It is safe to say that this has been a tough season for the Chicago White Sox. We are one week away from the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the Sox are well under .500 with an eye already on next season. Last night’s 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs marks the first time since 1998 that the White Sox have been swept in the Windy City Series. The White Sox find themselves in last place in the American League Central with a record of 34-52 and they appear to be ready to throw in the towel. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005 and once again made the playoffs in 2008, but since then it has been a steady decline for the South Siders and it might be time for the dreaded word “rebuilding” to be used for this team.
Last season was the first year for Robin Ventura as the manager of the White Sox. Ventura’s calm demeanor was a big difference from the mass hysteria that the White Sox endured under former manager Ozzie Guillen. The White Sox responded last season by shocking most people by winning 85 games and only losing out to the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central Title by 3 games. This season has not seen the South Siders have the same cohesion on the field.
Last season the White Sox only committed 70 errors which was the fewest in the AL. This season in just 86 games the White Sox have already committed 58 errors which is the third most in the American League.
The White Sox have not been at .500 since May 26th when they swept a three-game series from the Miami Marlins. Since that time the White Sox are only 10-28 and they have endured two losing streaks of at least five games.
The White Sox franchise has always been known to hit home runs, but this season the team is 13th in the AL with 81 home runs and they have only scored 314 runs which is last. The White Sox are also 12th in the American League in team batting average at .244.
As White Sox president of baseball operations Kenny Williams looks to re-tool this team, he must now deal with a rash of injuries to this veteran team. Starting pitcher Gavin Floyd’s season came to an end in May after suffering an elbow injury and with an expiring contract he may have thrown his last pitch for the team. Age is beginning to catch up with White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko who was recently placed on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury. Before that the 37-year old Konerko had only hit 7 home runs this season which is way down from his average of 31 homers per season as his 422 career home runs are second most in franchise history. The often injured White Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy could be valuable to contending teams at the trade deadline, but he is currently sidelined with a broken rib. Peavy has a 6-4 record on the season with a 4.30 earned run average and 66 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched.
Williams will continue to look for young building blocks to put around young pitchers Addison Reed and Chris Sale. Sale was 17-8 last season with a 3.08 earned run average as he made an All-Star Game appearance. Sale’s earned run average this season is 2.78, but he hasn’t always been handed run support which is evident by his 5-8 record. At least Sale’s contributions haven’t gone unnoticed as Tigers manager Jim Leyland selected him to the American League’s All-Star team. Reed was worthy of making the AL All-Star team as well as his 22 saves on the year are tied for fifth in the American League.
The White Sox have not finished in last place since 1976 when they were 64-97. It won’t get any easier for the White Sox as they finish up the first half of the season on the road with three games against the Tigers and three versus the Philadelphia Phillies. The season has gotten away from the White Sox and it is time to look ahead to 2014.
Source:Baseball-reference.com
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