Struggle in Minnesota! Not Just the Dome!

As of July 20th, the Chicago White Sox sit at the top of the Al Central Standings 2.5 games ahead of both the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox have been playing great baseball as of late if you don't count the miserable 4 game series the SOX just had at Minnesota only winning 1 out of 4. Many people have said that the Twins leaving the Metrodome was a good sign for the White Sox. That the struggles in the Metrodome were over and the SOX could start redeeming themselves in Minnesota at the new Target Field. The overall record of the White Sox at the Metrodome was 88-112. Last season the White Sox were 2-14 at the Metrodome. This year the Sox are 2-4 at Target Field and 3-6 overall against the Twins this year with 9 games left against the Twins; 3 left at Minnesota. What I'm getting at here people is that it's not just a struggle in the Metrodome but a struggle in Minnesota in general.

The Minnesota Twins are the main rival of the White Sox. Every year, these 2 teams produce great baseball and are always at the thick of things in the standings. It seems to me that the White Sox always succeed at home against the Twins and the Twins always succeeding at home against the SOX. This year it's the Twins succeeding both home and away. The all time record between these 2 teams is 1063-967 with the White Sox ahead. However, the White Sox are 499-518 on the road overall against the Twins. In 2010, the White Sox continue to struggle against Minnesota. With the standings as close as it is and with teams approaching the late season stretch, the key to winning the AL Central will have to go through Minnesota. The Sox have 9 games left against the Twins. They have to win every series against them if they want to climb out as champions of the AL Central if the standing are close. They have to learn how to win in Minnesota. What happens if the AL Central goes through another playoff game and the White Sox and the Twins meet and this time the game is in Minnesota instead of Chicago? They have to win at least 2 in Minnesota for those last 3 games and continue that run in Chicago. The White Sox are too good of a team to continue struggling against Minnesota and I hope they realize it now after that miserable series this past weekend. I'm not worried about Detroit because the Sox can win both at home and at Detroit. We've never had a problem there. From my view, Minnesota is a way better team than Detroit because of their young players who have much more intensity than the players of Detroit like Mauer and Young and others.

But the White Sox have a better team than both Minnesota and Detriot because they do the little things that other teams don't and they do a good job at mixing youth with experience. Guys like Konerko, Buehrle, Jones, and Vizquel can provide experience to guys like Ramerez, Beckham, Santos, and Hudson to get the job done. As long as you can combine experience with youth and produce a new team talent to win games, the Sox should be able to find a new way to start winning in Minnesota and ultimately to win the AL Central. This team resembles the 2005 team in many ways because they play Ozzie ball and as we saw in 05, that's all you need to win a championship if you have a manager who knows the game and who can teach a team to continue to follow the fundamentals to win games. Use the "Grinder Rules" if you have to. That's what we saw in 05 and that's what we are seeing in 2010.

Trade Rumors

Well as of 7/6/10, The Chicago White Sox sit 3rd in the American League Central a game back of Detroit for 1st place. The White Sox have been battling teams hard and have been able to produce keys wins including taking 2 out of 3 from a red hot Texas club and dominating the first of 3 games games against the Angels. The team chemistry has been great; but the SOX have not been shy about getting an extra player to boost their team to the top of the AL Central. Here are some possible trade prospects the SOX could be interested in:

1. Adam Dunn 1B/DH for Washington Nationals: This guy is having a monster year on a bad team and is the #1 player being talked about in terms of being traded. He's hitting .275 with 17 HRs and 49 RBIs. Personally, I think he would fit good with the White Sox. The only problem is that if Ozzie wants to keep changing up the DH spot with Jones, Kotsay, Quentin, and Konerko, then I don't see how Dunn would fit in unless they trade Jones or Kotsay. If he comes, I expect Kotsay and some prospects to get traded. That would be my guess.

2. Jermaine Dye: FA: If the whole Adam Dunn thing doesn't work out, the SOX could bring back Dye and use him as a DH if they want to get rid of Kotsay or Jones and ship one of them off for some cash. I miss Dye and the fact that he doesn't have a job surprises me.

3. David DeJesus OF for Kansas City Royals: This guy can produce a lot of key hits that the White Sox will need in close game situations. The Red Sox need a guy like this too. It's a long shot but he might interest the SOX.

4. Jose Lopez 2B/3B for Seattle Mariners: If Teahan doesn't bounce back from injuries or if Beckham continues to struggle, the SOX might bring in this guy or Ty Wigginton for Baltimore to fill in at 3rd Base and make a run. Lopez can play both 2nd and 3rd Base. Both are solid plays and can both field and hit the ball. They would fit great in any system.