White Sox fans, it might be time to push the panic button. The Sox lead in the A.L. Central is now just 1/2 game over the pesky Minnesota Twins, and there are red flags for the guys in silver & black. Three of the red flags reside in the starting rotation. Jose Contreras has been wild & ineffective lately, and is currently the #5 starting pitcher. Javier Vazquez may be among the league leaders in K's, but he's been racking up pitches lately and has been awful. Now, Gavin Floyd appears to have hit the wall. He got barbecued by the hot-hitting Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington, TX last Friday, walking 7 and lasting 2 2/3 innings, and got rocked in the 6th inning tonight vs. the Kansas City Royals (?) at U.S. Cellular Field. If John Danks doesn't rise to the occasion tomorrow, and if the Twins sweep the Rangers, the Sox might be out of first place. While the Sox have been a first place team in large part due to their pitching in the first half, it might also be the team's downfall, especially with a crucial stretch of games that start next Friday at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Floyd gave up 3 runs. That is hardly getting rocked. Meche had great stuff tonite. Sometimes you have to tip your cap to the other team. Hitting the panic button now is utterly fucking foolish.

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Like B&B said Friday, this will be a fight the rest of the way. The offense isn't consistant enough to run away with this, and if Javy and Jose keep pitching bad you will be in trouble. Especially Javy, considering he was your #1 or 2 at the start of the season.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

The White Sox have been playing ok, but Minnesota, outside of the series at Boston, haven't been losing at all. That's the big problem here.

This is part of the reason why the team is so tight imo. Man, they're in 1st place. Everyone needs to relax and enjoy the ride. Ok maybe their pitching is starting to waiver... maybe Kinerko & Thome start heating up. No need to panic.

The Twins will not play .800 ball the rest of the season. They have had an incredibly white heat red hot 6 or 7 weeks now, and they cannot keep up that pace.

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the white sox not being able to beat up on a team like the royals doesn't help.

there should be more separation than .5 game lead at this point.

the twins have a tough road, but they are a tough team.

I wuoldn't worry too much about anything at this point. The Twins always make this push towards the end of the season, but Frank is right in stating that they have been extremely hot lately but will certainly not keep this up in the long run. The Sox are going through a slight slump and can only omprove at this point.

Ozzie has a horrible second half record.

I still like the Sox to win the division.

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

Factually speaking, I think you are right on the money about Guillen's sub .500 record after the All-Star break. The Sox are still in 1st for the time being, thanks in part to the Twins FINALLY LOSING ONE (OR TWO!!)