The Chicago White Sox went to Detroit with the hopes of at very least splitting a critical four game series.  After yesterday, they can only hope to salvage one game, tonight.

Yesterday, it was Bobby Jenks who was one strike away from nailing down the game and gave up a game tying hit to Curtis Granderson.  One strike away, you have your closer on the mound and he gives up a game tying hit.  If I wanted to watch a team play like this, I'd watch the Cubs.

There are some things you can fix and some things you can't.  Fixing your closer at this point of the season probably is one of them.  Fixing your set up men is also a problem.  Scott Linebrink has underperformed all year, but there is nothing you can do about it except more him up in the pitching rotation to middle relief.  Octavio Dotel has been inconsistent as well.  Matt Thornton has been good (although he has his moments, too.)

I don't expect these guys to come out every time and be perfect, but in a big game in a big series, with big ramifications, I expect them to do their jobs.  Giving up a two out two strike hit to the team directly above you in the standings not so much.

Ozzie can embrace the big boy all he wants and remind Sox fans of glory days of the past, but in a world where this division can so easily be won by the Sox just by playing to their potential, Bobby Jenks needs to pull on the rope a little harder.

Sure, I know the Sox left a lot of base runners yesterday and the offense has gone back into the tank, but you can't lose close ballgames to a division rival with two outs and two strikes.  You just can't.

The only thing you can do is pick yourself up and hope that the gap gets back to  two games after today.