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Chicago White Sox midseason report

Thu 12th, July 2007

(Sports Network) - Flat. Pathetic. A joke. Little League.

These are all words used by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to describe the play of his team over the past three months. It has been that type of a season for a team only two years removed from a World Series title. Even general manager Kenny Williams has publicly called out his players, referring to his team's performance as "embarrassing," and vowing that personnel changes would be made because he is "tired of watching this." Such is life for a club ranked dead last in the majors in team batting average (.241). A bad hop turns into a tough loss. A tough loss turns into two. Two losses spawn a losing skid. And just like that, the White Sox find themselves only two games in front of the last-place Kansas City Royals in the American League Central standings. Injuries have played a big role in the team's misfortunes. Center fielder Darin Erstad has missed time with an ankle injury. Left fielder Scott Podsednik was out of action for two months, then landed back on the disabled list on July 3rd with a rib injury. Designated hitter Jim Thome also had a rib injury which forced him out of action for a month. Backup catcher Toby Hall missed the first six weeks of the season and struggled at the plate upon his return. Third baseman Joe Crede and utilityman Pablo Ozuna are lost for the season. Still, all teams must face injury problems over the course of a 162-game schedule. The fact of the matter is, many of the White Sox players are simply not performing up to par. Several veteran players, it seems, are having career-worst years all at the same time. Right fielder Jermaine Dye, who hit .315 with 120 RBIs last year, is currently batting just .214 with 39 RBIs and has become the subject of swirling trade rumors. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski, a career .284 hitter, is batting just .244. Shortstop Juan Uribe is hitting .232. Even team captain Paul Konerko saw his average sit below .250 until late June. As bad as the hitting has been, the bullpen has been arguably worse. From May 8 to June 24, Chicago relievers combined for a 2-11 record and an unsightly 8.12 ERA. Closer Bobby Jenks, who was the team's lone representative in Tuesday's All-Star game, is Guillen's only reliable arm out of the 'pen. Problem is, Guillen must find a way to bridge the gap between starter and closer. He joked a few weeks back about having his starters pitch six innings and Jenks pitch three. With the White Sox still 13 games back in the division, the joke isn't quite so funny anymore. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Clearly, nobody in the everyday lineup is deserving of such an honor. Looking at the pitching staff, it may be a toss up between Mark Buerhle and Jenks. Jenks has converted 23 saves out of 26 opportunities and has nearly a 3-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Buerhle, of course, has a no- hitter already under his belt to go along with his new four-year, $56 million contract. He has compiled a 6-4 record and a 3.03 ERA. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT - The offense. Every single White Sox player who carries a bat has been a huge disappointment. SECOND-HALF PREDICTION - Williams has stood by his position that changes need to be made. Speculation was that one of those changes would be having Buehrle shipped out, but that never came to fruition and the impending free agent was instead rewarded with a hefty contract. "We're in fourth place," Williams told the team's official site while describing his stance on making personnel changes. "We still need to play better baseball as a whole, and we still need to have a better approach offensively. Until we see something out there that we can consider being championship-caliber, then I think we have to stay in that mode." So will the front office be selling the farm? And if so, what names will be moved prior to the July 31st trade deadline? Is this team capable of a resurgence in the standings? Many questions are still in need of an answer. If the GM comes out and says he is making changes, then it's a good bet he will. It's possible Dye will be shipped out to a team that's in need of power and willing to take a chance on that the slugger will snap out of his funk. As for the White Sox, it's not out of the realm of possibility to think this team is capable of warming up offensively. However, they are simply in the wrong division to make up a lot of ground in a hurry, as the Tigers, Indians and Twins are sure to keep the wins coming. Expect the White Sox to finish right where they are now, in fourth place and in need of answers.