Toronto blues

(Picture Courtesy of http://www.wikimedia.com/)

After watching the Chicago White Sox play tonight with some of the tightest sphincters in this already long season, I can't help but feel as though I forced this loss. The day after I glorify Andruw Jones and Paul Konerko for the seasons they are having what happens?

Andruw Jones goes 0-3 and Paul Konerko develops a sudden neck cramp. What the hell have I done?

I committed the one cardinal sin for writers that cover their favorite team: I praised guys who are notorious for bad starts and baby injuries.

Not only do I own both of these players on my fantasy team (currently in first place due to their out of body playing), but I am completely dependent on these guys doing well. I get what I deserve for jinxing my team and I apologize. So now that we got that out of the way...

Thursday night in the first game of their home series against Toronto, the Sox started the obese Ramon Castro, the irrelevant Jason Nix, and the largest slumper on the team Mark Kotsay (in three at bats, Kotsay faced eight pitches, EIGHT!) , the team is now seven games behind those pesky Twins and digging themselves a hole not even Ozzie Guillen can talk his way out of.


What gets me the most is that the White Sox have this tendency to waste quality starts by John Danks and other pitchers on the staff. Tonight, Danks, gave up only two runs on a Fred Davis double in the fifth inning. That's it. Two runs? Your telling me a Major League Baseball team cannot score two runs? For heavens sakes, I know some 7th grade softball players that could score two runs against a guy who has a career 5.46 ERA.

Can a fella get a run please?

The Sox were 0-4 on the night with runners in scoring position; having six guys go 0 for whatever. The Sox are now 19-29 against the Toronto Blue Jays under The Wizard of Oz; a stat that makes me want to plop down on the couch, throw in my DVD of the South Siders run to the World Series in '05 and sulk into my White Sox Snuggie to remember a time less frustrating than this.

I just don't understand how a team like Toronto, who has not been relevant since the 90's, have become the Achilles heel, kryptonite, black magic, and weakness of an Ozzie Guillen ran ball club. It's absolutely disgusting.

This team needs to figure themselves out and quickly. Ozzie and Kenny need to get everyone on board with "Ozzie Ball" or the normal "Homerun dependent" baseball. I'm simply speculating, but with the recent rumors that Kenny Williams is looking at Lance Berkman as a possible fit here on the South Side, I'm guessing Ozzie Ball is seeing its last days. If that is the case, Kenny needs to tell Ozzie, who is known for having a closed ear from time to time, that his way of playing ball simply is not working (and if you need the proof, I can surely find some stats for you Kenny).

This Sox team needs to start scoring runs before they fall 12 games behind a Twins team with an amazing offense and consistent pitching staff. If guys like Carlos Quentin, Mark Kotsay, Gordon Beckham, Mark Teahen, Jason Nix, and Juan Pierre continue on this path of little league pop ups and slow rollers to the pitchers mound, the White Sox are going to waste what should be one of the better pitching staffs in baseball.

Is two runs to much to ask for?

If it's against Toronto or Cleveland , I suppose it is.

-Jerry Scherwin Jr