DETROIT -- The White Sox's 5-10 record against first-place Minnesota tells only part of the story of their struggle to win the American League Central.
A 6-3 loss Thursday at Detroit - their third consecutive setback -- dropped them six games behind the Twins with 22 games left. The Sox, who have nine more consecutive games against AL Central opponents -- fell to 28-32 against division foes.
"We are talking about (four) games under .500 in our division, and that's why we are where we are right now," manager Ozzie Guillen said after the Sox were held to four hits. "Those are very important."
There are no assurances of wins this weekend against fourth-place Kansas City, which took two of three games from the Sox three weekends ago that dropped them five games back.
Nor were they guaranteed of wins at Detroit, where the Sox were 32-19 at Comerica Park before dropping three of four.
"We couldn't make the right pitches, our defense struggled, our hitting was flat," said Guillen, giving some of the credit to Detroit's pitching staff. "We had a lot of guys that took a few 0-for's the last two days. When you put all these things together, it's hard to win games."
Carlos Quentin's throwing error was the Sox's 18th miscue in their past 15 games.The addition of Manny Ramirez hasn't stretched the production of the Sox's lineup. Ramirez is hitless in his past eight at-bats, and the Sox's Nos. 5-9 hitters are a combined 0-for-30 in their past two games.
Guillen hoped that the Sox would be no more than three games behind Minnesota entering their three-game showdown starting Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. But that seems highly improbable.
Meanwhile, the Sox recognize the sense of urgency as second baseman Gordon Beckham hopes to return from a sore right hand that has sidelined him for the past three games.
"The season is very short now and everybody knows where we have to go, and I think everybody is geared toward winning this division," Beckham said. "And I think we can do it, and obviously I want to be a part of it. As soon as I can get back in there I will."
But until Tuesday, the Sox are in a win-and-hope mode after finishing a 7-3 trip while Minnesota went 8-1 during the same 11-day span.
"It's hard," Alex Rios said. "But we haven't quit. For me, it's over when the season is over. You never know what can happen.
"Minnesota has been playing (well), but they haven't been in that bad stretch. It could happen at any moment and we could take advantage of that if it happens. So, we just have to keep grinding and playing hard."
Photo: Gavin Floyd walks off the mound after the third inning on Thursday. (Paul Sancya/AP)
See Freddy, if I were to be a cubbs fan I never have to worry about a pennant race. The race would be between the cubbs and the Pirettes over the worst team in baseball. Go Pitts.
Twins vs. Sox -10 wins/5 losses
Sox vs. Twins -5 wins/10 losses
That is all you have to know.
LOL, I love these Sox "fans" criticizing Gardenhire's Play off record....
YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT TO THE PLAY OFFS, something the Sox haven't done.
One fluke in the last 95 years....quite the dynasty LMAO watch out Yankees, here come the Sux
GO TWINS
GO ROYALS
quote: The Magic Dragon on September 9, 2010 6:18 PM
Not if Thome has a fractured skull.
++++++++++++
Karma will be paying you a visit soon ya little gutless troll
PAULIE-Most Vanished Player in the second half LOL
How's the back doin Paulie? You can thank the magic dragon for the bad karma!
GAWK? You stuck a fork in the Sox in May did you? They led the division at the break so I guess your fork was forked. In the end you have to give credit to the Twins, they have played great ball since then and we have been ordinary. They also had the brains to pick up Matt Capps, Brian Fuentes and Mike Flores. All three are capable relief pitchers. Smart moves by a smart organisation.
Gardenhire is 1-9 is his last 10 playoff games.....Ozzie is 12-4 in the playoffs since he has been manager.
I love these "graceful winner" Twins fans who come over here and say we choked. 7-3 is not a bad roadtrip. Yet, the Sox lost 2 games in the standings during that time.
I, unlike you, will just give credit to the Twins, who have gone out and taken the division. I also wish them good luck if they win the division. I would rather see the Twins win than the Yanks.
You don't always have to be a hater.
