Those Darned Sox!

Williams handled the swaps delicately, twice consulting with a corps of veterans to ensure that the moves would not disrupt clubhouse chemistry, and wound up making moves that did much to restore the confidence of fans, many of whom thought the team was getting ready to dump salaries. "We were buyers the entire season," Williams says. "I'd go online and I'd read the message boards, and sometimes it gets a little agitating when you see something about your club that gives people the wrong impression. No matter what I said, people thought we were going to be selling."

As they closed in on Kansas City atop the Central, the White Sox flitted between self-confidence and arrogance. "We knew that we belonged here," third baseman Joe Crede said last Friday night after the White Sox had jumped into first place for the first time. "We knew the ability we had and the players we had. It's not like we were a long shot coming out of spring training."

With the toughest remaining schedule of the three division contenders—the White Sox' opponents had a winning percentage of .494, compared with .462 for the Royals and .439 for the Twins—Chicago is realistic, but hopeful. "We acknowledge that Kansas City is a good ball club, but we feel like we're better than them," says utility infielder Tony Graffanino. "We feel like, when it's all over and done with, we'll be in first place."