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Peaceful White Sox dragged into Alex Rodriguez-Biogenesis mess

They've already lost 10 games in a row, and now they have to contend with a circus trip at home

By Jim Margalus
Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

There's been something calming about watching the White Sox descend into league-worst territory.

If they lose, they're one step closer to overtaking Houston in the race for the first overall pick.

If they win? Well ... to be honest, it's been so long that I don't quite know how I would respond to a victory. I guess there'd be (non-)jokes about the Sox going against the plan, but I imagine it'd be nice to see a professional-grade offense, just as a change of pace. But losing for a cause isn't such a bad outcome for an organization that desperately needs an infusion of talent, so win or lose, we shrug.

Nevertheless, the national media has descended upon U.S. Cellular Field, and it's not because the White Sox might lose 11 games in a row for the first time since 1956. It's because a certain lineup card in one of the dugouts has a name where many thought it might never appear again.

Does Jeff Keppinger even care about the children, that monster?

In lesser news, Alex Rodriguez returns to the Yankees after rumors of lifetime bans and wanting to get paid to go away. He called Major League Baseball's bluff about suspending him using measures outside the Joint Drug Agreement, and while he was correct, the hammer still dropped in the form of a 211-game suspension. Rodriguez is, of course, appealing the punishment. He has the support of the MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner, whose party has been unusually amenable to pretty much every other course of action taken by MLB in this scandal, so I figure that suspension will be reduced somehow, whether it's an arbitrator's ruling or some kind of settlement.

The media is lining up to swarm Rodriguez for nonexclusive quotes, but perhaps they'll get something more substantial from teammates. The tabloids sure wouldn't mind quotes from players who aren't happy he's back, for instance. None of this has anything to do with the White Sox -- in fact, no White Sox players, nor even strong White Sox ties, were among those suspended today, or before.

But that doesn't stop this train. What's funny is, if the decisions were reached three days earlier, the White Sox wouldn't have been giving up 450-foot homers to Jhonny Peralta. Instead, the Sox draw the guy who doesn't accept the suspension. He's playing third and hitting fourth, and we're going to be hearing about it (starting with a press conference at 5 p.m.!).

Rick Hahn took the first step in making lemonade out of the newest batch of lemons. Not a bad start.

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