It’s all looking real good for White Sox
If it hasn’t hit you yet, it should soon.
Barring an apocalyptic collapse down the stretch, the White Sox are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Robin Ventura is your American League Manager of the Year, Adam Dunn, Jake Peavy and Alex Rios — in no respective order — take the gold, silver and bronze in the Comeback Player of the Year race and Chris Sale is making a strong bid to become the first Sox pitcher to win the Cy Young Award since Jack McDowell in 1993.
The White Sox have been in first place in the AL Central since July 24 and have held down the top spot in the division for all but eight days since May 29.
The Sox are focused on winning the Central, but there is an extra wild-card spot this season that serves as a pretty nice safety net.
At the rate they are going, the White Sox aren’t going to slip from their first-place perch.
They still must fear the second-place Tigers, but they play much better defense than Detroit, have better pitching and a slightly better offense.
Vegas oddsmakers still list the Tigers as the overriding favorite to win the division, and you’ll see Detroit above the Sox in just about every power poll out there.
Outside of pitching coach Don Cooper, nobody on the White Sox pays too much attention to outside opinions, and that’s the way it should be.
Just play baseball, and the Sox are going to be in great shape if they just maintain the pace they’ve already set.
The Sox opened some eyes this week by winning three of four at Toronto, capped by Thursday night’s 7-2 victory over the Blue Jays.
Considering they were 4-16 at Rogers Centre since 2007, which included a 10-game losing streak, it’s quite an accomplishment that bodes well for the near future.
Everything seems to be going the White Sox’ way at this critical time of the season.
Sale and Jose Quintana are well rested and pitching well, Jake Peavy is doing everything but picking up a bat and giving himself needed run support, and newcomer Francisco Liriano showed how good he can be Thursday night at Toronto while allowing 2 runs on 3 hits in 6 innings.
Dunn found his power stroke again, Rios just keeps on hitting, and Dewayne Wise has been another great pickup by general manager Kenny Williams.
As if they needed anymore good news, the Sox are likely getting Paul Konerko back Friday night at Kansas City.
Konerko has been out since August 8 after sustaining a concussion, but he’s expected to come off the disabled list and could be in the lineup in the series opener against the Royals.
“Everything is looking pretty good that he would be able to come off Friday and be able to play,” manager Robin Ventura told reporters. “Just keep your fingers crossed that everything is fine.”
Everything is more than fine for the White Sox at the moment, and look for that trend to continue.
sgregor@dailyherald.com