AL Central: White Sox Fans Have No Reason to Panic

Here it is, August 5^th, 2008 and the Chicago White Sox sit on top of the AL Central in a virtual tie with the out of nowhere Minnesota Twins.  If you had told Sox fans this would be the situation this late in the season I bet most of them would say they’d take it. 

Recently, however, grumblings are coming from the White Sox faithful.  Horrific pitching and questionable defense have left the Sox with a 7-9 start to the second half.  People are starting to push that panic button.

Tonight the White Sox return home after what feels like a 40 game road trip.  In reality they went 4-6 in what was deemed a do or die road trip.  As it turns out the Sox return home tonight still in sole possession of first place, albeit by percentage points.  Here are a few reasons not to panic.

1. Home Sweet Home

The Sox play an incredible 16 out of their next 19 games at US Cellular Field where they have flat out destroyed teams.  The Twins, on the other hand, will fly to the west coast twice in the next month, including a three city 10 game swing at the end of the month.

2. Reinforcements are on the way

Lost in the excitement of the Griffey deal and in the antics of Ozzie Guillen has been the fact that the White Sox have been missing three key members of the team. If Contreras, Crede, and Linebrink somehow all make it back and are productive the Sox should be all right. 

Word is that Jose is pitching like he’s 28, or at least 32.  We all remember in 2005 when Crede came off the DL in September to carry the team.  If the Sox get healthy, there is no reason why they can’t win the 93 games it should take to win the division.

3. The Twins aren’t that good

Though they looked almost invincible for months, last night’s game in Seattle foreshadows doom for the Twins.  Ahead 6-0 against the Major League’s worst team, they blew their shot at taking a real lead in the division.  Fact is that they are a different team outside of the circus tent they call a stadium. 

The White Sox' staff is hitting its bumps in the road now, but you have got to think that the young Twins' starters will hit their own roadblock.  As for their savior Liriano, if he was that good he would have been up here a long time ago.  He is fragile.

Tonight could be a historic night as Ken Griffey Jr. makes his home debut with the White Sox.  They have Gavin Floyd, their stopper and licensed Tiger hunter on the mound, and they will have a packed house behind them.  The team will even get a break from the volatile Ozzie Guillen for a few days which may work wonders for the psyche of the team, and its passionate manager. 

Put away the panic button, put on your Shinjo Takatsu replica jersey, if you have one, and, as the Hawk says, strap it down for a real live pennant race.