Before I get to the Sox, I should start with a message for Sox fans. Actually, it’s not a message, more like a warning.
The Cubs are good. Scary good. Borderline great. And if you’re like some of my Southside friends who feel that every Cubs victory (especially those against the Sox) is a personal assault on your emotional well-being, you may want to think about entering a 12-step program for what is probably going to hit your world come October.
The Cubs are headed to the playoffs. Just assume it.
They will likely feast on their weaker National League opponents in the playoffs and make it to the World Series. Just prepare for it.
And thanks to the 100-years of futility and absolute mayhem that will follow it...you, as a Sox fan, will be unable to escape it.
Even if the Sox make the playoffs, and advance to the World Series, it will be no match for the Cub Fever that will be in full 2003 outbreak mode, and there’s no penicillin available on the market that can stop it.
Sure, a lot can happen to the Cubs between now and the end of the season. Use your imagination. But the stars are aligning for something big to happen. What that is I can’t say for sure. But a Cubbie storm is a-comin'. Women and children first.
Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe this is simply how one feels after watching the Sox get thumped for 3 straight days. A whole lot happened over those 72 hours. Let’s break it all down:
The Hit
The whole series changed on one swing of the bat. Friday afternoon. Bottom of the 9th. 4:23 p.m. With the game tied at 3, Aramis Ramirez sent Wrigley into a frenzy with that walk-off home run off Scott Linebrink. Give A-Ram credit for reaching down and blasting a tough pitch into the bleachers. And credit Linebrink for standing at his locker after the game, waiting for the media to arrive. Stand-up guy.
The Fight
One of the biggest surprises of the weekend was the lack of Sox fans in attendance. Ummm, where were you?? I’d say it was about 80-20 Cubs to Sox every day. The normal tussling we see in the stands was basically non-existent. Not that I’m complaining.
However, outside of Wrigley I saw something else…an even bigger shocker.
Leaving the park about an hour after A-Ram hit the game-winner, I was walking on Waveland Avenue with Ryan, one of our producers, when 4 men between the ages of 45 and 55 held a monster Wrigleyville throwdown. We’re talking some serious haymakers here. After about 20 seconds (which for a fight is an eternity), Wrigley security stepped in and stopped the Geritol brawl.
But this wasn’t 2 Cubs fans fighting 2 Sox fans. Or even 3 Cubs fans brawling with 1 Sox fan. No, this was 4 Cubs fans fighting each other!
That’s right, not more than 60 minutes after the Cubs biggest, most dramatic win of the season...at a time when they should be sharing Cubbie warm fuzzies...these 4 guys (all wearing Cubs t-shirts) were sharing fists literally 50 feet from Wrigley…over who knows what.
The Picture
Saturday morning, I woke up, grabbed the Chicago Tribune and found another surprise waiting for me on the front page of the sports section.
There was the photo of Ramirez rounding first after his mammoth home run. Behind him was a sea of Cubs fans, all with their mouths open, hands raised. That is except for one guy in the bottom-right, wearing a bright red shirt and a press credential….with his hands down and mouth closed.
Yours truly.
(Chicago Tribune)
Here is a sampling of what I was thinking at that particular time:
“I can’t believe the Sox just blew that game.”
“Aramis Ramirez is clutch. Seriously…clutch!”
“The Cubs have the ‘It’ factor, meaning they aren’t going away.”
“I think I just lost my hearing”
“If I did lose my hearing, at least I won’t have to hear “Go Cubs Go.”
The Manager
Breaking News: Ozzie Guillen hates Wrigley Field. Over the course of 3 days, I think Ozzie mentioned this about 12,000 times. His line about rats the size of pigs living in the batting cages under the right field bleachers was priceless. Pure Ozzie.
Obviously, not everyone agrees with Ozzie. I’m one of them. I actually like coming to Wrigley. I appreciate its history and its intimacy. But I definitely see where he is coming from. For instance, just to walk from the dugout to the clubhouse, here is the path you have to take, and I am not embellishing here:
First you go straight about 10 feet (making sure you don’t hit your head on the top of the dugout). After that, it’s a left, followed by a quick right, a left, another right, up a ramp, then a left, up another ramp, then a right, up 2 flights of stairs, and then finally you reach the clubhouse, which is the size of a large bedroom.
Friday, I was walking through the maze, about to turn one of its many corners, when out jumped Joe Crede, who heard me coming and was trying to give me a heart attack. Good times.
