Monday

CRUNCH TIME

SUNDAY, SEPT., 1, 2013                 PAGE C1

PUT UP OR SHUT UP
ANOTHER CRUCIAL SEPTEMBER FOR SOX

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

CHIGAGO MORNING SUN

DETROIT - TUMMIES ARE TIGHTENING AND NECKS ARE KNOTTING.

IT MUST BE SEPTEMBER, IT MUST BE THE WHITE SOX.

YES AND YES.

AFTER A 12-16 AUGUST, THAT SAW CHICAGO GO FROM EVEN WITH AL-CENTRAL TOP DOG MINNESOTA TO 8 1/2 GAMES BACK AND FIGHTING FOR THEIR WILD CARD LIVES, WHICH SOX TEAM SHOWS UP?

THE 2011 VERSION THAT CHOKED HISTORICALLY AND DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, OR LAST YEAR'S VERSION, THE ONE THAT DUG ITS NAILS INTO THE DOORWAY IN ORDER TO NOT BE ABDUCTED INTO THE POST-SEASON ABYSS - TO NO AVAIL?

"THERE'S A FEW GHOSTS IN CELLULAR ONE FIELD," SAID AN ADVANCE AL SCOUT WHO HAS SPIED ON THE SOX FOR A HALF-DOZEN YEARS. "THE TEAMS BEHIND THEM FOR THE WILD CARD SPOT ARE PLAYING WELL, THE SOX, NOT SO MUCH."

NOT SO MUCH INDEED, 3-7 OVER THEIR LAST 10 GAMES WHILE BOSTON HAS USED AN 8-2 RUN TO PULL WITHIN A SINGLE GAME. WITH 7-3 SPURTS, THE ROYALS AND BLUE JAYS LURK, 4 1/2 AND 5 GAMES BACK, RESPECTIVELY.

"NO DOUBT, IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME DOGFIGHT WE WITNESSED IN 2012," THE SCOUT SAYS. "THE WHITE SOX MUST BREAK OUT OF THEIR RECENT HITTING SLUMP, THOUGH."

CHICAGO MADE SOME MOVES ON THE FINAL DAY OF AUGUST TO BOLSTER ITS PLATOFF RUN, OPTIONING 1B-C JOHN NOBLES, UTILITYMAN CHRIS DAVIS, RP RANDY CHOATE. RP WILFREDO CORDOVA AND CF ORLANDO VALDEZ.

TAKING THEIR PLACES WERE  INF MARIO SPANOS, UTIL DELWYN YOUNG AND  Ps MARK MONTGOMERY, HOLLIS HUMPHREY AND GUSTAVO CHAVEZ, RIGHTFIELDER GERARDO RODRIQUEZ IS DUE OFF THE DL TOMORROW.

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