Just like that, White Sox have some real hope

The White Sox are not through a third of their baseball season, so this is no time to tempt fate or cross the baseball gods.

It is far too early to throw out the first “I told you so,” but if anyone has a right through two months, it’s White Sox GM Ken Williams.

The Sox found very little preseason support for their ballclub, with some experts picking them last in the A.L. Central, and the fan base followed suit with an abundance of skepticism.

But it’s time to give Williams, new manager Robin Ventura and the players some credit for what they’ve done so far.

As much as 51 games is hardly enough to make any judgments about where they’ll finish, consider the Sox’ position today and on June 1 the last two years, when expectations were high:

ŸThe Sox are seven games over .500 and in first place, 1½ games up on Cleveland and — more important — several games up on Detroit, which was supposed to run away and hide.

ŸOn June 1, 2011, the Sox were four under .500, 8½ games behind first-place Cleveland and 3 games back of Detroit, which eventually won the division by 15 games (16 ahead of the Sox).

ŸOn June 1, 2010, the Sox were seven under .500, 8½ behind first-place Minnesota and 4 back of second-place Detroit.

That was the year the Sox went on startling, 28-9 run, and by July 15 the South Siders were 12 over .500 and in first place, a game up on Detroit and 4½ ahead of Minnesota, which stormed back to win the Central by 6 games over the Sox.

While a quick start is no guarantee of anything, the Sox are obviously in a much better place than they’ve been the last few years, and better on June 1 than at any time since 2006 — the year after the World Series — when they won 90 games and finished third.

The talent in the division is not the same as it was then, but the Tigers remain a sleeping giant and the team to beat.

In that respect, the Sox have to feel very good about where they are considering they have a rookie manager, a very young bullpen and injuries already to Chris Sale and John Danks, considered maybe their two best starters entering the season.

And it wasn’t that long ago, only a couple of weeks back, when there was serious concern about their offense, with the team getting nothing from Gordon Beckham, Brent Morel, Alexei Ramirez and Dayan Viciedo.

But within hours of Ventura suggesting that Adam Dunn would play left in the games at Wrigley Field — meaning Viciedo would sit — Viciedo caught fire.

Since then Viciedo is hitting .444 in 16 games with 8 homers, 23 RBI and an OPS of 1.31, as the Sox have gone 13-3.

With Dunn, Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski already hitting, and Alex Rios showing signs of life, the Sox needed one more bat for a reasonable offense, and Viciedo has provided it. He has been the key to this run, and as long as he hits, the Sox can carry some soft bats in the lineup.

They are fourth in the American League in runs scored, fifth in OPS, sixth in hitting and sixth in home runs.

As for pitching, the Sox are sixth in the A.L. in ERA. Their starters have the second-best WHIP (1.18) and the bullpen is 7-7 with a 3.19 ERA, which may not sound spectacular, but all five AL teams in a playoff position have at least a .500 or better bullpen record.

The Sox have more starter victories than all but the Rangers and the Blue Jays.

As good as it’s been thus far, the rotation is something to keep an eye on. Sale and Danks have both had arm concerns, Jake Peavy has been great, but his injury history is telling, Phil Humber hasn’t been good since his perfect game, and Gavin Floyd is Gavin Floyd, unhittable one inning and an enigma the next.

Perhaps the biggest positive has been the positive influence of Ventura, who has erased the misery of the last few years and replaced the constant negativity and blithering noise of Ozzie Guillen with a calming peace and quiet.

It’s quite early. That can’t be understated. The Sox have won nothing, but they are in a good spot and at least have a chance to make this an interesting baseball summer on the South Side.

White Sox baseball is fun again. That also can’t be understated.

brozner@dailyherald.com

ŸListen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score’s “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM, and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.