Just before the Crosstown Series began, I sat down with Ozzie in the tiny visitor’s dugout, to talk about his favorite place...Wrigley Field.
The Catcher
He is easily the most polarizing athlete in Chicago. South of Madison Street he is loved.
North of Madison Street he is loathed. He is A.J. Pierzynski. The Sox catcher actually had a quiet series...for him. A big home run Friday, and that heads up tag of Jason Marquis on Saturday. Other than that...it was A.J.-light. But he did enlighten us with his thoughts about Wrigley, Cubs fans, and if he could one day see himself actually playing for the Cubs.
That’s all for now. Another big weekend ahead. Sox/Cubs: Part 2 starting Friday on the Southside!
Monday, June 16th
Sox vs. Cubs
The Out of This World Series
There are some things in life, I’ve learned not to expect:
1) Bruce Springsteen knocking on my front door.
2) Michael Jordan coming back to coach the Bulls.
3) The White Sox playing the Cubs in the World Series.
Even as a kid growing up in Flossmoor, where pretty much all I did every summer was watch and play baseball, I never even thought about the Sox and Cubs meeting in the Series. Probably because with the exception of 1983, 1984, and 1989….both teams were …what’s the word…terrible?
But not anymore.
The Sox and Cubs have been perched in first place for over a month now, and with the first Crosstown Showdown coming this weekend at Wrigley, it’s got many people thinking about the unthinkable.
Only one time in the history of the universe have the Sox and Cubs met in the World Series….102 years ago in 1906. In fact, it was so long ago that the Cubs didn’t even play on the North Side. They were strictly West Side back then, and played their games at a park near Cook Country Hospital called West Side Grounds.
Ceremony at South Side Park after Sox beat the Cubs in 1906 World Series
(Library of Congress)
As for the Sox, their
home was a field called
South Side Park, which
today is the site of
an apartment complex a
few blocks south of
U.S Cellular Field. A few
years ago, I did a story
on the history of the
park, and was amazed to
find that people who live
in those apartments
had no idea that they
were standing on sacred
ground; the site where
the Sox beat the Cubs to
win the 1906 World Series.
Here's that story:
So what would it be like if the stars somehow aligned, and the two teams met again in the Fall Classic? Personally, I think Armageddon will arrive first, but recently I went into both clubhouses and asked a simple question:
Fill in the blank. If the Sox and Cubs meet in the World Series it will be:
Nick Swisher: Unbelievable. I think the city of New York had the chance to share that. Obviously, it’s June, and very early to be talking about that. But the atmosphere of that game would be like nothing else. The electricity would be unbelievable.
Reed Johnson: Crazy. Just one word for it. I mean I can’t even imagine how it will be. I don’t think you’ll be able to leave your apartment too much.
Downtown parade for White Sox after winning the 1906 World Series.
(Library of Congress)
Brian Anderson: The town burns down. No doubt. This town would go crazy. It would burn itself from inside out. It’s probably not a good idea. It sounds fun, but be careful what you wish for.
Bob Brenly: That would be like the State Fair, Mardi Gras, a rodeo, and World War Three wrapped into one I guess. That would be a fun experience that’s for sure. But of all the great cities in this country of ours, this is the one city that can handle all of that.
We’ll get a small taste starting on Friday.
EMAILS
We all know that the Sox pitching is for real, but what about the hitting? Can the hitters keep it up day in and day out like the pitchers? Kevin Barnacle, Westmont, IL
Hey Chuck, it’s Jason. I was wondering how you become the best offensive team in 2006, and struggle to hit the next two years? Jason Castillo, Minooka, IL
Why can’t the Sox hit at all this year? They say they are working on mechanics, but it doesn’t seem to be helping the main guys out. Matt Heidenfelder, Arlington Heights, IL
Chuck, I was wondering if you agree with me that the Sox biggest offensive problem is the lack of the lead-off hitter? Obviously, no one is hitting in the meat of the order besides Carlos and Jermaine, but it all starts at the top. Zachary Gropper, Flossmoor, IL.
Do you see a theme here? Yes, the Sox struggles on offense remain a big concern. Right now, they don’t have a legitimate lead-off hitter, A.J. Pierzynski is not the permanent answer at #2, and the meat of the order (Thome, Dye, Konerko), has been vegetarian at best. So yes, there are problems. And the longer they continue, the more Kenny Williams will be pressed to do something about it come the trading deadline—or before.
