Sox feel they can hold their own in AL

[southsider2k5]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...rtnerId=rss_cws

 

White Sox feel they can hold own in AL

Chicago (21-25) at Kansas City (23-25), 7:10 p.m. CT

 

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

05/28/09 3:00 AM ET

 

ANAHEIM -- As of late Wednesday night, the White Sox found themselves sitting four games under .500.

 

By Ozzie Guillen's recollection, that was a bad place to be years ago in the American League -- even after just 46 games.

 

"In the past, you are four games under .500 and you are like 10 games out," Guillen said. "We are only about 4 1/2 [games out] and 1 1/2 from second place. It's going to be like that all season because there are so many good teams out there."

 

Coupled with Detroit's win over Kansas City, the White Sox get ready for their own weekend visit to Kauffman Stadium sitting 5 1/2 games behind the Tigers and out of the American League Central lead. They trail the Twins by two games and are 1 1/2 games behind the Royals.

 

The White Sox already have talked about possessing the utmost confidence in being a prime contender for their second straight division title. But what about shooting for that ultimate goal of winning a second World Series title in the past five seasons? While the White Sox don't exactly look like champions at this point, even with their 6-3 run since getting swept four straight in Toronto, the parity spoken of by Guillen suggests anything is possible.

 

After Wednesday's games, there was not one AL team more than eight games over .500. Cleveland and Oakland were the only two teams sitting more than five games under .500.

 

In fact, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at 33-15, are the only Major League team that has pushed to more than 10 games over .500. So, the White Sox understand any sort of sustained run of excellence can put them right up near the top.

 

Of course, the opposite holds true. Since sweeping the White Sox, the Blue Jays have lost nine straight.

 

"Thank God we aren't the only one that have the disease," said Guillen with a laugh. "Cleveland got it and now Kansas City is not playing the way they were when it started. Minnesota went through it. A lot of teams went through it all year long."

 

"Certainly there are moves to be made as the season wears on as teams get better ideas of where they are headed," White Sox reliever Scott Linebrink said. "But you don't have the stereotype bottom-feeders you once had."

 

Kansas City once held a charter membership in that bottom-feeder club. But the White Sox next opponent, a team that holds a 4-1 edge this season on the South Siders, has just as great of a chance to win the division as the previous champs.

 

"I've said that Kansas City is a lot better team than people give them credit for," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "Especially with the starting pitching they have, and their lineup is maturing."

 

"Definitely a different team than the last few years," said Linebrink of the Royals. "We are not taking them for granted."

 

Working under the premise that the White Sox eventually will hit consistently, the keys for the team are to stay healthy and continue getting the same high level of starting pitching that has come from the last 10 games. During that stretch, starters have allowed three earned runs or less in 10 consecutive starts-although Bartolo Colon did give up seven unearned runs during a 20-1 loss to Minnesota.

 

There's also the little matter of winning within the division, which the White Sox will try to do Friday, when Clayton Richard and Brian Bannister get the respective starts. Zack Greinke brings his 0.84 ERA to the mound Sunday, so the first two games of the series take on even greater importance.

 

Pitching matchup

CWS: LHP Clayton Richard (1-0, 3.55 ERA)

Richard, making just his third start of the season, threw 107 pitches in another strong effort on Saturday, a 4-0 victory over the Pirates. Richard struck out a career-high eight batters in six innings, allowing four hits. He lowered his ERA from 4.33 to 3.55. Richard had made 12 relief appearances this season before being called upon to start on May 12 against the Indians.

 

KC: RHP Brian Bannister (4-1, 2.79 ERA)

Bannister is really clicking since being recalled from Triple-A, using a dazzling cutter to mystify batters. In his last outing at St. Louis, Bannister worked six innings for the victory, giving up seven hits that included six singles and a double. The Royals have won six of the seven games he's started this season. Among the starters, only Zack Greinke has a better record and ERA. This is his first shot at the White Sox this year; he's 2-3 with a 7.66 ERA against them in his career but that includes a 0-2 mark in four games last year.

