Charlotte was too unsteady in every aspect of the game to advance into the first division of a very large division/league. While the White Sox have their top prospects arbitrarily bypass their Triple-A affiliate as often as not, it remains a serious indictment that the club cannot pool enough talent at this level to field a competitive team. We can get chuffed over becoming a better-rated system all we want, but consistently failing to run out a legitimate four-, five- or six-man rotation on the team at the doorstep of the majors prevents any serious estimation of this organization.

The DSL Sox finished seventh in the eight-team DSL Central, with a 20-35 record. That made them the ninth-worst team in the league. Worth repeating: The White Sox have one team in the league, thus the talent they have on their roster is not watered-down and split into two squads, and still are consistently terrible. It’s an indictment of the international scouting by the White Sox, period.

The Birmingham Barons defeat the Montgomery Biscuits, 7-2, in the first game of the Double-A Southern League Championship series.

The White Sox lost in extras after an exciting pitchers’ duel and a milestone for Garrett Crochet.

A back-and-forth deciding Game 3 tipped Birmingham’s way, with a mild and wild three-run eighth to upend the Tennessee Smokies in a Crosstown Classic South.

The Birmingham Barons were able to unleash some power and defeat the Tennessee Smokies, 12-5, in a high scoring game to force a tiebreaker.

You cannot stop Tim Elko; you can only hope to contain him.