When the Chicago White Sox evaluate their season and perhaps why they didn't make the playoffs in 2009, yesterday's 3-2 loss Oakland will be a clear indication of how this Sox team can't and won't get over the hump of mediocrity.  If you don't throw something at a wall or scream at another driver after yesterday's loss, then you are not a White Sox fan.

In typical Sox fashion, they wasted an outstanding pitching effort by John Danks, wasted ample opportunities late in the game to pad their lead and had their closer give up a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth.  All this on a day where the Kansas City Royals did them a huge favor and knocked off Detroit.  But instead of a sweep and coming within 1½ games of the Tigers, the Sox lost and are still 2½ back.

This game was winnable.  Second and third stranded in the seventh.  A dropped fly ball in the top of the eighth giving the Sox two men on who also were stranded.  Can anyone on this team get a clutch hit?  And this is Oakland we're talking about here.

To rub salt in the wound, closer Bobby Jenks gave up a two out walk off home run to Mark Ellis, who, if he isn't on the White Sox enemies list, should be.

Eventually, the clock will run out on this team and they will wake up to realize that the reason they are going to play golf in October and not baseball is because they lost easy games like this.  There was no excuse yesterday, not even the sub par umpiring that plagued them all weekend.  Was that Gary Darling at second base or Stevie Wonder?

Even though the Sox next six games are against weak sisters Kansas City and Baltimore, there is cause for concern.  The first is two of the next three games will be pitched by Freddie Garcia and Jose Contreras.  This means that the bullpen will be on DEFCON one both Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. Garcia, who has not seen a big league mound this season, may go five if he's lucky.  Contreras, who lasted 4 1/3  in his last start against Cleveland hasn't made it past the fifth inning since July 29th. 

The Sox will also be without Buzz Lightyear who came out of the game early yesterday with a sore left heel.  I like the lineup with Pods as DH, Rios in center and Carlos "Tight Sphincter" Quentin in left.

It's simple, really.  The Sox need to go 5-1 on this homestand while Seattle and Oakland beat up Detroit.