Boy, am I glad the baseball season resumes today.  I had no interest in watching the home run hitting contest or the All-Star game and I wouldn't waste a second of my life on a made up award four letter network love fest.  So, today, the Chicago White Sox get back to the rock pile and they have their work cut out for them.

Momentum is such an important factor in baseball and going into the break, the Sox were teaming with it.  Carlos Quentin was absolutely on fire, the starting pitching was awesome and the bullpen was doing a great job.  You never knows what happens after three days of inactivity, but hopefully, the Sox get back to work rested and refreshed.  Q has a banged up knee that probably enjoyed three days off while Omar Vizquel's forty-three year old body probably enjoyed some down time too.  I'm sure even the Cuban Sandwich had a good break, finding new places to get some home cooking.

Tonight, the White Sox begin a critical four game series against Minnesota.  Critical in this way: If the Sox can take three of four this weekend, it sends a message to the Twinkies, puts a foot on their throat and forces Detroit to keep pace.  For the Sox right now, it's all about separation and while I don't think any of the three contenders in the central are going to run away and hide, a bank of games for August and September sounds good to me.  The road to the division championship starts with beating teams in your own division, something the Sox have had problems with this year.  Making a statement early in the second half against a huge division rival would go a long way to winning that championship.

The Sox have done a tremendous job rocketing themselves back into contention.  Now, it's time to take the bull by the cahones and squeeze.