Levine: Faint Playoff Hopes Fading For White Sox

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago White Sox have played 103 games and are behind seven clubs in the AL wild-card race, including six for the second entry, which appears to be their only window of opportunity.

With two months left until the season concludes, the picture on the surface doesn't appear to be rosy for the South Side ball club.

The numbers can be twisted and turned anyway you wish. After all, this is just a projection of possibilities, not facts. The heavy lifting belongs to manager Robin Ventura's team, which must prove on the field it's worthy of advancing. After a seven-game winning streak last week, the team is feeling good about itself and maybe better than any time in 2015.

"When you can gain games on the people (above you), it is huge," said Adam Eaton, who was named co-player of the week in the AL along with teammate Jose Abreu. "Every game means something, especially at this stage of the year. You guys always heard me say I would rather be hot at the end of the year."

Despite the glut of teams that are slightly ahead of the White Sox, the numbers say Chicago is only two games behind in the all-important loss column. That puts the White Sox within reach of all seven teams in front of them.

"We must keep the focus simple," Abreu said. "We must play every day and try not to think that far ahead. It does not matter who we playing, just get the results that day."

Vegas has the White Sox at 33-1 to win the pennant and 66-1 to win the World Series as of Monday. There's no reason to go out and bet the mortgage on the White Sox's chances, but what teams above them in the standings are really that superior on the surface?

Getting over the .500 mark soon will be a key.

"There is something to that," Ventura said. "You want to get there and get back into the hunt. You need to get close and start winning games. For us, the feeling is there that they can go out and win games. That thinking is important. We are playing better on defense. The hitting is better, the pitching is good. They seem to have a different feel about them."

The White Sox must go 35-24 in order to win 85 games. That number of wins could be enough to win the second wild card.

"When you're playing well, you believe you can play with anybody," Ventura said. "When you have the pitching that we have, you specially feel that way. Right now, you feel like you can play with anybody."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.