As of Sunday, the Sox ranked 10th in the American League in batting average at .256, but are 5th in runs scored. That’s at least showing that when they do get hits, they seem to come at the right time.
But watching this team every day, I can tell you that with the exception of the Royals/Twins homestand last week, there is simply no flow to this offense. Nothing seems to come easy, and when the big bats aren’t hitting in the middle of the lineup, it’s like shooting pool with a rope. A pop-up here, a strikeout there, 1-2-3 innings everywhere. I feel your pain.
So far, the pitching has kept the Sox in first place. Give them the Rangers or Red Sox offense, and the rotation would probably have three 20-game winners, and they would probably win the Central by 10-15 games.
It’s no surprise that Kenny Williams
has reportedly looked into signing free
agent outfielder and lead-off hitter
Kenny Lofton. The East Chicago native
just turned 41 last month, so who
knows what he’s got left in the tank.
But clearly this offense needs a spark,
many sparks. Okay, a firework show
of sparks. We’ll see if their sticks can
find some dynamite, because if not,
Williams may have to blow some of this up.
Chuck, do you think the Sox can continue to pitch the way they have all season, and is this not the slowest team from station to station in the history of baseball? How much will that hurt their chances? Vinnie Ryan, Robinson, IL.
Hey Vinnie, I’m not sure how long the pitching staff can keep this up to be honest. They’ve not only pitched great, but they’ve had to pitch in so many close games, which is good experience, especially for the young guys, but over the course of a long season, it can burn you out. So at some point, they’re going to need a breather. And once August and September roll around, how effective will John Danks and Gavin Floyd be? They’re on a pace to throw career-highs in innings pitched.
I agree that this team is slow. Sometimes molasses slow. I’ve always been a fan of speed. Look at what Willy Taveras did to the Sox last weekend. Jerry Owens will eventually get called up. I’m curious to see what he can do. He’s just as fast as Taveras, and even if he can hit .239 like the Rockies centerfielder, Owens alone can make a significant upgrade to the lineup.
Will Jim Thome pass Barry Bonds home run record? Max Fuhrman, New Lenox, IL
Thanks for the email, Max. Last week Jim hit his 520th career home run, tying him with former Sox star Frank Thomas for 18th on the all-time list. But considering that Jim is still 242 home runs behind Bonds, and turns 38 in August, I highly doubt that he will pass Barry, or even come close. If Jim can stay healthy, and play 2-and-a-half more years, maybe he can reach 600. But passing Bonds…not going to happen.
Thanks for the emails! I’ll be back next week to digest Sox/Cubs: Part One.
Monday, June 9th
The Top 10:
Sox Uniforms Edition
When you have a franchise that has been in existence for over 100 years, you are bound to make some great decisions along the way. Such as:
1. Signing Carlton Fisk
2. Trading for Carlos Quentin
3. Building the exploding scoreboard
4. Not moving to St. Petersburg, FL
But over the last century, a franchise can make some pretty bad decisions too. Oh, like:
1. Disco Demolition
2. Trading Sammy Sosa to the Cubs
3. Firing Tony La Russa
4. Even thinking about moving to St. Petersburg, FL
But aside from the players, the one part of the franchise that fans identify with most is the uniforms. Think of it this way: Carlton Fisk never lived in my closet, but in 1983 his jersey sure did. And when they won 99 games that season, I wore my Fisk jersey proudly, not caring or realizing that it would go down in history as one of the ugliest uniforms in the history of baseball. And looking back, there are three Sox uniforms worse than that!
Yes, in the last 100-plus years, the Sox have had a little identity crisis when it’s come to their uniforms. True, the last 18 years have stayed remarkably consistent. That deserves a big thank you. But before 1990, there were some real doozies.
So without further adieu, here are my Top 10 White Sox uniforms, from worst to first:
#10 August 8, 1976. The "A Day That Will Live in Infamy” Uniforms
The Sox took the field for the first game of
a doubleheader against Kansas
City wearing—gulp—shorts!
It was the idea of owner Bill Veeck’s wife,
Mary Frances. The Sox made headlines, but
the players felt like they took a shot below
the knees, literally. Eric Soderholm, who
played for the Sox the following year said,
“It was a fiasco. Players were still talking
about them a year later. The guys who
had surgery and their knees were all scarred
up, well….it wasn’t too attractive.”
Believe it or not, the Sox won the game
wearing shorts 5-2, changed back into
their regular pants for the second game….and lost 7-1.
They haven’t worn shorts since.
