Tag: White Sox

Ozzie Guillen is quite the celebrity in Venezuela.

Hehe, Oof in Spanish slang means Wow.  Go figure.

 

This game was a little different right from the get-go. Of course there was contraversy, the Astros wanted the roof closed on their Juice Box Field, but MLB intervened and forced Houston to play baseball outdoors. Originally the retractable roof was designed to keep games from being called on rain or to keep the fans comfortable during extremely hot weather. But now the Stros want the roof closed because they play better indoors. Anyway, on to baseball. The GREAT Roy Oswalt was on the bump for Houston, while the White Sox had Jon Garland going for them. The Astros jumped out in the first inning when Craig Biggio leadoff with a double to left, Willy Taveras bunted him to third, and scored on a Lance Berkman single. Mr. Ugly Adam Everett opened the 3rd inning with a single, the Sox pitched out, and caught Everett dead. But Juan Uribe’s throw to first nailed Adam allowing him to return to first base safely. Oswalt bunted him up where he scored on a Biggio single to right moments later. Garland struckout Taveras for what should have been the 3rd out of the inning, no runs should have scored. But the inning was still alive. Berkman sent Biggio to third on a base knock to right. Morgan Ensberg put the Stros up 3-0 when he singled to left scoring Biggio. In the 4th inning Jason Lane leadoff with a homer. But wait a minute, replays showed the ball should not have been ruled a homer as it did not clear the yellow line as was originally reported. So the White Sox trailed 4-0 through four innings against the best pitcher in the NL. Seriously though there was no whining about the umpire’s ruling at Robby T’s house, Sox fans have too much class. Besides that, this game was FAR from over! Joe Crede opened the 5th inning taking Oswalt over the rightfield fence. Uribe singled to left, but then Garland couldn’t bunt & struckout. Scott Podsednik singled to right. With runners on 1st & 2nd Tadahito Iguchi scored Juan with a single up the middle. Jermaine Dye worked the count before lining a single to center plating Podsednik. The 2nd out was finally recorded when Paul Konerko flied to Taveras. A.J. Pierzynski doubled home two, putting the Sox up 5-4. Aaron Rowand walked on a 3-2 count, Crede was drilled with a pitch loading the bases. Uribe flied to right ending the inning. All the talk about Oswalt taking the game to Brad Lidge was just talk as Roy threw about 50 pitches in the 5th and was at about 100 for the game. Unheralded Jon Garland turned the lead over to Cliff Politte after allowing two earned runs over seven innings of work. Politte got Taveras & Berkman before Ensberg walked on a full count. Neal Cotts was brought on, but was soon out of there after walking Mike Lamb. Eric Bruntlett came in to run for Lamb. Jason Lane doubled down the leftfield line off Dustin Hermanson scoring Ensberg, tying the game at five. The White Sox caught a HUGE break when Lane’s double hit off the a part of the stands down the line rather than rattling around the left field corner, another run definately would have scored. There were alot of opportunities to win the game for both teams even though the Sox relievers only allowed one hit (Lane’s double), they walked ten and hit a batter. Ozzie Guillen’s well laid out plans for bullpen use in this game drastically changed when Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez had to leave after walking four guys in a little over one inning of work. Chad Qualls pitched brilliantly out of Houston’s pen, working three shutout innings, before giving way to Ezequiel Astacio. I know I’ve called Adam Everett the Ugly Man, but Astacio raises ugly to a whole new level. Ezequiel even makes Seal look pretty, and Seal can sing & I’m sure Seal can pitch better than Astacio. Kim T (Robby T’s daughter) said, “We shouldn’t make fun of the really ugly man.” I told her she’d be in the confessional, telling the priest about making fun of the ugly man, and then he’d say, “Oh, you mean Astacio! He’s even uglier than Everett! He even makes Seal look pretty!” Jose Vizcaino stayed in the game at 2B after pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 13th with Ezequiel Astacio coming in to Craig Biggio’s spot in the batting order. Jermaine Dye led off with a single to right, but was erased on a brilliant doubleplay started by a diving Ensberg who fired a strike to Vizcaino. Paul Konerko’s speed was no match for Jose’s strong arm, Vizcaino avoided a hard sliding Dye to get Paulie at first, Konerko really scorched that ball. It was starting to look like this game would never end, when Geoff Blum lined a 2-0 pitch into the RF seats. Blum was the only guy picked up by GM Kenny Williams at the trading deadline to help the Sox in their stretch run. Everybody was pretty much letdown, thinking we could have gotten Griffey Junior, and ended up with journeyman Geoff Blum. Blum wasn’t all that pleased himself with the deal, his wife had just given birth to triplets in May. The Sox continued with a two out rally that resulted in an insurance run. Aaron Rowand topped a two strike pitch to third on which a hard charging Ensberg had no play, then Crede’s slow grounder was allowed to roll foul, which it didn’t, and Joe was on first after the ball hit third base, Uribe walked on a 3-2 pitch, and then Astacio walked Chris Widger forcing in a run. Wandy Rodriguez was brought on to K Podsednik to end the inning. Going into the bottom of the 14th the Good Guys had a two run lead. But Damaso Marte was still in the game, with no other relievers available. Damaso Marte was terrible throughout the latter part of this season and he was the guy brought in to face the Red Sox in the Divisional Series and loaded the bases before El Duque’s magic act. We even joked about having to be at the games to keep Marte off the field. And that the only reason Damaso made the post season roster was because he speaks Spanish, or that he has naked pictures of Ozzie Guillen. This time though Marte seemed more focused and dtermined, or was it just that he was benefitting from facing NL hitters? Mark Buehrle, Sunday’s starter, was warming up, just in case. When Juan Uribe made his 2nd error of the game putting runners at the corners with two out Ozzie Guillen made the move to bring on Buehrle for the save. Adam Everett popped to Uribe to end the game. It was the longest game in World Series history. The win put the Good Guys up 3-0 with one win to go. LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

