I saw another post with this topic but I wanted to get an official tally. I really think if the bottom of the order can start producing then we'll be OK. Right now Beckham is on a tear and Wise is hitting good too.

I'll stick with my original prognosis in March or whenever the spring training prediction thread was ; Sox win the division (so far I think I've been as accurate in that thread as anyone)

I said no, but I think the Sox COULD win the division now, whereas in March I thought they had no chance. Podsednik and Beckham could not have been predicted.

I voted a qualified "No," because I don't expect the return of a healthy Q. I think we'll have a chance at the division if he's back in full form by August 1. I'm conceding the Wild Card to the AL East runner up.

I say we do assuming TCQ comes back healthy. I'm still not a believer in the Tigers rotation (outside of Verlander).

I voted yes by winning the division. I suppose it's an optimistic yes. I don't see the Wild Card coming out of the AL Central.

I voted yes by winning the division. I suppose it's an optimistic yes. I don't see the Wild Card coming out of the AL Central.

I voted yes even though I have my doubts. Last year we won because of the unexpected play of TCQ and Ramirez. This year we are getting unexpected play from Pods, Beckham causing the whole team to gel. Problem we get a very good season from Dye, Konerko, Buehrle and now we still need TCQ to come back in mvp form. If our pitching stays is adequate we might have a chance.

No way they win the WC.

 

I'm starting to believe in winning the ALC.

Said no.

 

And I'm glad nobody voted for the WC option so far.

there needs to be an undecided option.

No Wild Card. Al Central or Bust

I said no, but I'm really proud of the way the WSox have played and what their future looks like.

No Wild Card. Al Central or Bust

 

I agree with this 100%. We aren't going to beat the Yankees or Red Sox record at the end of the year. We have to beat the Twins and Tigers to make it.

The schedule in the second half is a bit tougher, but if they can beat up on their Central divison foes and keep pitching like they are pitching, and if Quentin comes back and is 80 percent of what he was in 2008, I think they would have to be the favorites. They are hitting close to .285 on the road I believe and are second in the AL in ERA. If someone told you that would be the case on July 1 you would figure they would have a decent lead. I don't think Detroit holds up, and I think KW adds at least one more piece to this team and the Sox win the division.

If Quentin comes back healthy and hits like last year, then yes.

I think our teams will go places if we continue to see production out of Floyd, Danks and Beckham. I really like our chances in this divison.

Forget the WC.

We can win the division, but I don't think we will.

We're hot right now. Everything seems great. I never thought we'd get this hot. If the starters keep it up and Beckham continues excellence (his bat has really helped the bottom of the order during our sizz) and Lexi keeps this up as well as Pods we can contend. I know those are three bats in a 9 man order, but we had too many automatic outs earlier.

I think we win the Central.

I thought at the start of the season that we would be a .500 ballclub but with Pods coming out of nowhere and with Gordon,the Count and hopefully a healthy TCQ,we can run away with the AL Central.

 

It's funny that now the the Sox are winning,nobody is crapping on Wise as much,though he has been a positive contributor as of late...

I am less than 50% confident in winning the division and 2% on winning the wild card. So I voted no.

If our pitching stays the way it is, we will win the Division. I like our rotation over Detroit's.

I voted no, but not a definite no. Winning the division is not out of the question, the Tigers aren't that good at all. The team is just hot right now and I don't want to fall for fool's gold. But if this pitching holds up, anything can happen, with or without CQ. s*** we lost our best hitter in '05 for the whole year and look how that turned out.

I voted a qualified "No," because I don't expect the return of a healthy Q. I think we'll have a chance at the division if he's back in full form by August 1. I'm conceding the Wild Card to the AL East runner up.

 

with the strides this team has made in the past weeks, across most positions, and in particular, the Rotation, I'm just not understanding why so many feel making the playoffs is solely dependent upon CQs return???

I thought at the start of the season that we would be a .500 ballclub but with Pods coming out of nowhere and with Gordon,the Count and hopefully a healthy TCQ,we can run away with the AL Central.

 

 

Were you the guy who called Rongey's postgame show last night? Some fan said we would run away with the division. He disagreed but said nobody would run away with the division. Det, Minn and Chi would all be right there.

with the strides this team has made in the past weeks, across most positions, and in particular, the Rotation, I'm just not understanding why so many feel making the playoffs is solely dependent upon CQs return???

 

I know you asked specifically about CQ's return, but to answer in a general manner. A lot of my reasoning was when I tore off the calendar page I saw July not September. It's a long season, with a lot more baseball to play. Hot streaks come and go. I will predict at least two or three more sub .500 stretches as well. I would have preferred a choice that allowed me to say I was 33% confident in winning the division.And that is waaaaay up from a month ago when I figured this was going to be a "when do the Bears start" kind of season.