http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/51...L7PQLanchO7DiUr

 

Pretty complimentary article from our biggest rival's hometown newspaper.

 

"Add it up and the White Sox look like the best team in the AL Central, despite losing the first three games of their series with division- leading Detroit this weekend."

 

 

The White Sox play the Yankees 7 times, Red Sox 8 times, Angels 6 times, Seattle 6 times (27 games)... 16 of those games are on the road... All of those teams are tough and would be winning the AL Central if they were in it (except Seattle but the would only be 1 GB).... That doesn't include the times they play the twins (9 games, 5-4 head to head) and tigers (7 games, 4-7 head to head, on the road at DET to end the season)... The Tigers play @ Red Sox 4 times, @ Angles 3 times, Tampa Bay 7 times, Seattle 3 times, they also play @ texas, and toronto........

 

 

64 games remaing for White Sox, 43 of them described as "very tough." It's going to take a major miracle or a injury to key elements of the Twins or Tigers to pull this off.

Seems to me that their points refute their thesis.

Let's face it. The Tigers aren't that good, we are simply playing some of our worst baseball of the season right now. Their bullpen isn't great, but is better than ours right now. Their starters are not great, minus the two studs. Their offense is old and slow, too. They are also killing the arm of their top prospect, as well as Jackson/Verlander by how many innings/pitches they are throwing. Per usual, talent-wise the Sox are probably the best team, but that always means s***. My favorite is Twins believe it or not. Despite their pitching woes, they can mash in the middle of that order and they have a pretty easy schedule from here on out, not having to face the top three AL East teams the rest of the year. They also have the best manager in the division. I just think the Sox schedule for the next 1.5 weeks will really bury them because there is no way the Yankees don't take 3/4 against us.

 

We have always played the Red Sox and Yankees pretty tough. We did a great job with the Rays, it's just that Twins series (both teams might be coming off historic 4 game sweepings) in the Dome that looms even more scary.

 

All things considered, the Tigers and Twins should be co-favorites to win the division at this point, with the obvious advantage to the Tigers because of their lead.

So basically what they are saying is that August is a big month, and that September is a big month...for not only the White Sox... but also the Twins and Tigers!

 

Or you are all saying that. Or you aren't saying that, but you want to say that.

 

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

ok then

Edited July 26, 200916 yr by witesoxfan

In before swarm of negative posters

In before swarm of negative posters

 

BUT 3 GAMES BACK NEVER COMING BACK SELL THE FARM

I don't know if we should do anything other than "stand pat" until the end of the month...or sell off Dotel, Anderson and MAYBE Josh Fields if we can find "buyers" for them that make it worth our while.

 

Still have mixed feelings about Fields, because our back-ups in the minors essentially are CJ Retherford, Morel and Viciedo.

 

It's going to be a tough decision on moving Beckham to 2B and what to do with Fields. If they get knocked out of the race, I'd love to seem them move Beckham to SS and try Ramirez in CF for the remainder of the season, playing Fields at 3B...that way we'd have a much better read on Beckham defensively at SS, Alexei's CF defense, and whether Getz and/or Fields should be penciled in as "everyday" starters coming into 2010.

 

Of course, that means moving Pods to a back-up role, which he doesn't really deserve based on his level of play...he could still alternate with Quentin or they could just shut down Quentin for the rest of the season, too.

 

 

Uh, who cares what the Minn Star Tribune says?

If they get knocked out of the race, I'd love to seem them move Beckham to SS and try Ramirez in CF for the remainder of the season, playing Fields at 3B...

 

I don't want to watch the paltry baseball that would be required leading up to this if we are in such a bad position in the standings that we make these moves. That would require a total collapse of all fundamentals.

I don't want to watch the paltry baseball that would be required leading up to this if we are in such a bad position in the standings that we make these moves. That would require a total collapse of all fundamentals.

 

3-17 doesn't sound good to you?

I was impressed the way we played the Rays. Im actually impressed with our starting pitching during this Detroit series as well. Honeslty our offense really hasn't come up with a big hit when needed and our pen seems to be in its dead arm stage. We reached this point last year at the same time im pretty sure. Many analysts seem to be favoring the Sox recently. Yesterday Mark Grace and Chris Rose said they like the Sox as well.

 

Some good signs:

*We are playing better at home. (7-3 in the month of July)

*The Twins seem to be stumbling a bit also and we face off with them next. (Lost 4 in a row)

*Beckham and Pods continue to impress.

 

Some bad signs:

*The Tigers have a ton of momentum after taking the first 3. The last thing we need is for them to get hot during the toughest stretch of the season.

*We play in the metrodome next. We all know that place is the house of horrors and the Sox suck there.

*Bobby Jenks is losing all of his confidence. Thats the last thing we need in a pennant race.

Edited July 26, 200916 yr by GreatScott82

Uh, who cares what the Minn Star Tribune says?

 

We care when it is complimentary

So, what you are saying is: the team that wins more games will win the division?

"*The Tigers have a ton of momentum after taking the first 3."

 

Momentum means nothing. We went into Detroit on a perfect game.

BP's PECOTA projections favor us as well (and BP normally hates us).

 

They have us with a 48% chance to the win the division with Detroit at 34%, and Minnesota at 17%.

 

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

 

That was also the projection before our win last night. So I assume we will be slightly higher once that win hits.

 

It seems like we are going to have a rollercoaster ride for the rest of the season. We go from (MIN, NYY, LAA) to (CLE, SEA, OAK, KC, BAL) to (BOS, NYY, MIN, CHC, BOS) to get us past Labor Day.

 

It will probably come down to that final series in Detroit in October.

Edited July 27, 200916 yr by RME JICO