If Williams is right, the best is yet to come
Coming out of spring training, general manager Kenny Williams was feeling pretty good about the White Sox.
And while tabbing them as legitimate contenders before breaking camp in Glendale, Ariz., Williams predicted the Sox might get off to a slow start, but they'd improve as the season progressed.
Based on the first half of the season, it looks like Williams' vision was dead on.
The White Sox did indeed stumble early, and were 24-25 by the end of May.
The Sox showed some slight improvement while going 15-13 during June, and they've gone 6-5 in July.
No great shakes, but at 45-43, the White Sox are good enough to be considered contenders in the AL Central, where they're running second, 31/2 games behind the Tigers and are a half-game better than the third-place Twins.
Here's a look at five key developments in the first half:
Whipping boy
The Sox were plagued by inconsistency throughout the opening three-plus months of the season, and no single player was more guilty of being up-and-down than Alexei Ramirez.
Expected to build off his impressive rookie season and thrive defensively after being moved from second base to shortstop, his natural position, Ramirez got off to a miserable start with the bat and found himself on the bench for a few days after hitting .214 in April.
Ramirez had some defensive issues in June, and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen again didn't hesitate to air Ramirez out in the press.
To his credit, Ramirez took the criticism in stride and finished the first half strong.
The 27-year-old infielder is batting a solid .281 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
Guillen made some pointed remarks about Ramirez's absence of competitive fire before the all-star break, but the manager insists it was nothing personal.
"I talked to him and he understands my point," Guillen said last week. "He understands (bench coach) Joey (Cora's) point. He's got to play the game the way it should be. I'd rather Ramirez be my enemy and hate me and to be a great player. I need great players, I don't need friends."
Pursuing Peavy
The White Sox weren't playing very well in late May, and their record dropped to 17-23 on May 21 after a 20-1 beating from the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.
That was the same day San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy exercised the no-trade clause in his contract and said thanks, but no thanks, to a proposed deal to the Sox.
Clayton Richard, who would have gone to the Padres along with Aaron Poreda and another minor leaguer had the trade gone through, moved into the rotation after Peavy gave the thumb's down.
Richard looked like a budding star, winning back-to-back starts while allowing just 2 earned runs over 13 innings.
But the big left-hander went the opposite direction over his next 8 starts, winning just once and pitching into the sixth inning once.
When the second half resumes, Richard (3-3, 5.42 ERA) is likely to move to the bullpen to make room for Bartolo Colon's return.
Pursuing Halladay
On pace to draw 2 million at the Cell this season - which would be the lowest gate since 2004 - the Sox are still being mentioned as possible destinations for high-priced talent.
Blue Jays star Roy Halladay's was reportedly on the White Sox' radar last week, but Williams shot down the rumor with a nod to all of the empty seats.
"Well, if I'm being completely honest, money is more of an issue now," Williams said last week. "We expected a little more support than we have gotten. It's a reflection upon the economy, what's kind of happened in regard to attendance. And I don't know if we've played consistent enough or been exciting enough for people to get behind us yet."
Rising star
With a grand total of 59 minor-league games under his belt, Gordon Beckham made his big-league debut with the Sox on June 4.
Moving from shortstop, his natural position, to third base, the 22-year-old rookie looked overmatched early while going 0-for-13.
Beckham is still adjusting to the hot corner, as evidenced by his 9 errors in 34 games.
Offensively, you have to go back to the early days of Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura to find a better young hitter on the South Side.
Over his last 16 games heading into the all-star break, Beckham is batting .367 with 3 home runs.
Old guys rule
The White Sox are still widely viewed as an old, slow team, but their "aging" veterans looked pretty spry over the first half of the season.
With a .302 batting average, 20 home runs and 55 RBI, 35-year-old right fielder Jermaine Dye looks like he might make an MVP run.
Paul Konerko had a rough 2008 (.240, 22 HR, 62), mainly due to injuries. This season, the 32-year-old first baseman is batting .302 with 16 HR and 60 HR. Konerko's 3 home runs against the Indians last Tuesday was one of the highlights of the season.
And don't forget about 32-year-old catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who is batting .299 with 10 HR and 27 RBI.