Paul Konerko’s words were not profound after today’s game, but they certainly were concise and accurate – “We’re not good right now.”  That’s an understatement.  There is nothing this team is doing consistently well.  They will pitch well one game, and be terrible the next.  They will hit one day, and be unable to touch the next pitcher they face. Mediocre to bad teams do this – they are inconsistent.  To bank on Bartolo Colon and Contreras was a gross miscalculation any fan could see.  But with the current economic climate, the Sox went on the cheap and signed Colon instead of signing Jon Garland, whom they could have gotten at a decent price, even if he would have been more than Colon.  With the way this team is now swinging it, I suppose you could argue it doesn’t matter who pitches, and Colon has been at least serviceable so far this year, and on the whole, much better than I thought he might be.  Still, the more I watch this year, the more I see what I believe this team is…2007(b).  It’s gonna be a long summer, and it hasn’t even gotten hot yet…

There was a shot of Ozzie in the dugout after Contreras threw yet another wild pitch.  He had his head in his hands as he shook his head.  The look was priceless and spoke more words than even Ozzie has to say – and that’s saying something. Jose Contreras made an amazing comeback from an achilles injury, and got himself in fantastic shape.  Unfortunately, it has not translated in the regular season, and this has almost certainly been Contreras’ last start – at least for a while.  I’m not sure what viable options the Sox have in triple-A, but on the big league club, I would be inclined to try Clayton Richard.  Whatever the Sox do, a change is certainly necessary.

After being shut out five times already on the young season, I think the offensive flaws of this team are quite evident.  They are not aggressive like the Rangers and Blue Jays offense – attacking pitches and hitting line drives.  This team too often hits fly balls or ground balls, but rarely line drives in the gap.  This has been the case for years, and I think it is high time for this team to create a new offensive identity.  I know this will almost certainly not happen this year, but I expect a very different looking team next year.  It’s sad to say I’m already looking ahead because this is looking like 2007 all over again. The last two nights have been a microcosm of the season – an incredible Buehrle pitching performance, perfect through 7 and 1/3, with plenty of offense, followed by no offense and horrendous pitching.  That is what comprises, among other things, a .500 team.  Unfortunately, I expect little else from this team this year. 

True, the White Sox have been banged up, but they have not been able to put this together in a while now.  Pitching was supposed to be the strength of this team, but Floyd, Contreras, and even Danks have been shaky to say the least.  You cannot continue to give up big leads on the road and expect to slug your way back to win.  That is not going to happen with any consistency.  This team simply has far too many holes to win.  the hitting is spotty and untimely.  The pitching is mediocre at best.  And I’m already setting into the idea this is basically going to be an up-and-down .500 team all year.  It feels like 2007 all over again.

The return of Jim Thome, Chris Getz, and an old friend in Scott Podsednik helped the White Sox in a very nice team victory tonight.  Of course, Mark Buerhle did his part, as he does so often with steadiness and consistency.  I feel priviledged as a White Sox fan to watch this soft-spoken talent go about his workmanlike business with professionalism and poise.  I feel I have been watching a real gift to pitching, a guy who knows how to pitch. A true professional.  Mark Buehrle may not have the blazing fastball, but the guy is as steady as they come.  Fantastic.  I’m thrilled this guy is 4-0.  He deserves it.

I found it incredibly symbolic to have a Sox hero of the past – Scott Podsednik, was driven in for the game-winning run by the young Chris Getz, who does nothing but impress me more the more I watch him.  This kid comes back from a finger fracture, and all he does on his first day back in the lineup is pick up his first career triple, driving in the winning run in a clutch situation.  I was glad to see this was an error-free game as well, a feel-good story with the return of Scotty Pods, and a great night for Thome, driving in a huge three runs with a double, picking up 1501 RBI for his incredible career.  Let’s go for the series win tomorrow…