We checked in with Mark Gonzales, White Sox beat writer for the Chicago Tribune, to see what has been happening on the South Side this summer.
FW: Why do you think Mark Buehrle has struggled since his perfect game?
Mark Gonzales: There’s a lot of scrutiny on Mark since the perfect game. He doesn’t throw hard, and opponents are sitting on his off-speed pitches with greater frequency.
FW: What is it like to cover Ozzie Guillen as a reporter?
Mark Gonzales: I feel like a cornerback in man-to-man coverage when covering Ozzie. This is not a bad thing, as Ozzie respects a beat writer’s job more than any other manager I’ve covered. He’ll rarely dodges a question.
You just never know what he’s going to say.
FW: Will Jake Peavy be able to help the White Sox this season?
Mark Gonzales: If Peavy isn’t ready by Labor Day, I think it’s going to be awfully tough for him to make a considerable contribution this season.
The sense of urgency on the part of the White Sox hasn’t been nearly as high as I thought it would be – which speaks to the severity of the injury and rehab.
FW: Do you think the White Sox can win the Central and go anywhere in the playoffs?
Mark Gonzales: Getting to the playoffs. Is the toughest part for the Sox, assuming Peavy is ready. Their bench depth improved with Kotsay, as well as a mix of left-handed and right-handed options.
But unlike the past four years, Detroit has handled the White Sox very well, and the final three games of the regular season are in Detroit.
FW: What is your prediction for the outcome of this series with the Red Sox?
Mark Gonzales: Despite Boston’s starting pitching problems, their offensive production with two outs has been very impressive. The White Sox have been lacking with runners in scoring position, and the starting pitchers have little or no margin for error. Unless things change, I see Boston winning this series.
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