Went to watch Game #2 with Big Mike at the home of KevinS & DawnS. DonS was invited to come, but chose not to. Before the game we drove down to Greektown, one block from there place, where I got some veggie Mousaka, Saganaki, Greek beer, & Big Mike had a salad. What’s wrong with this picture? Big Mike was involved in a Walk-a-thon for the City of Hope, he did one for PAWS recently too. I mistakingly told CLuke Big Mike was involved in a 5K run, to which CLuke was amazed. He kept asking, “Big Mike? Our Big Mike?” When the topic came up later, it was decided the only way Big Mike would be involved in a 5K run would be if the ice cream truck he was pursuing wouldn’t stop. After filling our bellys we walked to see DawnS. KevinS & company were at the Bear game, but it wasn’t bad watching the first place Bears beat the Baltimore Ravens on their 42 inch high definition TV, while it was raining & cold outside. So far, so good, the last place Green Bay Packers had blown a 17-0 lead on the Minnesota Vikings to lose on a 50+ yard Paul Edinger field goal as time ran out. Life was good!

A couple of southpaws were starting game two, Mark Buehrle for the White Sox and Andy Pettitte for Houston. No wonder the Yankees aren’t in the World Series, ARod’s lack of production in the ALCS aside, three of the four starting pitchers in the first two games of the Series were cut loose by King George Steinbrenner. But the Yankees get enough press when they actually do something, this is about the White Sox! Fox-TV almost missed Morgan Ensberg homer on the first pitch of the 2nd inning for the Stros, putting the Sox down a run. The bottom of the 2nd was kind of strange. Carl Everett struckout, Aaron Rowand singled to left, A.J. Pierzynski lifted a high fly ball to left off the wall which Chris Burke couldn’t catch, but Rowand was going back to first to tag, so he only ended up at 2nd. Joe Crede shot a ball into right, scoring Rowand, and sending A.J. to 3rd. Then Juan Uribe popped to Craig Biggio, the ball went off Biggio’s glove, Jason Lane RF forced Crede at 2nd, and Pierzynski scored giving the Sox a one run lead. In the Astros third the game became tied when Willy Taveras scored on a Lance Berkman sac fly after tripling to right. Houston took a two run lead in the 5th when Brad Ausmus doubled off Crede’s glove, first thing all series that escaped Joe’s D. He stayed there when Adam Everett, ugliest man in baseball, K’d and Biggio grounded out. But then Willy Taveras beat out an infield hit just out of Crede’s reach, putting runners on the corners with two out. Lance Berkman doubled driving in both runners. Eric Bruntlett replaced Craig Biggio at second and Dan Wheeler took over on the hill for Andy Pettitte for Houston as the White Sox stepped in there in the 7th. Crede fouled out, Juan Uribe doubled, Scott Podsednik K’d, Tadahito Iguchi walked on a fullcount, and then Jermaine Dye was hit by a pitch. There was some contraversy as replays showed the ball off Dye’s bat, not his hand. But the call was made. The night before two Astro batters were hit consecutively, but nothing was said, even though I certainly couldn’t see where the second batter was hit, and neither guy tried to get out of the way. Also in the first game Phil Garner setup a doubleplay situation in which A.J. Pierzynski grounded into 3-6-1 DP. Fox-TV said nothing, no replays were shown, but there was no way 2nd base was touched by the Astros on the play. But this HBP was shown, over and over and over again. Chad Qualls was brought on to face Paul Konerko with the bases loaded, two outs, and the game on the line. Paulie always takes a strike, but not this time, as he sent the offering high & deep over the leftfield wall for a grand slam, and a two run Sox lead. Cliff Politte relieved Buehrle and set the Stros down in order in the 8th as Fox-TV replayed A.J. Pierzynski’s drop third strike call again versus the Angles. And showed some more angles of Dye’s HBP off his bat, again it was all about the umpires.

