When the 2008 Chicago White Sox schedule came out last winter, Sox fans were particularly nervous about the first twelve games.  Three road games in Cleveland, followed by three road games in Detroit, three at home against Minnesota and three at home against Detroit.  Twelve games against the cream of the AL Central which could make or break the entire month of April.  With eleven of those twelve in the books (with one postponement) the Sox are at 7-4.

It's probably helpful that the Tigers are in a woeful slump where they can't hit or pitch.  But that aside, the Sox are playing inspired baseball as they venture out of the division tonight for the first time to meet the red hot Oakland Athletics. 

If dominating your division is the easiest way to get to the playoffs, the Sox are off to a good start.  They started off 1-2 against Cleveland in a series that could have gone either way, especially the season opener when umpires missed at least two calls that could have turned the game around.  Then they swept the Tigers on the road, split with the Twins and took the Tigers two out of three. 

Along the way, we discovered that Pink Gavin Floyd dominates the Tigers, that John Danks can be maddeningly inconsistent, that Jose Contreras can gobble up innings even if he doesn't have his "A", "B" or "C" game and that the Dotel to Linebrink to Jenks connection may be as solid as Cotts to Pollite to Jenks was in 2005.

We've learned Nick Swisher is an awesome leadoff man and a decent left fielder.  We've found that Joe Crede is healthy and still clutch.  We've seen that no second baseman in baseball can throw like Juan Uribe and that Carlos Quentin was a pretty good pick up.

Yeah, okay, it's only been eleven games and I'm the last guy on earth who is going to predict a post season birth at this point.  But, you like how loose these guys are playing and the fact that they seem to be able to come back on people, something they weren't able to do last year.

Let's hope it continues tonight against the Athletics.

Lightning Round

• If I were a Cub fan, which I am not, I would be a little concerned about the Milwaukee Brewers.  The Brewers went into New York and took two out of three, including a win over Johan Santana.  This is with Price Fielder and Ryan Braun being mired in pretty severe slumps.  Just imagine what the Brewers can do when their hitters start hitting and all of their pitchers are healthy.