Author: Teddy Ballgame

11,211 OR 600 FANS

What a shame! 11,211 was the announced paid attendance yesterday for the ballgame between the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins in Miami, but only 600 fans were in the stands. I do understand the Marlins have recently fallen out of playoff contention, the kids are back in school, and it’s very hot in South Florida. But really, only 600 people were willing to show up to yesterday’s major league game, that’s pitiful, this team is talking about a new stadium, how ridiculous!

The Florida Marlins are a pretty good baseball team, above .500, with All Stars at both shortstop in Hanley Ramirez and at secondbase in Dan Uggla. Ramirez in his third full season has once again reached the 29 homer mark for his 2nd straight year, and has scored more than 100 runs for the third straight time. His doubleplay partner, Dan Uggla, has hit 29 longballs, he hit 31 last year, and 27 as a rookie. Then there’s firstbaseman Mike Jacobs, who has knocked 28 balls over the wall, in his third year as a starter. Also Jorge Cantu has a solid year with the bat over at the hot corner, with 23 taters. Florida also has some pretty good young starting pitchers in Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco, & Josh Johnson.

But it doesn’t seem to be about the quality of the ballclub. It seems like a Florida thing. The Marlins have the second lowest paid attendance from 2000-07 at 1.6 million. The only team with worse attendance is in Tampa Bay, the Rays drew 1.1 million over the same time period.

LOVE TO WATCH THE KIDS PLAY

The ultimate supersub Wilkin Castillo got the September callup from the Cincinnati Reds, despite the fact that he batted only .246 at Triple A. I fell in love with this intriguing prospect when I saw him last year at the Arizona Fall League. Castillo is a switch hitter, but what makes Wilkin exceptional is his versatility. Although his primary position is catcher, he grew up playing SS, and I saw him at secondbase, but truth be told, he can play anywhere on the field. Today against the Buccos he’s in leftfeld and he nailed a ball that bounced over the wall for a ground rule double.

Everybody seems to know about Jed Lowrie of the Boston Red Sox. Lowrie has been doing the job for the Bosox in a pennant race filling in at both SS & 3B, but before he got the callup, I remembered Jed as the switch hitting middle infielder with a little pop I’d seen go yard for a walkoff homer in the AFL.

I saw Chris Dickerson play for the Reds in spring training the same day I watched Jay Bruce, Johhny Cueto, and Joey Votto. While I was impressed with the other three youngsters I was to see that day, Dickerson did not impress me. Chris is the nephew of former NFL great running back Eric Dickerson, and while he could run like the wind, there’s one thing that is vastly different between success in baseball and success in football, the ability to hit a curveball. This youngster really didn’t put up the numbers in the minors before this year. Well something must’ve clicked because Dickerson has responded well since his callup to Cincinnati. He got a chance to play when Ken Griffey, Jr. was dealt to the Chicago White Sox, and really came through, hitting six home runs in his first 19 big league ballgames (only the 2nd Red in the team’s history with five homers in his first twenty contests). The 6’3″ 225 lefthanded batter has done quite a bit in his short time in the majors, six homers, 7 doubles, 2 triples, five steals, while batting .320, all this in only 75 ABs. While I might’ve overlooked this 26 year old, it’s going to be hard to overlook him if he keeps playing the way he’s been thus far.

ROOKIE WATCH: TRAVIS SNIDER, TOR – OF

I liked Travis Snider the first time I saw him. This 5’10” 245 pound lefthanded hitter out of the great State of Washington can rake. When professional hitter, Matt Stairs was shipped off to Philadelphia, it was time for this kid to get the callup.

I missed this 20 year old’s debut, but tuned in the Blue Jays game last night with an eye on Snider. Travis did not disappoint. The Minnesota Twins, who are in a fight with my White Sox for a playoff spot, might’ve won last night’s ballgame if it were not for Travis Snider.

