In the movies, the hero rides into town and signlehandedly takes out all the bad guys, winning the love of the town and getting the girl. However, if yesterday was any indication, Gordon Beckham has just signed on for a horror film.

The much ballyhooed arrival of the White Sox "savior" fell as flat as three day old Ballantine's as he went oh for 3 in his major league debut and the Sox were once again shut out by the hapless Oakland A's 7-0.

This was supposed to be a good stretch for the White Sox.  They were coming off a sweep of Kansas City and had won 9 out of their last twelve.  Monday, they played one of their better games, moving runners, getting timely hits and winning 5-2.  But somewhere between the optimism of Monday lies the pessimism of Thursday, where the Sox lost their third straight game and again were totally handcuffed by an unknown kid pitcher.

The next eight games for the Sox are critical:  They are at home against last place Cleveland for three and then first place Detroit for five. Nothing short of 6-2 will help the Sox get back into the swing of things, including now having to pass not only the Tigers in the standings, but the Twins as well.

Yet, whenever you turn on a Sox game, you never know what Sox team you are going to get: The one that swept the Royals or the one that floundered against the AL worst Athletics.  If you think that drives you crazy, imagine what Ozzie Guillen must dream about at night..

Back to Beckham, who received a standing ovation prior to his first at bat, most likely from people who call the Score's post game show.  How do you like your hero now, kids?  Watching Beckham yesterday, one could only feel like the kid was a bit overwhelmed by major league pitching.  To be honest, if he went oh for 3 against a no name, imagine how he will do against the likes of Cliff Lee, Zach Greinke and Carlos Zambrano.  And in the field, although he didn't make any errors, he did look a bit slow laterally.

So,  the question among Sox fans remains: Is this guy going to be a shot in the arm or a pain in the neck?

Again, I do not dispute the fact that the kid is a good ball player.  I just question if he is a good ball player now.  Have the Sox soured on Josh Fields so quickly that they can't wait to trot Beckham out there?  Have they decided the season is over and let's go for the future?

Certainly, if Fields were to be traded, I would have less of an issue with Beckham being called up.  Or if their were an injury.  But when the kid needs a little more seasoning at the minor league level, why do you risk his development by bringing him up now?

In the coming days, we'll see how Beckham does.  In the meantime, I think I just heard a caller on the post game show demand Jordan Danks.

Lightning Round

• Congrats to the Big Unit who won his 300th game yesterday.  If you saw him pitch early in his career with the Expos you probably appreciate this a little more given the fact that you would have thought this never, ever would have happened.
• Paul Konerko is awfully calm for a guy whose team just got their ass kicked by a last place team three days in a row. (South Side Sox)
• Andy firmly plants his tongue in cheek.  That's why we love him so. (35th Street Review)
• Once again, our hero and role model shows that he gets it as only he can (Rosenblog)
• Speaking of brilliant, Jim does a jaw dropping tail of the tape between failed infielders Andy Gonzalez and Wilson Needs A Better Mit.  I hope he never has to do one between Joe Borchard and Gordon Beckham. (Sox Machine)
• Here's a radio rarity: You're fired, kind of. 
• Some interesting thoughts from former Sox pitcher Jack McDowell.  Black Jack is right too.  Would the Sox have won the championship in 2005 without Carl Everett? (Blackjack on the WhiteSox)
• It's become obvious that Dick Ebersol, grand poo-bah of NBC sports has decided his product is too similar to that of ESPN.  That's what all the changes may be about (Awful Announcing)
• The economy is in the crapper, unemployment is over ten percent, drugs are streaming over our borders and North Korea is firing nuclear weapons.  Yet this assclown congressman from Tennessee is concerned about the NBA minimum age rule.  PLEASE vote these guys out of office the next time they come up for re-election.