Sox should ring up division title if Buehrle stays dialed in

Even fortified by an eight-game winning streak and a 3½-game lead, whether the White Sox can ultimately win the Central Division in 2008 will be up for debate.

What is not, however, is whether they can do it without Mark Buehrle.

"We need more from him, yes, but we need more from everyone if we're gonna win this year,'' said pitching coach Don Cooper. "It's a little different with Mark because it's expected of him.

"He's been good and consistent for so long that it's expected, but he also got the big contract and with that comes more responsibility.

"Mark's considered the leader of our staff and he's expected to do it every time out, and I think he's done it about seven out of 10 times, and I'll take that.''

Buehrle was superb Thursday night against Cleveland, getting a no-decision in the Sox' 3-1 victory, going 7 innings and allowing only a run on 2 hits.

"Everything feels good and I feel like I'm throwing well, even if the results and the numbers aren't there,'' Buehrle said. "But if I do that seven out of 10 times the rest of the year, I'll be in a good place.''

It was his second straight strong outing following 2 rough starts in which he gave up 13 earned runs.

It was also the second straight time he was managed behind the plate by Toby Hall, who is 6-for-8 in the last two games working with Buehrle, and may find himself a job as Buehrle's personal catcher if he keeps it up.

"I'm just glad to be healthy and contributing,'' Hall said. "I tried it with one arm last year and it didn't work.''

It didn't work for the Sox in 2006, when there was a nagging feeling that they couldn't repeat if Buehrle didn't get it together.

He never did, and the Sox missed a chance to double as World Series champs.

This year, however, the Sox to a man believe Buehrle is pitching better than the 2-5 record and 4.27 ERA he took out of Thursday's game.

Perhaps his last two efforts are proof enough he's back, but while the Sox say he never left, you can't blame fans for being a bit skeptical after Buehrle's ugly finish last year and inconsistent start this year.

"He's not worried. We're not worried,'' said A.J. Pierzynski. "He's the same guy he was a couple years ago. I think he's fine.''

In Buehrle's defense, the Sox have scored 3 runs or less in 6 of his 10 starts and were shut out twice.

"I've always said that I don't care if I go 0-0, as long as we're in first place,'' Buehrle said. "We're in first place.''

Still, Buehrle deserved better Thursday, as he has a couple times this season.

"He's had some tough losses when we didn't score for him,'' Pierzynski said. "We didn't make some plays behind him that cost him a couple games, and big innings, too.''

Buehrle had good command Thursday against the Indians and both his cutter and slider were terrific, breaking four bats, but there's been concern at times that Buehrle wasn't getting his cutter in far enough and that he was elevating the ball a hair.

"A couple starts ago, Coop figured out that I was leaning over a little too much in the stretch, with runners on base,'' Buehrle said. "That's why the ball was up with guys on.''

Location is often a matter of confidence, and if Buehrle has struggled a bit under the pressure of a new contract, he'd hardly be the first.

"People look at the wins and losses or ERA,'' Guillen said. "But we didn't make plays for him on Opening Day and before you know it, he gives up 7 runs. I think he's been better than the results.''

Cooper agrees.

"Is his velocity down a mile or two an hour from a few years ago? Probably, but Buehrle never cared much about velocity,'' Cooper said. "He's got plenty of movement and plenty of location, and he's still throwing very well.

"There's a lot of nice signs with our club right now, but it's only 45 or 46 games and our toughest challenges are ahead. It can go down the tubes in a hurry, so you can't let up even for a day.

"It starts with pitching. The foundation of the club is the pitching staff, and the starting rotation is the foundation of the staff.''

And the foundation of the rotation is Mark Buehrle.

As long as he's rock solid, a White Sox division title ought to be set in stone.