AL Central: White Sox well equipped in arms race

Baseball Betting Lines

08/13/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the Chicago White Sox front office targeted former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy to headline the rotation, the hope was that they'd finally have enough starting pitching to get back to the postseason and make a World Series push.

When Peavy was lost for the season last month after suffering a detached muscle in his back, it was obviously a big blow to that whole plan. But upon further review, all hope may not be lost in Chicago. In fact, the White Sox are positioned pretty well as we head down the backstretch.

They entered Friday one game behind the division-leading Twins after dropping this week's head-to-head series against Minnesota. Those two are neck and neck atop the American League Central standings, 9 1/2 games ahead of third-place Detroit. The White Sox and Twins will tangle again next week in Minnesota for a three-game set.

When asked what will separate the two teams in the weeks ahead, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen didn't hesitate.

"It's going to come down to pitching," he said. "That's it. If we pitch better (than the Twins), we'll be right there."

In terms of starting pitching, Chicago is actually in pretty good shape, even without Peavy. Gavin Floyd entered Thursday's start with a 5-1 record and a Major League-low 1.13 ERA since July 5th. John Danks picked up his team- leading 12th win on Wednesday night. Edwin Jackson has a 1.38 ERA with 13 strikeouts and only two walks in his two starts since being acquired near the trade deadline. Freddy Garcia and Mark Buehrle both have 10 wins.

Danks' victory Wednesday night gave Chicago's starters an impressive 32-13 record and a 2.83 ERA in a 58-game span. In 35 of those games, the starters held the opposition to two runs or less. Asked by the Chicago Tribune if he thought the White Sox' pitching staff was as good as any team in the American League, Buehrle gave his endorsement.

"You can say yes and no," he said. "I would argue with people if they said no. But there are other teams that have great pitching staffs. I think starters, the bullpen, 1 through 12, we'll match up with a lot of people."

Just a couple of months ago, these White Sox were abandoned and left for dead, 9 1/2 games out of first place. Since then, no team in baseball has compiled a better record. Just don't tell that to a Minnesota team that has made a habit of saving its best play for late in the season.

The Twins and White Sox have already provided plenty of intrigue in their head-to-head battles. And it doesn't appear either team is ready to step aside without a fight, which should make for some very entertaining baseball as we approach the season's final month.

PRESSURE CATCHING UP TO CABRERA, TIGERS?

With each passing day, the Detroit Tigers are headed closer and closer toward an early offseason. The Tigers' July slide has stretched into August, where they've gone 3-8 thus far for the month. As a result, they entered Friday 9 1/2 games off the pace in the division.

Miguel Cabrera, a frontrunner for AL MVP through the first half of the season, has come back down to Earth. Although he still boasts a Major League-high 93 RBI, Cabrera has been laboring through an extended funk at the plate.

"I need to work on my swing more," said Cabrera, who has gone nine games without driving in a run. "The way I'm swinging right now is embarrassing.

"When you put pressure on yourself is when you make mistakes, like, 'I have to do this. I have to do this.' It's not going to happen."

That sentiment was shared by manager Jim Leyland, who told the Detroit Free Press that he sees hitters "muscling up and squeezing the bat so hard, they're not relaxed."

Relaxing will be easier said than done with the upcoming stretch. The Tigers will hit the road for their next seven games, beginning Friday night with a weekend series in Chicago, followed by a four-game set against the New York Yankees next week.

TWINS ONCE AGAIN GET THE BETTER OF SOX

The easiest way to make up ground in a pennant race is always to be sure and beat the team you are chasing. The Minnesota Twins seem to understand that concept loud and clear, as they just overtook Chicago for first place in the AL Central by taking two of three from the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

In fact, the Twins have not lost a series to the White Sox all season long. Entering this week's head-to-head matchup, the White Sox had won 20 of their last 22 home games. Then, along come the Twins, who claimed two of the three meetings in matter-of-fact fashion. The psychological impact of that cannot be understated. Chicago has been trying for months to fend off the Twins, but like a pest, they just won't go away.

Jason Kubel downplayed the importance of taking over first place, but didn't downplay the importance of beating Chicago.

"It's Aug. 12; it doesn't mean anything until the end of the season," Kubel told the Minnesota Star Tribune after Thursday night's 6-1 victory. "As long as we keep beating the White Sox, in case there is an extra game, we'll be all right."

GOMEZ A BRIGHT SPOT FOR INDIANS' ROTATION

Buried in the standings and with their rookie phenom lost for the season, there hasn't been a whole lot for the Cleveland Indians to look forward to lately.

Enter starting pitcher Jeanmar Gomez, who has done everything the team has asked of him since his Triple-A callup, and then some. Thursday night against Baltimore, the 22-year-old right-hander allowed just one run in six innings to improve to 3-0 in four big league appearances. He didn't issue a single walk and his ERA now stands at 1.54, which is the lowest in club history through four starts.

Still, if the Indians' front office people had their druthers, Gomez would still be in the minors.

"For his age, his composure is above-average," manager Manny Acta said. "One thing is to have three good pitches and to be able to command them, and another is composure, and he has that. He's mature beyond his age. He's able to slow things down. He hasn't been intimidated by anything up here so far. There are times out there when he looks like he's probably better off down there developing, but he's pitched well four times for us now.

"He just continues to go out there and pitch without fear. From what we've learned about him, he's not going to back down if a team hits him around. That's not the kind of guy that he is."

ROYALS' SLIDE CONTINUES

The Kansas City Royals have lost five straight and eight of their last 10. They are now 18 games below .500 and are one game behind Cleveland in the battle for the basement in the AL Central.

Pitchers Luke Hochevar, Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Robinson Tejeda are all injured. Outfielder David DeJesus and third baseman Josh Fields are also injured and on extended absences. Center fielder Rick Ankiel was recently traded, right-hander Kyle Farnsworth and left fielder Scott Podsednik.

In other words, there isn't a whole lot to cheer for right now in Kansas City. In another roster move on Friday, the team sent leading run producer Jose Guillen to the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named later, according to the Kansas City Star. The Royals also sent cash to the Giants to defray a portion of the $3.4 million remaining on Guillen's $36 million salary.

Guillen, 34, had been designated for assignment nine days earlier. At the time, he was leading the team with 16 homers and 62 RBI.