Three things that will determine which is the one true Sock:

I’ll Tell You What You Can Do With Your Career Totals: At the trade deadline, The White Sox added a sure-fire Hall of Famer while the Red Sox sent one away. The Carmines have since gone 5-1 while the Medias Blancas are 3-4.

Four Score and Seven Games Behind the Rays: The White Sox are 1-3-2 in four-game series to Boston’s 5-1-1. It’s as though the Good Guys weren’t, you know, well-equipped to win a short series.

Sock it to Me: Inexplicably, the South Siders are just marginally outslugging the BoSox (.448 to .441). Then again, Boston’s bullpen isn’t anchored exclusively by mop-up specialists. “Exclusively” as in even if it’s not a five-run game when the Good Guy comes in, it surely will be by the time he leaves.

Outlook: Red Sox 3, White Sox 1.