1 BOBBY JENKS CAN'T SAVE GAME IN NINTH 2FREDDY GARCIA GOOD FIRST HALF BUT HE'SHOWING AGE 3PAUL KONERKO HITS HOME RUNS BUT STIKE'S OUT MORE 4MARK KOTSAY NOT GOOD DH AT ALL.
dusty's toothpick on September 9, 2010 8:10 PM
Yeah, Twinkees, and the Twits just wait to choke in the playoffs so they can charge 150% of face value to you losers for the playoff tickets. Enjoy the spanking from the AL East again.
LOL...Sox fans are such idiots...LOL
When you think about it, it is much more difficult to win a division title than say a playoff or world series title. In the playoffs, you just need to win 3 or 4 games. But to win a division, a team needs to be consistant, overcome injuries, and make adjustments. Maybe that is why the White Sox win a world series once every 95 years. Translated: Year 2100 will be the year of the Sox!
Recent history repeating itself:
White Sox second half record under Ozzie: 242-256 .486%
Twins second half record under Gardenhire: 367-269 .577%
This is why I was not really worried about Sox holding onto their all-star break lead. The Sox have a tendency to choke in the second half under Ozzie.
The Cubs may suck, but their fans are sure clever! 102 years and counting for the most futile franchise in professional sports, but hey, who's counting?
I like saying "plunk." And it's the only way I can think of for the Sox to win - disable other teams' players. That may sound dishonest and lazy to you, but that's my approach to life. It's gotten me to where I am now.
It is almost over now.
The fork is not in yet but it is just about to break the skin.
At least they were entertaining, relevant and in the race till September.
It was a fun summer.
How about you Cub fans?
How was your season?
I will put my money on the White Sox being the better team next year too. Go Pirates!
R. Gardenhire on September 9, 2010 4:14 PM
I wish I had a World Series win on my resume like Ozzie does. Come to think of it, I wish I had a playoff series win.
------------------------------------------------------------
2002 ALDS, Twins beat the A's 3 games to 2. If you're going to be a jerk, at least be a jerk who is right!
Southside Johnny:
Not if Thome has a fractured skull.
PAULIE FOR MVP
The Magic Dragon
STICK WITH THE SOX
Lets just make this easy for you guys. If the Twins go 13-9 in their last 22 (they will probably win more), the Sox will have to go 19-3 just to tie the division. 20-2 to win it. Its ova, as hawkeroo would say.
Hey Disgusted, are you a moron? To refresh your memory, the 2005 Sox lead from the start to the finish. The lead went down to 2 games, but the Sox lead from start to finish. You are the idiot.
just remember who the sox played in the national league. andlook at who the Twins played. The sox were really not that great. so sorry
"16 of the last 22 games are home at US Cellular. That is where we win this thing." Nice pipe dream Hawk, but in your own words, this thing is OVAR. The only positive from today was the Twins had the day off. Six games back, and no hope. Yet, if you purchase season tickets for the remaining home games, and place a deposit for 2011 season tickets, you'll get a chance on 2010 Sox playoff tickets...WTF. Does Reinsdorf really think we are that stupid?
I wish I had a World Series win on my resume like Ozzie does. Come to think of it, I wish I had a playoff series win.
What happened to all the dullards who thought we were such a strong team? We need you now more than ever, even if you can't afford tickets.
Suckers.
Easy on Ozzie. Detroit is still good club. The Twins just play harder.
You get Manny- for about a million a game- good luck with that cancer. We call up a third baseman from our farm system and now wouldn't trade him for Manny or anyone else on your team except Konerko. Better look higher up in the organization than Ozzie- Kenny Williams maybe?
We will win the division.
Why? WE HAVE MANNY. Plain and simple, the BEST hitter in the game, not debatable
He's a game changer and once he heats up, he will carry this team to the promised land.
Sox just need to "plunk" the entire Twins lineup so they are out for the season, then the Twins will have to have all the minor leaguers play the remaining games.
Sox win Ducksnort MERCY!
You can put it on the booooooard THEY GONE!!!!
!
Sir Dragon of Richmond Indiana
Stick the MANNY
MANNY FOR MVP!!!
1919?
If we shut down Freddie Garcia, at least we will have 1 pitcher finish the year over .500.
I sure am glad we spent that 4 mil on Manny, it's not like we'll need that money next year anyway.
Disgusted on September 9, 2010 3:23 PM
..................
