This should be a good series to improve the Sox road record, following a great 8-2 homestand. They faced a great staff in Oakland, the 2nd best in MLB next to their own, but in general I like the way this team has been hitting lately. They are now in the top 10 in most offensive categories. Contreras hasnt been great lately, but they should provide enough run support for him to get a chance at the W today. With the Twins playing a tough Boston team, the next couple days they need to look add a couple games to that division lead.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Contrearas is traditionally very good against the Royals. I like his chances against Kyle Davies

Vazquez found a flaw in his mechanics that lead to a horrible June. After finding the flaw he came back to throw a complete game his last outing (against Oakland). I expect a W in game 2.

I don't like the matchup in game 3. I expect it to be a low scoring affair won by 1 run either way.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I will be happy with a 4-2 roadtrip. Given the teams they are playing, 5-1 is quite possible.

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Yeah. 4-2 would be good. The Royals have decent pitching and have been playing good recently.

Texas is actually over .500. Best offense in MLB. Texas has horrible pitching. I can see one or two of those games being a 13-12 type game.

I'll be very happy with 4-2. Any time you win back to back series on the road, especially this year in MLB, you gotta be happy regardless of the teams you are facing. Plus Texas is a pretty decent club and an offensive powerhouse. That wont be an easy series I dont think. Also, GD is right that Grienke will be tough on Thursday.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

With Floyd and Danks scheduled to pitch in Texas, I like the Sox chances for 2 out of 3. I'd also set up the rotation after the break as: Floyd, Danks, Buehrle, Vazquez, Contrares.

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Which is why I am happy the Sox two best pitchers will be starting in Texas, Danks and Floyd (did I just say that?)!

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

The road trip that starts tonight needs to be a productive one leading into the All-Star Break. The Royals weren't much of a challenge at U.S. Cellular Field, except in that 15 inning marathon last month. With Paul Konerko coming back tonight, and the weather getting hotter, stickier & possibly stormier tonight through Thursday in Kansas City and this weekend in the Dallas MetroPlex, the White Sox offense has to be chomping at the bit to take care of business before the break. Speaking of the weather, scattered thunderstorms are forecasted tonight & Thursday in Kansas City with heat & humidity. As for the weekend at the Ballpark in Arlington, TX., the Sox & Rangers will be dealing with 100 degree heat, especially Saturday & Sunday, according to weather.com. On paper, anything but a 4-2 road trip wouldn't cut it, especially with those pesky Twins still breathing down the Sox neck.

Be careful, Frank. Your pal Steve will probably want to make a wager.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Shit game so far. We can hit their starter. Had our chances for runs. Gave them some runs cuz Jose couldn't cover 1st. I actually thought Paulie could have gotten back to the bag too.

I gotta feeling we will pull this one out.

God damn Quentin. He's failed twice on getting a sac fly.

We've had runners all damn day and can't get 'em in.

Boston got 4 runs in the 8th to beat the Twins 6-5. C'mon. Let's pick up a game on them.

Tigers killed the Indians tonight.

Ozzie has been going with Jose too long lately. He's gotta learn. With a high pitch count you just have to go to the pen to start the 6th inning. We've got a good pen. Pretty well rested. You gotta use them earlier with Jose.

Jose sucked tonite. Every fucking forkball he threw was letter high or go past AJ. Awful.

Quentin has looked like shit all nite as well.

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Then he whiffs on a foul.

Christ was a shitty game, Carlos.

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The thing about Quentin recently is he's been having good pitch recognition. He's just getting under every ball for high pop ups. He's right on it. I think he's just pulling off the ball a hair quick. Not keeping his head down.

Sox hitters and pitchers have been getting the calls from the home plate ump. Royals have not.

See Hawk, other teams get screwed too.

You gotta love those 2-run sac flies.

Ya know, Bernsie called it with Alexi Ramirez. Weird/good stuff happens with him. He interfers with a guy and it's not called. Then, the skinny SOB scores from 2nd, on a Sac fly, when the outfielders crash.

Not to mention he's 3-5 today and that average is near .310. He's a special player.

Linebrink is not a closer. Period.

How is JD not deep enough to catch that with the tying run at 1st?

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Alexei Ramirez has come a long way from the start of this season where he seemed intimidated and out of place on the Major League level. Since he replaced Juan Uribe as the full time second baseman in Anaheim back in May, Alexei has gotten a lot more comfortable at the plate and has made some very difficult defensive gems. The fact he was able to score on the unusual 2 run sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th when Mark Teahen & Joey Gathright got tangled in the outfield is a example of how gifted Alexei is. While a lot of people think Ramirez will take over at shortstop next season, I would keep #10 right where he is now. If he stays healthy & continues to work on shortening his swing, I really think Alexei could be the White Sox second baseman for many years to come. I think the Sox have a real gem on this roster. As for the closer situation, Scott Linebrink has been a high wire act in the games he's been pressed into service to close while Bobby Jenks has been unavailable and now DL'd due to lingering pain to the left side of his back.

Fuck. Linebrink has been shit his last few outings. Even before he replaced Jenks.

DJ made a good call on Dye. You can't let a ball go over your head in that spot. Gotta play deep. Should have been 1st and 3rd.

No, it should have been game over. He should have been playing back and been able to make that catch chest high. Sox are lucky they had the speedster on 2nd, or they'd have lost 7-6.

Maybe Dye can make up for it here.

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Steve Stone mentioned the same thing on "The SCORE". The field is awfully wet from all the rain that Kansas City had earlier today, and the forecasts aren't promising the next 2 days.

Should have been caught by Dye if he's playing where he should be I should say.

But 1st and 3rd if they get blooper

0-6 Dye.

Pitching has not been good for the Sox tonite.

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I say bring Linebrink back out for the 12th. He hasn't gone 2 innings much. He can do it. I think he can get em 1-2-3.

Hey!!!! 4 hits for Thome today.

DeWayne Wise pinch running for Thome....Just stole second!

5 stolen bases for Wise in his short time here.

He's fast but he also knows how to get a jump. It's never close with him.

That was a pretty shitty throw by Olivo.

If they do get a run here, its a ballsy move to bring Linebrink out again.

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It was a bad throw. They weren't gonna get him anyway.