White Sox | The Baseball Zealot

GOODBYE DON GUTTERIDGE

Don Gutteridge has passed on at the age of 96. Gutteridge was the manager of the Chicago White Sox when I started following the team, way back in the Summer of 69. Woe, yeah, in the Summer of 69, sing it! Things were simpler then. I attended a preseason Sox game in 1968 in Milwaukee before the 1968 season, the Boys Benefit game. It won by the Sox over the Cubs 3-2 in 10 innings, it was freezing cold, the game was almost cancelled, as it was a few days after the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. I didn’t make it out to Comiskey Park in 1968, but did get there for the last game of the 1969 season. The neighborhood around Comiskey Park was scary and we were afraid to go down there. But to my father’s credit he took me down there, although money was tight, and he wasn’t a baseball fan. I remember an usher getting us a baseball. I’m sure not many fans were in attendance. We took that baseball to the team parking lot after the game, the parking attendant let us in, and we got that ball signed by everybody. I’m sure Don Gutteridge’s autograph is on that ball, along with Luis Aparicio, Walt Williams, Tommy John, Ken Berry, Ed Herrmann, Bill Melton, and many, many others. I can still remember being a little nervous walking to our car, with our prized possession, not another fan in sight. There was a black man wiping down the windshield of our car when we got to it. Dad gave him some money and we were on our way. The northside of the city and the southside were completely segregated, and we were scared of black people. Times were different back then, there was alot of racial tension in the air.

The 1969 White Sox ended the season with a record of 68-94. Gutteridge replaced Al Lopez as the manager during the 69 season, he would be replaced midway through the 1970 season, with Chuck Tanner in place by the end of the 1970 campaign. Only 589,546 fans showed up and I complain about the lack of support today. The White Sox were in serious trouble and they almost were moved to Milwaukee. Bill Veeck took over the ballclub, traded Tommy John for Dick Allen, and the southside franchise was safe, at least for awhile. There was some talk, later, of moving to either Seattle or St. Pete, but thankfully neither took place.

No wonder, it really didn’t matter if we won or lost, I was more concerned with my team not leaving town. I mean, of course I wanted the Sox to win, and was heartbroken when they lost, but I was never delusional enough to believe we might win a championship. While the Cubbies were licking their wounds after collapsing in their quest for a championship, I was just glad to see I was going to have my team.

Let me tell you a little bit about my team. Little Luis Aparicio was our SS, at age 35, he was just reacquired from Baltimore prior to the 1968 season. The veteran was the team leader in hits, steals, walks, doubles, and runs, while excelling in the field. Only our rightfielder Walt “No-Neck” Williams, .304, had a better batting average than Aparicio’s .280 mark. Ken Berry, the Bandit, patroled centerfield. We were strong defensively up the middle with Bobby Knoop at 2B, a sign in the stands said it all, “EVEN SNOOPY LOVES KNOOPY”. The stars of this team were 23 year old Beltin Bill Melton and 21 year old Carlos May. Melton had more homers & RBI’s than anybody on the team, 23 & 87. Carlos May was the younger brother of N.L. slugger Lee May, but as luck would have it, Carlos would blow off his thumb while in the National Guard, and never have the power promise he had in 69, 18 homers that year in only 367 at bats. Buddy Bradford was another talented young outfielder, who could hit the ball as far as anyone when he connected, but struckout too much to fulfill his promise. The team also had a 22 year old catcher named Ed Herrmann, who had a career year in 1970 with 19 homers, but never developed either.

The White Sox were built around pitching & defense, hitting was a bonus. My favorite pitcher Tommy John was a delight to watch. I was heartbroken when he was traded to the Dodgers for Dick Allen, although it kept the Sox in Chicago. Back in 1969 I never thought Tommy John might be traded. I’ll always hate Dick McAuliffe for slamming my hero to the ground in 1968, after John came to close to his coconut with a fastball. Another young pitcher I liked was Paul Edmondson, a tough luck starter, who had a 1-6 record, despite a respectable 3.70 ERA. Edmondson would die before the 1970 spring training when the car he was driving went off a cliff near Santa Barbara, both Paul & his fiance were killed in the crash.

