After finally snapping a 7 game home skid and reaching the 500 mark yet again this past weekend against the last-place Kansas City Royals, the White Sox can look towards fighting for first place in the AL Central. But they need to put up an honest fight or their current sub .500 home record and needless set-backs against last-place clubs, will bring the about the offseason before the NFL season begins. For Manager Ozzie Guillen’s veteran-led club, the time is now with just 39 games remaining in the 2011 campaign.

Now in his eighth year at the helm, Guillen’s baseball acumen, stress level and overall standing with the White Sox organization has been pitted against subpar play and unmet expectations for much of the year. Patience has been tested in both the dugout and in the front-office like in no previous year. But winning would be the cure-all. Show up to take two out of three games and the misplaced frustrations will largely be quieted or at least tabled until next year as deserved.

The problem though is that baseball’s 5th highest payroll has only played solid baseball in spurts. A lot of the burden will continue to fall on ace pitcher Mark Buehrle – who’s now tied a 1909 club record of 18 straight starts of three runs or less – and the improved team hitting that first showed up two weeks ago at the outset of a season-best 5 game winning streak.

The All-star efforts from sluggers Paul Konerko (.311 batting average, 27 HRs, 82 RBIs) and Carlos Quentin (.259 batting average, 24 HRs, 75 RBIs) will need the added support that they’ve recently enjoyed. With boosts from leadoff man Juan Pierre, shortstop Alexi Ramirez, AAA Charlotte call-up Alejandro De Aza, and outfielder Brent Lilibridge – who’s seen more playing time at first base until Konerko bounces back to play the field – the Sox are quite capable.

October baseball hinges on the continued pitching, improved hitting that needs to stay, and players executing regardless if they were Opening Day starters or not. While .500 baseball doesn’t generally lead to talks of October baseball, for the second team in the second city, the season’s frustrations may just be the chip on the shoulder needed to reaching the playoffs. Reaching the playoffs is needed to, if only ...