The rookie found himself in an unusual position in the lineup, batting 9th. But came through when it counted most, hitting against closer Joe Nathan, with two outs, down by a run, he lined a hard single to rightfield, and when the rightfielder bobbled the ball, the tying run scored from firstbase.

Where was replay??? In the bottom of the 10th inning Alex Rios ripped a one out triple to leftfield. However upon further review the TV replay clearly showed Rios’ flyball hit a speaker beyond the wall and then careened straight down, and off the fence. As the leftfielder crashed into the wall, Alex streaked into thirdbase, where he died as Nathan wriggled off the hook.

Then Travis found himself in a position to help his team when he stepped to the dish in the bottom of the 11th with the game knotted at four. Scott Rolen was on 2nd after a leadoff double, Snider lined a single just in front of a sliding leftfielder Jason Kubel, who made a nice play to keep the knock from being a game winner. This hit showed the kid hangs tough against southpaws as he got this one off Everyday Eddie Guardado. John McDonald was the hero a few moments later hitting one over the centerfielder’s head for a walkoff single.

This guy looks like a guy who gets better as he moves up the ladder. He batted .279 at Class A Dunedin, .262 with 17 homers at Double A, then .344 in 18 games at AAA, and is hitting .333 thus far in the bigs.

I THINK I’M TURNING JAPANESE

My friend from Japan, Taka, was coming to Chicago to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He wanted to see Nick & me. It had been two years since we met in KC. Unfortunately Nick was unavailable and I was going to be in Waupaca, Wisconsin over the Labor Day Weekend. Fortunately Erick Robertson of Simyard was available to meet Taka at Wrigley, and join him for some Cubbie baseball.

Here is what Erick had to say of his Taka experience…

I created a sign that said "Taka" in Japanese and headed down to
Wrigley. I picked up the tickets at Will Call and then started walking
around holding this sign. I felt like a limo driver at the airport.
Several people asked me what it meant, and I think some people thought I
might be selling tickets or something. After about five or ten minutes,
Taka approached me and introduced himself. He’s a really nice guy, very
friendly, and knows a lot about baseball. He had just arrived in town
from New York where he went to a couple games at Yankee Stadium, and he
was planning on visiting Dodger Stadium and PNC Park before heading back
to Tokyo.

In my visits to Japan, the Japanese baseball fans that I had met only
knew about American players that had actually played in Japan. Taka
broke that mold. He not only knew every player on the field who had ever
played in Japan, but he also knew all about the rest of the players. At
one point, a fan sitting next to us asked us how old Jamie Moyer was,
and if it was in Taka’s guidebook. Taka knew the answer before he even
looked it up. He is a walking vault of baseball knowledge, Japanese or
otherwise.

Taka spent a good part of Sunday’s game teaching some Japanese to the
fans sitting around us. He taught them to say "izou" (Let’s Go) and
"kattobase" (make a good hit) to the players as they are batting. He
called out in Japanese to Fukodome on several occasions, and I only was
able to catch some of what he was saying.

Have you seen the Fukudome shirts in Wrigley that have Fukudome’s name
in Japanese on the back? ???? if you have Japanese characters
available. Taka and I shared a chuckle at these shirts because it is
strange to have the name written like that. Japanese player names are
always written "FUKUDOME" in Roman characters on the back of their
jerseys, but also, that specific alphabet is never used for Japanese
names. It’s very similar to how Japanese people screw up English text
when they use it in Japan, except in the reverse. We both agreed that it
was a very strange thing to see on a shirt, although it is considered
stylish in Wrigley.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay for the end of Sunday’s game
because I had a wedding to attend in Evanston on Sunday night. But I did
have a good time with Taka, and I believe he did also. We drank some
beers, ate some dogs and enjoyed both games even though the Cubs didn’t
pull out a win this weekend. I told him that I would try to see if Tedd
would come with me to Japan to see some games when the Hanshin Tigers
visit Tokyo next year. I hope we’re able to do that, Tedd, it would be a
blast! You would love games in Japan!

