Things may tighten up over the next few weeks

[hawksox13]

I'll start off by saying that everything needs to start with the Sox beating the Twins today and cutting the division lead down to six games. In looking at the Twins and Sox upcoming schedules the Sox may be able to get within 3 games or so of the Twins within the next three weeks. Here's why:

 

Twins upcoming schedule:

@ Yankees for 3 games (21-10)

@ Toronto for 2 games (19-16)

@ Boston for 2 games (18-16)

Milwaukee for 3 games (15-18)

Yankees for 3 games (21-10)

Texas for 3 games (18-15)

 

Those teams have a combined winning percentage of .548. Keep in mind that six of these games are against the Yankees who have a winning percentage of .677.

 

 

Sox upcoming schedule:

@ K.C. for 3 games (11-22)

@ Detroit for 2 games (18-14)

Angels for 2 games (15-20)

Marlins for 3 games (16-17)

@ Cleveland for 3 games (12-18)

 

Those teams have a combined winning percentage of .416.

 

If the Sox win today and cut the division lead down to six games, it's looking like over the next few weeks they may actually be able to get within three games or so of the division lead. That puts the Sox right back in the hunt and hopefully turns them from sellers to buyers. Just yesterday I was thinking that the Sox should start thinking about blowing this thing up, but after looking at the upcoming schedules I think things may tighten up and get a little bit more interesting.....if the Sox can start hitting the ball and playing better baseball overall.

Edited May 12, 2010 by hawksox13

[hogan873]

It's amazing how one game can change how we think about this team. I like the analysis of the upcoming schedules, and I tend to agree. If the Sox play today like they played yesterday, they should win, especially with Danks on the mound.

 

The Sox have to worry about one thing right now and that's winning games. Sounds simple, I know, but it's true. They can't worry about the Twins or Tigers and how many games they win or lose. Finish off the sweep today, go to KC and win at least 2 of 3, then go to Detroit and sweep. It may be asking a lot, but winning today is going to make it seem possible.

[hawksox13]

It's amazing how one game can change how we think about this team. I like the analysis of the upcoming schedules, and I tend to agree. If the Sox play today like they played yesterday, they should win, especially with Danks on the mound.

 

The Sox have to worry about one thing right now and that's winning games. Sounds simple, I know, but it's true. They can't worry about the Twins or Tigers and how many games they win or lose. Finish off the sweep today, go to KC and win at least 2 of 3, then go to Detroit and sweep. It may be asking a lot, but winning today is going to make it seem possible.

 

I know it's an overreaction to go from thinking this team is dead one day to talking about how they can close the gap in the coming weeks, but I hadn't really looked ahead at schedules until early this morning. When I did that it made me a lot more hopeful. Even looking a little bit farther down the road the Sox schedule looks pretty easy, assuming they start playing better baseball. Just look at the stretch from June 11th-June 30th...3 at Cubs, 3 at Pittsburgh, 3 at Washington, 3 vs. Atlanta, 3 vs. Cubs, and 3 at Kansas City. Those teams have a combined winning percentage so far of just .430. The schedule basically from now until June 30th is very favorable, minus a four game series at Tampa Bay.

[NorthSideSox72]

I'll start off by saying that everything needs to start with the Sox beating the Twins today and cutting the division lead down to six games. In looking at the Twins and Sox upcoming schedules the Sox may be able to get within 3 games or so of the Twins within the next three weeks. Here's why:

 

Twins upcoming schedule:

@ Yankees for 3 games (21-10)

@ Toronto for 2 games (19-16)

@ Boston for 2 games (18-16)

Milwaukee for 3 games (15-18)

Yankees for 3 games (21-10)

Texas for 3 games (18-15)

 

Those teams have a combined winning percentage of .548. Keep in mind that six of these games are against the Yankees who have a winning percentage of .677.

 

 

Sox upcoming schedule:

@ K.C. for 3 games (11-22)

@ Detroit for 2 games (18-14)

Angels for 2 games (15-20)

Marlins for 3 games (16-17)

@ Cleveland for 3 games (12-18)

 

Those teams have a combined winning percentage of .416.

 

If the Sox win today and cut the division lead down to six games, it's looking like over the next few weeks they may actually be able to get within three games or so of the division lead. That puts the Sox right back in the hunt and hopefully turns them from sellers to buyers. Just yesterday I was thinking that the Sox should start thinking about blowing this thing up, but after looking at the upcoming schedules I think things may tighten up and get a little bit more interesting.....if the Sox can start hitting the ball and playing better baseball overall.

