Category: Uncategorized

Ned Yost has decided to bat his catcher Jason Kendall 9th this season, behind his pitcher. The reason states Yost, “Jason hits into a lot of doubleplays and I don’t want him hitting into a doubleplay with my pitcher coming up next. Besides if the pitcher bunts up a runner before Kendall comes to the plate, there’s no chance to ground into a DP”.

It’s been pretty interesting to see what the media thinks of this move. There has pretty much been no comment from the media, the silence has been deafening. As opposed to when Tony LaRussa has moved a batter into the 9th spot in the order to get two leadoff batters. I have a theory about this, the media is waiting out Ned, thinking, this guy’s a goof. But with Tony, the genius, it was, we mustn’t truly comprehend the genius that’s going on here.

In yesterday’s game against the Cubs the Brewers backstop picked up three hits in four at bats, with two RBI’s, to raise his season average to a robust .500. We’ll have to see how this experiment goes. But here’s to Ned Yost for thinking outside the box.

Joseph Jason Putz, last year’s winner of the Rolaid’s Relief Man of the Year Award, turned Mariner fans’ stomachs a little when he served up a spicey meatball to Josh Hamilton. Hamilton, a former #1 pick of the Devil Rays and a former bad boy, took Putz far & deep into the Seattle sky over the rightfield wall for a two run dinger that gave the Rangers a one run 9th inning lead.

Seattle had taken the lead off Joaquin Benoit, scoring three runs, mostly due to two Texas fielding miscues. After recapturing the advantage, C.J. Wilson was brought on for the Rangers to close things out. Things didn’t go smoothly for C.J., as he got the first two batters before Yuniesky Betancourt doubled into right center (his 4th hit in five at bats), bringing up Ichiro. Suzuki grounded to Michael Young to end it.

The kids and I were on the University of Illinois campus this snowy Saturday and we noticed that the Alma Mater was gussied up in honor of Illinois’ upcoming appearance in the Rose Bowl. 

During the off-season, Curt Schilling is getting involved in politics.  He introduced president-hopeful John McCain at town meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

Schilling did say the next president has to be ready to lead on taxes and what he called "the war in the Middle East."

Some fans were going as far as to calling him "Senator Schilling". 

Eh, stick to pitching, Curt. 

Those interested can see a video of Schilling and McCain at the town meeting on YouTube.

Alex Rodriguez

Last night while watching the final game of the World Series, with the sound off, I saw Alex Rodriguez’ picture flash across the screen. I said to myself, I thought the Yankees had been eliminated from the World Series picture. So I flicked on the sound to hear the knuckleheads talking about how the Yankees offered ARod a contract and he decided to test the free agent market. Could the timing be any worse? Here we are about to crown this year’s baseball champion and they’re talking about Alex Rodriguez and money. I turned off the sound and watched the Bosox clinch in a clean sweep.

Congrats to the Red Sox!!!

Tom Haudricourt from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lists ten reasons why the Brewers lost the NL Central championship. 

Not surprisingly, he notes the starting pitching, bullpen, as well as key players not coming through.  It is notable that Yost’s name is barely mentioned in the article. 

  

Some time over this three game home stand against the LA Angels of Anaheim, I got a cold, with a wicked cough, and some nasty stuff in my lungs. Still I knew Sunday could be the day that Jim Thome would hit his 500th home run of his career, something never accomplished by a player wearing a White Sox uniform. I liken it to when Tom Seaver won his 300th game as a member of the Pale Hose in 1985.

It was Jim Thome Bobblehead Day, so I got on the L at 10:10 AM, but didn’t arrive at the Cell till two hours later, “surprise” there were delays on the Red Line. I chugged down a purple Gatorade, settled in along with my bobblehead, and my Sox friends 35 rows behind home plate. After saying hello to one of Scot Shields’ family, 21 were in attendance, she told me that Scot didn’t miss the tag on a disputed call from the night before, it was almost time to play ball. But not before saying hello to the always smiling Nancy Faust. Even said hello to Jermaine Dye’s Dad as he was picking up his daily bag of caramel corn/cheesey popcorn mix.

