Sweep of Nationals moves Sox back to .500 mark
Remember June 9? That was the day when somber White Sox GM Kenny Williams sounded like he was going to make some major roster moves.
"I don't know what and I don't know when, but changes need to take place," Williams said. "Things aren't happening that we envisioned and when they don't happen the way you envisioned, you've got to make an adjustment or two.
"I have to listen (to trade proposals) now. It's not that I want to. But I'm not blind."
The White Sox have gone 10-1 since Williams made those statements, and they have quickly gotten back into the AL Central race.
They also beat the Washington Nationals 6-3 on Sunday, their sixth straight win. The Sox (34-34) are back at the .500 mark for the first time since they were 1-1.
"Wow," manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters after Freddy Garcia (8-3) won his fifth straight start and Paul Konerko drove in 3 runs as the Sox completed a three-game sweep over the Nationals. "You look back at where we were, this is a big step for this ballclub, a huge step.
"I thought with the way we started the season, it would be very, very tough to climb this ladder. All of the sudden, we have."
Cynics might say the Sox have been feasting on some of the worst teams in the National League - the Cubs, Pirates and Nationals - while getting turned around.
Guillen and the White Sox aren't about to apologize.
"Hopefully, we continue to do it," Guillen said. "I don't think this is our goal, to get to .500. Our goal is to hopefully win the division. Hopefully, we build through the .500 and make it to the next level."
The good times are definitely rolling for the Sox, and on Saturday, chairman Jerry Reinsdorf told reporters that Williams might be adding rather than subtracting when the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline approaches.
"Yes," Reinsdorf said when asked if the White Sox would be able to add more salary. "First, if you really want to move players, the buyers aren't there yet. It's not time yet. Right now, people are saying, 'I like your guy, but I'm not taking on any salary.' That means you're not a buyer. When you get closer to the 31st of July, that's when the buyers come out, and hopefully we'll be a buyer at that time."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Scot Gregor's game tracker</p>
<p class="News"><b>Streaking:</b> The Sox have won six straight and 10 of their last 11. They are also 10-2 in interleague play this season and back at the .500 mark for the first time since April 7, when they were 1-1.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Quality continues:</b> Freddy Garcia gave up 3 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings while winning his fifth straight. Sox starters are 9-1 with a 1.97 ERA in their last 12 games.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Small ball:</b> The White Sox haven't hit a home run in eight straight games, their longest power outage since April 17-25, 1993.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Viciedo debuts:</b> Dayan Viciedo played in his first major-league game Sunday, starting at third base for the Sox. The 21-year-old Viciedo was 1-for-4. He was robbed of an extra-base hit by Nationals center fielder Nyjer Morgan in the second inning. Viciedo singled in the fourth.</p>
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