White Sox Have A Chance, Kind Of...

Let's talk White Sox.

Let's talk about the team that is not supposed to do anything substantial this year from the standpoint of earning a trip to the playoffs, or even having a winning record. There is a first year head coach, a slew of young, unproven players mixed with a group of older can-they-still-be-good players. The pitching staff is questionable and the bullpen is raw, especially in the closer role. Yet, they find themselves with a solid 3-2 record, which essentially means nothing at this point. But I would rather that than the 1-5 Red Sox who are still seen as a team with potential of a postseason appearance. As early as it may be, this question will continue to linger: Can the White Sox keep this up?

The Tigers are a clearly superior team on paper. They have the big boppers, and a stellar batting average to compliment the reigning MVP Cy Young winner on the mound. However, Jose Valverde has blown two saves, their #2 starter has a 23.60 ERA, and their 4-5 starters are completely unproven in their roles. Granted, they will score a lot of runs this year, but they do have flaws, and the White Sox have a team that can exploit them.

Maybe this is the homer in me, but after five games, the offense is not nearly as bad as everyone had initally anticipated. The major holes are the lack of production from Brent Morel and Gordon Beckham who are trading time in the 2 spot currently. De Aza is playing better than his potential, and Rios and Dunn are showing signs of life after they were dead and buried from the previous season. Then veterans Paul Konerko and AJ Pierzynski round out the lineup with the heaviest, most consistent bats. This trend will not continue throughout the season on all aspects, but if they can get timely hitting, stay calm under large deficits, and render a rotation that can keep them in each game, there is a chance they can finish the season above .500 and even make a run at an outside playoff spot. Granted, the odds are still not in their favor, but baseball is strange game.

Let's see how everything pans out after their first true test this weekend as the division-favored Tigers cruise in town for three games at the Cell. If the Sox can take two out of three, they may gain a few more believers.