Over the course of the last couple of months, the blogs, the electronic media and the players have dismissed all of the talk of "this is a critical series"  "this is huge and "this is important."  They've told you that there is a lot of baseball left to be played and champions aren't crowned in June and July.

If you were wondering when it counts, you can stop now.  The push for the Chicago White Sox starts tonight in Boston.

It's more than playing a playoff caliber team on the road.  It's dolling out a couple of losses to a team who is blocking the door to the wild card.  Yes, I know we want to the White Sox to win the division, but everyone needs a contingency.  And picking off the Red Sox will help to that end, if that's the White Sox fate. 

Okay, for you hard core guys who think that helps the Twins, take a deep breath, please.  The AL Central is totally undecided at this point and whether you go in the front door or the back door, the playoffs are the playoffs and getting there is the reason you go through this every year.

More importantly, the Twinkies are beginning to sputter.  If Oakland can give a brother a hand over the next couple days and the White Sox can take care of their business against a Boston team that just lost Josh Beckett and has some serious bullpen issues, the White Sox may find themselves with a little bit of an advantage come Labor Day. 

After Boston, the White Sox must play the resurgent Indians at the Jake which is never easy.  If the White Sox can take four of the next six, that should put them in the neighborhood of a 2½ to 3½ game lead when they return home from this road trip.  And that's where they need to be.

This could be a good series for the White Sox.  Their defense should benefit from less ground to cover in the outfield at Fenway Park.  Sure Junior is going to have to play deep in center, but at least the gaps should be covered well. 

This Red Sox team, while talented, in not the caliber of the 2007 champs or some of the Bosox teams of earlier in this decade.  They are like the 2006 White Sox, good enough to compete but maybe not good enough to make the playoffs.  What say we help them with their October tee times?

Lightning Round

• After further review, MLB admits the umpires might have blown the Sunday obstruction call on A.J. Pierzynski.  Duh.  Larry Barnett and Don Denkinger unavailable for comment.
• I think if you spend the small fortune it takes to go to a game, you should be able to boo whomever you want.  However, sometimes it makes you look foolish as the player you boo today may be the guy you cheer tomorrow.  You Paulie bashers got that?
• I don't usually mention the very funny "Pale Hose 8" comic strip written by Carl Skanberg (a monkey), because several other sites do.  But I have to tell you, Carl, this has to be the best one ever!.