Home Sweet (T)home

For the last 9 games not only have the Sox been away from the Cell, but they have been out of the American League. That means no Jim Thome in the everyday lineup. Instead Thome's spot is replaced with the powers of Mark Buehrle, John Danks, and the rest of the starting rotations bats. But no longer will that be the case starting tomorrow when the Sox return home against the National League leading LA Dodgers. And the reemergance of the designated hitter couldn't be more welcomed on the South Side.

In the 9 games of road interleague play Sox pinch hitters recorded 0 hits and 2 walks in 13 plate appearances. Granted Thome was a big chunk of those at-bats, but his AB's were contantly coming against the best relievers the opposing teams have.

Now as the Sox return home they will get Thome in the line up every day, and will be back to having a dangerous middle of the order. It looks a lot different when Dye or Konerko hits in the 5th spot as opposed to Anderson hitting there as we saw on Sunday.

The other difference is that the Sox will be playing two teams that are not used to using DH's. Both teams have some good hitters on the bench, whether it's the Dodgers' Lorretta or DeWitt or Hoffpauir or Fox from the Cubs, but none of the players that will be filling the spot for the Dodgers or Cubs are as valueble to the team as Thome is to the Sox.

So looking forward to these games this week it seems as if the Sox are in a good spot to take either or both of these series. The Dodger series looks good for the Sox in regards to pitching matchups and the Sox have some unfinished business to tend to after last week at Wrigley. I'm hoping for a minimum of 3 wins out of the next 6, 4 is very likely, 5 would be awesome. If the Sox win all 6, I may collapse of happiness.