 

A BIG THANK YOU goes out to Erick for meeting up with Taka! I’m glad they enjoyed watching some Cub baseball, even though the results might have been better, the Cubs lost both games. What a BLAST it would be to watch some baseball in Japan, with two of the biggest baseball fans I know, COUNT ME IN!

ROOKIE WATCH: AARON CUNNINGHAM OF, OAKLAND A’s

Aaron Cunningham played his first big league game Saturday for the Oakland A’s, collecting two hits (an opposite field double that almost cleared the wall on the fly in rightcenterfield & a 2 RBI single to center). Cunningham was originally drafted by the White Sox and traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Danny Richar, then shipped off to Oakland in the Dan Haren deal.

I saw Aaron play last fall in the Arizona Fall League. He was hard to overlook. He’s a hustling kid, who plays the game hard. Everybody was saying Cunningham really isn’t a tool guy, but he makes the most of his talent. I became an AC Fan!

Looking over his minor league stats I saw where he even pitched a little bit, with some success, a 3.16 ERA in 53 games over 71″ innings pitched. But AC really got the job done in 2008 with the bat, hitting .317, with 12 homers, 6 triples, 18 doubles, & twelve steals at AA Midland before being called up to AAA. Cunningham turned up his game a notch at Sacramento where his batting average soared to a robust .382, with five homers, five doubles, & four stolen bases, in just 20 games.

This kid reminds me of Shane Victorino, the way he plays the game. I’m looking forward to watching this exciting ballplayer, the way his career unfolds, even though he’s no longer a member of the White Sox, I wish AC nothing but the best!

ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BALLPARK

Elvis has left the ballpark and he took with him my six game winning streak, which is all gone. Though my streak was only against KC & SEA, it was still a streak, you have to beat the bad teams.

It was Elvis night out at the Cell, took the L down with Mom & Dad, got there just as the gates opened. Listened to an Elvis impersonator before going inside. Introduced the folks to all my friends at the ballpark, Tade brought his uncles (John & Joe), Dick & Bea were there, so were Terry & Bubba.

Before the game there was a very nice tribute to Andy the cameraman. His camera was laid on the field, covered with a teeshirt with the number one & AndyCam on the back, surrounded by his family, the scoreboard featured a montage of his life at the ballpark with his camera. He really seemed to love his job, smiling in every picture, far too young to go, 52, my age. There was a moment of silence and a standing ovation.

The Rays opened the game by putting runners on second & third with nobody out. John Danks fielded a bleeder between home and the pitcher’s mound, sprinted toward home, and dove fullout, tagging the runner out, A.J. had gone out to try to field the ball. Moments later Pierzynski would get his opportunity to tag out a runner at the dish, on the tail end of a 7-2 DP to end the top of one, remarkably without any runs scoring.

The Sox didn’t score in the first as with two out and the bases loaded, Edwin Jackson got Alexei Ramirez to popup. Then in the 2nd inning, Ken Griffey, Jr. didn’t challenge centerfielder B.J. (Bossman Junior) Upton’s arm on a single by Orlando Cabrera, with Griffey on 2nd after a double, Chicago stranded two more.

Finally in the 4th Nick Swisher went yard for a two run bomb. Swisher wore an Elvis wig on the field before & after the game. The Sox then squandered two base runners in the 4th, when both Juan Uribe & Cabrera were caught.

Chicago trailed 3-2 in the 7th when Danks was relieved by Matt Thornton, Matt got Carlos Pena swinging with two on and two out. But Octavio Dotel resembled Fat Elvis when he allowed three runs in the 8th, then Horacio Ramirez was nothing but a Hound Dogs when he surrendered three more in the 9th. Adam Russell came on to close the barn door, but the horse was long gone. Alexei Ramirez hit a two run rocket to left in the 8th, but there was no way to overcome the bullpen imploding.

Final score, Bad Guys win it, 9-4.

