I spotted this during Friday night’s second leg of the double-header and had to find a picture.  The guys over at Detroit4lyfe were all over it. Sox will try to avoid the sweep tonight at 7:05 CT on ESPN, where Joe Morgan will be dropping the knowledge as always.  **Update: No Joe Morgan, no knowledge.

The White Sox won’t get much time to bask in the glory of Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, as they have an afternoon date with the Detroit Tigers.  The upcoming four game series is as big as they get in July.  The Sox and Tigers are tied for the AL Central lead and won’t meet again until they play six times in the last two weeks of the season.  The winner of this series–if one prevails–will have made a giant statement to start the second half. 

The White Sox come in to the tilt with far greater momentum than the Tigers, having won both series since the all-star break and picking up the 18th perfect game in MLB history about two packs of Leyland’s cigs ago.  The Tigers meanwhile have only taken one game since the break, while losing five by a total of six runs.  Four of those games were by a score of 2-1. 

The depressing part for Detroit has been the outstanding pitching from unheralded starters that has gone completely to waste.  They are struggling at the plate in the worst way and it’s seemingly the worst possible timing for a series of importance. 

One thing going against the Sox has to be the pitching match-ups.  Leyland scheduled his post-break rotation to set up for this series and will trot out Verlander, Jackson, and Porcello this series, along with Eddie Bonine for tonight’s second leg of the double dip.  The Sox will have Contreras, Colon, Floyd, and Richard for their part. 

I have no stats whatsoever to back this up (what’s new) but it seems like Contreras kills the Tigers.  Gavin Floyd has gone six innings or more in every start but one since late May, and Clayton Richard is coming off one of his best performances as a major leaguer.  Even with the pitching match-ups favoring Detroit, you have to like the White Sox to take at least two games. 

Alright, well the games get started here in about an hour, so I’ll direct you to the lineups here.  Looks like Carlos Guillen will be making his return for the Tigs today after a long stint on the DL and DeWayne Wise will be rewarded for his heroic catch with a spot for him and his .196 average at the top of the order for the Sox.