I-90 Blue Bloods Clash: Rangers vs. White Sox ALDS Preview

The “mediocrity” of the United States of America has upset its stations and the race of September because of the season of derision. At least as far as the AL Central was concerned, it wasn’t in my league. All four rounds of the championship division are must-watch TVs down the stretch. Three Central teams finished with positive differences. Minnesota and Detroit have had frustrating and disappointing seasons, but both have cores of exciting young talent that have made them incredibly valuable, and despite taking different routes to trade notices, both have fought to stay in the postseason picture through August.

But if either of those teams used the White Sox or the Rangers, both of whom were tied around the division all-time, it would be unfair. The White Sox got off to a bad start and went 6-12 in mid-April, then began a hot streak in May (beating Seattle, Detroit and Minnesota) with Cleveland leading the division. The Rangers hit a spurt and were relegated from the Sox in July, only to resurrect after the trade deadline and finally claim the division title on the penultimate day. Cleveland got a bye into the playoffs and forced the White Sox to play the Astros on the road in the Wild Card Series in Houston, home of the AL West (actually bad division) champion. The White Sox swept Houston with ease and now head to Cleveland to settle the score after both head to head in the season series (which the Rangers won 7-6) and are separated by one game overall.