Story so Far/Getting Waaaay Ahead of Selves

CHICAGO - The White Sox are the defending World Champions. They currently have the second best record in baseball. Attendance is up 20 percent. And nobody's happy.

Some of the fans' and pundits' concerns are legitimate (no stick at all in center field, instability in the bullpen) some are not (mediocre road record, moderate difficulty with left handers). People, it seems, have forgotten the struggles the White Sox endured last year (Konerko, Crede and Dye through May, the whole team in August).

Let me remind these people of the facts:
1. Every pitcher on the staff has struggled at some point this year except the top starter (Contreras) and the closer (Jenks). But the team ERA has gone done a full run each of the last 2 months. The bullpen features two increasingly reliable left-handers and a righty who would be a third starter anywhere else in the league. And there is hope that Dustin Hermanson - who was having an All Star caliber season last year before back trouble felled him - could return after the All Star break.

2. All their games with New York and Boston are upcoming (a reality that cuts both ways, natch), but the White Sox are in fine position almost halfway through the toughest month of their schedule. And while it certainly seems Detroit has enough pitching to hang in all year, the playoff possibilities in the AL Central are seeming less like an either/or proposition every day.

So yeah taking into account the returning talent and the influx of good players over the offseason it is fair to say maybe the White Sox have not played as well as they're capable yet this year. The scary thing is it's possible they could win it all playing less than their best. As a White Sox fan though, um, I'd rather they not go that route.
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I went to see the White Sox play the Tigers twice last week and agree with esteemed colleague Hud that Detroit very well could represent the American League in the World Series, especially if they win the Central and were to start the playoffs at home.

Moving on down Speculation Road, it is hard to imagine the current Tiger lineup getting past the Sox if they pitch like they did in last year's Championship Series. Then again they haven't done anything this year to make me think that we'll happen. So yeah, ROAR!!!
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Lest we forget, J-Grim has a long history of practicing the nefarious arts.