This makes me happy. Or less sad at least. Thank you.

 

[iamshack]

Too early to be looking at this stuff IMO. We have to start taking care of our own business before we even concern ourselves with who the Twins are playing.

 

Start winning series'.

[hawksox13]

Too early to be looking at this stuff IMO. We have to start taking care of our own business before we even concern ourselves with who the Twins are playing.

 

Start winning series'.

 

I actually tend to agree with you. None of this looking ahead at schedules even matters unless the Sox start playing much better baseball. I just happened to get the urge to look ahead this morning and it got my hopes up a little bit. Hopefully it will help some others get their hopes up as well. I think Sox fans need a little bit of that right now.

[BigSqwert]

Too early to be looking at this stuff IMO. We have to start taking care of our own business before we even concern ourselves with who the Twins are playing.

 

Start winning series'.

Bingo.

 

And please Ozzie, no more Jenks in important situations.

[iamshack]

Bingo.

 

And please Ozzie, no more Jenks in important situations.

Unfortunately, the fact that he had Putz and Linebrink up behind Jenks didn't make me feel any better. I think we're stuck with him...

[BigSqwert]

Unfortunately, the fact that he had Putz and Linebrink up behind Jenks didn't make me feel any better. I think we're stuck with him...

I don't know why he's so scared to use Santos.

[hogan873]

Bingo.

 

And please Ozzie, no more Jenks in important situations.

What happened to all the talk of Jenks losing the closer spot? Granted he got the job done, but he threw a bad pitch to Thome...the same guy he played with for a few years...a guy he knows is a low fastball hitter.

[hawksox13]

I don't know why he's so scared to use Santos.

 

It's probably just the unknown. We're talking about a converted infielder with 12 innings of major league experience. He probably doesn't want to throw him into such big situations so quickly. But it's tempting to do. Santos has such great stuff! If Santos keeps this up he makes Jenks very expendable this off season.

[NorthSideSox72]

Too early to be looking at this stuff IMO. We have to start taking care of our own business before we even concern ourselves with who the Twins are playing.

 

Start winning series'.

Disagree - I think its a good thing to look at the near future, since the near future will determine what if anything happens with the team in June-July. Next few series for both teams is important.

 

[iamshack]

Disagree - I think its a good thing to look at the near future, since the near future will determine what if anything happens with the team in June-July. Next few series for both teams is important.

Well you can say this all year long...the next few series are always important, barring a complete collapse. But until you start winning more than 50% of your games, who or what the Twins do doesn't mean a damn thing. Let's get our own house in order before we start worrying about what our neighbors are up to.

[NorthSideSox72]

Well you can say this all year long...the next few series are always important, barring a complete collapse. But until you start winning more than 50% of your games, who or what the Twins do doesn't mean a damn thing. Let's get our own house in order before we start worrying about what our neighbors are up to.

Who said we wouldn't? Who said its not important to win games? Those are sort of obvious platitudes, this is a different subject. How many we win depends in part on who we play. Same for MIN. Therefore, this is important.

 

Also, its important now for the reasons I stated - the next month will determine KW's path. In August, that isn't really an issue, typically.

 

 

[iamshack]

Who said we wouldn't? Who said its not important to win games? Those are sort of obvious platitudes, this is a different subject. How many we win depends in part on who we play. Same for MIN. Therefore, this is important.

 

Also, its important now for the reasons I stated - the next month will determine KW's path. In August, that isn't really an issue, typically.

So you're going to start "schedule watching" on May 12th as we are 14-19. Ok.

[NorthSideSox72]

So you're going to start "schedule watching" on May 12th as we are 14-19. Ok.

Yes I am. Where we stand w/r/t MIN and the rest of the division, around early June, will be the deciding factor for KW in terms of what changes he may make. And where we stand at that time is directly and strongly effected by the upcoming schedules for both teams.

 

[hogan873]

I agree that it's not too early to keep an eye on what MN and Detroit do. Obviously the Sox need to worry about winning games. It's fine for us fans to keep an eye on the schedules. A tough schedule for MN coupled with a good stretch of winning baseball games for the Sox could easily change the face of the division by the end of the month.

[BigSqwert]

Until you stop going 1-5 against teams like Cleveland then there's no reason to score board watch right now.

[iamshack]

I don't mean to imply that as fans we shouldn't look at anything that's out there that we want to take some interest in; by all means, have at it.

 

But my experience has been that throughout the course of the baseball season, if you choose to, nearly every game can be justified as a "big game;" every series a big series; all kinds of points along the way become critical points along the roadmap.