 

Tidbits

Gordon Beckham officially was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday and will be in the Knights' starting lineup on Thursday night in Columbus. Beckham, the White Sox top pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, hit .299 in 38 games for Double-A Birmingham, with four home runs, 17 doubles and 22 RBIs. Guillen said that Beckham could have been ready for Triple-A competition out of Spring Training, but he applauded the choice of Minor League director Buddy Bell to start Beckham with the Barons. Guillen also liked the move of talent through the White Sox system. "I always believe when we think someone is good, move him up," Guillen said. "A lot of organizations keep guys in the same place to be great just to trade him." Guillen added that the jump from Triple-A to the Majors will be the biggest challenge Beckham has to face ... In his second game on injury rehab, Dewayne Wise finished 1-for-3 with a double while playing center field in Charlotte's loss on Wednesday. Wise is 3-for-8 over his first two games ... Guillen didn't receive any update on Carlos Quentin and the planter fasciitis in his left foot and didn't expect any over the next few days, as the left fielder was sent back to Chicago for further examination. Guillen intends to rely on his own gut instincts in regard to next playing Quentin. "One thing about Carlos, I'm going to start to make the decision for him," Guillen said. "I have to because I don't want any of my players to go out there and -- you are never going to be 100 percent but to not be good enough to perform. I'll tell him I don't think he should be playing today and we go from there." ... Jim Thome is hitting .357 over his last 14 games, raising his average from .195 to .252.

 

Tickets

[Kyyle23]

I think they can hold their own too, but apparently their chances arent percieved to be too good.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php

 

Which teams are most likely to become sellers in the next few months leading up to the July 31st trade deadline? To help determine that, let's take a look at Baseball Prospectus' Playoff Odds report. The report gives the following eleven teams less than a 10% chance of making the playoffs:

 

* Pirates - 9.46%

* Giants - 8.78%

* Mariners - 6.14%

* Rockies: 4.84%

* Athletics: 4.36%

* White Sox: 4.33%

* Marlins: 3.20%

* Orioles: 2.77%

* Diamondbacks: 2.58%

* Astros: 2.25%

* Nationals: 0.52%

 

The report likes the 20-28 Indians more than the 21-25 White Sox, because Cleveland has a better run differential. The report gives the Tribe a 14.4% playoff chance.

 

Edited May 29, 2009 by kyyle23

[southsider2k5]

I think they can hold their own too, but apparently their chances arent percieved to be too good.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php

 

BP never likes the Sox, its not a surprise. We outplay the statistics on a pretty regular basis.

[NorthSideSox72]

I think they can hold their own too, but apparently their chances arent percieved to be too good.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php

Wasn't it BP who constantly had laughably low % chances of us winning the division in 2005, and that after they had CLINCHED, it was still well under 100%?

 

[clyons]

Wasn't it BP who constantly had laughably low % chances of us winning the division in 2005, and that after they had CLINCHED, it was still well under 100%?

 

Yeah, it was still slightly

[Dick Allen]

Lloyd Christmas would love those odds.

[BFirebird]

I think it is too early to look at those stats. I am by no means a Cub fan, but they have the Indians odds at making the playoffs higher than the Cubs. Despite their bullpen problems, I think the Cubs are better than the Indians and in a worse division.

[BaseballNick]

Lloyd Christmas would love those odds.

 

So you're saying there's a chance?!

[greg775]

"Definitely a different team than the last few years," said Linebrink of the Royals. "We are not taking them for granted."

 

The Royals could give the same quote about the Sox in not taking our anemic hitting team for granted. I'm not optimistic w/out CQ's bat in the lineup this weekend.

[Balta1701]

The Royals could give the same quote about the Sox in not taking our anemic hitting team for granted. I'm not optimistic w/out CQ's bat in the lineup this weekend.

We've basically been without CQ's bat for about a month or more now.