You know what, the last time I looked the baseball season was 162 games, and at this point they haven't all been played yet. For all the idiots that are saying that "Ozzieball" doesn't work, then explain to me how the White Sox have the best record in the AL and the 2nd best record in the major leagues. Obviously what Ozzie has been doing this year HAS been working. Has it been a really rough stretch? Sure, there's no doubt about it. Is it all over? Not by a long shot.
The real problem the Sox are having is that the Indians have gotten red hot. They've got the third best record in the majors. For everyone that says the American League Central isn't the toughest division in baseball I want you to explain how that's the case. The Indians would be leading the West or the East if they were in those divisions. But still, the Sox have a better record at this point, and it's still their ballgame to win or lose.
Anyone that watches baseball knows teams go through slumps, it's just the nature of the beast. I mean think about it, if the Sox would have had this slump early on and closed a 15 game lead on the Indians we'd be singing their praises. Both the Sox and Indians could have the same records and the fans outlook would be totally different. Like I said, it's a 162 game season, and as Ozzie said all along every game is important. The Sox won a ton of games early on, and I believe the team can get it kicked back into gear heading into the post season.
I think the problem is they're just not having fun anymore. We all know the pressure can get to a team, and it's time the Sox just forgot about the playoffs and ignored the 30,000 people that boo when they lose a game and just go out and have fun. It pisses me off to hear these fans boo a team that has the best record in the league. It shows just how freakin' ignorant they are. At the start of the season pretty much every baseball analyst had the Sox playing in the cellar with KC. The Sox are NOT in the cellar. They're the team with the best record in the league, and if their fans are going to boo them when they have that record than I don't think the Sox fans deserve a post season to watch in Chicago.
These guys have given us a great season, and they still have the opportunity to give us a lot more. Go out to the park the next three days. Cheer, don't boo. Give them the mystical positive vibe that seems to be so important in the game of baseball.
The Sox can win the division. They just need to get back to the basics. They're a running team, they need to run. I don't care if Pods gets thrown out 3 out of 4 times, I want to see him running when he's on base. The team that won all those games early on was aggressive, both on the bases and with their pitching. They've gotten away from that, but there's no reason they can't flip the switch and get it going again.
There's not a position player that I'd really want to see replaced at this point. Carl Everett needs to step up and be the big game player he once was and give the offense a boost. The pitchers need to throw inside more often. Their game is pitching, defense and speed. If they get back to that now it can still be a fun ride through October.
-Darren