 

And what happens is these things rarely unfold as you think they will. Until you get til about August (this is assuming you don't fall completely out of the race), the season will have been "on the line" several times, you will have lost several "must-win" series, and countless "big games," and yet, you will still be presented with opportunities to get back into the thick of things.

 

So if you want to live and die with all these things in May, more power to you. All I'm saying is that if you take care of your own business, these things have a way of sorting themselves out throughout the long season and you find yourself within 5 games or so with about 40 left to play. That is when I start worrying about things like schedules and "must-wins."

[hawksox13]

I agree that it's not too early to keep an eye on what MN and Detroit do. Obviously the Sox need to worry about winning games. It's fine for us fans to keep an eye on the schedules. A tough schedule for MN coupled with a good stretch of winning baseball games for the Sox could easily change the face of the division by the end of the month.

 

I have to agree that the next month and a half is VERY important with regards to the next few years of White Sox baseball. If the Sox continue to fall off they'll be heading in a rebuilding direction. That could include trading Konerko, Jenks, and Pierzynski. Possibly trying to find a taker for Pierre, Linebrink, and Garcia. Bringing up Daniel Hudson, maybe even Jordan Danks and Dayan Viciedo to see what they've got and to get them some major league experience.

 

If the Sox close the gap and make this a race in the next month and a half I can see them going hard after Adrian Gonzalez or another big time left handed bat.

 

This is a big 40+ days coming up for White Sox baseball. Schedule watching, even in May, is very acceptable this year.

[dyuen]

Too early to be looking at this stuff IMO. We have to start taking care of our own business before we even concern ourselves with who the Twins are playing.

 

Start winning series'.

 

I agree. We can't be looking at every game and changing opinions about the team whether we win or lose that game or else we will all go crazy. Though some may argue most of us are already crazy.

[hogan873]

I don't mean to imply that as fans we shouldn't look at anything that's out there that we want to take some interest in; by all means, have at it.

 

But my experience has been that throughout the course of the baseball season, if you choose to, nearly every game can be justified as a "big game;" every series a big series; all kinds of points along the way become critical points along the roadmap.

 

And what happens is these things rarely unfold as you think they will. Until you get til about August (this is assuming you don't fall completely out of the race), the season will have been "on the line" several times, you will have lost several "must-win" series, and countless "big games," and yet, you will still be presented with opportunities to get back into the thick of things.

 

So if you want to live and die with all these things in May, more power to you. All I'm saying is that if you take care of your own business, these things have a way of sorting themselves out throughout the long season and you find yourself within 5 games or so with about 40 left to play. That is when I start worrying about things like schedules and "must-wins."

I see where you are coming from and I agree to a point. This White Sox team was supposed to compete, according to KW and Ozzie. Right now, it's not looking good. Games like yesterday make us feel a little better and get us thinking that maybe they will compete.

 

This is a long season, and the trade deadline is still over 2 months away. So, yes, scoreboard/schedule watching right now is a bit extreme. But we're not talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates here. Everyone knows the Pirates aren't going to compete, so you know what they are going to be doing come June and July...selling. What the White Sox will be doing come June and July will hinge on how the next 5 or 6 weeks go. If the Sox and MN play .500 ball, the Sox are still "only" 6 games out. But if the Sox play .500 ball and MN plays .600 ball, it's a different story. Same goes if the Sox play .600 ball and MN plays .500 ball.

 

The AL Central Division winner historically has a somewhat low winning percentage, and over the past few years it's been the Sox, Twins, and Tigers battling it out at the top. The most important thing is for the Sox to win games, but with each passing day the wins and losses by MN and Detroit get a little more important.

[kitekrazy]

Until you stop going 1-5 against teams like Cleveland then there's no reason to score board watch right now.

 

That's been there problem this whole century. Losing to the lesser teams always hurts.

 

[caulfield12]

That's been there problem this whole century. Losing to the lesser teams always hurts.

 

 

That 1-5 against CLE and 3-5 (with the two HORRIBLE losses this week) against Toronto are what stick out the most so far.

 

That and the sweep of the anemic Mariners' club.

 

 

[stretchstretch]

This White Sox team was supposed to compete....But if the Sox play .500 ball and MN plays .600 ball, it's a different story. Same goes if the Sox play .600 ball and MN plays .500 ball.

 

and boy when you see 4 guys in our starting lineup with 1 as the first digit in their BA, you HAVE to think up is the only place this team can go.....or is that crazy white sox bizzaro world talk?