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For the 2nd night in a row White Sox hitters smacked the crap out of Cardinal pitchers, well actually Cardinal pitcher, as starter Jason Marquis allowed thirteen earned runs (isn’t that bad luck?) in five innings. There were more Cardinal fans in the stands for this game than for the first contest. And they were more vocal than during the 1st ballgame(?). But then again, hope springs eternal, and the fans actually thought their boys were going to come back after their butt beating from the previous night. So Taguchi took Mark Buehrle over the leftfield fence in the first inning to give the Redbirds an early 1-0 lead, after the Sox scored four in the bottom of the frame, St. Louis responded with two in the top of the 2nd, but after two full innings the World Champion Chicago White Sox were up 9-3. Remarkably Marquis was left in there to surrender four more runs over the next three innings.

Paul Konerko knocked one out in the first with two runners aboard, later he fouled a ball off his leg to the delight of Cardinal fans (who really had nothing else to cheer about at that point). The fans in red behind the plate stood, clapped, and were saying, “poor baby got an owie”. Later Paulie was replaced by Ross Gload, but by then the goofballs were off at some local watering hole drowning their sorrows. In the 3rd they were still in their seats when Jim Edmonds tried in vain to keep Joe Crede’s blast in the park. He hit his head, was helped off the field, someone who sounded alot like me screamed, “SEE YOU IN FIFTEEN DAYS JIM! IT MUST BE THE BASEBALL SEASON, EDMONDS IS HURT AGAIN!” My comments were more aimed at the Redbird fans than Edmonds. The White Sox knocked four balls out of the yard (Jim Thome, Juan Uribe, Joe Crede, & Paul Konerko). St. Louis hit three out (Jim Edmonds before being knocked silly and So Taguchi & Timo Perez). What are the odds the Sox would score 33 runs in back to back games, probably not higher than Taguchi & Timo hitting longballs in the same game. On a serious note, if the Chicago kicker misses another extra point in game three his job may be in jeopardy.

Not even Albert Pujols would have made a difference in this series thus far. A cutie Cardinal fan asked, “when’s Albert coming back?” I told her that he was out looking for some JUICE. She replied, “don’t even”. I said, “he was a 19th round draft choice that turned into the Incredible Hulk”. Things that make you go HMMMM.

Took the El to the Claddagh Ring after the game where I met up with my sister in law who got Hammered & Nailed. Incredibly NickyV called it a night at the Cell, he didn’t want to be hungover when he picked up his daughter the next morning. I might be in a rut, but it’s a good rut. Weather permitting, I’m going to the Cell again for game three (wonder if I’ll need to bring my broom).

Has anyone noticed???

As of today, Ichiro has a .467 batting average this month?

I remember him starting off slow (by slow, I mean slow by Ichiro’s standards) this year but in typical Ichiro style, he’s really bringing it on.

The White Sox were ready to play when the Cubbies strongest rival came to town. It was weird to see this strange red foe on the Southside of Chicago. There really isn’t any history between the two clubs, so it was hard to know what to feel upon seeing Cardinal fans wearing their 2005 “whatever they were champion of” apparel. As the track record would indicate Sox starter Javier Vazquez surrendered a first inning run, but that wasn’t going to hold up. Mark Mulder was the Card hurler and to say he’s been struggling would be a vast understatement. The White Sox got it going in the bottom of the 3rd and before the dust had cleared there were 11 runs on the board, even Brian Anderson got an RBI double to right center. Just in case there was any doubt, Sidney Ponson was brought on to face the onslaught in the 6th inning, he hit two batters in a row, was thrown out of the game, and the Sox plated six more runs, making the score 19-2. The guy, who cleans up spilled popcorn (not all mine) behind the plate where we stand, came up to me and sez, “No good, no twenty, only 19”. In the 7th inning after Joe Crede launched a bomb to LF, he came back smiling and exclaimed, “Twenty!” David Riske got revenge by nailing Chris Duncan with a pitch, guess he won’t be farmed out. Duncan got a little revenge of his own for the Redbirds by launching a 9th inning long ball. But the four 9th inning runs scored by St. Louis didn’t mean a whole lot, final score 20-6!!!

Why’d the Phillie skipper bring Arthur Rhodes into a game against the Yankees? Rhodes has a career record against the Bronx Bombers of 4-8 with an ERA of 7.22 in 81 innings of work. But Arthur was summoned to protect a two run lead, you guessed it, a two run loss was the result. The lefty got nobody out, surrendering three hits and walking one, and was charged with four runs.

I guess I never gave it much thought, but being a White Sox fan why would I? Even though Wrigley Field has been around since 1914 (originally built for the Whales of the Federal League), the Cubs have never won a Championship while playing at the Friendly Confines. Their last title was in 1908, quickly closing in on the 100 year mark, anybody can have a bad century now & then. Last night while the Cubs were experiencing a rain delay in Cleveland, Comcast Chicago ran a feature about their old ballpark, West Side Ballpark. The Cubbies played their first 23 years in old West Side Ballpark, which was located where County (John Stroger) Hospital’s parking lot now currently sits. West Side Ballpark was very near a hospital, patients would complain about the noise. Beyond the leftfield wall was where the psych ward was, which is where the term, “out of leftfield” might have come from. Maybe that also explains some of the genealogy of Cub fans today.

