Live and Let Bye...No Chance

The White Sox had a pretty adventurous week. It started with two consecutive wins over the rival Minnesota Twins, and the news before Thursday afternoon's game that a deal was in place for them to acquire Jake Peavy from San Diego. Oops. Then they went on and gave new definition to the old cliche about being "taken out behind the woodshed" with a 20-1 loss in the finale against the Twins. It was more lopsided than the score would have you believe.

So naturally on the heels of a 20-1 loss, the Sox proceeded to throw back-to-back shutouts and were on the verge of the sweep when normally automatic closer Bobby Jenks blew his first save for a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates (this year being an unusual scheduling quirk in which the Sox and Cubs did not play, as traditional, on the first weekend on interleague play; in fact, for the first time ever the Crosstown Classic will be a mid-week affair at Wrigley come June).

Most would expect another flat, predictably stupid West Coast trip to follow such a deflating loss. I don't know what it is, but the Sox and horrendous play in the Pacific time zone (save three glorious nights in October 2005) have been like the Masters and CBS - partners for a tradition unlike any other. Current score? White Sox 16, Angels 3. You just never know.

Speaking of 2005, and as a recent refuge of the Southland I have personal experience with this, but I think we need to have a nationwide fan intervention on the followers of the Halos: you have to let this AJ Pierzynski thing go. I'm not saying you can't boo the guy; he's on my favorite team and I sometimes have to fight the urge to boo him. It's no accident AJ likes to dabble in pro wrestling in the offseason - he knows that every sport needs a villain, and the quickest way to be cast in that role is to act like somebody who simply should be booed on principle. But the incessant whining over Game 2 of the ALCS needs to stop. Let it go. Seriously.

By the way, the 4-2 homestand failed to make an impression of the pundits of ESPN power rankings crew: the Sox moved one spot up from 23rd in the latest edition, with the following "Did you know?" tidbit:

The White Sox got two straight shutouts after allowing 20 runs on Thursday. They're the first team in MLB history to achieve that feat.

Congratulations on making baseball history, White Sox. Too bad this "feat" has to be accompanied by one of the more dubious pitching performances in league history.