I would say that Mark Buehrle and the White Sox just got unlucky on Monday night, but the truth is they had nearly as many cheap hits and extra outs as the Angels but couldn't avoid the rally-killing double plays. In fact, I would argue that double plays --the Sox hit into 4 to the Angels 0-- were the entire difference in the game.

The Sox took an early 3-0 lead in the second after the Angels were unable to turn a double play on Joe Crede, who was somehow credited with a hit on what would prove to be the first of about 4 different questionable scoring decisions. While there are 2 errors listed in the box score --the Anaheim official scorer apparently only hands out errors if the ball leaves the field of play-- I can think of at least 4 more shoulda-been-an-errors off the top of my head. Juan Uribe had two, both of which looked like easy double plays, and Orlando Cabrera added another.

Buehrle didn't get hit hard. Only the Vladamir Guerrero homer, which followed one of Uribe's botched DPs, was really tagged, but poor defense, a number of weak hits, and the aforementioned bizarre scoring makes it look like a terrible outing in the box score. As I mentioned in the gamethread, Buehrle entered the night with the 3rd worst DER (balls in play converted into outs) of any American league pitcher at .652. By my calculations, that defensive efficiency dropped to .636, which would put him within an eyelash of the worst mark in the league. To quote Hawk, he's wearin' it.

In what was a microcosm of the game, the Sox allowed what proved to be the winning runs in a bizarre 6th inning. Buehrle had just come off a rough 5th that saw him give up the Vlad HR after the shoulda-been DP, and a 2-out Garret Anderson RBI triple --Swisher needs to stop coating his throwing hand in non-stick cooking spray between innings-- one batter after Robb Quinlan hit a Baltimore chop infield single. Buehrle struck out the first two batters of the 6th and induced a soft ground ball to third base that a charging Joe Crede threw away. The next 5 batters would reach base, plating 4 runs after what should have been the 3rd out.

Here's how it went down: Buehrle gave up a double before Ehren Wasserman --Did I mention I was worried about Wassermann?-- gave up a rope and nubber, followed by a couple of solid hits off Boone Logan before they could finally record the final out, a strikeout. They struck out the side, but an error, an unfortunate bounce, and some generally poor relief work finally sunk the Sox hopes.

The Sox are just finding ways to lose right now. There was blame to be thrown around to every part of the team once again Monday. So as they sit in third place a game below .500 it's time to ask; unlucky or just plain bad?

The White Sox had a pretty good opening series to their 10-game road trip, but a poor showing by nearly everyone on the team in an eminently winnable game turned what could have been a great start into just 'pretty good.'

Gavin Floyd was terrible. He might not have finished with the worst final pitching line of Sox starters on the young season, but he had the worst looking outing. He had nothing. According to Gameday, the fastball was a couple tics slower than his near no-no, and the control was nowhere to be found. I'm not willing to draw any conclusion from this outing other than he better pitch better next time out, but I'll definitely be watching his next start more closely.

Floyd had gone 12 consecutive starts without looking like doody. And if that's as often as we have to see the Philly Gavin, well, the Sox have found something better than a 5th starter.

Miguel Batista was just as bad as Floyd, but the Sox offense never made him pay for the parade of baserunners he allowed. They plated 2 against him in the first inning, but as became a theme for the game, they left a runner in scoring position. They had stranded 6 baserunners by the end of the 3rd inning, and 11 by the end of 6th, at which point the Sox offense called it a day. The M's bullpen shut the offense down to the tune of just 3 baserunners in 3+ innings, including one intentional walk.

All those wasted baserunners, the blown 2-0 early lead, the lack of an offensive attack against the M's bullpen combined to leave a sour taste in my mouth after what looked to be a possible sweep and a promising start to the road trip.

* * * * *

I'm already worried about Ehren Wassermann. The side-arming groundball machine has been unable to keep the ball down, and generally featured very poor control while pitching in place of the recently demoted Mike MacDougal. Maybe it's the curse of MacDougal, whomever replaces MacDougal on the roster is doomed to pitch just like him.

I was always a little bit concerned about the long-term viability of Wasserman's funky delivery and less than spectacular stuff. His recent troubles finding the sweet spot at the bottom of the zone only amplifies that concern.