You have always been the biggest fool on these boards and once again you have showed us all why, congrats.
"Disgusted"
You used the word idiots in each of your three sentences, nice work.
2010 Twins MVP...........Kenny Williams
Can we forfeit those games against Minnesota next week? Haven't we been through enough embarrassment and humiliation? Thome is gonna come in here and hit a few 450 footers straight away center field. Our 5-9 hitters will be lucky to just put a ball in play. I'm so tired of watching this team lose. The Tigers this week, KC this weekend, and the Twins next week. Getting ManRam was the final straw. Go Twins!!
You people are idiots and morons and anything else you can think of if you think for one minute that this team won't come back and win this division. Don't you remember 2005, idiots. We are the team to beat morons, the Twins will lose this division by 5, idiots.
Dear Tigers -
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Twins Nation
Dear White Sox Fans,
Everyone thinks that I am a dink. Well most people are correct. I have been secretly been helping my real team, the Minnesota Twins, win games for years in this division. The secret you ask? I pretty much make sure that Ozzie always has some conspiracy theories in his little brain on why everyone is always out to get us. Then I piss off my teammates so they can not focus on the game.
But my best job here is secretly sending the GM notes on how everyone hates him and if dosen't make a ridiculous trade or aquisition from waivers, we will hunt him down.
Another great year in the books, can't wait to get out golfing. See you guys next year.
Luv,
AJ Pierzynski
I have been a season ticket hold since 1973.
- 10265
Which means you've been to two world series games in Chicago - both of them brought to you by OZZIE.
You can throw Ozzie under the bus based on his record after the All-Star game. But "the worst manager in baseball"?
What kind of baseball do you play?
Mark Liptak on September 9, 2010 3:09 PM
Stick a fork in them.
Five more wins for a winning season.
Mark Liptak
_____________________
Anyone who understands baseball stuck the fork in back in March, the rest in May. Honestly, how baseball stupid does someone have to be to have not seen this coming months ago?
Stick a fork in them.
Five more wins for a winning season.
Mark Liptak
I told you this team would walk away with this division. Now it's straight to the World Series for us and the greatest pitching staff in history.
I don't think there is any question that Ozzie Guillen is the worst manager in baseball. But I don't think he will be getting fired any time soon, the guy sells tickets to idiots and that has always been more valuable than a win in the world of the White Sox.
Look for more of the same swing for the fence, zero fundamental baseball in 2011 from this sad organization. And before anyone starts screaming Cubs fan, I have been a season ticket hold since 1973.
This is unfair! Something needs to be done before it's too late.
Go Twins! Saints = dirtiest team in football.
Comes as no surprise that the Sox 5-9 hitters went 0-30 in this series.Anyone who has been able to listen to the opposing clubs feeds on MLB extra innings has heard it said by too many announcers and color men:the Sox swing for the fences and try to pull everything.Consensus among the announcers is slider down and away against the Sox hitters.This season has proven them correct.The season ended today,the Sox need to examine ALL aspects of the organization.
lvsoxfan on September 9, 2010 2:53 PM
It does look like we found a 3rd baseman through all this,
_____________________________
Who?
I bet Kenny goes back after Josh Fields.
It's so nice to be playing on a good team.
You can't tell anything about a team until they are 162 games into a season. So if you think this team isn't going to win the world series then you don't know anything about baseball.
Looks like the SUX are finished! Y-ES!!
Another game robbed by bad umpiring and "plunking" of Sox players.
Daggummit, it's not fair I tell ya, sox got "plunked" by MLB! This schedule is not fair, sox should ONLY have to play the last place teams in all of the divisions.
wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
We got ducksnorted right out of Detroit and left with this can o corn. STRETCH!!!!!!! Stay fair! thank you very much Mercy
By the time you finish reading this post, the White Sux season will be ovahhhhhhhhhhh
You can put it on the boooooard YES!
you can stop now boys
Sir Dragon of Minnesota
Stick with the TWINS
what happened in 1919? hmmmm
William Ligue Jr is my hero
TEHAN FOR MVP
Well, 7-3 on the road against decent teams is pretty good, but we needed some help as all teams do. The Twins took care of business by beating a bunch of door mats at home. So congratulate them on winning the division and let's move on. It does look like we found a 3rd baseman through all this, but now we need someone to teach him to hit major league pitching. OOOOPS!!!!! We don't have anyone.