Bobby Jenks was called on in the 9th to close it out for the Sox. Jeff Bagwell fouled off a number of pitches before lining a low heater into centerfield for a leadoff base knock. Jason Lane was burnt by high heat. Jenks walked Chris Burke on four pitches, Brad Ausmus grounded to Paulie unassisted, moving the tying runs to 2nd & 3rd with two outs. We all felt pretty good as Ex-Cub Jose Vizcaino was sent up as the pinch hitter for the ugly man. Both runners scored as Vizcaino lined the first Jenks pitch he saw into leftfield, Burke was only at 3rd when Podsednik picked up the ball in shallow leftfield, but Burke scored anyway on a marvelous slide as Scotty’s throw tailed a little bit toward firstbase, what a letdown. Brad Lidge was brought on to pitch the bottom of the 9th with the game tied. Normally Lidge is brought on to close games out, but Phil Garner wanted to make sure he got another chance to bat. Uribe ripped a hard hit flyball to center. Then Scott Podsednik blasted a 2-1 fastball just over the CF fence for a White Sox winner!!! Podsednik wasn’t sure it was gettting out as he was flying around the bases until the umpire signaled home run. Scotty didn’t hit a single home run in 507 regular season at bats, but did hit one out against the Bosox in the Division Series, and had 12 two years ago for the Brewers. The Fox-TV announcers had just said alot of people thought Garner should have used Lidge in the 6th game against the Redbirds to get the taste of Albert Pujols game winning homer out of his mouth. Then he said, “It seems as though he’s gotten the bad taste out of his mouth”, just as Scott Podsednik’s drive was touching down over the wall, ending the game. Brad Lidge is one of baseball’s premier relief pitchers, but has been stung by game winning homers in his last two post season appearances. It reminded me of when the Yankees knocked Byung-Hyun Kim around in the 2002 Fall Classic, he was never the same again. The Bears are in first, the Packers are in last, the White Sox are two wins away from a World Championship. I never paid much credence to this religious crap, but maybe there is a God. White Sox win! Two more wins to go! LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

Couldn’t get tickets for the White Sox in the World Series in my own home town. A part of me knows if I’d just go down there, I’d get in, especially with my Baseball Zealot connections. But another part of me is quite satisfied sitting in the comfort of a nice warm living room or a crowded bar with friends, rather than the cold and rainy nights in the elements by myself. Decided to watch game #1 at Big Mike’s place. Thought there might be a gaggle of Sox fans there, but for the most part it was Big Mike, his wife, RobbyT showed up for the middle three innings, and myself. When I got to Big Mike’s place his wife was watching Hogzilla, but luckily it ended just before the first pitch. We had HOT chilli, some guacamole & chips, and some beverages du joir. What could be better? Well maybe a White Sox winner!

Roger Clemens was matched up against Jose Contreras. It was the first time a 300 game winner started game #1 of the World Series since Walter “Big Train” Johnson in 1925. The third batter for the White Sox Jermaine Dye wasted no time jumping on a 3-2 Clemens pitch for a solo home run, putting the Sox up 1-0. In the top of the 2nd Mike Lamb took Contreras over the CF wall to knot things at one. The Pale Hose had runners at 1st & 3rd with nobody out in the bottom of two when Carl Everett & Aaron Rowand got base knocks. A.J. Pierzynski hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Everett. Joe Crede grounded up A.J, Juan Uribe doubled to center driving in Pierzynski, and Scott Podsednik K’d to end the frame, but the Sox had scored two. That was the end of Rocket Clemens who left after throwing 54 pitches in only two innings of work, he left with a hamstring problem. The Astros tied the game in their next raps in this see-saw affair. Brad Ausmus singled, was forced out by Adam Everett, went to second on Craig Biggio’s single, both runners moved up on Willy Tavares’s sac bunt, and scored on Lance Berkman’s double to right, and the game was tied at three. In the bottom of four Joe Crede rode a Wandy Rodriguez pitch over the centerfield fence to give the Good Guys a one run lead. Jose Contreras let up a leadoff eighth inning double to Willy Taveras before giving way to Neal Cotts. It was kind of funny too as the Fox-TV crew did a promo for WebMD showing a pitcher with a rusty shoulder, illustrating that the White Sox bullpen would be rusty after four straight complete games by the starters. Lance Berkman sent Taveras to third on a single off a slider, before Cotts settled down and went to work. Neal got Morgan Ensberg on strikes and then fanned Mike Lamb, and then gave way to Bobby Jenks. Jenks was called in by an animated Ozzie Guillen, who motioned he wanted the wide, big guy from the pen to face Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell who is still recovering from mid-season shoulder surgery didn’t have a chance against Bobby’s high 100 MPH heat. Threat ended!

