White Sox beat writer on team's chances at postseason appearance in weak AL Central
CHICAGO (CBS) – The White Sox have played much better since a 7-21 start, and it looks like a run at the postseason could still be in their future.
Less than six weeks ago, the Sox were 14 games under .500 and nine games back in the division. Now, the team is only nine games under .500 and four-and-a-half games back of first place despite its two tough losses last weekend.
CBS 2 Sports Director Marshall Harris caught up with MLB.com beat writer Scott Merkin to ask if a division title is a reasonable goal.
Merkin: "What drops you out of the race in the AL Central? I mean the Detroit Tigers have lost nine in a row and they're 11 under. They're a game behind the Sox and they're five-and-a-half games out of first. So that could be a month to get them back into the division. So who decides what, and you got to figure out what the direction is you want to take. And maybe you can do a little bit of both. But I don't think they're going to give up a chance to get to the playoffs."
Harris: "Liam Hendriks is on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. What is the level of concern there?"
Merkin: "I think it's too early to say. [General Manager] Rick Hahn talked to us today and Rick said it reminds him a little bit of the situation he had last year where he missed about three weeks and then came back and was great for the team. They don't even want to say. They said it was elbow, kind of in the flexor area, soreness, but he's not ready to call it a flexor strain until they read the MRI. He told us that probably Tuesday that they'll have a better chance of saying what's up in that first game of the Dodgers series. I mean Liam's just been an incredible story, Liam and Kristi Hendriks, just a great story of what he's meant to people, the inspirational return he's made and you hope for the best for him, but you got to give him credit for being honest. He did not feel great coming out of that appearance Friday night. He gave [Manager] Pedro [Grifol] a hint saying, 'We'll see tomorrow,' and he came in Saturday and he did not feel right so they're taking the right action right now and we'll see what happens."
Harris: "We know how bad the division is, but they have a stretch that may be their toughest of the season, because they're playing outside of the division. How big is this road trip for the White Sox?"
Merkin: "I mean every game is big. That's why you hate to lose, but you lose games like you have the last couple and you look at a game like at the end of the month when they scored seven in the ninth [inning] and beat the best team in baseball to put them on a better stretch there. So yeah the road trip's a big road trip. Seattle has been an underachiever this year. The Dodgers just roll out of bed and they're 10 to 15 games over. You have a guy like [Dodgers first baseman] Freddie Freeman who's just crushing the baseball. They're gonna face [pitchers Tony] Gonsolin and [Clayton] Kershaw in the first two games of the series, so no let up. But I mean, I think Pedro's day-to-day, one-day-at-a-time approach works, because if you start looking at it and say 'Well geez, the next 18 are really tough. We have to win 12 of those.' Well if you only win seven of those, then you may say, 'Well we're not in it. We're done.' Maybe that's just a stretch you come back from in the next 18. So I think you just go one day at a time, but it does get tougher."
The White Sox success over the last month is largely due to the team's pitching. The Sox pitching staff is posting the second-lowest ERA in all of baseball over the last 30 days.