What happened to the White Sox? They started 24-33 and it
looked like Ozzie Guillen was toast. The team simply was underperforming. But
then came the winning streaks. First, a 11-gamer in late June. Then a 9-gamer
in early July. Finally, the real White Sox had stood up and been counted for.
But then came the All-Star break.
Their first game out of the break was the 9th game
of that second winning streak, but it was followed by three straight losses and
a series defeat at the hands of the division rival Twins. The South Siders
basically treaded water for a while after that point. They were tied for first
with
three-game set in early August. The Sox not only lost two of three in that series,
but fell victim to the same fate in their series at Target Field a week later.
Suddenly, Chicago
was four back.
By the time the two played their final series of the year,
things were already spiraling out of control for the White Sox. Trailing
three head-to-head matchups at US Cellular Field, at least there was a slim
chance to get back into it.
Instead, the White Sox suffered an embarrassing three-game
sweep in which they were outscored 26-11. Five more consecutive losses
followed, and by the time the Sox rallied in the 9th inning in Oakland to snap their
eight-game skid, they had already been eliminated from playoff contention.
One major problem was the loss of Jake Peavy. He seemed to
finally be getting the hang of pitching in the American League when he was lost
for the season with a shoulder injury. The team acquired Edwin Jackson from
admirably, the rest of the rotation didn’t hold up their end of the bargain.
Chicago
also took a chance on Manny Ramirez, claiming him off waivers from the Dodgers
to start September off with a bang. Instead, Ramirez waited 15 games to collect
his first RBI with the club.
In all it wasn’t a lost season for the Sox. The team is
poised to finish above .500 for 9th time in 11 seasons. Paul
Konerko, despite an unfair All-Star snub, has had perhaps his best all-around
season (.313, 37, 105 through Sept. 22) while once again being the clubhouse
leader. And a once-questionable decision to bring 2010 first-round draft pick
Chris Sale (who has been discussed quite a bit on DraftAmerica) to the majors just two months after he was selected has paid major
dividends. Rather than struggle at the tender age of 21, Sale has been lights-out for the Sox bullpen.
The southpaw has posted a 1.47 ERA in 18 appearances while also picking up
three saves.
So what’s next? GM Ken Williams has never shied away from
making a big move, and with his team tantalizingly close to the playoffs in
2010, it stands to reason that several of those could be coming this offseason.
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