The fireworks after the game, done to Elvis songs, were tremendous! Then there were Flying Elvi parachuting onto the field. Lotsa fans dressed up, you can get a sample at www.whitesox.com/fanfoto gallery 70 (me, Tade, & Dick each have a picture on the board).

I’m going to miss the last two games of this series with the Rays, leaving early in the morning for California, won’t be back at the Cell till September 5th.

So I’ll give a big shout out, LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

SAD DAY AT CELL, DESPITE 15-3 WIN

Andy the cameraman had a heart attack today and sadly to say, he did not survive. He was the stout man, with the camera on his shoulder, that everybody loved. Andy was everybody’s friend, today he had 50 family members with him at the ballpark. He wasn’t feeling well, was hot, but wasn’t in any pain, until the heart attack. Nancy Faust commented, she’d often eat lunch with Andy, at his table, but today his table was too crowded for her to join him, he’d e-mailed Nancy’s husband only yesterday, wanting him to do a project for him. Caramel-Corn Mike was shaken upon learning of Andy’s death, Andy stopped by everygame to chat. This post is made in memory of Andy the cameraman.

Chicago jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as the first five batters reached base safely before R.A. Dickey’s knuckleball retired Nick Swisher. Alexei Ramirez showed he’s more than just a fastball hitter as he doubled the lead to 6-0 when he launched a three run bomb to left.

Ken Griffey, Jr. hit number 609 of his career to tie Sammy Sosa. It was his first as a member of the White Sox. His second inning two run blast to right made it 8-0.

Once again Chicago put another crooked number on the board in the 5th. With a run already in, A.J. Pierzynski ripped a three run monster drive deep to right. A.J. might have gotten the dayoff, except that Toby Hall was injured when Jermaine Dye karate chopped him after receiving a shaving cream pie.

The Pale Hose scored at least one run in the first six innings, 15 runs in all, four home runs (Nick Swisher had a solo shot), all this with Jim Thome and Dye getting the afternoon off.

Gavin Floyd was on cruise control, allowing the runs over six innings. Horacio Ramirez threw a scoreless frame and Adam Russell threw two to close it out. 15-3 Good Guys, a sweep, and a six game win streak, on back-to-back sweeps for me.

This was the last weekday day game of the season at the Cell. A lot of the homeplate regulars were in the house, Tade, Dick & Bea, Steve, Rob, Terry (been a long time), Caramel-Corn Mike, and of course – me. Nancy Faust makes any game extra special!

Next home game is Friday night, Elvis Night, I’m even bringing Mom & Dad. It’ll be my last game till after Labor Day. Saturday I’m flying to California, then spending the Labor Day weekend in Wisconsin.

RICHARD gets THE FIRST career win over KING FELIX

If you’d have told me there was going to be a 5-0 shutout tossed tonite in the game between the Sox and Mariners, I’d have thought we were going to be in for a rough night, especially if I was given the inside scoop that the Mariners were going to have runners at the corners, with nobody out in the very first inning, with Ichiro the runner on 3rd, I’d have bet the farm on the M’s. There’s no way I’d have thought Clayton Richard, he of nine point something ERA would pitch a combined shutout over Felix Hernandez and the Mariners. Richard got Ichiro to hit a comebacker to open the game, bobbled it, threw wildly to first, allowing Ichiro to reach second base. Miguel Cairo then singled to right. Raul Ibanez grounded sharply to firstbase, Nick Swisher stepped on the bag, and fired a strike to A.J. Pierzynski who applied the tag on a sliding Ichiro to complete the doubleplay. After Clayton walked Adrian Beltre, he retired the side by getting Jose Lopez on a groundball force out to Juan “Brooks” Uribe who stepped on third.

The White Sox got on the board in the 2nd when Ken Griffey, Jr. nailed a sacrifice fly to Ichiro in deep rightfield, plating Jim Thome who opened the inning with a ringing double to center and went to 3rd on an Alexei Ramirez single.