Don Gutteridge had a 60-85 record in 1969 and his team was 49-87 under him in 1970. Gutteridge was an infielder, who played most of his ball in St. Louis, first with the Cardinals and then with the Browns. Steve was telling me Gutteridge was the last surviving member of the 1st place 1944 Browns, who lost in the World Series to the Cardinals. With the passing of Don Gutteridge, another window to yesterday seems to have been closed. So Goodbye Mr. Gutteridge, you will be missed.

AT LEAST THE FIREWORKS WERE GOOD

Monday was a rainout in Chicago, was waiting till 5:30 to head down there, but the game was called at five. Tuesday would feature a full day of baseball at the Cell, a DAY/NITE doubleheader, I’m not a fan. What do you do if you wanna go to both games? They throw you out of the ballpark/parking lot and then you can come back one hour later. If you come on the L, there really isn’t enough time to grab a bite and make it back in time for the 2nd game. What I decided to do was eat ballpark food during the first game, hang out outside Gate 4 for about an hour, and return inside.

The first game featured A.J. Burnett vs Javier Vazquez, normally I mention our pitcher first, but I was a little torn. You see Burnett is on my APBA Baseball team, the Chicago Champions, of the Illowa APBA League. If A.J. ends up with 20 wins on the season he’ll receive a higher grade, which will make him much more effective, he came into the game with a 16-10 record and four starts left. However I am a White Sox fan and was rooting for the Pale Hose to win, although I wouldn’t be heartbroken if Burnett got the win. A.J. came out smoking, throwing a no-hitter into the bottom of the 6th, when Orlando Cabrera broke it up with a line single to left, just about the same time I was munching down some Elotes (corn, smothered in butter, mayonnaise, lime, salt, cheese, & chillies, who says corn has to be healthy?). Although the Sox managed to score an unearned run in the bottom of the 6th to cut Toronto’s lead to 2-1, the game was never really in doubt. The Blue Jays had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the 6th (why does Javier always seem to give it up in the 6th?). The Good Guys went down to a lackluster defeat 3-1.

A woman, protected by the screen, who was sitting about ten rows in front of where I stand, was struck on the back of the head by a high popup off the bat of Juan Uribe. She was sitting next to A.J. Pierzynski’s wife & two kids. Although she was conscious, they took her out on a stretcher.

Went outside the ballpark over to Gate 5, where Tade gave me his ticket for the nitecap, he’s working midnights, and running on two hours of sleep wasn’t going to get him through the 2nd game, I gave him some beer money for the ticket, thanks Tade!

Also exchanged a couple of coupons for four tickets for Friday’s game against the Tigers. It’s Halfway to St. Patty’s Day & is a sellout, got obstructed view seats for Chuck & his family. It seems so strange to me, there were plenty of seats available for Saturday & Sunday’s games against the first place Angels, & yet this game is sold out, just because green White Sox caps are the give away. It also happens to be the day we picked for our tailgate party. We’re going to gather outside Gate 4’s parking lot about 4:00, I’m in charge of the pop & beer, Tade’s bringing the hot dogs, Debbie’s bringing fruit, and Dick & Bea are bringing pretty much everything else. It ought to be alot of fun.

Was sitting outside the ballpark, hanging with Phil, and a guy I met on the L. That guy was still made at Tony Cuccinello for sending Sherm Lollar home in the 59 World Series, instead of 2nd & 3rd with nobody out, down by a run, Lollar was out by 30 feet, and the tying run was on 3rd with one out, still didn’t score. Later in the night I continued this discussion with Steve while watching the 2nd ballgame. Steve blamed Al Lopez for not pinch running for Sherm, as both Johnny Romano & Earl Battey were on the team. When I asked Steve, why Billy Pierce didn’t start any game in that Series, he stated, Lopez didn’t like Pierce. He said, he also didn’t like Nellie Fox. It was Steve’s belief that Bob Shaw would’ve understood starting game #3 in Los Angeles. Baseball’s a great game, here we are almost fifty years later discussing a World Series that occurred when I was three.

