White Sox | The Baseball Zealot

‘Bored’ Ozzie makes baseball a little more interesting

As a Cub fan, one would expect that I would have a dislike for Ozzie Guillen. Not necessarily so. Oh sometimes I can’t stand him. Other times, he does things that make me stand up and applaud.

Then there are these times when he talks to the press and I just smile:

"I’m always bored," Guillen said. "I’m not playing. You’re sitting around for seven innings. My game starts in the sixth [or] seventh inning. That’s when you see me look around the stands a lot, because you play this game for that many years and coach it and be there for that many years and you’re just managing, it’s a boring game all day for me."

I may not like exactly what Ozzie said but I appreciate the fact that he speaks his mind. Twenty-nine other managers talk to the press and toe the company line and use pre-approved clichés. When the media puts a mike in front of Ozzie, he makes baseball a little more interesting for us.

Oh no doubt you’ll here those in the media respond to this. They’ll recoil in horror and say, “How could he say such a thing?”.

Let’s face it… to some degree, he’s saying what a lot of the other managers are probably thinking.

Disco Sucks!

Thirty years ago a promotion at a major league baseball game went wrong, it went really wrong. Mike Veeck, son of White Sox owner at the time, Bill Veeck, the P.T. Barnum of promotions was in charge of promotions for the White Sox. Thirty years later, this promotion lives on, Disco Demolition was the brain child of 25 year old Loop disk jockey Steve Dahl & Mike Veeck. The Loop was a rock station in Chicago and disco, popular in some circles, was despised by rockers. Thus the promotion, bring a disco record to Comiskey Park, get in for a buck, and all of the disco records would be blown up by Dahl between games of a scheduled doubleheader between the White Sox and the Tigers.

Mike Veeck believed there would be a few fans, perhaps 1,000, who would take advantage of the promotion, and enjoy a cheap night out at the ole ballpark. He had no idea he would be remembered for coming up with the worst promotion in the history of the game, this coming from the son of a guy who batted a midget, Eddie Gaedel, in a major league game. Thousands of pot smoking disco haters showed up for the explosion between games, they couldn’t have cared less about baseball. There wasn’t enough security to handle the crowd, which soon overtook the ballpark.

They demolished the playing field, along with a few disco records, making the playing field unplayable for the second game, which was forfeited by the White Sox to the Tigers. Even the ever popular broadcaster Harry Caray and the infamous owner Bill Veeck’s pleas couldn’t get through to the stoner fans, who’d overtaken the field. As a young White Sox fan, I remember hoping the second game would be played, how embarrassing to lose a game by forfeit.

What do you remember about Disco Demolition Night?

3 Baseball Turning Points in the Queen City

crosley

It was 98 degrees, with HIGH humidity when we entered the park. The turning point in game one came when Jose Contreras, using a slide step to avoid a stolen base, served up a two run meatball to Brandon Phillips. On a 1-1 pitch Ozzie Guillen called apitchout, but guessed wrong. I just said, I’d double up on another pitchout, instead the two run bomb turned a one run lead into a one run deficit, with Chicago’s anemic bats made look insurmountable, two hits through 8 innings, two 9th inning hits cut the deficit, which had risen to two, once again to one, which was where it ended.

Just killed time on Saturday, before long it was time to head over to the Great American Ballpark for a sellout at the first Civil Rights Game which counted, on hand were celebrities Muhammad Ali, Bill Cosby, Frank Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Hank Aaron, and former President Bill Clinton. The first 20,000 fans received a very nice Frank Robinson replica jersey, I gave mine to very nice couple, who’d missed out on getting one.

Almost before I’d settled into my seat Clayton Richard & the Sox were trailing 5-0 to the Reds & their best pitcher Johnny Cueto. The turning point in this game came when Gordon Beckham turned a fastball around for a three run bomb, and turned a blowout into a ballgame, in which the White Sox hit four homers, and won going away. A Red fan had thrown Beckham’s first home run ball back on the field, but remarkably Gordon didn’t want it.

In the morning I packed, ate breakfast, checked my e-mail, and was checking out the Reds Hall of Fame, outside the Great American Ballpark. Several players from the Negro Leagues were on hand, signing autographs, and they had a movie about old Crosley Field, which makes you wonder why they didn’t make GABP a replica of Crosley, GABP isn’t very impressive.

The turning point in the series finale came after Mark Buehrle pitched 7 innings of shutout ball and handed a 3-0 lead over to Scott Linebrink. There was one run in, runners on first & second, one out (a well hit ball to RF), in a now 3-1 ballgame, when the batter lined one to SS on which Jerry Hairston, Jr. was doubled off 2nd to end the inning. Every youngster knows to let the liners go through, especially when trailing by two with less than two out, maybe they should tell JH2. The Sox scored in the top of the 9th to make it 4-1, and Bobby Jenks was brought on in the bottom of the 9th to protect the victory. Gordon Beckham looked like Brooks Robinson at 3B and had a double, single, & walk in four plate appearances on Sunday, after hitting his first longball the night before. But really the sparkplug for the team has been their new/old guy, leadoff man Scott Podsednik, who’s batting .320, and stealing bases.

