I sat down at the computer last night, but I couldn't bring myself to write about yet another White Sox defeat in which they were unable to hold an early lead. The Sox set a record last season by having a lead in each of their first 38 games. And that was great because they were pretty darned good at holding onto those leads, going 27-11. Once again, the Sox have been very good at getting the early lead, but haven't been as successful holding those leads this season. They've had the lead in 21 of thier last 22 games, with the lone exception being the shutout at the hands on the Indians, but they have just an 11-11 record over that span.
The bullpen is not solely to blame for allowing teams back into games. Last season, with a 1-run lead, the starters seemed incredibly comfortable putting up zeros. This year, no lead seems safe, no matter who's starting. The offense is partially to blame too. They have scored after the 4th inning in just one of the Sox last 6 games, the 12-8 loss to Cleveland.
These Sox can win games while not firing on all cylinders. But for the last 3 weeks, we've only been firing on one, scoring early.
On a personal note, I'll be leaving town for 12 days in a couple of weeks. I'll need you guys to step up and keep the site running, as I'll have only spotty internet access, and I need a break anyway. I think I can entrust Wizardsofoz with Gamethread duties. He's already picking up my slack on the weekends around here. The rest of you can all chip in writing game recaps, and posting other newsworthy topics.