The first batter in the 2nd game Marco Scutaro lined the 3rd Clayton Richard pitch of the game over the leftfield fence for a leadoff homer. When Jermaine Dye doubled home Orlando Cabrera & Dewayne Wise in the 3rd inning it was the first & only time the Sox would lead all day. Although Jesse Litsch was in & out of trouble all day, and his pitch count was high, it was the Jays who exploded for 4 runs in the 5th. Scott Rolen followed a leadoff walk to Kevin Mench with a two run blast to left. D.J. Carrasco was called upon to replace Richard, then Jose Bautista successfully bunted, something the White Sox couldn’t do throughout the first game, John McDonald & Scutaro to 2nd & 3rd with one out. Alex Rios singled home McDonald, but was tagged out on a sloppy rundown, when the throw home was cutoff. The worst break of the season might’ve occurred during that sloppy rundown play, something popped in Paul Konerko’s knee. Although Paulie grounded into a bases loaded doubleplay in this game, he’s the guy who just started hitting & was being counted on to pick it up for the injured Carlos Quentin. If Konerko’s out, the Sox are done, unless Ken Griffey, Jr. can step it up, something he hasn’t shown to date. Vernon Wells doubled home the 4th run of the inning with a booming double. Toronto added single runs in the 7th, 8th, & 9th innings to make the final 8-2.

So the Sox dropped both games, the Twins won, only one game out now, but at least the fireworks were good. Honestly it’s hard to be upset after watching such a beautiful display.

Once again the White Sox looked lifeless. I heard a stat, they’ve only won eight games all season, in which they did not hit a home run, something that does not bode well for the postseaon. Who’d have thought that Griffey would not be able to help us win? So far he has hit only one homer since coming over from Cincinnati. I though his season long lackluster performance could be blamed on the fact the Reds were playing so poorly. Now I think Junior just doesn’t have anything left in the tank. That said, it’s time to seriously question, what to do now? Maybe our scouts should have better assessed Griffey, his bat’s SLOW. But now we’ve got him. My call would be to play more speed, with Jerry Owens, Dewayne Wise, & Brian Anderson getting more playing time. Especially if Konerko’s out, one of them needs to be in centerfield everyday. We lost in 2006 because Rob Mackowiak played over 50 games in center, don’t repeat the same mistake. Anderson was immature then, but is still one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game, he seems to break for the ball even before it’s hit.

Also Alexei Ramirez needs a day off. I truly thought Ramirez would be rested in the 2nd game in favor of Chris Getz. I love Alexei, but the skinny Cuban is running on fumes, and needs a break.

It’s not going to get any easier as Chicago gets to face Roy Halladay on Wednesday, at least Mark Buehrle will toe the bump for the White Sox. I’m going to miss Thursday’s game in favor of Ray’s Surprise (Shhh) 50th Birthday Party. Friday is our Tailgate Party before Friday’s game against Detroit. Then Saturday BIG Mike & I fly to Carolina to watch the Bears take on the Panthers. Watched the opener with DonS at his brother Kevin’s place on Sunday after the Sox/Angels game. It was a great night, out on the patio, with ten friends singing the Bears Fight Song everytime the Bears scored a TD, Debbie doing a little dance, lotsa beer, good food, a surprisingly easy win over the Colts in Indy, what a funn night, BIG thanks to Kevin & Dawn!

