Chicago White Sox: Forget the Detroit Tigers, Bring on the Kansas City Royals

It seems like the sweep the Chicago White Sox suffered at the hands of the Detroit Tigers happened ages ago.  Not because the Sox were demolished Tuesday night 18-9 by the Minnesota Twins, mind you, but because it was ages ago in baseball land.

After a 6-2 win on Wednesday, and a two-of-three series victory over the Twins, there is no looking back—only forward for the Sox.

The White Sox need to focus their attention on defeating the other teams on the schedule.  Specifically, it starts with beating the Kansas City Royals on Friday evening. 

If anyone thought that KC was going to play more of their rookies as the season was coming to an end, think again.  The Royals have something to play for. 

Namely, they're playing for their first third-place finish since 2003.  For a perennially cellar-dwelling franchise struggling with ownership that has become disinterested, that is a huge accomplishment.

The Royals manager, Ned Yost, understands the implications and has adjusted hit starting rotation, per Royals beat reporter Bob Dutton’s Twitter feed, for the Sox series this weekend.  Yost will trot out Luis Mendoza, who has looked very good this year, followed by Bruce “Cy” Chen and Jeremy “Can’t Complete the No-No” Guthrie this weekend. 

The schedule is arranged so that, barring any changes, the Sox will face the same three in Kansas City starting September 18.  The White Sox must exorcise the demons and get on the winning track against the Royals.

Six games against a team that is aggressively playing for something could mean trouble for the White Sox. 

Not to worry.  Bring on the Royals.

If history tells us anything about this year’s team, it is that they will find a way to get past the difficulties and see this thing through.

@SuggestSmith