The White Sox added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when A.J. Pierzynski singled off Russ Springer and came around to score on a Scott Podsednik triple. Bobby Jenks K’d two more in the 9th to close it out, he only threw one curveball. Final Score 5-3 Good Guys! Three more wins to go!

After Wednesday night’s exciting finish I was on a baseball high and the only way I was going to serve that high was by traveling to Anaheim to see the White Sox play the Angels. It was going to be quite a weekend with three games being played in 85 degree weather at the Big A. But Thursday morning would require some magic as I’d need to arrange for a hotel room near the ballpark, tickets to the games, and SWA to fly me there and back. I found a hotel room one mile from the park, got a ticket through Ticketmaster for $45, and had free airfare. I flew into John Wayne Airport and saw Sox GM Kenny Williams there, it felt like home. Kenny was there picking up his son Tyler who had just flown in from Phoenix. Tyler even helped get my bag off the carousal. After checking in to my room at the Comfort Inn, I hopped a shuttle, and was on my way.

Next thing I’m sitting in the Budweiser Pavillion in rightfield, without my sunglasses! It was 85 degrees & VERY sunny! What was I thinking leaving my sunglasses back at the hotel? So the first three innings I’m squinting so badly I can hardly watch the game. It felt surreal being there. One thing surprised me there was very little vegetarian fare in the park, I ended up eating at Panda Express. Scott Podsednik singled to right, Tadahito Iguchi bunted him up, Jermaine Dye doubled to center, and then Paul Konerko homered to left off John Lackey giving the White Sox a three to nothing lead before I even was settled in my seat. In the 3rd Iguchi singled, Dye walked, Konerko struckout, before Carl Everett singled to left bringing home a fourth run. With one out in the fifth Iguchi doubled, Dye struckout, and then Paulie delivered again with an RBI single, Good Guys were up 5-0. Orlando Cabrera delivered a two run homer in the 6th inning, but Jon Garland settled down for a complete game winner 5-2 Good Guys. All throughout the game Angel fans were crying about Doug Eddings bad call on A.J. Pierzynski the game before. Everytime they’d bring that up I’d scream out, “WAWWW!!! BABY NEEDS ITS DIAPER CHANGED!!!”, or “THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!!!”

Leaving for the ballpark the next night I was determined not to leave my sunglasses behind. And before I went to my seat I visited the Knot Hole Club. The Knot Hole Club is where the club box season ticket holders get good food to eat and some watch the game sanitised behind glass. I had a couple of New Castle Brown Ales, some cucumber sushi, and garlic sweet potato fries, the rich people eat well. So I go to my seat wearing my cool shades, realize it’s kind of overcast, and soon it’s very cold! That was the end of summer as far as my baseball trip out west was concerned.

