The Writing is on the Wall

Sox Record: 28-33; The Sox have a -29 run differential.

Place in the A.L. Central and Games back: Third place and 5.5 behind the Tigers.

Most annoying person in the Sox organization: I am openly rooting for Josh Fields to strike out every time he steps to the plate. I'm not sure I've ever rooted against a Sox player like I've started rooting against Fields. I want him to fail... which is really weird considering he's going to be playing first base a lot over the next month with Konerko hurt.

Member of the White Sox I love the most at the moment: Pods. Seriously, I can't get enough of Pods right now. I said it and it feels good. I have no clue where he came from or why he's good, but he is and I love it. I love it like a high school crush or a spring song.

Rhetorical Question of the Day: The Sox went the inverse of what they needed to do on their longest home stand of the season (4-8) and in the process loss St. Carlos of Quinten and Konerko for the next month. They weren't scoring runs before and they'll probably be scoring less in the next month. So what to do?

If nothing else, for the first time since early May, I'm sort of excited about the Sox again. Weird, but true... so why am I pumped about a Sox team that's going to lose more than it wins from here on out?

Because it's the Sox are going to reload. The 2005 team will be a distant memory by April of 2010. Dye and Thome should start telling Kenny where they want to play the last two or three months of the season. Bobby Jenks could easy be dealt assuming he stops blowing saves. Dotel is all but gone at this point. If Jose Contreras has a few more good starts, I could see a team taking a flyer on him come July.

The only two guys I can't see the Sox trading are Konerko and AJ. AJ stays because they don't have anyone else who can catch four or five times a week this year or next year. Plus AJ's the kind of guy who's more valuable to the Sox than he is to any other team. Konerko isn't going any where because he's a 5 and 10 guy (meaning he has to okay any deal) and the Sox can't take the PR hit of trading away a fan favorite.

Shockingly, even if the Sox unload all those guys... they should be in good shape in 2010. Beckham will move over to second at some point (I pray). Hopefully, Cuban#3 (Dayan Viciedo) can take over third next year. Alexei stays at short and Konerko at first. And with so much money coming off the books, the Sox can make a run at an outfielder (Holiday? Jason Bay? Carl Crawford if he some how hits the open market? Chone Figgens?) to replace Dye next year. And the starting pitching is pretty much in place (they'll need to find a fifth, but that shouldn't be too hard to fill). Plus who knows what the Sox will pick up from the Thome/Dye/Dotel/Jenks?/Contreras? deals.

Of all the guys the Sox have to deal, Dye probably has the most value since he's a hell of a player and can hit. He makes too much sense for the Red Sox or the Mets. And if you're the Rays, don't you take a look at Thome? Same goes for the Angels and Rangers.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out... I'm sure I'll have more thoughts as time goes on...

The Second Worst Offense in the American League

Sox Record: 15-18; The Sox have a -22 run differential.

Place in the A.L. Central and Games back: Fourth but only 2 out of first.

Most annoying person in the Sox organization: There comes and time and place to rip a guy for sucking. Even if it's not his fault that he's playing, injuries have destroyed this team in center field, but Brent Lillibridge flat out sucks. He stinks. He is not a major league player. And even though there are few situations where he would ever play every day and it's not his fault that Anderson and Wise got hurt... but I'm sorry, I don't have any more patients in my heart. Lillibridge sucks.

Member of the White Sox I love the most at the moment: HI MY NAME IS JI

JIM THOME

AND HOW DO YOU DO

(This was more for Tuesday two home run performance).

Rhetorical Question of the Day: Only the Mariners are scoring runs at a slower pace than the Chicago White Sox in the American League this year. This means one of two things:

1) The Sox O isn't that good.

2) The Sox O is under achieving.

Let's look at reason #2 first.

Thome is a bit bellow last years numbers, but he's been trending down for a few seasons because he's getting old. But he isn't hurting the Sox at the moment. Jermaine Dye is having yet another Jermaine Dye season. St. Carlos of Quentin has fallen off from last year, but again, not a huge drop off and still a productive player. I'd like to see some more power form Konerko, but he's been good this year. And A.J. is hitting better than you'd expect, but nothing out of the ordinary. So the Sox 3-7 hitters have done what they've needed to do. There should be a slight improvement over the next 130 odd games.

Well we all know what comes next... the Sox #1, #2, #8, and #9 hitters are not getting it done. And the stats back it up. Fields has been getting on base but has shown almost none of the power he gave us in 2007. Alexei Ramirez has been so bad, that I think most AAA short stops would be better. Brad Lillibridge, who is only playing because of injuries to Wise and Anderson, has made me long for the days of Andy Gonzalez AND ANDY GONZALEZ WAS THE WORST BASEBALL PLAYER I'VE EVER SEEN IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES! THAT IS HOW BAD LILLIBRIDGE HAS BEEN. YET OZZIE KEEPS PLAYING HIM!!! I find it impossible to believe that the Sox don't have a better option than a guy with an OPS under .500. I could give the White Sox an OPS under .500. By all means, play Pods every day because he can't be worse than Lillibridge. It's nearly impossible.

And finally, I hate to pile on Getz, but he isn't getting on base enough. I know he's being asked a lot, but with the other guys on this team playing so poorly,

The season isn't lost. Anderson will hopefully be back soon, if for no other reason than to knock Lillibridge/Pods out of the line up. Nix looks like a ball player (more on him another day), so let's give him a week at second. And let's hope and pray Alexei Ramirez stops sucking this weekend in Canada.

People will point out that the Sox, at this point last year, had the same record. But the Sox also had a +12 run differential. They had been a bit unlucky at that point in the season. This year? The Sox record pretty accurately reflects how they've played. If they want to 'come back' this year, they need Floyd to stop pretending he's in Philly. And they need to get healthy at the plate... and again, pray that Alexei Ramirez stops sucking and Fields starts to show a little power.

Thoughts on the most bizarre between innings promo ever:

Blackhawks - More on the Hawks later... but let's just say, bring on the Dead Wings. Bring on the Commie Bastards even if they're all Swedish now and everyone loves the Swedes...