Chicago White Sox

Despite all of the supposed rancor between Guillen and GM Kenny Williams and the supposed interest in managing the cross-town rival Cubs, you can book the following:

Guillen will manage the Sox in 2011.

For one, he is under contract. For another, the reports that Guillen is demanding a contract extension are false. What Guillen wants is an assurance that he is wanted. Something that Williams gave to the insecure Sox manager today.

I would imagine there is a lot of pressure on a rookie to get his first major league hit right away. The more AB’s that go by without getting a hit, the more the pressure mounts.

Why would anyone pick the Chicago White Sox to win the American League Central?

I know I sure didn't going into this season and it was simply because they can't beat the Minnesota Twins.

Until the Chicago White Sox prove they can beat the Twins, there is never any reason to pick them to win the AL Central.

There's many stories that have been set up this way.

A team fights through adversity and injury to make a run to the top of their league, only to fall prey to a crushing blow. Yet, when it seems all hope has been lost, some short moment of glory inspires the team to victory, earning the adoration of their previously dormant fans and the respect of their formerly prickly adversaries.

Think "Remember the Titans." Think "Bad News Bears." Think "Angels in the Outfield."

A funny thing happened to the Chicago White Sox on their way to a disappointing offseason.

They decided to get off the mat and play baseball.

Two weeks ago, it had been 19 days since they had won a series. In that span their record was 5-11. Eight of the 11 losses were by two runs or fewer.

The bullpen was faltering and fighting through injury. Key cogs of the offense were struggling, and it seemed the starting rotation was finally tiring.

When the White Sox drafted Chris Sale with the 13th pick in the first round they knew they could use him in the bullpen immediately.

The reason the Sox were so sure of this was the fact that he already had two major league caliber pitches and a third one (his slider) that wasn't far behind.

Clearly GM Kenny Williams and his scouts were right about Sale; he's put up a 0.82 ERA since his call-up and has looked like Matt Thornton's underfed twin.

Chris Sale was one of the many top-level college pitchers being looked at in the 2010 MLB Draft.

I was hoping, as a Cleveland Indians fan, that they would select Sale with the fifth pick. Instead, they went with Drew Pomeranz.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets then drafted Barret Loux and Matt Harvey, respectively, as Sale continued to fall.

After the Blue Jays drafted Deck McGuire, considered the most major league-ready pitcher at the time, the White Sox drafted Chris Sale with the 13th pick.

With the White Sox committing three errors, two of which by shortstop Alexei Ramirez, in their come from behind victory against the Indians, not even Manny Ramirez, who is not known for his defense could help the Sox in that department.

For the past week, the Chicago White Sox made no secret that they wanted Manny Ramirez to be their DH for the remainder of the season.

After some waiver formalities and some back and forth, yesterday they finally made it happen.

The White Sox acquired Ramirez yesterday on a straight waiver claim from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The White Sox will pay the remaining $3.8 million left on Manny’s contract.

It's official.

Manny Ramirez and the nearly $4 million left on his contract are heading to the South Side of Chicago to finish the season out for the White Sox.

Manny, of course, will play his first game for the White Sox against his former team, our Cleveland Indians.

It's unclear whether or not Manny will play tonight or debut tomorrow for the White Sox, but either way, it could prove to be an interesting conglomeration of personalities.