Rookie Ervin Santana was on the bump for the Halos matched up against Freddy Garcia. The rookie Halos righthander walked Scott Podsednik on a 3-2 pitch, hit Tadahito Iguchi with a pitch, the runners tagged & moved on a deep fly by Jermaine Dye to Steve Finley in center. To which I yelled out, “STEVE! RETIRE! YOU’RE TOO OLD! YOU’RE WASHED UP! YOU’RE STEALING MONEY, YOU HASBEEN!!!” Unexplainably the Angels skipper decided to pitch to Paul Konerko. Paulie made him pay sending a blast over the centerfield wall for another quick 3-0 lead. Perhaps DonS didn’t even put Black Magic Woman on the turntable yet, or maybe there was a skip in the vinyl, or maybe this game has more to do with talent rather than superstition. Although I was wearing my lucky White Sox tee just in case. Garcia gave one back in the 2nd when he issued a one out walk to Darrin Erstad, allowed Casey Kotchman to reach on a single to 3rd, which Freddy threw away, putting runners at 2nd & 3rd, Bengie Molina knocked one in with a single, but then Garcia got washed up Steve Finley to hit into a 4-6-3 DP to end the inning. The White Sox got the run right back in the top of the 3rd when Dye reached on a one out error by Orlando Cabrera, Paulie flied out, Jermaine stole 2nd, and scored on a Carl Everett single to center. To the fans dismay A.J. Pierzynski went yard with a solo shot in the 4th making it 5-1, fans had been really booing A.J. LOTS ever since the drop third strike. The Angels got that run back in the bottom of the frame when Garret Anderson singled up the middle with one out, stayed there when Erstad popped to Juan Uribe, but later came home on a Casey Kotchman double. With so little offense Kotchman was still batting 1.000 after two at bats in the ALCS. The Pale Hose got that run back in the top of the 5th when again Santana walked Podsednik on a 3-2 pitch, Scot Shields got Iguchi to fly out, Pods stole second, Dye grounded out, FINALLY the Angels intentionally walked Konerko, only to have Carl Everett come up with an RBI single to left. The Sox tacked on two more runs in the eighth off Esteban Yan when Carl Everett walked on another full count, went to third on an Aaron Rowand double to left, Pierzynski struckout (to the delight of the fans), but then Joe Crede singled to left scoring two making the final 8-2. Freddy Garcia made it three straight complete games, going the distance. It was very cool seeing former White Sox Ace Jack McDowell drinking beers in the Budweiser Pavillion with the fans. I went up to Black Jack, shook his hand, and told him if ever there was a big game for the Sox he was the dude I wanted on the hill. When he asked if I was having a good time, I smiled, and said, “Of course!”

Decided to watch the Bears play the Vikings at a local sports bar. I thought finally there might be as many Chicago fans as opposition fans watching football in Southern California. Boy was I ever wrong! There was a guy in a Dante Culpepper uniform and everybody else there was dressed in Viking purple. Well it turned out Da Bears took a page out of the White Sox book and thoroughly whooped the Vikings 28-3. I watched the game outside even though it was rainy, had some beer & some good bar food (dunno if that’s like Government Intelligence).

I got to the game two hours before game time, optimistic about the outcome, despite the fact it was raining, there was sunshine in my heart. It was very cool that I was actually there with the White Sox on the verge of winning the AL Pennant, first time since 1959 when I was only three. The Angels seemed to finally take the White Sox more seriously. Steve Finley was benched in favor of Juan Rivera starting in left, with Garret Anderson moving to center, and hot hitting Casey Kotchman again was the DH. My good feeling was reinforced seeing Jose Contreras matched up against Paul Byrd. This game was a little different though in that the game was tied at one through four innings. Aaron Rowand doubled in the 2nd, was bunted along by A.J. Pierzynski, and Joe Crede plated Rowand on a sac fly to center, but the Angels tied it with a run in the 3rd. The White Sox took the lead again in the 5th when Juan Uribe doubled with one out, Scott Podsednik drew a full count walk, Tadahito Iguchi flied to left, Jermaine Dye ripped an RBI double to left, Scot Shields was brought on to get Paul Konerko on a fly to left to end the inning. The White Sox had the lead, but not for long as the Angels scored two in the bottom of the 5th. Adam Kennedy opened with a base hit and scored on a Chone Figgins double doubled to right. Figgins moved to third on a ground out by Orlando Cabrera to Iguchi, and scored on a Garret Anderson sac fly to right. It should be noted that the ice cold Vladimir Guerrero was dropped to cleanup, with Anderson moving to the third spot.

The Angel fans were finally getting a bit cocky, thinking they might win this game. The two fans sitting in front of me moved behind me, thundersticks in hand, and started banging them LOUDLY directly into my brain. I, of course, yelled out, “FINALLY! I HEAR ANGEL FANS CHEERING!” and yelled, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SIGN TO TELL YOU TO MAKE SOME NOISE! THIS ISN’T A LIBRARY! THEY’RE NOT GOING TO SHOOSH YOU!!!” To which I heard the thunderstick fans behind me exclaim, “Maybe we should just whack him over the head.” Joe Crede greeted Kelvim Escobar with a game tying solo shot in the 7th. Aaron Rowand walked again on a 3-2 count, after Paul Konerko & Carl Everett struckout. Contraversial A.J. Pierzynski hit a comebacker to Escobar. Kelvim tagged him with his glove, but the ball was in his throwing hand. Originally he was ruled out, Angel fans thought justice had been served when Ozzie Guillen came out to argue. A fan actually asked, “How I liked it?” He kind of had egg on his face a minute later when A.J. was ruled safe on an error. Crede greeted Francisco Rodriguez with an RBI single to short, White Sox were up 4-3. In the top of the 9th Iguchi walked on another 3-2 walk, was pumped out at 2nd trying to steal, but was allowed to stay at second when the ump realized Adam Kennedy dropped the throw. Dye walked on the umpteenth full count walk of the series, Konerko scored Tadahito with a double to right, Everett struck out, and then the Sox added another insurance run when Rowand sac flied to Guerrero in right, making the final 6-3 Good Guys. Jose Contreras went the distance for the 4th straight complete game. The White Sox could have saved some money by not even having the relievers travel to Anaheim. Vladimir Guerrero batted .050 in the series. I kept asking VERY loudly, “WHERE ARE YOU VLADY? WHERE ARE YOU MVP? WHERE ARE YOU BARTOLO? WHERE ARE YOU CY YOUNG? ISN’T THIS AN IMPORTANT SERIES?” It was an AMAZING TIME IN ANAHEIM! The Chicago White Sox had won the Pennant!!!

