Breaking news: the Chicago Cubs are not the only team from Chicago in the Major Leagues.

Yes, folks, the Chicago White Sox do, in fact, exist. And you know what? They are pretty darned good.

But you probably haven't noticed, because everyone seems to focus on those North Siders, those "lovable losers," who haven't won anything in 100 years.

The Pale Hose actually won something recently. Like, you know, one of those World Series things. That was just a few years back in 2005.

Critics wrote them off after the 2005 World Series, calling them a fluke because they didn't make the playoffs in 2006. They didn't exactly stink, they won 90 games.

After a rather horrific season last year, in which nothing went right, the White Sox were totally overlooked coming into this season. With acquisitions of Orlando Cabrera and Nick Swisher to go along with an already talented lineup, the real question mark was going to be the pitching.

Now there are two question marks one-third into the season: what the heck is the matter with their offense and how is their pitching this good?

The pitching has led the White Sox to an American League Central leading 28-22 record, including an impressive run of 10 wins and just two losses in the past two weeks.

Thank the pitching.

Because sluggers Paul Konerko (.205), Jim Thome (.207) and Nick Swisher (.204) aren't hitting. At all. And neither are the men up the middle in Orlando Cabrera (.241) and Juan Uribe (.198). In fact, the South Siders rank 26th in the ML in team batting average.

That just makes its 28-22 record more impressive. Right now, the White Sox may have the most well-rounded pitching staff in all of baseball. Five quality starters (including two lefties and a good mix of hard throwers and finesse guys) and a talented bullpen with a star closer (Bobby Jenks) and good set-up men from both sides of the plate (lefties Matt Thornton and Boone Logan and righties Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel)

Let's go further into detail with each member of the surprising White Sox rotation:

1. Javier Vazquez (5-3, 3.52 ERA, 67 K)
2. Mark Buehrle (2-5. 4.82 ERA, 36 K)
3. Jose Contreras (5-3, 3.06 ERA, 42 K)
4. John Danks (3-4, 3.00 ERA, 42 K)
   
5. Gavin Floyd (4-3, 2.93 ERA, 25 K)

• Javier Vazquez: The anchor of the staff in many ways. He's the most consistent from start to start, and is the lone dominant-type pitcher in the rotation -- a guy that can toss a gem with 10 strikeouts on any given night. He currently ranks 2nd in the AL in K's and 7th in innings pitched. He's only had one bad start this season.

• Mark Buehrle: The always underrated and under appreciated Buehrle used to be the true anchor of the Sox starting rotation. Not anymore. But he's a crafty veteran (aren't all lefties?) and he is a reliable innings-eater who will always save the bullpen. Check out his last seven seasons in the innings pitched category: 201, 204, 237, 245, 230, 239 and 221. He also won 102 games over that time frame. The guy can still pitch.
  

• Jose Contreras: Last year? Awful. This season? Contreras looks like the guy that helped pitch the White Sox to the 2005 World Series title. Just look at his game log from this season. He was totally dominant last night in his start against the Angels, but a lack of run support resulted in a no-decision. When his forkball is on, he simply can't be hit.

• John Danks: In his rookie campaign last season, the lefty Danks did not exactly live up to the hype: 6-13, 5.50 ERA, 28 HR allowed. With those numbers, the only hype that would live up to is a reincarnation of Jose Lima. But Danks is having the opposite of a sophomore slump this season, having only allowed four home runs all season to go along with his solid 3.00 ERA. Danks, 23, was considered a top prospect when the White Sox traded away Brandon McCarthy to get him and Nick Masset (who is doing very well in long relief for Chicago right now) a few years back. Good move.

• Gavin Floyd: When the White Sox traded away Freddy Garcia, they got Floyd (a former No. 4 overall pick who struggled with his time in Philadelphia) back as one of the main components. Ya, good move. He almost threw TWO no-hitters this season (here and here). He has allowed an amazingly low 36 hits in 58.1 innings, good for an opponents batting average of a paltry .179. One thing to worry about, though, is the strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has actually walked more batters (27) than he's struck out (25). But you can't argue with any other number he currently has.

(Editors note: I am live blogging tonight's Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees game. Recent posts will be at the top. Be sure to check out the preview at the bottom of the page.)

10:13 p.m. I'm out.

10:12 p.m. Chien-Ming Wang falls to 6-1. Clearly, he's terrible. Send him down to AAA. He's no Cliff Lee.

Did I mention that he's pretty good right now?

By the way, if you're a Yankees fan and read my preview to this game at the bottom of the page...I'm sorry. The jinx holds up. It's worse than the Madden Cover Jinx or the Curse of the Billy Goat or the SI Cover Jinx. 

10:11 p.m. Game over. 3-0 Cleveland victory. Lee goes for seven shutout innings, lowering his ERA to 0.81. He now has 39 K and 2 BB on the season. That is insane.