Chicago extended the lead to 3-0, scoring twice in the 3rd. The first run coming on back-to-back doubles by A.J. Pierzynski & Carlos Quinten. Then with one out and Thome at the dish Quinten stole third. Seattle elected to pitch around Thome, intentionally walking him after falling behind 3-0, Ramirez promptly singled, scoring Quinten with run number two of the inning.

Again it looked like Seattle might get on the board in the 4th when Beltre ripped a leadoff double, Lopez grounded him to thirdbase, where he was stranded when Richard buckled down to strikeout Wladimir Balentien and get Kenji Johjima on a popout to short. Nick Swisher added to the Sox lead with a long drive into the rightfield stands. It looked like Chicago would score more in inning number four as Juan Uribe sharply hit a groundball of Hernandez’s foot for a single. OC followed that up with a double, that possibly could’ve scored Uribe, but thirdbase coach Jeff Cox held him up, not wanting to make the first out at home. It was a decision I wholeheartedly agreed with, until Chicago’s next three batters failed to move the runners. Still it was 4-0, but would stranding these runners come back to haunt them?

In the 5th with one out Yuniesky Betancourt bounced a one out grounder to third where Uribe, who couldn’t get a good handle on the ball, and thew to first too late for an error. That brought up Ichiro with one out & one on. Brooks Uribe drove toward the hole, cutting off a hard hit groundball ticketed for leftfield, and turned it into a forceout. Jim Thome put one on the board, leading off the bottom of the 5th, by clubbing one high & deep to right, to the delight of his father, who once again was in attendance.

Clayton Richard once again got out of a jam in the sixth, allowing a leadoff double to Ibanez, Raul had to stop at third, when Quinten fired the sphere toward the plate with two on a Balentien single to left. Johjima followed with a linedrive to Quinten in left to put an end to Richard’s night. Matt Thornton, Octavio Dotel, & Bobby Jenks each worked a scoreless inning to preserve the combined shutout. Thornton was most impressive, not allowing a runner, striking out one, while hitting 97 on the gun.

Al & his wife (Dick & Bea’s friends, not Anthony’s parents) were in attendance, along with Tade, and another friend Phil. Final score Good Guys five, Seattle zip. Tomorrow is the last weekday daygame, then an offday, before Elvis Night on Friday. My winning streak is at five games, with another sweep a possibility, and holding on to first place over the Twins by one game.

WHITE sox pound WASHburn

There was some talk the White Sox were interested in picking up Jarrod Washburn from the Seattle Mariners, but GM Kenny Williams said this would not be happening. Even though Chicago has been hard pressed to find a fifth starting pitcher since Jose Contreras suffered a season ending injury, Williams didn’t panic, he left Washburn in Seattle. On Monday night I witnessed firsthand why Kenny wasn’t buying Jarrod.

Even though the Mariners lineup resembled a minor league lineup, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Mark Buehrle, thanks in large part to a mixup between the shortstop and secondbaseman on a potential doubleplay grounder to Buehrle that would have ended the inning (Mark threw the ball to Alexei Ramirez who was standing behind the bag, Orlando Cabrera should have been the target).

The Sox tied the ballgame up in the bottom of the 2nd when Jermaine Dye doubled, Paul Konerko singled him home, and Nick Swisher sent a line shot into first row of the leftfield stands, scoring Konerko.

Seattle took a brief one run lead in the top of the 5th, but Chicago came storming back in the bottom of the frame. Ramirez lined out, but then Juan Uribe walked, Cabrera golfed a two run drive to left, A. J. Pierzynski singled, a wild pitch sent A.J. to 2nd, Pierzynski went to 3rd on Carlos Quinten’s base hit, Dye’s double to the rightfield gap plated two, Miguel Batista replaced Washburn & wild pitched Dye to 3rd, then Batista intentionally walked Jim Thome, Konerko was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Swisher singled home one, Ramirez (batting for the 2nd time in the inning) singled home a run, FINALLY the Mariners got the last two outs of the inning, 9-4 Chicago.