After the game I celebrated at Fritz’ Gentlemen’s Club!!! Seven hours in the rain, with a hacking cough, wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world. All I could say was, “FOUR MORE WINS!”

I have Joe Crede on my APBA team and it seems that his stock has risen since the Sox postseason.  I keep getting offers for him (at least from one desperate Sox fan).

I missed a good part of the WS game tonight.  My 5 year-old daughter won tickets to the Illinois football game in a drawing at school.  The cynical side of me figured the original owner of the tickets had enough of the Illini this year already and couldn’t bear to sit through another game. 

Well, when we got there, Illinois was ahead 3-0.  A drunk fan a few rows behind us lamented, “The first pitch of the World Series and I’m stuck watching the Illni!”.  Way to show that school spirit, Mister.

Well, the 3-0 lead didn’t last.  Penn State ran rampant through the Illinois defense and our offense was non-existent.  By the time the kiddos got tired and were ready to go home halfway through the second quarter, it was 35-3.  Walking to the bus stop, we noticed we weren’t the only ones making an early exit.  There was a veritable crowd of people making their way home.  At least we had an excuse… we had kids.   We heard on the bus ride home that the score was 49-3. 

Final score Penn State 63  Illinois 10.

At least I made it back in time for Crede’s dinger.

How exciting it was to actually be there in the stands to witness the battle between the Angels and the White Sox at US Cellular Field before a jam packed house! We got there early enough to grab a dog at the hot dog place two blocks west of the ball park on 35th. Being a vegetarian I bring my own veggie dog from home, they throw it in the steamer, put it on a bun, apply all the fixings, pile on the french fries, and it looks like a regular Chicago style hot dog to all the world. All this for $2.06, can’t beat it! The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim arrived in Chicago at 6:00 AM after beating the New York Yankees in seven. They were assisted in their contest when a questionable call went their way. Yankee Robinson Cano was ruled out at first base because he didn’t run outside the foul line to first, yet Darrin Erstad was setup outside the foul line, and had Cano done what he was supposed to do there would have been a nasty collision. I’ve seen guys try to interfere with throws and there was no way Cano was trying to, nor did he interfere with this play. Yet the home plate ump called him out when Erstad dropped the throw from Bengie Molina on a dropped third strike, which would have resulted in the bases being loaded for the Bronx Bombers. I belabor this call because of an incident which would occur in the Sox/Angels series. But I’m truly ahead of myself at this point. 40,000+ fans were already writing the Angels off. They were tired AND their best starter Bartolo Colon was left off the playoff roster due to a sore shoulder. But it was the White Sox who appeared to be sleep walking as the Angels went up 1-0 in the 2nd inning when Garret Anderson took a Jose Contreras over the rightfield wall. Then the Angels added a couple of more runs in the 3rd when Steve Finley singled to right, Adam Kennedy singled to left, Chone Figgins bunted them up, Orlando Cabrera knocked one in and one over with an infield single. Vladimir Guerrero stepped to the plate and hit a slow comebacker to the mound (unbelieveably this would be his only RBI of the series). Contreras threw to 2nd in an effort for an inning ending doubleplay, but the relay was late and Kennedy scored, putting the Halos up 3-0. If Jose would have chosen to come home, the 3rd run doesn’t score. No second guessing there, just stating a fact. The White Sox offense woke up in the bottom of the frame when Joe Crede took Paul Byrd yard. With one out in the 4th Carl Everett singled, moved up on an Aaron Rowand ground out, and came home on a single to right by A.J. Pierzynski, making the score 3-2 Bad Guys. That was the way the contest ended. Contreras deserved a better fate, but he did allow the 3rd run to score when he could have prevented it. Jose went 8 1/3 innings before giving way to