What's more insane is that it took 14 minutes to finish the bottom of the ninth. NOBODY reached base. Why does this always happen in Yankees games?

10:07 p.m. Two outs. New York misses Posada and A-Rod, but I don't think they -- or anyone else -- could have done anything against Cliff Lee.

10:03 p.m. Matsui grounds out to third. One out. This is all but over, but that was the case when Lee's name was put on that lineup card.

10:01 p.m. Seriously, why does a 3-0 game take this long. There is no reason a pitchers' duel like this should take three hours. I miss the good ol' days. Alright, I'm only 22, so I wasn't alive back then. But still. Come on.

9:58 p.m. I don't know who the official closer is for Cleveland, but I'm willing to bet putting Rafael Betancourt in right now is a smart move.

9:55 p.m. Wow. One of the stangest double plays I have ever seen. A tapper to the catcher, who steps on home for the force out and then over to first to get Hafner. And his struggles continue, We go to the bottom of the ninth, still 3-0 Cleveland.

9:52 p.m. Another walk. Bases loaded and one out for pinch hitter...Travis Hafner. This is going to be fun. Oh by the way, he has NINE career grand slams.

9:45 p.m. Damn. I step out for one minute and I miss a single and a walk and a pitcher come in for the Yankees that I can't even spell, let alone pronounce. Glad I'm doing a blog and not announcing, I can get away with it.

9:39 p.m. Inning over. Yankees aren't scoring tonight.

9:37 p.m. Jeter strikes out, but Abreu doubles down the LF line on a slowly-hit ball. Where's Lee when you need him?

9:35 p,m. Even more reason to keep Lee in: Damon is 0-for-14 lifetime off of Lee. But hey, what do I know? Because Perez just retired him.

9:34 p.m. Oh, come on! They just took Lee out. And for another lefty, no less. I know Rafael Perez is one of the better left-handed relievers in basebal, but he's struggled a bit so far this season. Lee? Not so much.

9:31 p.m. Farnsworth works around the leadoff single, and we head to the bottom of the 8th. It will be interesting to see if Lee and his 103 pitches goes out there for it.

If you ask me: Eric Wedge has to run him out there. He's the best pitcher on the entire planet right now. And who better than that to face Damon, Jeter and Abreu in a key spot?

9:24 p.m. Kyle Farnsworth in for Wang to start the 8th. And the leadoff man gets a single.

9:19 p.m. Swinging-bunt single by Morgan Ensberg. That's all they can get. Lee then gets the third out via the K.

9:16 p.m. "How big is Lance Bass?" asks Dave O'Brien. Just thought I'd relay that info to those not watching the telecast.

9:09 p.m. Quick inning. Two straight nice plays by Cabrera and Cano. Bottom seven we go.

9:04 p.m. And Lee is good, striking out Matsui, the second leading hitter in the AL right now. Yankees still scoreless after six.

9:02 p.m. Yikes. Abreu beats out an easy weak grounder to first base. The flip by Casey Blake to Lee covering first was way too non-chalant. And now a double down the LF line by Duncan. Runners on second and third and two outs. This is New York's chance, they have to take advantage.

8:56 p.m. Two outs.

8:55 p.m. One out.

8:51 p,m. Wang looked good in the sixth, Yankees will try to get to Lee in the bottom of the inning. Good luck.

8:45 p.m. Cliff Lee has not allowed a run in over 29 innings on the road this season. Strange, but this time after they show the stat on the screen the next hitter didn't jinx it. He struck out. And the next guy flew out to end the 2-on, 1-out threat. A 0.84 ERA is pretty decent, but that must mean he's really awful at home, huh? Ha.

8:40 p.m. What is going on with Robinson Cano? He's hitting just .157. And right on cue (just like it has all night), Cano gets a hit. Hooray .163 batting average!

8:38 p.m. Breaking news: a hit off of Lee! Only a single by Melky, but hey, they'll take anything they can get right now.

8:30 p.m. He got his fourth strikeout instead, but Dellucci followed with an RBI single ripped up the middle. Now 3-0. Lee probably doesn't need any more, but he may very well get it...WOW, Sizemore just got caught stealing third base with one out. Oops. And the Yankees get out of it with Martinez grounding out to end the threat.

8:27 p.m. Cleveland has runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Chien-Ming Wang is a double play artist, but he could use a triple play here.

8:19 p.m. Cliff Lee pitched the 4th, you know what happened already...

8:10 p.m. And right as I say that, Cleveland scored another run on an RBI single. 2-0 now, heading into the bottom of the 4th.

8:09 p.m. Chicks dig the longball. But give me a good pitchers' duel anytime. This is good stuff.

8:02 p.m. As mentioned before, Travis Hafner has a day off tonight. But he's been "off" for a full year now...hitting .245 since May 1 of last year, which is the sixth lowest in the Major Leagues. He does have 22 HR and 101 RBI since then, nothing to scoff at.

