ozzie Guillen was forced to go with an unknown commodity at second base. Alexei Ramirez, a Cuban refugee, has fit the bill and more. He is hitting over .350 since he began starting, and he's been racking up hits and runs scored. His speed is also a huge asset for the team.
The other player, of course, is Carlos Quentin. He has been a huge surprise since he was acquired by the team, and he is among the league leaders in HR and RBI. He would be one of the biggest stories in baseball if not for Josh Hamilton and Jay Bruce. He has the mental makeup to be around for a long time, especially in a city that has proven to be a cauldron for young stars, and his bat is a lethal weapon on a team that at times struggles to score runs.
If I had Terry Francona's ear, Quentin would absolutely be an All-Star. In the meantime, please remember to write-in for him. There's my shameless plug for the All-Star balloting.
5. They still have a ton of home games left
At last, our final point: this team has more home games left than should legally be allowed. I don't know who made the schedule this season, but the Cubs have been at home nearly all the time, and the Sox have been relegated to the role of road warriors.
This month, however, things change.
The White Sox will be playing in the city of Chicago for all but six of their games. Those six road games are split up by lengthy homestands, and the other three road games are played seven miles to the north at Wrigley Field, which is hardly a trip. Only three teams in baseball have a winning record on the road, so it comes as no surprise that we should be optimistic that the Sox are at home as much as they are this month.
So, fans of the Good Guys in Black, there are many things that Sox loyalists should be concerned about. Lack of offense is never a good thing in this sport, and the manager feuding publicly with the GM never sends a strong signal, but putting all that aside, one thing needs to be kept in mind: we are only two months into the season. The team is in first place, with many home games left, and a roster full of players eager to make a return trip to the hallowed grounds of October.
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