Cleveland is a growing threat

[Guest JimH]

The Central race will tighten up IMO. The Twins have hit a rough stretch but their pitching is pretty good. As for Cleveland, they have some excellent players who can hit and for whatever reason they are doing better since changing hitting coaches.

 

Granted, Cleveland's schedule has been fairly easy but they've been winning games they're supposed to win. Cleveland has 11 more games vs. the White Sox although 7 of those games are in the season's last two weeks.

 

Sox have 13 games left vs. Minnesota, 7 in late September.

 

It would be very nice to make those Sept. games meaningless.

[YASNY]

The Twins still have a chance. Cleveland has been on an unbelievable roll, and are going to cool off, probably this week and next when they play Boston 6 times. Minnesota hasn't played well the last week. They'll heat up again.

 

You may be right. But Cleveland could be in second place in a few days, also.

[Dick Allen]

You may be right.  But Cleveland could be in second place in a few days, also.

 

They very well might. They might even finish 2nd at the end of the season. I just don't think so. They are starting a stretch until the ASB that kind of resembles the White Sox August schedule. 6 against Boston, travel to Baltimore for 3 and travel to the Yankees for 4. Their only break is a 3 game series at home with Cincinatti, which is a pretty decent rivalry, even if the Reds are struggling. If they stay hot for this stretch, or at least come out of it less than 10 out, I may believe they have a chance, even then only slim. If the White Sox only played .500 the rest of the season, they win 93. I can't see Cleveland winning 93.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

All teams seem scary when they are on fire. Winning 12 of 13 is impressive. But, we all know that they will cool off.

 

Right now, at 8 1/2 back, we do not need to worry. However, that can change easily. If they get within 5-6 games, then we need to be concerned.

 

Regardless, we must play better than.500 against them.

 

 

We've handled the Indians pretty easily this season. I see no reason to get upset about them.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

They very well might. They might even finish 2nd at the end of the season. I just don't think so. They are starting a stretch until the ASB that kind of resembles the White Sox August schedule. 6 against Boston, travel to Baltimore for 3 and travel to the Yankees for 4. Their only break is a 3 game series at home with Cincinatti, which is a pretty decent rivalry, even if the Reds are struggling.  If they stay hot for this stretch, or at least come out of it less than 10 out, I may believe they have a chance, even then only slim.  If the White Sox only played .500 the rest of the season, they win 93. I can't see Cleveland winning 93.

 

 

If they end up in second its only because Minnesota has been falling apart as of late.

[Dick Allen]

If they end up in second its only because Minnesota has been falling apart as of late.

 

I agree with you. What would the mood of this board be if the Sox won 12 of 13 and still were 8 1/2 out?

[kapkomet]

Never underestimate your opponents. NEVER.

[Queen Prawn]

Never underestimate your opponents.  NEVER.

 

Exactly.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

I agree with you. What would the mood of this board be if the Sox won 12 of 13 and still were 8 1/2 out?

 

 

Probably pretty sour as that would mean we had a crappy start. Id rather not think about hypothetical stuff, especially negative hypothetical stuff.

[KevHead0881]

With our history being as it is, I won't rest easy until we are about 10 games up near the end of August. While I'm not too concerned about the Indians at the moment, they are a pretty good team, and it wouldn't take a lot for them to make it really interesting.

 

So yes, I consider them a threat. Not a major one just yet, but still a threat.

[CubKilla]

Cleveland is only a growing threat to Minnesota and 2nd Place although, as a fan, I'm keeping an eye on all the AL Central teams.

 

And I was cheering for the Cubs this weekend because the Yankees are in contention for the WildCard :rolly .

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

If we go out there and handle our business then Cleveland and Minnesota can make all the noise they want to but we will still finish first. We win our games and the rest will sort itself out.

[sayitaintso]

But we can't underestimate cleveland. They could easily be .5 behind second place tonight (indian win,twins aren't playing) and normally hot streaks come to an end, but this one looks like it can be a little dangerous to me. I wouldn't take cleveland lightly.

[KevHead0881]

If we go out there and handle our business then Cleveland and Minnesota can make all the noise they want to but we will still finish first.  We win our games and the rest will sort itself out.

