Category: White Sox

I ended up not going to Motown to see the White Sox come back for a four game split against the Tigers, due to Oma’s broken hip (she’s doing better). But was able to see the Sox battle the Twins at the Cell in this past weekend’s three game series.

8/25/06: Javier Vazquez allowed “Little” Nick Punto’s 1st homer in the 6th inning, cutting the lead to 3-1. It should have been 4-1, but for “Waving” Joey Cora sending Ross Gload on a one out home plate suicide mission with leftfielder Jason Tyner easily gunning down Gload who would have scored on a Scott Podsednik’s fly to center if only he’d been held at 3rd. Then Neal Cotts was brought in to allow a 6th inning single to Justin Morneau, then David Riske was taken over the fence by Tori Hunter’s three run bomb, but A.J. Pierzynski knotted the game at four with a sixth inning solo blast off side arming righthander Pat Neshek. It was a tough one to lose when Jason Bartlett knocked in the go ahead run in the 9th, final score 5-4 MinnTwins. It was especially tough because we gave them an out when Joey sent Gload home and at least another when we allowed Javier Vazquez to start his 3rd time through the lineup, then brought in Cotts, and then brought in Riske. Ozzie Guillen needs to see the urgency of the situation.

8/26/06: Struggling Jose Contreras was facing “Mr. Automatic” Johan Santana. Rob Mackowiak, a lefthanded hitter, was in centerfield, despite lefty Santana on the mound. Mackowiak misplayed two balls that cost the Sox three runs. MVP candidate Jermaine Dye took closer Joe Nathan out for a two run 9th inning game tying blast, tied at 7. It was remarkable that we scored seven with Johan on the hill. Plus it could have been over, but Juan Uribe’s 9th inning error scored and Luis Castillo’s 9th inning great play in the field prevented a run from scoring. “Little” Nick Punto, batting righthanded, hit a two out shot off Ross Gload’s glove to score the go ahead run from 3rd. Gload was playing even with the bag at first, respecting the possibility of a push bunt. I felt a little guilty, having just yelled, “watch the bunt!”

8/27/06: Mark Buehrle allowed a first inning run. But this time the White Sox wore their hitting shoes, scoring twice in the 3rd. A.J. Pierzynski blasted a two run shot & Joe Crede knocked a solo drive in the 5th and then Juan Uribe put the game on ice with 6th inning a solo tater, all off starter Carlos Silva, 6-1 Good Guys. It was really tough to get out there for this one after playing give away the two nights before. After Saturday night’s game I said, there was no way I could do it again. But it was such a beautiful day, I couldn’t resist.

Couldn’t make it out there for any of the D*Rays series as my niece & nephew were in town and I travel to KC tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM to see the Sox & Yankees battle the Royals in back to back three game sets.

Joe Crede went yard twice to pace the Southsiders & Freddy Garcia over the Detroit Tigers in the 3rd game of this four game series. Jermaine Dye put the Sox up 3-0 with a three run first inning shot off Zach Miner, but the Tigers came back in the bottom of the first, thanks in part to Rob Mackowiak in centerfield (he backed off a fly ball and watched it bounce off Juan Uribe’s glove rather than taking charge, that guy scored to tie the game at three). Crede put the Sox up 4-3 with a 2nd inning shot to left and then blasted another in the 7th to give Chicago a two run lead, which they held onto 7-5. Bobby Jenks closed it out in the 9th, but it was Joe’s day. Funny thing is, last year during the playoffs I’d call the Baseball Zealot whenever Crede’d do anything great, and jokingly offer AL MVP ARod to the IAL’s Thunderchickens for Joe Crede. Not sure the Chicago Champions wouldn’t wanna pull the trigger on that deal today.

Chicago is now 1/2 game ahead of the Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card race, and the Detroit Tigers are still in sight in the Central Division. The 4th game featuring Jon Garland and Nate Robertson will be a big one!

Walter E. Jagiello, otherwise known as “Lil’ Wally the Polka King.” died last Thursday of heart failure.

Jagiello co-wrote Let’s Go Go Go White Sox in 1959. The song was made popular by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers and the fight song is still played at all Sox home games.

Lil’ Wally had quite a career as a polka musician in Chicago’s Polish Broadway. He said his finest moment was when he was asked to play for the Pope in 1984.

Lyrics to the Go Go White Sox fight song:

GO-GO WHITE SOX!

White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Let’s go, Go-Go White Sox
We’re with you all the way!
You’re always in there fighting,
And you do your best.
We’re glad to have you out here in the Middle West.

White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Let’s go, Go-Go White Sox!
Chicago is proud of you!

The last time I posted about my Southside Heroes I was proud about the way they stepped up against the inept Royals 12-2 after taking five of six from NY & DET (sweeping the Tigers). This was an important series and anything less than a four game sweep would be a shame (actually three out of four would have been okay). Well I had to go and open my big mouth. KC behind Elvis Hernandez defeated the Pale Hose & Javier Vazquez 4-2. It was a game the Sox could have won, Joey Cora got Tadahito Iguchi nailed at the plate on a two out double by Jim Thome (Paul Konerko singled to leadoff the next inning) and Jermaine Dye dropped a flyball that allowed the Royals to score a run (but I’m not all over JD as that doesn’t happen very often & he’s so clutch).

The next night I was out at the Cell again to see KC jump out to a 10-0 lead as the Royals buried the Sox & Jose Contreras 10-4 behind junk baller, with Alex Cintron hitting a meaningless grand slam in the 9th for Chicago. But I was long gone by that time as I hopped the L to get out of there after the 7th inning stretch, we were only down by a TD when I left.

It was tough to get up for my 10th day in a row at the Cell, but I was back out there for the series finale having bought my ticket the night before. A beer vendor whom I’ve seen at Bulls games for 20 years sold me a cold one before the game, but not before giving me crap about this being the 1st beer I’d ever bought from him in twenty years. Things didn’t look good as David DeJesus hit Mark Buehrle’s first pitch over the leftfield wall to give the Royals a 1-0 lead, but then Sox leadoff man Pablo Ozuna tied the game in the bottom of the first. Emil Brown hit a leadoff homer in the top of the 2nd and Jermaine Dye hit a leadoff 2nd inning homer for Chicago to tie the game. First time in the history of baseball that’s ever happened. BIG BAD Bobby Jenks was called on to preserve the win. Ozzie Guillen walked Mark Grudzielanek to load the bases to get to Mike Sweeney, Sweeney hit an 0-2 grounder to Joe Crede who stepped on 3rd & fired to 1st to end the game 5-4. It was the 5th DP turned by the Sox on the day.

In last night’s 7-1 White Sox win over Detroit, Chicago rookie centerfielder Brian Anderson brought his batting average over the Mendoza Line. Mario Mendoza was a light hitting shortstop who struggled to hit .200, although his lifetime batting average is .215. The Sox starting centerfield job was handed to Anderson when Aaron Rowand was traded in the offseason to Philadelphia in exchange for DH Jim Thome. I have been outspoken in my desire to have Chicago see if they can trade for a centerfielder. It has been frustrating watching Anderson struggle at the major league level, especially in a hotly contested playoff race. Last night’s win put the Pale Hose on the Tigers tail, just 3 1/2 games out of first in the AL Central. Now that Brian is FINALLY over the .200 mark (.201), maybe he can take it from there.

LET’S GO BRIAN ANDERSON!!! LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!