Veggie Food Home Runs

veggie-cheesesteaks I’m a baseball fan, but sometimes being a vegetarian at the ole ballpark leaves me hungry, a pretzel with mustard doesn’t always satisfy me. US Cellular Field is a pretty good place to get something to eat as a veggie, veggie dogs, garden burgers, Mexican options, cheese pizza, corn off the cob (with butter, mayo, salt, chili powder, lime) – didn’t say it was healthy.

A recent AP article quotes PETA as saying, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats once again top the minor leagues with the best veggie fare, featuring veggie burgers & dogs, wraps, and various salads. But it’s the portobello mushroom salad and grilled vegetable sandwiches are the home runs at the Minor League ballpark in Manchester, N.H.

According to PETA, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia tops MLB’s list for the third year in a row. Phillies fans can snack on Southwestern black-bean burgers, mock crab cake salad, veggie hot dogs and even meatless Philly cheesesteaks.

YUMMY, Take me out to the ballpark, buy me some veggie food there…

2009 First-Year Player Draft Goes Hollywood

jared-mitchell The 2009 First-Year Player Draft was shown live in prime time on the MLB Network. Bud Selig strolled to the podium, an upraised home plate of the infield at Studio 42 to announce “The 2009 First-Year Player Draft” to nauseum. The first few selections were made in utter silence, then finally somebody at the network must’ve raised the applause sign (which any MLB fan has become accustom to at ballparks across the land, somehow we all seem to know when to boo), and a surprised Selig quipped, “This kid must be good. He brought his own cheering section”. Then the talking heads would gush on & on about how great this pick was and how this kid has all the tools to be a star. I was secretly hoping, just once, somebody would say, “Who the hell is this kid? Why was he even drafted? Wasted pick! He’s a bum!”

The White Sox selected another football player, Jared Mitchell, out of LSU, maybe we can trade him to the Bears if baseball doesn’t work for him, as he’s a wide receiver. He’s supposed to be just what we need, a centerfielder, who bats leadoff. Can we sign him today and get him to the Cell for tonight’s game against the Tigers?

After selecting Josh Phegley, a catcher out of the University of Indiana, the Sox picked Trayce Thompson out of Rancho Santa Margarita High School in California. What makes this pick interesting to me is my cousin lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA and this kid’s father’s former NBA star Mychal Thompson. Just when I thought we were concentrating on taking football players, Kenny Williams throws me a curve, and takes the son of a basketball player. This is the first year Thompson is focusing exclusively on playing baseball. He is a centerfielder, with power.

Tyler Kehrer, a lefthanded junior out of Eastern Illinois University, was the first Illinois product taken in this year’s draft, chosen by the Angels. They must have had a scout in the stands when this kid struckout 14 batters in a one-hitter he pitched against Southern Illinois Edwardsville, because he had a 7.02 ERA as a freshman & a 5.12 ERA as a sophomore, although he did pitch much better as a junior.

Gordon Beckham Makes Big League Debut

gordonbeckhamap21 I was at the Cell today to witness, firsthand, Gordon Beckham’s major league debut with the White Sox. The University of Georgia’s Beckham was the first player drafted by Chicago in the 2008 rookie draft. As a SS, Gordon led the nation in homers as a senior Bull Dog. I’d seen the White Sox twice this season and the combined score in those two ballgames was 20-0 Bad Guys, so anything Mr. Beckham could provide, would be greatly appreciated.

In his first at bat, he grounded to third, on a slow developing force at 2nd, he was able to beat the relay to first, thus avoiding a doubleplay. In the field, A’s batters were able to take advantage of the youngster learning to play the hot corner on the fly, by hitting balls between him and the line.

The White Sox have struggled all season against rookie starters. They are 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 10 games this year. I’ve kind of lost track, but this was either the 7th or 8th time the club has been shutout this season, I’ve been to three of them.

Something’s got to change, sitting Jim Thome in favor of Josh Fields, was basically inserting Gordon Beckham in place of Big Jim. Besides Fields, the Sox lineup also featured offensively challenged Jayson Nix and minor leaguer Dewayne Wise (.260 avg .309 OBP in over 3,500 minor league at bats). Is there a worse outfielder ever to play for Chicago? Maybe Julio Ramirez, who ironically batted .261, with a .308 career OBP in over 4,000 minor league at bats. The Hawk’s infamous quote about Julio, “Man, this kid can do it all, if he could only learn to hit”.

