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Is arrow really pointing down for Chicago White Sox?

The arrow has been pointing decidedly down since late in the 2012 season, when the Chicago White Sox lost 18 of their final 31 games, fell out of first place in the AL Central and missed the playoffs.

Currently nearing the end of what could very well be their fourth straight losing season, the Sox have been taking hits from all sides.

The general feeling seems to be Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn can't work together in the front office. Robin Ventura doesn't have the skills to be a winning manager. Another patchwork roster is wasting another solid season from top starting pitchers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana.

No matter where you look on the White Sox, it's rather bleak.

With all of that in mind, welcome to Wednesday on the South Side, where another negative charge detonated at U.S. Cellular Field.

Check that - where another negative charge detonated at soon-to-be-named Guaranteed Rate Field.

Guaranteed Rate Field?

Fans who never came to grips when the stadium name changed from Comiskey Park to U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 voiced even stronger displeasure Wednesday when the Sox announced a 13-year naming-rights agreement with a Chicago-based mortgage lender.

Beginning Nov. 1, the stadium will be called Guaranteed Rate Field.

There was a lot of eye-rolling in the clubhouse before the White Sox played the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, primarily because Guaranteed Rate and a major-league baseball team come across as an awkward pairing.

Looking across the room at his rookie teammate, White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton hatched his own name change. "Tim Anderson Stadium!" Eaton cracked.

On social media, multiple Sox fans mocked the Guaranteed Rate logo - an arrow pointing down.

Brooks Boyer, the White Sox's director of sales and marketing, addressed the issue.

"Well, the arrow pointing down is very good for pitchers' ERAs," Boyer said. "We are working … on creating logos for the facility, which we're not ready to release. Obviously, what the goal is for Guaranteed Rate is make that arrow something that when people think of mortgages, it connects with their brand to that thinking.

"We're marketing partners in this. We obviously aren't going to go 162-0 in any given season, but we always talk about hopefully the arrow is pointing up.

"But for our branding partnership, we hope that over the next 13 years that we're partners in this ballpark, that the arrow becomes something that symbolizes greatness in your mortgage experience, and hopefully we'll have the ERAs that follow that arrow and we'll have the winning percentage that goes the other way."

As for the name itself, look for Guaranteed Rate Field to be shortened up like U.S. Cellular Field, more widely referred to as the Cell.

"I haven't spent a lot of time on Twitter," Boyer said. "I've seen a couple of the really good ones and I've got a chuckle out of them. Is it G-Rate Field? Or The Rate? Those things grow organically, and the fans will ultimately determine that."

Ventura wasn't quite sure what to make of the name change.

"I think it's still Comiskey," said Ventura, who played third base for the White Sox from 1989-98. "I've gotten used to (U.S. Cellular Field), but I make the slip every once in awhile and call it Comiskey.

The new one … I don't know. We'll come up with something. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

Shields, White Sox fall to Phillies, 5-3

White Sox vs. Seattle Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field

TV: Comcast SportsNet Thursday and Saturday; WGN Friday and Sunday

Radio: WLS 890-AM

Pitching matchups: The White Sox's Anthony Ranaudo (1-1) vs. TBA Thursday at 7:10 p.m.; Chris Sale (15-6) vs. Felix Hernandez (8-4) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Jose Quintana (10-9) va. TBA Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Carlos Rodon (4-8) vs. Taijuan Walker (4-8) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

At a glance: The Sox lost two of three at Seattle last month. Since 2008, they are 25-7 vs. the Mariners at home. Out since Aug. 8 with elbow discomfort, James Paxton (4-5, 3.53 ERA) is likely to come off the disabled list and start against the White Sox in the series opener. Ranaudo gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in 4 innings in last start, at Cleveland on Aug. 17. Injured catcher Alex Avila (hamstring) has played three rehab games with Class AAA Charlotte and could rejoin the Sox this weekend.

Next: Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, Monday-Wednesday

- Scot Gregor

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