STOOGES: BEE DOWN DANCE INSTRUCTOR’S DRESS

As I boarded the Redline for the Cell, I noticed a fly got on with me. After it had buzzed around the train car annoying riders, it flew up my teeshirt, and couldn’t find its way out. I kept fluffing my teeshirt in an attempt to free the fly. Other riders couldn’t help observe my antics. It brought to mind the Three Stooges episode where a bee flew down a dance instructor’s dress just as she told them to do what she did. Needless to say, the bee caused her to jump around like crazy as the bee stung her beneath her dress. Well our boys followed suit, jumping around as if they had bees in their britches.

The White Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Paul Konerko launched a long home run off Tony Saunders in the 4th inning. Toby Hall made it two to nothing when he homered to left the next inning. A.J., Thome, & Griffey were all given the day off against the southpaw after Saturday night’s marathon victory. Josh Fields was the team’s DH. I have a hunch that Alex Cintron passed along the nude photos of Ozzie Guillen to Fields before leaving town. I’d rather see Chris Getz in the lineup, batting leadoff, with Brian Anderson moving down in the order.

John Danks was cruising along, it seemed as though both teams were going through the motions. With one out in the top of the six it was 1st & 3rd after Mark Teixeira doubled & Vladimir Guerrero singled. Then Danks exited stage left after surrendering an RBI double to right off the bat of Torii Hunter. D.J. Carrasco induced Juan Rivera to top a slow roller to thirdbase, which knotted the game at two.

Three times in this ballgame the homeplate umpire gave the Angels hitter timeout, despite the fact that Chicago’s pitcher was already in his pitching motion, and he had to holdup at the last moment. Finally Guillen couldn’t take it anymore, lipped at the ump, which resulted in the umpire mouthing back, rather than just going about his job of calling the ballgame. The reason the rule is in place, not to grant timeout to a batter when the pitcher is in his motion is to prevent an injury to the pitcher. God knows we don’t need to get another player injured, especially a pitcher, after already losing Jose Contreras, Carlos Quentin, & Joe Crede.

It might’ve come back to bite the White Sox in the 8th inning. Gary Matthews, Jr. singled to leadoff the 8th off a tired Horacio Ramirez. Ramirez, who replaced Carrasco, had worked the previous two nights, and appeared to be running on fuimes. Teixeira appeared to take strike three, but the ump called it a ball, allowing Mark to double on the next pitch, making it 2nd & 3rd, with nobody out. With the infield in, Ehren Wasserman was called upon for the 2nd straight game to face Guerrero, and again he retired the slugger without allowing any damage, this time getting Vlady to ground weakly to third. Next Torii Hunter was intentionally passed setting up a possible inning ending doubleplay by Juan Rivera. Mike Scioscia replaced Rivera with the lefthanded hitting Garret Anderson. Anderson didn’t look comfortable facing the submariner Wassermann, as he had a 2-2 count, when he lifted a deep foul fly ball into the rightfield corner. I screamed, “NO!”, but Jermaine Dye couldn’t hear my pleading, as he caught the ball, allowing the eventual winning run to score from thirdbase. Brandon Wood grounded out, but the Angels had a one run lead.

It was KRod time once again in the 9th. Konerko was replaced by pinch runner Dewayne Wise after lining a one out single to center. Then it looked like Chicago had a shot after Alexei Ramirez grounded Wise to 2nd, but Nick Swisher never took the bat off his shoulders, taking three strikes to end the game. I don’t understand why you’d take a bat to homeplate, if you don’t intend on swinging it.

So put the brooms away, Angels 3, White Sox 2.

THE WIN JUSTIFIES THE GAME

Unfortunately Jim Thome doesn’t run very fast, fortunately where he hits the ball, he doesn’t have to. Thome hit one far and deep into the Chicago night ending a 15 inning contest between two first place ballclubs. Dawn, an usher at US Cellular Field, saw Mr. Thome (Jim’s Dad) coming off the elevator the next day after the late night game. She said, “Congratulate your son and kick him in the fanny, if he’d have hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th, we’d have gone home alot earlier”.

