MLB: 6 Chicago White Sox Who May Be Key to the Stretch Drive

The Chicago White Sox have played like they fear the .500 mark all season, but are still in a position to compete for an AL Central flag as the 2011 campaign begins to wind down.

As long as the team continues to float four or five games back of division-leading Detroit, anything is possible. The White Sox could find inspiration and overtake the Tigers and Indians in the standings. They could also stumble in the next week or two and fall out of contention.

Cautiously optimistic? Welcome to Chicago's 2011 season.

Both the division and the White Sox are in similar circumstances as past seasons. The AL Central title is there for the taking for the team that comes up with the big push. Chicago's playoff chances could hinge on the performance of the following players.

Alex Rios

Though he posted an 0-for-five in Thursday's series finale in Baltimore, Rios is starting to show signs of life at the plate.

In his last 10 games, he has hit .306, including four multi-hit games. He drove in the game-winner back on Monday against the Orioles.

I could care less about his home run stroke at this point of the season. If he can keep driving the ball in the six hole, he can contribute to a stretch run.

Carlos Quentin

The cleanup position has been a black hole in the middle of the lineup. Quentin is more than capable of changing that, and it looks like manager Ozzie Guillen is going to give him the chance to knock in some runs.

Quentin has five RBI in the fourth spot in the last five games. He's been the only consistent power source not named Konerko the White Sox have had this season.

Why it's taken so long to move Adam Dunn down in the lineup is baffling. Hopefully Quentin continues to bat cleanup.

Paul Konerko

Captain Paulie is fighting a sore left knee since getting hit by a pitch on July 31st. Despite being badly hobbled and forced to DH, he has still managed to hit .323 since coming back to the lineup August 4th.

Konerko may be fighting the effects late into the season, but if he can recover enough to take up his first base duties, it opens up a lot of possibilities for Guillen.

Most of those options involve Dunn riding the pine.

The hope is that with a day off Monday, Konerko's knee may allow him to play the field soon. At the very least, the White Sox desperately need his bat to remain in the lineup.

Juan Pierre

Pierre took a beating for his anemic bat in the first three months, and rightly so. Guillen also received heat for sticking with the veteran while we all called for change.

Since the end of June, Pierre has turned things around and been a key to the offense.

In Pierre's first 74 games, he hit .248 and was caught stealing nearly as often as he was successful. He had scored just 39 runs and driven in 16.

In the last 39 games since then, Pierre is hitting .342, has stolen eight bases in 12 attempts, scored 22 runs and has 16 RBI.

Pierre is setting the table, adding over 50 points to his on-base percentage. If he can continue to perform in the leadoff spot, Chicago has a shot at winding up on top in the division.

Alejandro De Aza

De Aza, called up on July 27, is hitting .286 and has injected some speed into the White Sox lineup. Since Konerko's injury, he's served as a pinch-runner late in several games.

If Konerko is able to resume play in the field, De Aza could play right field to allow Quentin to slide to DH, thus keeping Dunn out of the lineup.

He could also DH against right-handers, keeping Dunn out of the lineup.

De Aza may not start every day, but the White Sox need his speed and left-handed bat off the bench. 

Whoever Winds Up as the Fifth Starter

It looks as if the White Sox will be going back to a five-man rotation by September. Who holds onto the fifth starter's role and who goes to the bullpen carry equal importance to Chicago.

Phil Humber has exceeded realistic expectations, but appears to be fading under a workload that is approaching his career high in the minors.

Zach Stewart starts Friday against the Royals. If it's another solid start like last Saturday's win over the Twins, the White Sox will have to decide if they want to send one of the two hurlers to serve as long relief.

Regardless of who stays in the rotation, the man at the end of the rotation will need to give Guillen five or six innings and keep Chicago in games. Does Guillen go with a guy largely unseen to American League hitters in Stewart, or does he hope Humber picks up a second wind?