The Sox will never win if they keep on losing! It aint over till it's over.
The Sox commercials always tell how great of a fan I am and how our players play white sox baseball so I know it must be true. We are the team to beat.
YIPPY YIPPY YIPPY
Hey, A.J., how does six games back taste?
Comon yuz guyz, leave my team alone.
You all do know that it was the umpires, and those constant bad calls in the games we lost. I mean, why could Uncle Bud have allowed AJ's lap dog, Doug Eddings to umpire all of our games. You act like you all think that Eddings would be a 'plant', do you? ? ?
And the ol StonePony, When he was doing Cubs games, he would have called them like they were. But now, he's a big 'organization' guy - hear no evil, speak no evil.
I think the Stone Pony knows this is his last chance at a 'gig' and he doesn't want to loose his 'celebrity genius' status.
Now you all can listen tomorrow to the Cub-hater, Mully, and you know what, he will barely be mentioning the Sox game. Funny how that works.
Call your sons! Call your daughters! Call your friends! Call your neighbors! The Twins are a much better teams than us.
You're kidding, right? Sox had Washington and Pittsburgh. Twins had Philly and Colorado.
___________________________________________________________
ldc on September 9, 2010 12:58 PM
We put out the best team in baseball again this year and we got cheated by the league and it's umpires or we would have been 22 games in front of everyone in baseball today. If you just look at our interleague schedule you will see what I see, the Twins play nothing but the worst teams and we played only the NL's best, we got the Yankees, Phillies and the Rays and it's just not fair. That's 15 games they stole from us right there.
I still say we will win the division and have the greatest team of the last few decades, but we will have to keep fighting the forces to do it.
I know you boys can do it to.
________________________________________________________
Sox deader then Hawk's relative.
You can putta 'em in the ground, YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!
This is completely unfair. Congressional hearings should implemented to determine why the Sox (the best team ever)are being robbed of wins by the umps, the Twins, the Tigers, Manny...
Don't worry, there's no way the Twins can win it this year, they only win because of that dome they play in. It's unfair.
We'll own them now.
Fantastic! Manny flies out, and the losers lose again. The series with the Twins next week is meaningless.
I'm sure it was the umpires, an "unfair" schedule, jockstraps worn too tight or something else totally out of left field (pardon the pun). I mean, they're they best team in baseball. Right?
You can put it on the boooooooaard, heeeeeyessss!! Mercy.
Stick a fork in them!
Wonderful news! Twins extending their lead with a day off.
Alice Rios and nothing else.
I bet these fans still can't figure out why this team sucks.
Sox fans, the dumbest in baseball.
Nick on September 9, 2010 2:05 PM
All the White Sox losses at the beginning of the season are what is keeping the Sox from winning the division.
_________________________
What's keeping them from winning the division is they are crappy team. They had 5 bad months and 1 good month, not the other way around.
All the White Sox losses at the beginning of the season are what is keeping the Sox from winning the division. 7-3 on the road is not bad at all.
Gavin Fold is living up to his reputation again, even when he gets out of an innings he looks bad doing it. Nothing but liners again today. Ouch.
If the Twins win at their season average pace the rest of the season, all the Sox have to do is go 21-1 the rest of the way to catch them.
I am enjoying this very much.
There's only 1 division in baseball where there 1st place team has a bigger lead over 2nd place than the Twins have over us and that's only because the A's are under 500.
We put out the best team in baseball again this year and we got cheated by the league and it's umpires or we would have been 22 games in front of everyone in baseball today. If you just look at our interleague schedule you will see what I see, the Twins play nothing but the worst teams and we played only the NL's best, we got the Yankees, Phillies and the Rays and it's just not fair. That's 15 games they stole from us right there.
I still say we will win the division and have the greatest team of the last few decades, but we will have to keep fighting the forces to do it.
I know you boys can do it to.
This just keeps getting better.
Down 2-0 right out of the gate! Couldn't ask for anything better! Na na na nah. Na na na nah. Hey hey hey, GOODBYE!!!