It was a matchup featuring Gavin Floyd for the White Sox and John Lackey for the Angels, on paper, it looked like a pitcher’s dual. It looked like the Angels had it when they broke a two-two tie in the top of the 6th, exploding for three big runs. LA of A adopted Chicago’s scoring method when Juan Rivera hit a long drive, that looked to be going foul, to left, that just made it over the fence, with a runner aboard. The next batter, Mike Napoli, took a 3-0 fat fastball, and sent it up into the wind, which carried it over the centerfield wall. I was starting to wonder, was it really a coincidence that DonS (a Huge Halo fan) stopped by to visit.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 6th Paul Konerko connected. Paulie has been red hot! Konerko will be the bat to pick it up after losing Carlos Quentin for the season. But the good guys still trailed 5-3 after six.

In the bottom of the 7th Nick Swisher connected with Alexei Ramirez aboard after a leadoff walk, to tie the ballgame at five.

Bobby Jenks entered the tie ballgame in the top of the 9th inning. Surprisingly Brandon Wood (a Josh Fields wannabe) took Jenks out to give the Angels a one run lead, setting up KRod for another save.

Francisco Rodriguez is in hot pursuit of former White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen’s single season saves record. However he wasn’t going to get any closer to the record on this night as Ramirez got a leadoff single, went to 3rd on a single to right by Swisher, and scored on a deep sac fly to rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero by pinch hitter Dewayne Wise. However pinch runner Jerry Owens was out trying to advance to 2nd on the play when Mark Teixeira cutoff the throw home & fired to Wood. This doubleplay tied the game, but ended a game winning rally.

Scot Shields took over for KRod as the game entered the bottom of the 10th. Scot’s entire family gathers at the Cell whenever Shields & the Angels come to town. There must’ve been twenty plus, strong, even his elderly mother was rooting for her son. Sean Rodriguez fielded A.J. Pierzynski’s leadoff single up the middle, but threw the ball away trying to get A.J. at 1st, the error allowed Pierzynski to go to 2nd with nobody out. When Jermaine Dye singled to left, it looked as though the Sox were going to hang an L on Shields. It was 1st & 3rd, nobody out, with Thome, Konerko, & Griffey coming up.

Mike Scioscia brought on Robb Quinlan to give the Angels five infielders. Thome struckout swinging, which was what Dawn was talking about the next day with Jim’s Dad. Then Paulie bounced one down to third on which Pierzynski was caught off base, rather than risk an around the horn doubleplay. With two out Griffey lined a deep drive to centerfield, which Torii Hunter tracked down for out number three. Houdini Shields had escaped.

Once again the Good Guys had a good chance at winning the game when Owens stole second after lining a one out single to center. Josh Fields was called out on strikes, why take a bat up there, if you’re not going to swing it? Then A.J. struckout swinging to end the threat.

The next three innings were controlled by Jason Bulger for the visitors, who threw three perfect innings, striking out five and Mike MacDougal & Matt Thornton for the home team, who threw up three goose eggs themselves.

After singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame for the 2nd time in the game in the bottom of the 14th, Horacio Ramirez was called upon to face Chone Figgins, who flew to center. Then Ramirez walked the lefty swinging Garret Anderson bringing up switch hitter Teixeira. Mark hit a doubleplay grounder to Fields at third. But when Fields took his time on his throw to 2nd, the potential inning ending DP was lost. Ehren Wassermann was brought on to strikeout Guerrero to end the top of the 15th.

The Angels manager brought on relief pitcher Justin Speier to pitch in the bottom of the 15th. Maybe Scioscia just wanted the game to end, as Speier’s 1-7 record might indicate, Chicago restaurants are open late, but it was getting a little bit ridiculous, and the postgame fireworks display is one of the best around. Justin got Dye to ground to Figgins at third. And up stepped Jim Tome, Thome’s blast, his 30th on the season, put him ahead of Mickey Mantle on the All Time Home Run list. Walkoff style, like his 500th, with some premature fireworksulation.

