I was never expecting this to be the White Sox year. I described them as having a "third-place roster" at the start of the season. They've stayed in the race longer than I expected, playing meaningful games well into August.
But it appears this team is starting to run out of steam now. Over the last two weeks, they've gone about the business of losing the American League Central Division race in the cruelest way possible. Eight losses in 11 games, five of them by one run, three of them in walk-off fashion.
Look at the last three games. The Sox took a 2-1 lead into the ninth against Detroit on Saturday. They lost 3-2. The Sox took a 7-6 lead into the eighth Sunday against the Tigers. They lost 13-8. On Tuesday, former Sox DH Jim Thome hit a two-run homer off Matt Thornton in the bottom of the 10th to turn a 6-5 Sox lead into a 7-6 Minnesota victory.
This last two-week stretch has been difficult to watch, as the Sox have gone from having a 1 1/2-game lead in the division to being four games behind the Twins. Minnesota has its two best pitchers going the next two nights, Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano. It is safe to say the Sox season is hanging by a thread.
We can't even say the Sox laid down for the Twins on Tuesday. Usually, you can find the Sox cowering in the corner when they play at Minnesota. But not tonight. In this latest loss, the Sox overcame an early 4-0 deficit, as starting pitcher John Danks was nowhere near his best. The Sox eventually forced the extra innings when Alexei Ramirez homered off Minnesota closer Matt Capps in the ninth to tie the score at 5-5. Ramirez came through again in the 10th, knocking in pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge with a single to give the Sox a 6-5 lead. This wasn't your usual "lay-down-and-die-against-Minnesota" performance.
The Sox ended up getting beat with their best reliever, Thornton, on the mound. What can you do? What can you say? The Sox can't win right now, and they're struggling at a time when they are playing critical head-to-head games against Minnesota.
A season can get away from a team quickly when it slumps at the wrong time. You get the sinking feeling that's what we are witnessing from the Sox right now. There are two more games left in this Minnesota series, and the Sox have to win at least one of them or they've got no shot in hell of making the playoffs.
I really can't blame Ozzie for leaving in Thornton...I wouldn't have thought Jenks or Putz would've been able to keep the Twins from scoring in the 10th. I thought it was the right call, Thornton just got unlucky. :(
This was double as bad listening to the Twins broadcast and hearing Bert get all excited over the Twins "first walk-off HR in their new ballpark's history."
I give a lot of credit to Alexei Ramirez for not going down without a fight. Maybe the rest of the series won't be so bad.
Heather,
I don't blame Ozzie for leaving Thornton in either. Apparently, Jenks was not available. That being the case, sticking with Thornton was the best option. It just didn't work out.
Whenever a closer gets injured or becomes ineffective - as has been the case with Jenks since the All-Star break - it creates havoc in a bullpen. Ineffective relief pitching has killed the Sox in their last three games.
As for Bert, he's an idiot. I think it's hysterical he keeps getting left out of the Hall of Fame, despite his having Hall-worthy career statistics. A lot of people around baseball think Bert is an ass, and that's why he hasn't been elected yet.
Last night's loss was the most heartbreaking, gut-wrenching defeat we've experienced all season. It hurt more than the last game of the series against the Twins last month up at Target Field, more than Jenks' blown save on Mother's Day, and more than any of the losses from this past weekend. Hopefully, the Sox can right the ship, if for no other reason than to make these last six weeks of baseball somewhat entertaining for us Sox fans.
One more thing... "Circle Me Bert" is a total tool.