Sometimes history can play cruel or cool tricks on you, depending on whom you ask. History dictates that when you are almost 30 games over .500 going into the All-Star Break, the division title is yours. History also dictates that when you're on, you are really on, and nothing can get in your way.

The Chicago White Sox were winning at a Harlem Globetrotter's pace to start

the season. Wins were piling up faster than parents canceling their children's

birthday parties at Neverland. Chicago was baseball buzzing with the Major

League's best team, and then the All-Star Break hit. Since then the Sox have

come down to earth, owning a record of 34-31 after the break but it is important to remember they are still playing above .500 in the second half.

The Sox had done their job, breaking out of the gate at a sprinter's pace

when the rest of the A.L. Central Division was running at the rate of a

three-legged dog.

In most cases this record of first-half superiority would stand up. But

lately the pitter-patter of little moccasins that had been creeping up on the

Sox has been replaced by the battle sounds of a tribe.

The Cleveland Indians started 9-14 in April and have slowly been inching their way towards a division title since then. Right now those Indians sit only two-and-a-half games out of first place. High alert is an understatement for the state of White Sox fans. Those fans are actually thinking of attacking their own players this time.

While some view this Central Division coming-together as a complete White Sox choke job, the Indians deserve their due amount of credit for making such a run, especially since most people (this one included) thought they were a year away from making serious noise. I had no idea how well their offense would mesh. I had no idea their bullpen would pitch the team out of this ballpark.

What fans of both teams forget is that the wild card is another avenue of

making the playoffs. Though the Yankees are closing fast, the Sox and Indians

are in a prime spot to earn the wild card.

Sure, the division title is the gorgeous girl who makes guys do a double-take, and the wild card is the nice cute girl you bring home to your parents. Before

you get worked in a tizzy, make sure to ask the last three World Series

Champions — the Red Sox, Marlins and Angels — about that cute girl. They would tell you that cute girl can make you one happy baseball man.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 22, 2005.