Editors Note: We've been away a few days because of technical difficulties.  We hope to have these resolved soon and resume daily service.  We apologize to all three of you for the disruption)

If you were one of the few Chicago White Sox stalwarts who was holding out hope that somehow this Sox team would sweep the Twins and move on to a miraculous comeback, welcome to reality.  It's not going to happen.

Your first clue was when you saw that the American League didn't want the White Sox to win.  That's why the league assigned Joe West's crew for the Kansas City series followed by Jerry Crawford's crew for the twins series.  Anytime you see Joe West, Angel Hernandez or Phil Cuzzi on the field, you know the odds of the Sox wining are slim and none.

But beyond that, admit to yourself that the Twins are a better team than the White Sox.  Or at least against the White Sox the Twins are better.  And one of the biggest reasons is that the Twins take care of business in their own division.

As talented as this White Sox team is, they just can't seem to knock off Kansas City, Cleveland and the Twins.  With everything on the line last night and in their own park, the Sox season went into the books last night with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh when Jesse Crain took out Paul Konerko and Manny Ramirez.  Not getting clutch hits has been a hallmark of this team all year and lst night it reared its ugly head at the worst possible time.

Now that the twins have hammered the final nails into the Sox coffin, it's time to think about next year.  Unfortunately, we may see more of the same from this group.  The big question marks are catcher and first base.  Will A.J. and Paulie return?  Both of them will have to take reduced service years and lower salaries.  In A.J.'s case, this probably will work.  Bit with the monster year Paulie has had, one wonders if some other team (say the Angels) might make him a better deal.

Next, what do you do with some of the contracts you have?  Alex Rios proved his worth this year so he's not going anywhere.  Mark Buehrle is going into his last year, do you hang on to him or ship him to St. Louis?  How about Carlos Quentin?  Is it time to send him somewhere else where he can pout, brood and get injured?  And, who do you keep from the bench players?  Certainly Mark Kotsay is gone as, most likely is Andruw Jones.  Do you re-sign Omar?  And what do you do with Mark Teahen, a player Kenny re-signed for three more years?  And finally, do you really consider re-signing Manny Ramirez or letting him go?

As for Big, Bad, Bobby: "Don't let it hit you where the good Lord split you."

Lots of questions we will ask and perhaps answer soon, but one thing is for sure.  A third of this roster will be different next year and many of those players will be, as Ozzie likes to say, "keeds." 

My only piece of advice this morning is to express my undying love for Carl Crawford and hope the Sox enter the sweepstakes for him when free agency starts.  Carl, I think, is headed for the Angels, but at least give it a try, won't you Kenny.

It's been a long, emotional, roller coaster of a season which is now at a realistic end.  But don't worry Sox fans.  As they have said on the North side for a number of seasons "wait 'til next year!"