Chicago White Sox All in the Tank: Can We Look for a Merrier Month of May?

Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams declared the organization all-in back in the offseason.

He might want to relay that sentiment to the players on which he's hitched his wagon.

The White Sox began May in the same dismal fashion they slogged through the season's first month, as a five-run fifth inning spelled defeat to the Baltimore Orioles Sunday afternoon.  The loss, the fifth in a row for Chicago, is the 15th setback in the last 18 games.

As horrendous as last season's start was, this season is worse.

By the time May rolled around in 2010, the White Sox were five games out of the Central Division lead.  With Sunday's loss, Chicago is 10 games off the pace.  They weren't that far out of first until September last year.

The White Sox haven't been able to win more than two games in a row, but they sure have been able to drop games in bunches.  So far in 2011, Chicago has three, five and seven game losing streaks.

Jake Peavy's return, imminent or not, may be completely irrelevant at this point.  When he does return to the White Sox, he will be joining a staff that is near the bottom in runs and hits allowed.

Chicago is batting .240 as a team.  Three regulars (Brent Morel, Alex Rios, Adam Dunn) are under the Mendoza line, and another (Gordon Beckham) is flirting hard with the .200 mark.

I would expect that an Ozzie Guillen media meltdown is only days away.  He's fought the good fight, but at some point he'll explode and rip this under-performing bunch.  The players shouldn't be surprised because they've been dismal.

On the surface, there are two simple solutions.  Hit.  Pitch.  Repeat.

This is a team that is misfiring up and down the lineup.  Juan Pierre is hitting .248 and has been thrown out attempting to steal in seven of his 12 attempts.  Alex Rios is hitting a pathetic .155 going into Monday night.  Pick a name, and chances are they're well under expectations.

There is little comfort to be found, but at least Detroit and Minnesota are struggling as well.  Not that it matters to me if it's the Twins or Indians leaving the White Sox in the dust by Memorial Day.  They're double-digit games out of first and it doesn't get easier.

After the Orioles leave town, the White Sox have a pair of games with Minnesota before heading out to the West coast, where (surprise) we've had trouble winning in recent years.

Chicago was 1-5 in home contests with Oakland and Los Angeles.  Maybe three games with the Mariners can get the White Sox out of a slump.  Of course, Chicago is looking up at them in the league standings.

Guillen is positive his club is going to come out of this terrible slump soon, but can they count on getting hot like they did last year?  The club was days from dumping salary in 2010 when Chicago finally decided to play ball.

Even with Williams all in, will he have that same patience with this year's club?

Williams may be all in, but the White Sox are all out-of excuses.