151

Since the last edition of The Update, the White Sox (with a little help from the Royals) have trimmed the Magic Number to 151, going 2-2, with losses to the Twins and Tigers, followed by two brilliant wins over Detroit to finish out the series. They lost, and then regained, the lead in the A.L. Central, currently atop K.C. by a half game. They're 2.5 up on the ballyhooed Indians and 5.5 games in front of everyone's favorite, Detroit. In fact, the Good Guys have the best record in the American League. The Sox are riding a two-game winning streak and a 19- inning streak of having shut out the opposition. Gavin Floyd toyed with a no-hitter and Javier Vazquez was dominating during the last two games. Joe Crede, who seems to have needed a few more at bats than spring training provided, has now hit two grand slams in this young season and leads everyone in RBI. Paul Konerko, who's having a bit of a tough time at the plate, added his own Grand Salami yesterday, and the Sox bats generally are alive and well. Ozzie is in midseason form, at least ejection-wise, and Jim Thome earned a rare ejection himself for arguing a call. For now, Sox fans should be happy. Go Sox!

(Speaking of fans being happy, is this the best week in sports or what? The men's and women's NCAA basketball finals, the NCAA hockey finals, the Sox home opener, the Masters, the Stanley Cup playoffs, the meaningful part of the NBA season, and the MLS for those who care. Even NFL junkies had college football intrasquad games and the Arena Football League as a sort of methadone. Life was good in the sports world these past seven days.)