I don't have time to put together recap tonight. Let's just say that if the Sox managed to lose that game on the back of another poor bullpen performance, I would have gone off on the bullpen construction. Because if Ozzie doesn't have enough confidence in his non-Linebrink/Jenks right handers to pitch them in a tight game, we need Ehren Wasserman here now.

I'll save the persuasive argument for another night, because it appears that Wassermann is on his way. 670 The Score reported that Mike MacDougal has been optioned to Charlotte "with a corresponding move coming Sunday." I can't say for sure that it's Wassermann being called up, as the Sox will probably need a 6th starter for the Twins series. So it's either Wasserman, with Nick Masset taking the spot start, or Lance Broadway with Wasserman in tow behind him.

So even though the Sox continued to look very ordinary on their way to a split with the Orioles--not a good team, despite their record--Saturday was a good day. Wassermann appears to be on his way.

Nick Masset didn't know he made the White Sox active roster as their seventh reliever until he was informed by a couple of reporters following Saturday's Civil Rights Game with the Mets.

The manner in which the news was delivered didn't lessen the excitement for the right-hander.

"All right," said Masset with a smile. "Yes, I'm pumped. I had no idea."

Ozzie Guillen had announced the team's final move after the Mets' 3-2 victory, with Masset getting the nod over Ehren Wassermann for the honor of 25th man. Masset had a 7.06 ERA over 21 2/3 innings this spring, compared to Wassermann's 3.09 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.

Wasserman was the second-most effective reliever for the White Sox in 2007 behind closer Bobby Jenks, while Masset did not even earn a September callup. But Masset can serve as the team's long reliever, or as a sixth starter if necessary, and he also is out of options.

If the White Sox selected Wasserman, there was a good chance they would lose Masset.

"We couldn't take the chance and gamble that way," Guillen said. "We have to look at the long shot, 162 games, even though Wassermann outperformed him. We know what [Masset] has, just in case something happens.

"I'm not afraid to bring Wassermann back. I know what we can get. He performed well, and that's a tough one for me. He did so great, but he was caught up in the same situation like [Josh] Fields.

"It is what it is," Guillen added. "He did everything in his power to be here, and it was another tough decision."

Only a call from Governor Kenny can save Masset

Two paragraphs into writing a post trying to explain why the White Sox haven't yet cut bait with Nick Masset, I may have stumbled onto something. I wrote the following passage: Ehren Wassermann is a major league pitcher. He would make the roster of any major league club willing to carry twelve pitchers.

It was as I wrote those words it dawned on me; it must be Wassermann the Sox are shopping, not Masset. Truthfully, I don't believe that, but it's really the only logical explanation why the Sox opening day roster hasn't been finalized.

There's should be no debate about who is the better pitcher, regardless of role. One has a unique deliverly and skill set which may limit his effectiveness against a certain subset of hitters; the other has the ability to pitch ineffectively for multiple innings at a time against all subsets of hitters. Like I said, a no-brainer. Who needs effective pitching when you can have the flexibility of true mop-up man?

Mark Gonzales didn't run a single positive quote on Masset from Sox coaches in his article Friday, presumably because there was none to be had. This tells me one thing; Masset is only around because Kenny Williams still likes him, because Kenny still thinks he has a future, because Kenny wants the Danks-McCarhty trade to look like a solid win.

Lone Star Ball makes a point of which we were previously unaware. Because Masset has already been outrighted -- during the 2005 season, when the Sox claimed Ryan Wing from the Rangers, but not Masset -- he can declare himself a free agent when the Sox put him through waivers this time. Because of this, there's virtually no chance of Masset remaining in the organization unless he does so on the major league roster.

Think about that last line for a second. Masset will (most likely) no longer be in the organization if he doesn't make the club. If Kenny still thinks Masset has a future despite the massive amount of evidence to the contrary, he may actually force Ozzie's hand. If Masset makes the club, it's wasn't a decision about who is the best pitcher, about who made the club better; it was about the unrealized potential of Masset's fabled 98 MPH fastball.

The White Sox opening day roster became much clearer thanks to series developments on Tuesday, which made for an interesting day and a good demonstration of our new FanShot feature.

• Following the extended morning meetings to discuss the roster, Toby Hall was called in for at least one meeting, if not two. It initially appeared like Hall was on his way off the opening day roster, but at the end of the day, He and A.J. Pierzynski were the only catchers left on the spring roster.
• Josh Fields was officially optioned to Charlotte, making Joe Crede the starter with Pablo Ozuna and Juan Uribe as his back-ups. Doesn't that sound familiar?
• Juan Uribe has won the second base job, but Ozzie warned that he'll have a quick hook.