With Mark Buehrle toeing the rubber, eight good White Sox fan friends (Tade, Al, Anthony, Dan, Dick, Bea, & Caramel Corn Mike and his brother Scott) in attendance, it was a perfect day for Thome’s 500th, Jim’s picture was even on the day’s tickets.

The White Sox couldn’t get their offense going, while the Halos took advantage of the Sox bullpen to build up a 7-1 lead. Alot of the fans stuck around hoping to see Jimmy’s Big Fly and then in the bottom of the 7th Chicago jumped back into the game 7-5, tied it seven up in the bottom of the 8th. After the 7th the group by Nancy counted off and knew Jim would bat in the bottom of the 9th. Tade said, “Wouldn’t be cool if it was a walkoff!”

After Darin Erstad leadoff the bottom of the 9th with a single against his old mates, Jim Thome drove one over the left centerfield wall to end the game. Everybody was truly happy for Thome, he’s such a great guy, a local kid from Peoria, who made good. The fans went crazy cheering as Thome hugged his father, wife with tears in her eyes, and several members of his family, before being hoisted onto Jenks & Dye’s shoulders.

This is what baseball is all about! Even Bubba had to smile…

Hello all… It has been a long time since I’ve posted anything to the Baseball Zealot. I apologize for my absence and hope I was missed. I did miss writing, but please don’t ask me to account for my time away. All I can say is that I’ve been having fun, living large, and enjoying summertime. Now that it’s after Labor Day, the baseball season is coming to an end, and the playoffs are just around the corner, I’m back at my usual post as the Baseball Zealot’s Wingman, if he’ll have me.

Even though my White Sox have had a terrible season on the Southside, I’ve been out there as a Sox Supporter about 40+ times this year. To be honest, it’s been tough to watch. Maybe that’s why I haven’t been so eager to write about baseball. You know what they say, if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything.

Went to the Cell last night to see the White Sox play the playoff bound Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, hoping to see Jim Thome hit his 500th home run of his career. It would be the first time a player would hit number 500 representing the Southside Hitmen, but alas this would not be the night.

Was in my usual spot 35 rows behind home plate, right by Nancy Faust’s organ. Nancy only plays during day games, so her organ was silent. Her mother has been ailing and is in my thoughts. It’s too bad baseball has gone to canned music and away from organ music. There’s something about organ music at a baseball game that can’t be beat.

While watching the game last night with CLuke, his daughter, and Tade, we got to talking with Mike the caramel-corn guy. Mike had comprised a list of 14 players gone from the 2005 championship team, we came up with three more. A few innings later an older gentleman said, “that’s my son batting”, turned out to be Jermaine Dye’s Dad. He struck up a conversation with CLuke, Saying 17 players are gone from the 2205 team, he must’ve been talking with caramel-corn Mike, CLuke didn’t have the heart to tell him that he’d helped come up with the 17 names on the list.

Then there was a large gathering of fans in front of us. I asked if they were having a family reunion, turns out 19 people from Scot Shields’ family were on hand to watch the ballgames over the weekend. Scot’s two little girls were there horsing around with their aunts. It really brought it home that these ballplayers are people too. Most of Shields’ family is from Milwaukee, but some folks came from Michigan.

A couple more examples of ballplayers being people too were right there in front of us. Mark Buehrle’s wife was on hand with their four week old son Braden, CUTE! Also in attendance were members of Jim Thome’s family, hoping to be on hand for Jim’s 500th Big Fly, the Thome’s are from Peoria.

If Jim hits his 500th in one of the next two days, I’ll be there to witness the event, and will cover it for the Zealot. DonS might even come out to see his Halos with me on Sunday.

My son was reading about how engineers implode buildings.  I suggested that he do a search on the web for some videos of large buildings being imploded.  The first search result on the list was the Seattle Kingdome which was destroyed in 2000. 

Some facts on the Kingdome here. 

Anyway, wow!  What a sight!

 

(Photo: Chris Usher, TIME)

Hey look, Karl Rove’s a Twin fan now.  Almost makes me want to root for the Sox. 

I said ALMOST.

Rove was showing the Twinkie colors while in Minneapolis.