White Sox Prediction from the Elevator

Small talk is almost never fun. Small talk while being cornered in an elevator is even less fun.

Such was the case for me yesterday on the way down to the first floor from my job on the eighth floor to go home for the night. I stepped on the elevator and some guy from a different office got on as well.

He saw I was wearing a White Sox hat and lobbed over this grenade, “So you think the Sox will do it this year?”

I know, this doesn’t seem like a malicious question. And truthfully I know he just meant it as a casual way of talking as we descended the eight floors.

However, I enjoy talking sports. More precisely I enjoy talking sports with knowledgeable sports fans, and loathe doing it with sports fans who get their only sports information from SportsCenter at night and Mike and Mike in the morning.

So now that he’s lobbed this question over I have to give him a response. Even though all I can think is, "Do it this year? What does that even mean?"

“As long as Twins players keep getting hurt I think they can win the division.” That was the gem with which I responded.

As soon as it left my mouth I felt like a goober sports for two reasons. One, he likely had no idea what I was referring to. Two, I realized immediately that I too sounded like a casual baseball fan.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, a group of women who were leaving what I can only assume was a daycare, since they smelled like little kids and vomit, got on the third floor and that put an end to the short-lived yet very painful White Sox conversation.

On my drive home I thought about elevator guy’s question: Will the Sox do it this year?

Maybe it’s the hope that comes every Spring training, or maybe it’s the fact they have two aces at the top of the rotation, but I think they “can do it." That is, if by “it” you’re referring to a division title. If that is referring to a World Series title? Well I’ll need a few more elevator rides to figure that one out.