#9 1969-70. The “How the White Sox Became the Kansas City Royals” uniforms
In 1969, the 10th anniversary of the
White Sox last pennant, the team chose
to celebrate by changing their colors to
royal blue. Insert laugh track here.
The Sox wore blue hats, blue shirts,
even blue socks! How can the White
Sox wear BLUE socks? It was a mess all
the way around. The Sox lost 94 games
in 1969. Then in 1970, it only got
worse. Much worse. They lost a
franchise record 106 games. Bill Melton
hit 33 home runs, one-quarter of the
team’s entire output. Home attendance
was 495,355 for the season. I repeat….
the season.
Owner Art Allyn threatened to move the team to Milwaukee. Instead, he sold it to his brother John, who thankfully realized he had a PR disaster on his hands and needed to change the team’s image. His first order of business….get new uniforms.
#8 1976-1981. The “Do Ya Think I’m Disco” uniforms
Let me begin by saying that when I first started watching the White Sox as a child, this was the uniform I saw everyday.
The shirt had a wide open-collar and was apparently stolen from Elvis while he was playing a gig at the Sands in Las Vegas. If shirts could talk, this one would have said, “Hey baby, my name is Tony. Wanna go dancing?”
I could have been damaged for life.
By the way, that’s veteran Chicago radio reporter Les Grobstein interviewing my all-time favorite White Sox player, Chet Lemon. Les still uses that same microphone today, and still points it on that same angle. It’s worked all these years. He’s staying with it.
#7 1982-1986. The “You Think WE Can Choose a Uniform?? YOU Decide!” uniforms
Under new ownership, Jerry Reinsdorf and company realized it was time to ditch the Disco pajamas and a find a uniform that better suited the Ronald Reagan 1980’s. But instead of choosing a uniform themselves, the Sox left it up to the fans.
No offense, but that’s like telling your 6-year-old son he can go into his closet and wear whatever he wants to school. He’d come out wearing a green shirt, purple pants, two different color socks, and with his fly wide-open.
The Sox received over 1600 entries. A panel of experts narrowed the field down to six, and the fans voted on the winner. We look back now and these uniforms are considered “classic.” But back then, they were downright blinding.
#6 1987-1990. The “Tony’s No Longer Here” uniforms
After firing Tony La Russa in 1986, the Sox
went searching for a new identity in 1987. With
Jim Fregosi as their new manager, they started
the retro trend with a throwback to the 1942
White Sox. The only problem was…the 1942
White Sox were terrible. They went 66-82,
and finished 34 games out of first place.
These teams weren’t much better. Fregosi’s Sox
won 77 games in 1987 and 71 games in 1988.
Jeff Torborg replaced Fregosi in 1989 and won
just 69, but the tide was turning. By 1990,
Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell, and Alex
Fernandez were about to bring the Sox into a
new era, with a new ballpark and yes…new uniforms.
#5 1932. The “We Gotta Do Something” uniforms
After 5 straight losing seasons, the Sox changed
their uniforms for the first time in 20 years.
They created a new Sox logo, and added a ball and
bat to the jersey. Didn’t work. Despite having
Luke Appling, Ted Lyons, and Al Simmons, the Sox
kept on losing for another 4 years.
It’s the only time a bat and ball have been featured
on the White Sox jersey.
#4 1971-1974. The “You Don’t Like Our Uniforms? Well, Tough” uniforms
After the royal blue fiasco, you’d think the Sox would have learned their lesson, and tried something a little more conservative.
Nope.
Instead, they went entirely the other direction and pulled off one of the greatest and boldest creations in Sox uniform history. They brought back the Old English Sox logo, and mixed it with red pinstripes and red spikes. It was Sly Stone, Walt Frazier, pure 1970’s funkadelic. If you were young and hip…you loved it. If you were older…you loved Lawrence Welk.
#3 1912-1931. The "Classic" Uniforms
Six years after beating the Cubs in the 1906 World Series, the Sox franchise had lost its way. They finished 35.5 games out of first place in 1910, 24 games behind in 1911. So the next year, they spruced things up.
After wearing a bold capital “C” across the left chest since the team’s inception, they replaced it with the now famous “Sox” logo spelled down the button palette. With the exception of 1942 and 1987-1990, this three-letter term has adorned the Sox uniform in some capacity (jersey or cap) every year since.
The unis were simple and clean (at least visually), and the Sox could have been like the Yankees and Red Sox, and worn this uniform for the next century.
