Sox Live to See Another Day

[Chisoxfn]

Sox Live To See Another Day

By Mario Scalise

ChiSport.com

 

The White Sox (and Twins) have lucked into their current situation of still actually having a shot at the playoffs. Swept by the Twins and dropping two of three (AT HOME!) to the Indians is an ugly way to end a season. But over the next two days, the White Sox will have to earn their right to play the Rays in the divisional round.

 

The Sox won today behind another impressive outing on short rest by Mark Buehrle, and so did the Twins. While neither team has been deserving of a playoff berth, they both are far too good to get swept, and at home no less, so what happened today wasn’t much a surprise. The next two days, however, is anyone’s guess.

 

So down .5 game the Sox will play game #162 at home Monday afternoon (1:05 start) against the Tigers, who were probably hoping to finish their season Sunday at home rather than Monday in Chicago. It’ll be Gavin Floyd going on three-days rest against Freddy Garcia, who will be making his third and final start of ‘08.

 

Despite Floyd throwing on short rest and having surpassed 200 innings pitched - 130 innings more than any other season for him - playing at home against a last-place Tigers team that you’ve had plenty of success against and a pitcher who is still in the early stages of a comeback from injury should make this the easiest ‘W’ imaginable. Never underestimate the potential spoiler, especially one that was supposed to prance through the season, but if the Sox don’t pull off a win after dropping five of their last six, they don’t deserve to play Tuesday.

 

Putting our attention past Monday - as long as the Sox win, of course - the big dilemma for the Sox will be the playoff rotation. Every other team in the playoffs either clinched some time ago (Angels and Cubs) or over the past few days (everyone else), and the Twins don’t play Monday, so aligning up playoff rotations won’t be too difficult of a task. The Sox can’t say the same.

 

If the Sox make it to Tuesday (remember, the tiebreaker with the Twins will be played at the Cell), John Danks will be starting, and on short rest, barring an unknown injury or serious fatigue. It’ll be his game to lose. That’s a ton of pressure on a 23-year-old, but the Twins would counter with Nick Blackburn or Kevin Slowey; the two entered the season with combined 19 career MLB games.

 

After Tuesday? We’re getting ahead of ourselves, but just for fun, the Sox will have Wednesday off and start their five-game series against the Rays on Thursday. That would give the Sox two legitimate options: Mark Buehrle or Javier Vazquez.

 

You laugh and say Mark Buehrle. You’re not wrong - Vazquez probably shouldn’t start period let alone game one - but that would mean Buehrle pitches again on three days rest and would likely do so again if the series goes to game four. And if the Sox decided to go with a four-man rotation, Buehrle would then jump several starts with three days rest to five, which may be too long of a rest.

 

The good thing is Buehrle handles short rest like all pitchers should be taught to handle short rest … he rests. How novel. Still, riding Buehrle through the playoffs just doesn’t seem all that smart.

 

Like or not, Javier Vazquez will have to learn how to pitch in big games if the Sox want to up their odds of going deep. Doesn’t mean he has to replicate what Buehrle has done (I admit I was wrong on Buehrle’s big game effectiveness, BTW), but battling will do. If not, even more will be riding on Buehrle and the two young arms after him.

 

That said, Vazquez should go game one with Buehrle throwing game two and, if necessary, game five. They need to be careful with how they handle Floyd and Danks for the benefit of their careers and the 2009 White Sox, so Vazquez would need to pitch one of the first two games. Might as well get it out of the way and allow Buehrle an extra days rest.

 

This can be discussed further later. For now, all eyes are on Monday.

[kwolf68]

 

'The Sox having to rely on Javvy Vazquez is precisely why they won't go anywhere in the playoffs.

 

Id rather "ride" Buehrle and take my chances there, at least we know he has the courage to battle.

[jenksycat]

In all honesty, I'd rather see Richard out there instead of big-game Javi. Or at the very least, platoon those 2 guys: first 3 for Javi then next 3-4 for Richard.