It should be noted that Jermaine Dye made three outstanding catches in rightfield. He’s been playing Gold Glove calibar rightfield all season long, making great diving catches, strong & accurate throws, while committing only one error. He probably won’t win a Gold Glove as three centerfielders (Torii Hunter, Grady Sizemore, & Ichiro) will probably win the A.L. “outfielder” awards. It is insane that the awards aren’t given out on the basis of whether you play left, center, or right. It would be like the award being given to infielders, whereby all shortstops might be rewarded there. Alex Rios might challenge Dye for a “rightfielder’s” Gold Glove, but I’m voting for JD!

Torii Hunter had a tough night at the dish, going 0-6, with two K’s. Late in the game a fan standing next to Nancy Faust’s booth kept yelling, “A.J. SAYS, YOU’RE A PUNK!, WE DIDN’T WANT YOU ANYWAY!, & TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN!”. I’d like to think my yelling got into Torii’s head.

ZORRO IN DA HOUSE!!!

Riding the Redline to the Cell I observed that Zorro boarded my train and was wearing a White Sox shirt under hit black cape, also he was not wearing a mask, and a sword was nowhere in sight. Imagine my surprise when he turned to me and said, “Hi Tedd”. Turns out he used to play softball for me on a Theatre League Softball team I used to coach called Tommy Guns. Truth be told I had a hard time identifying this guy dressed as the Gay Blade. Turns out his getup was really Father Southside, who knew? Another former softballer Jim “Cicero” Grillo was also on the train, along with Bob (Bob & his wife Sandy run Tommy Guns). Tommy Guns Garage is a speak easy that will bring you back to the roaring twenties and a time of gangsters in Chicago. I highly recommend a trip to their joint, especially on St. Valentine’s Day, when they reenact the massacre (with tommy gun machine guns a blazing).

It was Latin Music night at the ballpark. The Salsa music was booming and so were the hips of the dancers who could not sit still to the driving rhythm of the beat. I listened to the band outside gate 4 as I waited for CLuke and his family coming off the L. We proceeded inside, got off the elevator on floor one, and took our position next to Nancy Faust’s booth (Nancy wasn’t there, as she only works day games, thanks to Brooks Boyer, no thanks Brooks!). Caramel Corn Mike & his brothers loaded us up with a delicious mix of cheesy popcorn & caramel corn. I ordered up a Miller Lite and an ice cream bar, can’t beat ballpark food. That said, I must admit that the Cell has some of the best ballpark food you can find. They have hot dogs, brats, kosher dogs, hamburgers, Polish, Italian sausage, chicken, garden burgers, veggie hot dogs, Mexican food, corn, churros, Dippin Dots, popcorn, caramel corn, cheesy popcorn, pizza, pretzels, peanuts, and of course Crackerjack.

Bottom of the first inning CLuke & I were discussing how the White Sox would make out without Carlos Quentin. Quentin broke his hand, slamming his bat into the bat rack, and pretty much will be lost for the rest of the regular season & probably the post season as well. All of a sudden we couldn’t hear one another as Ken Griffey, Jr. lined a two out, two RBI, bases loaded single off Dustin Moseley to put the Good Guys up 2-0.

Then in the bottom of the 2nd CLuke & I resumed our discussion of how it was really going to hurt the team with Carlos being out, especially considering Joe Crede also might not see action again this season due to a bad back. That’s when his replacement, Juan Uribe set off the exploding scoreboard with a two run homer to left, that put Chicago up 4-0.

Once again in the bottom of the 3rd we tried taking up our discussion of how Chicago would make up for losing all this offense, when Paulie Konerko set off the scoreboard again with a shot to left. It certainly is tough talking over all these fireworks. Then in the same inning, with two outs, Uribe once again was up to more of his pyrotechnic antics, sending another two run bomb into the leftfield seats. Now with Mark Buehrle tossing a shutout, up 7-0, our discussion of where we’re going to find more offense took on less importance.

