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Rongey: Sox just need to stay close to first place

Q: How concerned should we be about the White Sox’ recent lack of offense?

A: I think it’s fair to have concern in that it’s currently costing them games, and it’s the least productive span they’ve had all year.

I have a difficult time thinking that it will continue like this for the remainder of the year, but it could persist long enough to create a gap between the Sox and the division lead.

The last thing the Sox want to do is get too far behind, even if there still are well over two months left to go.

The recent lack of run production from Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn is unquestionably a significant reason for the team’s struggles.

Those are two big holes in the lineup, when usually they’re great contributors.

Q: After this weekend series, is it safe to say the Tigers are for real?

A: Well, yeah. It was probably safe to say it before, too.

Look, the Tigers are a flawed team, but they’re also a good one. Their early-season start is not indicative of what they truly are.

They were always going to make this race interesting. It was just a matter of time.

I also think the Sox are going to hang around awhile, and I believe they’ll be in this race for the long haul.

However, I expect the lead to change hands a time or two before it’s all over.

Q: How much will the addition of Brett Myers help?

A: Ideally, it should help quite a bit. For weeks, the addition of another veteran reliever is something I’ve said the White Sox needed, and in some ways, I believed it to be their biggest need.

The injuries and uncertainty with the rotation have altered that a bit, and now I believe they could very much use another consistent starter.

But for the bullpen, Myers should bring some stability to what has been a remarkably young staff.

Q: During a stretch like this, what’s the biggest challenge of your job?

A: I can’t ever say that doing this is difficult, because it’s not. There are an infinite number of occupations that are far more challenging than this one is. In the end, I’m watching baseball for a living.

But if there is anything that’s remotely testing, it’s probably trying to remind fans not to make too much of the present.

A baseball season is long. Extremely long.

The current situation for the Sox is precarious, but it was just a week and a half ago they had won nine of 12. And it was right before that, they lost 11 of 16. And it was right before that they won 13 of 14.

Will they rebound? I don’t know for certain, but there’s every reason to suggest they can, as they have done so already this season. Twice.

It was during that 5-11 slump that a number of fans had declared it to be the beginning of the end.

The Sox responded by winning nine straight.

I can’t tell you how this will end, but time hasn’t run out just yet. And it’s not going to for a while.

ŸChris Rongey is the host of the White Sox pregame and postgame shows on WSCR 670-AM The Score. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRongey and at chrisrongey.com. Subscriber Total Access members can email him questions each week via our online link.

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