Matt Holiday came to the plate, after doubling passed Beckham, with a runner on 2B, Ozzie decided to setup the DP by walking Matt to get to Jason Giambi. I asked Buck what he thought Giambi was thinking, he said, “I hope I don’t hit into a doubleplay”. I said, he’s thinking, “Those rightfield seats don’t really seem that far away”. First pitch went screaming over the rightfield fence for a three run bomb, making the score 4-0 Oakland. Final score 7-0 A’s.

My three game total, 27-0 Bad Guys.

LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!! but where???

They Are the Pirates Who Don’t Score Anytime

pirates_dvd_cover There was a Veggietales movie out for kids not too long ago called, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything, but the Pittsburgh Pirates seem to be The Pirates Who Don’t Score Anytime. If only my White Sox could play the Buccos every day. To be honest, I’ve been up in Waupaca the last week, so I haven’t seen the past two games, only the final scores, and Pittsburgh didn’t score a single run in either game. Now today I see Chicago is down in the first inning, I wonder if the White Sox will be sending today’s starter to the minor leagues for allowing a run to the Pirates. I feel sorry for Pirate fans, that once proud franchise has been so bad for so long. Still I have to say, LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

Jake to Chicago After All?

peavy The ball is in Jake Peavy’s court, he has a no trade clause in his contract, the White Sox have supposedly made an offer of Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, & two other pitching prospects for him, now it’s up to Peavy to decide if he’d like to pitch on the Southside of Chicago. Jake almost came to Chicago last season, the Northside, but the Cubbies couldn’t quite hammer out their deal. This might be one of those trades, which helps both ballclubs. The White Sox have been struggling, but are attempting to go for it, while the Padres are rebuilding in San Diego.

Putting Peavy at the front of a Sox rotation, which features Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Bartolo Colon, might be just what the doctor ordered to boost our drooping White Sox. The bullpen for the Palehose has been solid, the longball will come around, the team has good defense (especially when Jayson Nix is at 2B), but small ball will never be a part of this team’s arsenal. San Diego is still a long way from competing, but getting 2007 1st round pick Aaron Poreda, the lefty throws in the high 90s, and University of Michigan product Clayton Richard, would be a step in the right direction.

For those of you who say, Jerry Reinsdorf, Kenny Williams, & Ozzie Guillen don’t want to win. What are you talking about? But there are economics around running a major league ballclub, sometimes you have to let good players go, like, Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede, Jon Garland, & Javier Vazquez. Hoping that younger, cheaper, talent can get the job done, like, Brian Anderson, Josh Fields, John Danks, & Gavin Floyd. It’s a tough business, where hard decisions need to be made.

LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

White Sox Drooping

white-sox The White Sox don’t look nearly as good as the ones pictured here. Not even one quarter of the way through the 2009 season and they’ve already been shutout six times. Their offense has been missing in action, with an all or nothing approach, for the most part it’s been station to station base running. There is very little team speed, when runners are on base, the chance for a doubleplay comes up more often than a timely longball. And if it’s conceivably possible, the starting pitching has been worse. The young starters have been disappointing, to say the least, while the old guys have been worse, the only guy who can be counted on has been Mark Buehrle.

You may be asking yourself, is there any hope? Is anything working? Well, so far the bullpen has been solid, anchored by closer Bobby Jenks, with his setup men, Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton, & Scott Linebrink. Jermaine Dye has shown outstanding defense in RF, with a potent bat. Brian Anderson, when he was healthy, demonstrated his defensive abilities in CF, while holding his own with the bat. A.J. Pierzynski needs to go out there and kick some ass, telling his pitchers that if their not going to attempt to hold runners on, he’s not even going to throw down on attempted steals.

So, what do the White Sox need to do? Bring up Gordon Beckham & Aaron Poreda, they couldn’t do any worse than Brent Lillibridge & Jose Contreras. Hitting is contagious, so are slumps, sometimes one hitter can turn a lineup around. Right now the White Sox lineup seems to have a few dark holes, Brent Lillibridge, Josh Fields, & Alexei Ramirez (who seems to have hit a sophomore jinx). Another good arm in the rotation can help turn a pitching staff around.

It might not be the time panic yet, but it’s getting close. Teams seem to build on their successes, as well as on their failures. I’ve been out to the Cell twice this year, total score was Bad Guys 20, Good Guys 0. Neither time did I see any sign of a pulse, I’ll be out there again, and I’ve got a trip with friends planned to Cincinnati to watch the Sox battle the Reds. I’d hate to make that trip for nothings.

LET’S GO WHITE SOX!

Back-to-back Jacks are #300

73455753SD008_Chicago_White Jermaine Dye hit his 300th home run of his career against the Tigers in Detroit. Then the next batter for the White Sox, Paul Konerko stepped in against Zach Miner, and launched his 300th homer of his career. I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen, back to back players hitting their 300th career home runs, currently Chicago has a 10-6 lead over Motown.