Unless there is a horrific accident involving the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago White Sox are making their tee times for October.  Losing means blame and White Sox fans are eager to point their digits at someone.  Choose from a wide variety of suspects, but understand no one person really is at fault:

Ozzie Guillen: He is the manager after all.  Fans will say his rejection of Jim Thome for a bevy of much lighter hitters is one of the big reasons for the Sox failure to launch.  In defense of Ozzie, theoretically he was correct in wanting to use the DH as a place to use several players while giving older players (Paul Konerko) and injured players (Carlos Quentin) a chance to bat without playing the field.  The Thome issue would be moot if Thome had signed with say the A's and if Justin Morneau hadn't gotten hurt and Thome wasn't getting so many at bats.

One other thought on Ozzie: There are some (and you know who you are Jonny Mathis) who confuse Ozzie's behavior with Ozzie's ability to manage a baseball team.  Ozzie is a good manager and despite the fact he says dumb things occasionally, that has no bearing on his knowledge or passion on a baseball field.  If you blame Ozzie because he says dumb stuff, then it's obvious you don't get this team or this organization.

Kenny Williams: Some people think Kenny drank the same kool-aid as Ozzie did.  Not true.  And his acquisition of Edwin Jackson at the trade deadline will go a long way to helping this team next year.

Jerry Reinsdorf: I get the business model and unless he does and says something stupid (like he has in the past) I can't fault him.  Every business has limited resources.  The Chairman is just trying to run his efficiently. Be grateful the Sox aren't the Cubs or Cardinals who have a few players with huge contracts which limits their ability to sign players or the Pirates who are just plain poor.

Players Named Mark (Except Buehrle): Both Kotsay and Teahen underperformed this year, but at least Kotsay isn't scary when he wears a glove.  I think it's safe to say that Teahen has been a bust and that this team did much better when he was on the DL.  In fact, you can track the beginning of the winning streak to when he got hurt and the end of it when he came back.

Bobby Jenks: He blew some big saves, but then again, he was hurt a lot this year.  He's probably gone after this season but will re-surface somewhere next year and resume being a big time closer.

Tony Pena/Scott Linebrink: Another favorite target, they pitched in all of the situations where anything you did was adding gasoline to a raging fire.  Red Adair they ain't.  If there is a bigger bust than Teahen on this team, it's Linebrink who has now had three down years and doesn't look anything like the elite setup man he was in San Diego in 2007.

Jake Peavy: For all the bravado in spring training, Peavy struggled most of the year and then suffered a devastating injury.  Peavy's injury might be a key as to what went wrong.

John Danks/ Pink Gavin Floyd: They are good but not elite and can't beat the Twins.  I think one of these guys may be traded in the off season and I think that it could be Danks.

Juan Pierre: His slow start was one of the reasons the Sox struggled in April and May.  He's played a lot better since then and has stolen a lot of bases.  Of course, he still throws like a girl which gives opposing team an advantage when they have runners in scoring position.  He's been okay, but it would warm my heart to see Carl Crawford in left field next season.

A.J. Pierzynski: His inability to throw out base runners was overlooked because of his dead bat.  It was only until recently  he got going offensively.  A free agent after the season, will the Sox re-sign him? 

The Farm: The Sox cupboard is bare.  When the Twins need help, they go to the farm.  When the Sox need help, they trade prospects or gamble $4 million that Manny Ramirez can still hit.  If you want to blame Kenny for something, this is the area he's most culpable in.  Teams with good farm systems develop players who learn the team's way from day one.  It's time the Sox started developing their own players instead of trading for established players from other teams.  Develop a Brett Morel and you don't have to trade for a Mark Teahen.

The Fans: Although the pre-season predictions were bleak, Sox fans have come to expect a competitive ball club.  Did this team over or under achieve will be a debate that rages on long after the Yankees knock the Twins out of the playoffs.

Joe West: Fans probably wouldn't blame him, but the Hawk sure would!