Check out what the Tribune had to say regarding Jeremy Piven’s rendition of Take Me Out To The Ballgame. Elliott Harris of the Sun Times had this to say in his Quick Hits section. It’s difficult to determine what is more shocking: “Entourage” actor Jeremy Piven saying, “Let’s bug it out, you little bitches” to the crowd Sunday for the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley Field or the Tribune actually running the quote. It’s difficult to determine what is less shocking: The team issuing an apology for Piven’s performance in the broadcast booth or the team not issuing an apology for the Cubs’ performance on the field. It’s incredible to think the Cubs can be so bad that they make fans’ eyes roll but yet don’t cause any heads to roll. You’d think at least the assistant to the assistant to the assistant to the alternate to the apprentice of a summer intern in the grounds crew would be fired. Just to show the Tribune Co. means business. Then again, business and the Tribune Co. don’t seem to be an ideal match these days.

While Piven was being interviewed in the booth the Tigers hit two of their eight home runs on the day, to which Piven quipped, “I thought batting practice was over”. He even volunteered to go in there and pitch even though his opening pitch attempt didn’t quite reach home plate in the air. “Maybe I’ll get them out by pitching under the radar,” said Jeremy, before ending with, “Go Cubbies!” But go where is the question. The eight home runs allowed are the most allowed by a major league team, 2nd time the Cubs have done that this season, first time a team has ever done that twice in one year. If they don’t win it’s the same.

quick link on Baseball Musings to this Press-Enterprise article about Jeff Kent jaking it against the A’s then calling Andre Ethier onto the carpet for taking the pitch.

First things first… did anyone actually see the Kent/Ethier incident happen? From the author’s account of what happened, it almost seems too Jeff Kentish for even Jeff Kent to pull off.

Anyway, back to my point. In the article, Kevin Pearson refers to “second baseman Jeff Kent, a likely Hall of Famer”.

When I read that, I did a double-take. Kent a Hall of Famer? I guess I don’t necessarily disagree with that suggestion. It is just not something I considered before.

I took the time to check out his career stats. One thing you can say about Kent is that he is incredibly consistent. By that, I mean his total stats are impressive without having the BIG years.

This is especially true beginning with 1997, when he began playing with SanFran. Each year between 1997-2005, he has had 20+ homers, 100+ rbis (except in his slightly down year in 03), and 80+ runs (except again in 03).

His lifetime totals at the beginning of the season of 331 homers (82nd all time) and 1312 rbis (83rd) and runs 1139 (21st active) are nothing to sneeze at especially for a secondbaseman.

And they’re going to get better. Barring injuries, Kent could play 3 or 4 years. Maybe more.

But in the context of the modern era, are those stats (plus his postseason play) good enough to put him in the Hall?

Here’s hoping all the fathers out there have a good day out there. I know being father isn’t easy at least if you’re doing it right. But the rewards are pretty awesome.

As for me, our family will be going to see the Vermilion Voles play some vintage base ball at the Newman Freedom Fest. If the weather cooperates, that is. Looking out the window, it doesn’t seem too promising.

Anyway, Happy Father’s Day…

Albert Pujols’ rehab stint is moving ahead of schedule. He hit balls off a tee on Saturday and is expected to graduate to live pitching on Sunday.

The Cards haven’t done terrible without Albert. They’ve gone 7-5 without him.

No date has been set for his return but LaRussa does not think a minor league rehab assignment is necessary.

Rushing him back too soon? Given the product we’re talking about, I’d like to think that LaRussa is being extra careful with the goods. It’s no secret that Pujols has been playing through pain this year and even last year.

If I were a Cardinal fan, I’d like to err on the side of caution.

Learned some new words to Take Me Out To The Ballgame as sung by some Bleacher fans at Wrigley Field. It goes, Root root root for the Cubbies, if they don’t win it’s the same. Now that’s a song I could sing along to while enjoying a beautiful day at the ballpark in Chicago. And as I was singing these newly learned verses I knew they would proove prophetic. Somehow there was some sadness as I was sitting next to an eight year old fan attending his first Cub game, oh the misery he will endure. Some fans are used to the inevitable, Judy’s been coming to the Bleachers since 1963, Marvin since 1947, and newbie Holly for the last nine years. Judy’s husband John was needling her all game long, but if she was totally honest she’d have to admit he was only telling the truth.

The Cubbies played little ball in the 1st inning when Juan Pierre bunted his way aboard, stole 2nd, was bunted to third by Tony Womack, and scored on Mike Barrett’s sac fly. Then they flexed their muscles in the 2nd when Jacque Jones launched a missle into the RF stands. But that was it as far as Cub highlights were concerned. In the 5th the Astros got on the board when Adam Everett doubled to left, after Carlos Zambrano made him look sick in his first plate appearance. There were some other game changing moments; Todd Walker hitting into a DP on a 2-0 pitch after the leadoff man got on, Walker throwing wide to 2nd on a potential DP ball that loaded the bases and setup a game winning two run single, Jacque Jones throw home from right that barely made the infield on a woeful attempt to nail Lance Berkman as he scored the go ahead run, Womack not being able to get the ball out of his glove on an easy DP turn, the Cubs not scoring after Freddie Bynum got a leadoff triple to left, Chris Burke made two great stops on grounders to keep Freddie at 3rd and an easy bouncer to Burke closed out the frame, and then Chris Burke got a leadoff eighth inning single off Bobby Howry (who’d come on to relieve Zambrano, pitch count). Brad Lidge struckout the first two Cub batters on six pitches, then got pinch hitter John Mabry to bounce out to Burke to end the game. There were 40,236 fans in attendance, paying the Tribune, telling them they like bad baseball, and never need to put a good baseball team on the field.

There’s a joke going around the Cubs can’t keep their website up, they can’t seem to string three W’s together, too bad they couldn’t just string three L’s together. Sing it… If they don’t win it’s the same.