Neal Cotts in the 9th. Paul Byrd allowed two runs in six innings of work. The final three innings were masterfly worked by Scot Shields (2 innings) & Francisco Rodriguez was brought on for the save. The loss was the sixth without a win at home for the White Sox in ALCS games. Billy Pierce, the winningest pitcher in Sox history and a member of the 1959 AL Pennant White Sox team threw out the first pitch. Unexplanably Al Lopez chose not to start Billy in the World Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game #2 featured a pitching matchup that looked to be advantage White Sox. Mark Buehrle the AL starting pitcher in this year’s All Star game was matched up against Jarrod Washburn who was fighting off the effects of a viral infection. Washburn’s error allowed the first White Sox batter Scott Podesednik to reach 2nd base, Tadahito Iguchi bunted him to 3rd, and he scored on a Jermaine Dye groundout to short. Robb Quinlan tied the score at one with a leadoff homer in the 5th. There were some incredible plays throughout this game. In the 2nd inning Aaron Rowand doubled to right, went to third when a hobbling Vladimir Guerrero bobbled the ball for an error, and tried to score when the throw went up the thirdbase line. But Quinlan made an outstanding play throwing to Jose Molina who applied the tag to a head first sliding Rowand. In the bottom of the 5th Brendan Donnelly was brought on to thwart a two out bases loaded rally striking out Dye on three pitches. Then in the 7th Joe Crede was doubled off 2nd base on a liner off the bat of Juan Uribe to end the frame. And then in the top of the eighth Scott Podsednik robbed Orlando Cabrera by plucking his ball off the leftfield wall with a runner on 3rd and two outs. With two outs and nobody on for the White Sox the play would occur that would define this series. A.J. Pierzynski struckout, took one step toward the dugout, before high tailing it to first base, as Josh Paul rolled the ball back to the mound. I was sitting in the rightfield stands and after watching the play ten times at home on Tivo I’m still not sure if the ball hit the dirt. What I think happened is this, the ball hit the webbing of Josh Paul’s mitt, and bounced into the pocket. The home plate umpire, the infamous Doug Eddings, heard two sounds and thought it hit the dirt, so did A.J. Pierzynski. Josh Paul felt the ball in his mitt. The only question is, why didn’t Paul tag A.J. out? A.J. said he never heard the umpire call him out and took off for first base. Maybe the Angels should have had a Molina brother behind the plate. Josh Paul used to play for the White Sox and has always had plays like this happen when he’s in the game. He’s a fast catcher and when he used to come in as a pinch runner he’d get thrown out on the bases. Now it was the Angels turn. And Joe Crede didn’t allow reliever Kelvim Escobar off the hook as he delivered a game winning double on an 0-2 pitch off the leftfield wall to score pinch runner Pablo Ozuna from 2nd base, Ozuna had stolen second. Mark Buehrle went the distance allowing only one run for the win. After all of this excitement I couldn’t allow my boys to head out west without me tagging along for the games. Read the exciting conclusion of the White Sox Win the Pennant – Part III.

No dramatic comeback for the Cardinals this year.  Pujols’ check-swing strikeout was a little hard to watch.

It does make my decision who to root for in the WS a bit easier.  I’ll be pulling for the Sox.  Which confounds some of my Cub fan friends. 

I’ve come to realize that there are two kinds of Cub fans.  The kind that want the Cubbies to win it all and if they don’t than it better not be the Cardinals or the Sox.  Then there is the less dogmatic kind which is happy to see the cross-town (or cross-state) rivals get there due.  I fall into the latter category.

Speaking of, I ran across an article on MSNBC entitled White Sox Trendy? That would ruin their image: Fans revel in one thing: They are not the Cubs.  Rather humorous in my opinion though I don’t think it meant to be.  It was pretty much spot on at least with some Sox fans I know (Teddy Ballgame excepted).  The jist of the article:  Don’t be a fair-weather Sox fan… they don’t need you.

