157

The first-place Chicago White Sox saw their Magic Number drop to 157 by winning 4 consecutive games (on the heels of 1 loss) since the last edition of The Update. The Sox used a couple of solid starting efforts, good relief pitching, and a potent offense to salvage the final game at Cleveland and then sweep Detroit to close out the road trip. John Danks and Mark Buehrle redeemed the starters' reputations, sullied in part by Buehrle himself. The bullpen has thrown 11.1 scoreless innings over the four wins, with Boone Logan becoming more than a lefty specialist, Scott Linebrink proving to be a reliable set-up man, and Bobby Jenks picking up where he left off last season -- 3 saves in 3 chances. Despite giving up 5 runs in 9.2 innings to start the season (all of them by Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton, and Mike MacDougal), the relievers have cut their collective ERA to 2.57. The batters meanwhile have been putting up healthy per game numbers: 9.3 hits; 6.3 runs; 2.67 doubles; 1.67 homers; and 5.33 walks. The latter figure will help the team's on-base percentage, which was the worst in the league last year.

So before the Sox even play their home opener, the team has been in first place longer this season than it was last. We know, it's hard to believe that the Sox were ever in first place during the disaster that was 2007, but think back fondly to April 24 of last year, when the Good Guys were tied for the division lead. Maybe the best thing about this first week has been that the Sox played the supposed two best teams in the division, on the road, and came away in the top spot. Sure, Cleveland took 2 out of 3, but the Sox got to nemesis C.C. Sabathia in the opener and played the Tribe even the next two games. And sweeping the Tigers -- Sports Illustrated's pick to win the World Series -- to add to Detroit's winless start is very sweet. Let's keep it up at the Cell. Go Sox!

P.S. On the ex-Sox front, Frank Thomas is back in the groove, belting a grand slam for his second homer of the season, Jon Garland got rocked to even his record at 1-1, and Aaron Rowand bruised his ribs in the field.