RUBBER MATCH BEARS MORE WEIGHT FOR CHICAGO THAN THE TRIBE

If you watched the Indians game last night, you know they lost 7-6. We won't get into the nitty gritty of why or how it happened (Jose Hernandez! Leaving Riske in too long!); instead, we'll move on to tonight--Scott Elarton "Big Start Scott" and Jon Garland.

In tonight's game, the pressure is still on Chicago, not Cleveland. Some of you are thinking, "What kind of backwards logic is that? The White Sox have their 3.5-game lead back. They have the momentum of a walk-off home run! The Indians now only have a .5 game lead in the wildcard again! And the pressure is still on the Sox?" Yep.

The Sox are supposed to win tonight. They are supposed to win this division after cushion they built. The Indians aren't even supposed to be in the playoffs, let along chasing after Chicago's heels. Who do the Indians get to play next? Kansas City and Tampa Bay, the teams with the two worst records in the American League. (Say what you want about Tampa and a resurgence; I'd still take playing them over a lot of teams.) I truly think the Indians can take a wildcard lead into their final series at home with Chicago next weekend, regardless of what happens in tonight's game. However, if the Sox lose, they have to face the fact that Cleveland came into their stadium for three games and left one game closer to them than when they came in. In other words, a Cleveland win means Chicago just keeps blowing it, slowly but surely.

The Tribe just needs to do what it has been doing all year--staying relaxed and having fun. Close losses happen, but so do bounce-back wins.

My apologies to everyone wanting to hear more commentary than that JUST of the Cleveland Indians. During mid-week, though, this series is the focus of not just Ohio and Cleveland attention, but national attention. My thoughts on New Orleans sports, fantasy football booms and busts, and other notable issure are coming. Just bear with me.