These words were etched in my brain from the time I was three years old, some 46 years ago. The 1959 Chicago White Sox winning the pennant was like an ancient history lesson. They were the Go Go White Sox led by Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, Sherm Lollar, Jungle Jim Rivera, and headed by Senor Al Lopez. For the first time in my life I bet $10 before the season started the White Sox would win the pennant, but it’s much more than the $150 I won that makes me so happy. First off I’m happy for Ozzie Guillen and GM Kenny Williams. When the managerial position opened up I called the Sox to say, “Hire Ozzie!” The previous manager was like a bump on a log and Ozzie is so energetic! I believe that’s why this ballclub is so energetic. It’s a reflection of the manager. While other GMs were going out inking big name players to big contracts Kenny Williams working within a budget spent his boss’ money wisely. Williams decided to let fan favorite Magglio Ordonez and Jose Valentin go, traded Carlos Lee, and then Frank Thomas was injured much of the year. But it was much more about who was brought in rather than who was missing. Tadahito Iguchi was brought over from Japan to play secondbase, which allowed Juan Uribe to move over to his natural position of SS. Scott Podsednik was acquired from the Brewers along with reliever Luis Vizcaino for Carlos Lee. Jermaine Dye was inked to replace Magglio Ordonez in RF. A.J. Pierzynski was picked up to be the regular behind the plate, despite the reputation of being a trouble maker. Another “trouble maker” Carl Everett was on hand as an extra outfielder and a backup DH in the event Frank Thomas should go down. Dustin Hermanson took over from Shingo Takatsu as the closer, and then he gave way to 100 MPH flame thrower Bobby Jenks as the bullpen ace. Jose Contreras & Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, a couple of Cuban defectors, were brought in to round out the rotation. The naysayers were out in force saying this team didn’t have enough power to compete in today’s game. But then the White Sox jumped out to a big lead and “hung on” with the best record in the American League. The team was playing “Ozzie Ball”, “Smart Ball”, or “Little Ball” according to the scribes. But the White Sox also had power, hitting over 200 home runs, to go along with pitching, speed, & defense. Some said Ozzie was crazy, but I say, “He’s crazy like a fox!”

How lucky was I to be able to be at all the White Sox home playoff games plus the road games in Anaheim? More than that, attending the games with me in Chicago were some of my best friends, which made it all the sweeter. I went to Anaheim by myself, who could ask for better company than that?

We were part of a sellout crowd of 40,717 fans at game #1 on October 4th versus the Boston Red Sox. These were the defending champion Boston Red Sox. Yet there was a sense the White Sox belonged. In fact a fan walking past me as I was going to my seats mentioned a final score of 10-0. Maybe it was the fact that a former Cub hurler Matt Clement was starting for the Bosox that got us all cocky. The White Sox gave starter Jose Contreras all the backing he would need, launching five home runs, on their way to a 14-2 rout. Somebody stated the obvious, if only the Bears offense could score this many points. A.J. Pierzynski hit two homers, Paul Konerko & Juan Uribe hit one each, and Scott Podsednik hit his 1st home run of the season.

The next day was a whole different ballgame as Mark Buehrle allowed Boston to get out to a 4-0 lead after three innings with David Wells dealing for the Red Sox. But then came the 5th inning, Carl Everett led off with a single, was doubled home by Aaron Rowand, A.J. Pierzynski grounded Rowand to 3rd, Aaron scored on a Joe Crede single. Juan Uribe hit a doubleplay grounder to Boston keystone man Tony Graffanino, but Tony allowed the ball to go between the wickets putting runners at 1st & 3rd. It looked like Boomer Wells would pitch around the miscue when he got Podsednik to pop to third. But Tadahito Iguchi wouldn’t let the Red Sox off so easy as a lined a three run shot over the leftfield fence. Unconventionally Ozzie Guillen rode Bobby Jenks the last two innings for the save. In today’s game closers only pitch one inning.

We were due in Champaign to play some APBA right after CLuke got off work, but the allure of watching the White Sox possibly eliminate the Boston Red Sox from the playoffs at Shoeless Joe’s Sports Bar was just too great. Boston tied the score at two when David Ortiz & Manny Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs off Freddy Garcia in the 4th. Then in the 6th the White Sox took a two run lead when Paul Konerko homered over the Monster in left with Jermaine Dye on 1st. Garcia was lifted in favor of Damaso Marte after Manny Ramirez hit a leadoff sixth inning shot off Garcia t cut the lead to one. The wheels came off for Marte as he surrendered a single to Trot Nixon, walked Bill Mueller, and then walked John Olerud, departing the scene with a one run lead, the bases loaded, and a one run lead. It was kind of funny because ESPN announcer Rick Sutcliffe kind of chuckled when he saw Orlando Hernandez warming up in the bullpen, saying he was a starter and was probably just getting some work in. But El Duque was brought on to get out of the jam. And get out of the jam he did! He got pinch hitter Jason Varitek to pop to Konerko, Graffanino to pop to Uribe, before getting Johnny Damon on a check swing 3-2 pitch in the dirt that Damon couldn’t hold up on. Hernandez pitched two more innings before turning the game over to Bobby Jenks in the 9th. The White Sox added an insurance run before Jenks shut the Carmines down in order in the 9th. Final score 5-3 Good Guys. This was the first playoff series win since Shoeless Joe’s 1917 White Sox won the World Series. And how cool was it that we watched it at Shoeless Joe’s Sports Bar?!?!

Next victim the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Look for the rest of the story in Part II.