  "If Uribe doesn't do what we think he can do, he will be replaced. I'm not going to put pressure on him. He knows he has people around him who can play that position.

  "But the way he played in spring training, and the way he went about his business, I think he earned that spot."

• Finally, Jerry Owens went in for an MRI which reveal he has a slight tear of an abductor. He will be put on the DL retroactive to Monday, and will be eligible to be back for the home opener April 7th. That's the same injury Scott Podsednik has had each of the last two seasons. In fact, Pods battled it last spring, but made the opening day roster before re-injuring the groin and missing the next 2 months.

I'm going to be honest. Sending Fields to AAA doesn't bug me that much, or at least not as much as many of you. I want the Sox to put the best team on the field, and Fields hasn't yet convinced me that his 2008 skill set is greater than that of 2008 Joe Crede. Obviously, that argument would be a whole lot easier to make if Crede were having a more productive spring.

Ultimately, I don't think there is enough evidence on either player's side to get too worked up over the third base situation. There are valid arguments on both side of the ledger, and I'm not convinced that there is an obvious, hard and fast right answer. Fields is obviously the long term choice, and as such, he would have received my vote, but I just can't muster the ire to get worked up over this one.

Were I making the decisions, things would be different. I'd find a way to get Fields on the roster, probably platooning with Thome at DH and occasionally at 3B as many of you have suggested. And truthfully, I would have parted with Crede for whatever meager returns I could have obtained in the last two weeks.

* * * * *

Jerry Owens' trip to the DL is good news for Brian Anderson and Carlos Quentin, who will both open the season on the roster. Anderson, in particular, has the opportunity to earn himself some major playing time in Owens' absence. He'll share center field duties with Alexei Ramirez in the first week of the season, during which the Sox are scheduled to face a number of lefthanders. In addition to C.C. Sabathia on opening day, the Sox should face Detroit's Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis before Owens is eligble to come off the DL.

* * * * *

Maybe the worst news of the day was that there was no resolution (or at least no reported news) to what should be a no-brainer in the battle for the final bullpen spot. I can only hope that we haven't heard anything because they don't want to remove the minute amount of trade value that Nick Masset may have by declaring Ehren Wasserman the winner of the final bullpen slot.

Well, now that we've got a solid 23 hours into the new platform -- We've had about 160 relatively painless sign-ups in the since going live late last night. We've uncovered a bug or two, but for the most part things have been pretty smooth. -- It's time to sit back and actually talk about the White Sox.

For the third consecutive year, the Sox have hit an extended mid-spring funk. They've won twice in the last 14 days, none in the last 9. Business as usual for the Sox, who I seem to recall having the same type of streak in each of the last two season, but I don't know where to go to check spring training records. I'm actually glad I don't know where to go, if I did, it might be a sign I need more clinical help than I'm currently receiving.

Part of the problem is that the Sox have been facing an inordinate amount of left-handed pitching lately. This sinister issue needs to be resolved if they hope to be anything more than mediocre this year. The addition of Josh Fields and Nick Swisher to the lineup would have been a step in the right direction, but Fields looks like he'll end up in Charlotte, and it's unclear how Ozzie will utilize Swisher. One thing is certain, Pablo Ozuna will continue to start and leadoff against most lefties.

Supposedly, the decision-making staff will have an extended meeting on Tuesday to discuss the final roster. Among the discussion topics:

• What will Alexei Ramirez' role be?
• Can Juan Uribe be traded to make room for Alexei?
• Who is the 4th outfielder behind, ugh, Jerry Owens?
• Can (or should) Brian Anderson be traded to make that decision an easy one?
• Will Nick Masset clear waivers?
• If no, are they prepared to let him go for nothing in order to put the best team on the field in the form of Ehren Wasserman?
• What is the medium term-plan at 3B?
• How long do they stick with Crede at 3B if he continues his lackluster play of the spring?

And I'm sure there are a host of others.

I'd probably send Ramirez to Charlotte, even though he's impressed me this spring. He's still got some work to do, and I'm not sure that playing sporadically and mostly against lefties is the best way to develop his talents. I just have this gut feeling like we've been seeing Alexei play a bit over his head, and the results are clouding our view of what he'll do when the lights come on for real.