There was a strange play in the bottom of the 6th inning. With Konerko on 1st & Jim Thome on 2nd, and one out, Griffey pops to Angels catcher Mike Napoli, the infield fly rule is called, the popup drops in fair territory, Thome & Konerko start running(?), Napoli fires to third, where Brandon Wood steps on 3rd, and fires too late to doubleup Griffey. But because Griffey was out on the infield fly, the runners weren’t forced to run, meaning Wood needed to tag the fleet footed Thome, and thus the Sox had runners on 2nd & 3rd with two outs. Mike Scioscia came out of the dugout, the umpires gave Scioscia a crash course in Baseball 101, explaining the Infield Fly Rule to him, and Mike returned to his seat on the Halos bench. Of course Alexei Ramirez came through with a soft two out single, which plated two more runs, making it nine zip.

Standing beside us was a nice guy who turns out to be the editor from ESPN.COM named Thomas. Thomas had never experienced the New Comiskey (the Cell), was in the area to cover Saturday’s ND football game, and decided to take in a baseball game on only two hours of sleep. He is a professional, don’t try this at home, watching a baseball game on only two hours sleep is extremely dangerous, as you may fall asleep standing up. Luckily he had CLuke & Teddy Ballgame to stimulate his mind with intriguing trivia, like name three HOFers who started and finished their careers in the same cities, but with different teams. They are Babe Ruth (Boston Red Sox/Braves), Willie Mays (New York Giants/Mets), & Hank Aaron (Milwaukee Braves/Brewers), let me know if there are any others. Thomas came up with one saying Barry Bonds & Rich Aurilia have the highest single season home run mark of two teammates, pending verification.

I may be a little biased toward baseball, but I think the clash of two first place baseball teams is a better story than the Notre Dame vs South Dakota State football game. It was great hanging with Thomas, who’s pretty much lived all over the place from San Diego to Austin to Bristol. He grew up in Michigan and was extremely jealous when I explained how I was partying in Waupaca with Brian Rafalski & the Stanley Cup.

William (I call him Bill), the BIG beer vendor, stopped by to ask, “Who should be more nervous?”, see Bill is a Cub fan. The Cubs were down big to the Reds and destined to keep their losing streak intact. I just kind of smiled, a beer fan interrupted us, before I was forced to answer.

Buehrle came out after six innings of shutout ball, before turning it over to the bullpen. It was good to see Scott Linebrink, just off the DL, throw a scoreless inning. Jermaine Dye made a nice diving catch to keep this game a blowout, it happened in the top of the 7th, with two on, two out, in a 9-2 game to get D.J. Carrasco out of a jam.

Phil stopped by to say hello and we high fived each other as we boarded the elevator to the L to take us home after a 10-2 win.

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.

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!!!

Another ex-Mariner caught

Isn’t it ironic that on the day that Ken Griffey Jr ties Sammy Sosa for fifth on the all-time home run list that MLB punishes another former major leaguer named Sosa for performance enhancing drugs? This one Jorge Sosa, the righthanded pitcher who currently is in the Mariner organization was found positive for amphetamines.

Ok, off on a tangent here… I’ve said this before but unlike many Cub fans, I’ve never had a grudge against Sammy. Despite the fact that he could have handled a lot of things a whole lot better in his latter days with the Cubs, to me his legacy includes his 545 homeruns and 1414 rbis.

As for Jorge Sosa, what is it with all the former Seattle Mariners getting caught with PEDs? First it was Ryan Franklin back in 2005 then Jose Guillen last year. Now Jorge Sosa.

It’s not rocket science. They are testing the players. If it’s in their system like it or not, they will notice.

Oh, congrats to you, Junior. I still like you even if you went to the 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.