Guillen wants most wins in 2005

[IlliniKrush]

Guillen wants most wins in 2005

 

By Dave van Dyck

Tribune staff reporter

 

The White Sox are in serious danger of losing their designation as "baseball's best team," a label they have worn since April 30.

 

The team entered Tuesday night's extra-inning game against the Minnesota Twins with 75 wins, the same as the St. Louis Cardinals who beat Arizona at home Tuesday. The Sox had lost two fewer games.

 

 

While the Sox are at little risk of losing their double-digit lead on the Central Division, their spot at the top of the major leagues has been slowly slipping away.

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen acknowledges he has been watching uneasily because being the best in the regular season is the next-best thing to being one of the two best in the postseason.

 

"We talked about it," Guillen said. "I talked to a couple of players [and said] I want the best record in baseball. And I think a couple of guys want it too.

 

"[Pitching coach Don Cooper] talked to the pitchers about how important that is for everyone, for our organization to finish that way.

 

"To me, it means a lot. It means all the work you put together is paying off. In the end, that's something that should make you feel good about yourself."

 

While saying what he really wants is "to have the best record in the division," Guillen nonetheless is keeping an eye on the overall standings because "it's something that should make you feel proud. If you have the best record in baseball and you're the White Sox, people are going, 'Hmmm, what's going on here?'

 

"People say St. Louis, the Cubs, the Yankees, the Angels and the Red Sox, and we weren't supposed to be in that situation. Nobody expected our team to be in that position, and, hopefully, we get it."

 

But in many ways, the Sox are beginning to look like an average team.

 

Despite their lofty record, they were only 28-25 before Tuesday night against teams that are at least .500, and that includes a 10-3 record against the Indians. It also includes an 8-14 record against potential playoff opponents Los Angeles, Oakland and Boston. Against the A's, a possible first-round opponent, the White Sox are 2-7.

 

The Sox, who play host to the Yankees this weekend before heading back to the road, surprisingly have only the fourth-best home record in the league despite maintaining the best overall record. Before Tuesday, they had lost 11 of their last 17 at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

It is a strange statistic because most good teams are dominant in their own parks. Boston (38-18), the Yankees (38-23), Oakland (38-22), Houston (40-19), Atlanta (39-18) and St. Louis (38-23) have better home records than the Sox.

 

Guillen keeps insisting he has no way to explain the poor performance at home, but he knows this little lull has to end.

 

"We don't want to wait and say this was a little vacation time," he said. "[A fan] was saying don't worry about it, and I said I worry about it because I want to win every game I can.

 

"It's time to step up and time to go back to the way we were playing in the beginning."

[Yossarian]

Right now getting any kind of win would be great.

[Wong & Owens]

Ozzie won't even have the AL's best record in about 2 weeks.

[BigSqwert]

That's a real important goal to have. :headshake

[RME JICO]

Yeah,

The best record in the AL is important though. I would hate to have to play in Oakland or in Boston for 4 games even though the Sox play better Away than at Home. Either way, we need to start winning some series.