He's going to turn it around soon. Bank on it.

7:59 p.m. Victor Martinez is leading the AL in batting at almost .350. And of course, he has exactly ZERO home runs. Makes total sense.

7:55 p.m. 1-2-3 inning for Lee, Ho-hum.

7:48 p.m. You know, much was made last year about Wang's low strikeout rate. But nobody seems to be talking about how it's gone up a good deal this season. He entered tonight's game with 32 strikeouts in 45 innings. Last year he had just 104 in 199.1 innings.

Make that 34 K's in 46 innings now. Wang is dealing tonight, as usual.

7:43 p.m. I know this has nothing to do with this game, but I hate myself for benching Joey Votto today in ALL FOUR OF MY FANTASY LEAGUES. He only hit three home runs. Great. By the way, Lee is good. Only a bloop single allowed in the second. 1-0 CLE after two complete.

7:35 p.m. Wow. Wang has the highest winning percentage (52-18, .743 %) in MLB history for someone with 50+ starts. It helps to be in Pinstripes, doesn't it?

7:33 p.m. Andy Marte, I'm sorry. But you're never going to be good. Now 1-for-17 (.059) to start the season. He's still young at 24, but I've thought for a while now he will never pan out. He looked awful in that at-bat before striking out.

7:28 p.m. Asdrubal Cabrera walks to lead off the inning. We know what happened the last time Wang did that: he's scoring.

7:25 p.m. Jeez. Can anyone hit this guy? 1-2-3 inning for Lee. Jeter and Abreu fanned and just looked silly. The way he is pitching this season, that one run is all he will need.

7:21 p.m. Here comes Lee to the mound. Two walks and 32 strikeouts in 37.2 innings so far. That's not too bad.

7:17 p.m. Victor Martinez hits a sacrifice fly to right, 1-0 Indians after the top of the first. And who said this would be a pitcher's duel?? And by the way, leadoff walks kill pitchers EVERY TIME!

7:16 p.m. Tough luck for David Dellucci...he ropes a single to right, only to see Francisco get thrown out at second for a fielder's choice. (He had to hold up because it looked like it may get caught).

7:15 p.m. ESPN shows a graphic that opponents are 0-21 in the last two games against Wang with a runner on base. Right on cue, that ends with a Francisco single. Always happens.

7:12 p.m. It doesn't need to be said, but Grady Sizemore is a good leadoff hitter. He draws an eight-pitch walk. That's exactly what you want from a leadoff hitter in the first inning. Cleveland wants to get to that bullpen and chase Wang early.

7:10 p.m. Delivery of first pitch FINALLY ends, ball one. OK, that's an exaggeration, but that windup takes quite a long time, doesn't it?

7:08 p.m. Chien-Ming Wang winds up for the first pitch

7:05 p.m. Tonight's game will be called by Dave O'Brien and Buck Showalter. Unfortunately for them and those watching, there will be no Alex Rodriguez or Jorge Posada at-bats to announce, as both are currently on the DL. I'm sure their respective names will come up about 200 times anyways.

Both DH's, Jason Giambi and Travis Hafner both have days off. Same goes for Ryan Garko. Hafner is 1-for-8 lifetime with four walks off of Wang.

6:53 p.m. LINEUPS

• Cleveland Indians lineup:

1. Grady Sizemore (CF)
2. Ben Francisco (RF)
3. David Delucci (LF)
4. Victor Martinez (DH)
5. Johnny Peralta (SS)
6. Asdrubal Cabrera (2B)
7. Casey Blake (1B)
8. Kelly Shoppach (C)
9. Andy Marte (3B)

• New York Yankees lineup:

1. Johnny Damon (LF)
2. Derek Jeter (SS)
3. Bobby Abreu (RF)
4. Shelley Duncan (1B)
5. Hideki Matsui (DH)
6. Melky Cabrera (CF)
7. Robinson Cano (2B)
8. Morgan Ensberg (3B)
9. Jose Molina (C)
   

6:43 p.m. It's such a cliche to have the Yankees or the Red Sox on ESPN's Wednesday Night Baseball. I'm sick of it, personally. How about showing a different team for a change?

But you won't see my complaining tonight that the Bronx Bombers are on once again. Because the pitching matchup for tonight's game with the Indians is terrific: Chien-Ming Wang (6-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (5-0, 0.96 ERA). Only the 10th time in Major League history with two pitchers to face off with 5-0 records or better. Check here for a full preview.

Two of the hottest pitchers in all of baseball going at it in fabled Yankee Stadium. Should be another pitchers' duel, but sometimes it turns out to be the complete opposite. Will be interesting to see.

With that said, this seems to be the perfect opportunity to do my first live game log of the season. So be sure to check here during the game for frequent updates. And for those Yankees fans looking on, one of the last live game logs I did could be a bad omen for you tonight...