 

Essentially the way I feel. I'd say we are almost at the point that if we didn't win this division, it would be considered a choke. We don't even have to win at the rate we are right now (If we did, we'd have 110 wins at the end of the season, imagine that). As long as we play steady ball and keep the losing streaks from getting too long, we should be in very good position.

[RockRaines]

Take a look at cleveland's upcoming schedule, compared to what they just played. If they get through the next stretch still on fire, then we can worry. But as of now, they havent played Texas or Baltimore enough to say they are for real.

[LosMediasBlancas]

An 8.5 game lead is really a 17 game turnaround. Nice cushion.

If we built a lead that size in less than half a season, surely we can lose it in the second half as well.

Is the glass half empty or half full?

[CanOfCorn]

Essentially the way I feel.  I'd say we are almost at the point that if we didn't win this division, it would be considered a choke.  We don't even have to win at the rate we are right now (If we did, we'd have 110 wins at the end of the season, imagine that).  As long as we play steady ball and keep the losing streaks from getting too long, we should be in very good position.

 

 

When you start looking behind you, you stop looking forward. I don't think you worry about Cleveland or Minnesota until you play them.

[EvilJester99]

Once interleague is over and the Injuns have to start playing AL teams again, we will see where they are. Right now I would still focus on the Twins and worry about that.

[KevHead0881]

When you start looking behind you, you stop looking forward.  I don't think you worry about Cleveland or Minnesota until you play them.

 

Can't argue with that.

[JUGGERNAUT]

The emergence of Cliff Lee has made the difference but their bats are still far more suspect than ours. The addition of Thomas to the White Sox has made it very hard to beat us. When we were slow it didn't mean much. But now with the speed of Pods, Iguchi, Harris, & Ozuna a walk to lead-off the 8th means a whole lot more.

 

I do believe CLE will pass the Twins for #2 but the White Sox can only beat themselves. There's no team that matches up well with us. We are strong this year against both LH & RHers.

 

At the same time the NYY$ & Boston are playing much better of late. We have to face them both in Aug along with the Twins. We probably should temper our enthusiasm of facing the Cards in the WS until Sept. If we take the season series against those two teams the city will be begin to crazy over the White Sox.

[kapkomet]

I gotta admit a St. Louis/Sox World Series would be mighty nice!!

[Rowand44]

It's gotta be frusterating as all hell for the Indians right now, they keep winning but so do the Sox. I personally am not worried about them at all, imo their hot streak will end soon, I just don't think they are that good of a team. YAS, I do consider the Twins a threat, I know Cleveland is only a game behind the Twins but I just think the Twins are so much better then the Indians but obviously that's jmo.

[tonyho7476]

I gotta admit a St. Louis/Sox World Series would be mighty nice!!

 

cub fans would absolutely hate that..it would be f***ing great.

 

And I am worried about both Minnesota and Cleveland....but we also need to take care of our business, and everything will fall into place. Let's Go Go-Go White Sox!

[Milkman delivers]

Without reading a word of this thread, here is my answer to the title:

 

No, they are not. They've played awful teams, and they're still 4,052 games out. This is a hot streak that they stumbled upon, and there is no threat from Cleveland.

[JUGGERNAUT]

The Sox really have no one to fear but themselves. As good as CLE is playing they still have many games left with the Tigs & Twinkees. The 3 of them are sure to damage each other's records in H2H.

 

The Twinkees still have the edge against them because they not only have the most games left with the White Sox but they will play us in the same month we face Boston & NY. There's potential for a losing streak there that could weaken our confidence against them. Especially if Radke does another Santana impersonation in the 2nd half like he did last year.

 

Where I give the edge to CLE over MIN over the long haul is their depth in the pitching staff. MIN is not deep either. There is no BMac I know of in their organization if Mays should go down. They would be faced with Mully or an unknown rookie taking the 5th. Mays is looking like he could go down. Of the 4 pens (DET, CLE, MIN, SOX) MIN has the best performers but the worst depth. That weakness can get the better of you if your starters can't go long. Luck doesn't seem to favor the Twinkees this year.