“Anyone who thinks this White Sox team can catch Cleveland is crazy” – White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

“We’ll never know if we could have won it because we never got the chance” – White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura.

With 58 games left to decide a division title and the White Sox 3 1/2 games behind the leader on Thursday, Reinsdorf traded two All-Star pitchers, Wilson Alvarez and Roberto Hernandez, and a veteran pitcher, Danny Darwin, with the 24th-best ERA in the American League. In return from the Giants came six prospects, none of whom were ranked highly by the Giants.

On Friday, Scott Eyre, called up from Class AA, started for Chicago against Anaheim. His line: 4 1/3 innings, six hits, six runs, five walks, and four strikeouts. On Saturday, Chris Clemons, called up from AAA started. His line: 2 2/3 innings, five hits, five runs, six walks, and five strikeouts. Chicago lost both games. Cleveland won two.

“We have to pick up the pieces and move on,” said Sox All-Star Frank Thomas.

“The fans have sent a message,” said Thomas. “They don’t like the team.” The message came via empty seats on the south side of Chicago. The message wasn’t about Alvarez or Hernandez or Darwin.

To paraphrase the Democratic election cry, “It’s Albert Belle, stupid.” The caustic, mean, and demeaning Belle, brought to Chicago for $10 million a year by Reinsdorf, has proven he’s a human disaster, the height of which he only began to ascend to in Cleveland.

Reinsdorf is stuck with Belle because he has no intention of admitting one of the game’s great blunders. So, he traded big money pitchers he was worried about losing to free agency after this year and stole from Chicago fans a chance to win. Beyond belief.

So now you know. You support as fans a business no longer dedicated to winning. Reinsdorf said and did what other owners feared to think, but do. A successful franchise is defined and driven by the financial bottom line.

The Red Sox fit the “ideal” perfectly: 16 1/2 games out, the Sox push and the press promotes a good five-day run, 33,000 people jam Fenway, lamented by ownership as a sinking ship when they want tax dollars for a new park, but in reality a cash cow every time the gates open.

The press beat the Sox drum because their readership/listenership/viewership is dependent on keeping the lie alive, the lie that seasons are played to win.

Reinsdorf’s words and actions bespeak the lie. Were there a commissioner, the trade should be nullified as causing irreparable harm to baseball. Reinsdorf led the charge to remove the last commissioner. This is why.

There will be continued discrediting of the deal by fans andHowever, the ones really holding their breaths are those in the business of baseball, including the press. The truth has been spoken and they’re praying nobody heard it.