Seattle’s Cuban SS Yuniesky Betancourt ripped a solo sixth inning homer to make it 9-5, but then Chicago’s Cuban SS Alexei Ramirez one upped his fellow countryman by belting a 7th inning three run blast off Jake Woods, putting the game on ice. Shouts of MVP engulfed the Cell as Quinten belted his MLB leading 35th homer in the 8th to make the final 13-5 Good Guys.

GM Kenny Williams signed Alexei Ramirez for $1,000,000 per year for four years, which is quite a bargain considering how well he’s played at secondbase (a new position for him), that he can be moved to his natural position of SS next year if Chicago chooses not to re-sign Orlando Cabrera, and that his best position just might be centerfield. Williams was also smart enough not to trade for Washburn or Justin Duchscherer who just went down last night with an injured hip, the same injury that kept him out last year. The GM of the Pale Hose also acquired Nick Swisher for Gio Gonzalez, whom the Sox bombed on Sunday, and picked up the 2008 AL MVP Carlos Quinten for minor league slugger Chris Carter. So I’m not so eager to question Kenny about the Ken Griffey, Jr. deal, time will tell.

Rob & Vicki Taylor were sitting in Dick & Bea’s seats, Steve was hanging with Teddy Ballgame, Chicago Bob bought me a beer (thanks Chicago Bob), and Phil stopped by to say hello. But the most interesting fan hanging around the plate was a 23 year old Korean baseball fan, studying English in America, while working on his degree in Chemical Engineering. His name is Sungkwon Kim, he’s only been in Chicago for a couple of months, but has been in this country long enough to catch ballgames in Oakland & San Francisco, see the Grand Canyon, and visit Las Vegas. Next week he’s going to Toronto to see a Blue Jays game and check out Niagara Falls. He has a great knowledge of American baseball. His favorite baseball player is Korean Chan Ho Park, his favorite White Sox player is Bobby Jenks. You can see a photo of him and your truly at www.whitesox.com/fanfoto gallery 63 (the scoreboard is smoking in the background after OC’s homer. The White Sox also gave him a certificate with his name & the date of the game, signifying his first baseball game at US Cellular Field. It was a Friends of Kevin Smith night and half price Monday, which meant a fullhouse, and an electric crowd.

I received a letter from Taka. Taka is the Japanese baseball fan Nick & I met in Kansas City in 2006 while watching the Yankees play the Royals. He’s going to be in Chicago to see the Cubs play the Phillies at Wrigley Field August 30th & 31st, wanted me to get him a ticket, meet him under the Wrigley Field sign at 1:00 PM, and go to the game with him & Nick. You might remember Taka, we were on the elevator with Alex Rodriguez. Taka told ARod, “I see you in Tokyodome”, Alex replied, “Yeah, I was there”, then Taka touched Rodriguez’s bicep, to which ARod responded sternly, “Don’t touch”. Not to be deterred, Taka is back for another dose of American baseball. I’d love to meetup with my friend from Japan, but I’ll be in Waupaca for the Labor Day weekend. I’m trying to get Japanese baseball fan Erick Robertson from Simyard fame to meet Taka on Saturday and another Cub fan to hang with Taka on Sunday. I didn’t explain to Taka that I’ll never go to Wrigley, I don’t know how “A bunch of buttholes” would translate into Japanese.

BASEBALL MISNOMERS

Here are some baseball misnomers that might leave you scratching your head.

The Foul Pole: Why isn’t it called the Fair Pole? It’s in fair territory, if a ball touches it, it’s a fair ball.

You will constantly hear annoncers and fans alike refer to fair balls bouncing into the stands as “ground rule doubles”, when in reality they are not “ground rule doubles”, they are automatic doubles.

Little kids all over America yell, “FOUL TIP!”, when they get a piece of the ball, arguing they did not strikeout. When in reality a “foul tip” is a strike in every sense of the term. The definition of a “foul tip” is when the ball is tipped and goes directly into the catcher’s mitt, it is a strike, and the ball is in play.