The Sox won a World Series (1917) and threw a World Series (1919) in this uniform. If only it wasn ’t made of wool.
#2 1949-1963. The Golden Era Uniforms
This uniform was revolutionary on many levels.
Let’s start with color. The Sox ditched the navy
blue, and for the first time, the Good Guys
literally wore black. In 1950, they added
black pinstripes and red accents around the logo,
and debuted the Old English cap the team
wears today, with “Sox” written in cursive.
In 1960, Bill Veeck was the first to put players’
names on the back of their jerseys. Initially panned
by critics, it’s almost universal in all team sports today.
Aparicio, Pierce, Wynn, Fox…they were the Go-Go Sox, and they wore these quite well.
#1 1991-present. The “Don’t Stop Believin’” uniforms
When the Sox moved into New Comiskey Park, and tore down old Comiskey next door, they didn’t want to flush away all those memories with a wrecking ball (which they actually did…but that’s a whole other story).
So they went into the Sox closet,
and brought back the Go-Go unis, one of
the wisest marketing decisions the Sox
have ever made.
The pinstripes were back, so was the
Old English logo and the color black. It was
a win, win, win. In fact, the only reason
I have these ranked #1 instead of #2
is because the Sox actually won the
World Series in them.
And in terms of starpower, no uniform can match it. Thomas, Ventura, McDowell, Guillen, Sosa (laugh), Ordonez, Konerko, Buehrle, Thome, Crede, Jenks, etc.
The Sox have worn these uniforms for 18 years, third-longest in franchise history, and I don’t see them changing anytime soon. Right, Brooks Boyer?
So there you have it. My Top-10. Thanks to White Sox Interactive for some of the research used here. I’ll get to your emails next week.
Monday, June 2nd
Haunted Hotel?
TAMPA, Fla -- So I’m sitting here in the Tampa airport, absorbing the White Sox third straight defeat, and an offense that for a year-and-a-half now, has been disappearing from sight.
Ozzie Guillen has digested this one too, and you couldn’t find enough Pepto Bismol, Rolaids, or ginger ale to settle the man’s stomach. Every once in a while, Mt. St. Ozzie erupts. We were there for his latest volcanic blast.
But even before Ozzie saw his team evaporate with runners in scoring position, there was another vanishing act taking place 5 miles away at the team’s hotel. And for all we know, it could be responsible for spooking the White Sox bats.
The Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg is one of the classiest and oldest hotels in the area. However, since it was built back in 1925, many locals have claimed that the hotel is haunted. And since the Vinoy is where Major League teams stay when they are in town to play the Rays, there have been countless accounts of ghosts and evil spirits from the past wreaking havoc with baseball players from the present.
Brian Roberts, Jay Gibbons, Billy Koch, Scott Williamson, Cito Gaston, as well as former White Sox managers Jim Fregosi and Terry Bevington are just some who claim they have encountered forces from the other side at the hotel. Each story seemingly creepier than the next.
Oakland A’s pitcher Chad Gaudin says that last year he was lying on his bed one day, reading a funny article in a magazine. After he stopped laughing, he heard 2 voices behind him continue to laugh, as if they were on the bed reading the same article as him.
Nick Swisher was a teammate of Gaudin at the time, and this likely played a key role in Swish’s decision to never step foot in the Vinoy Hotel again.
Swisher spooked
“Everytime I stay there, I have stayed on the floor
in someone else’s room,” said Swisher. “One time
I slept with all my lights on, the TV on, and woke
up the same way. I have never seen anything
there myself, so I can’t say there are things
over there, but I will never stay there.”
And this weekend, he kept his word, bunking
at Toby Hall’s house about 20 minutes away.
Said Toby, “Swish is supposed to be a tough
guy. Dirty 30. He’s sleeping in my house,
tucked under the covers.”
But Swisher is not alone. In fact, 2 White
Sox outfielders, who shall remain nameless, were afraid to be alone back in April when the Sox made their first trip here to Tampa. Apparently spooked by something—or maybe nothing, the 2 Sox players checked out of their individual rooms at 2am, and decided to share a room together, sleeping in separate beds.
Word of this late-night freak-out eventually got back to Ozzie Guillen.
“I heard that (two) of my players slept together one night because they saw a ghost,” said Guillen. “I hope they slept together because of ghosts!”
The 5th floor is said to be the most haunted at the Vinoy. Word is that a woman who was killed at the hotel around the time that it was built has been seen roaming the halls wearing a white dress.
Being the intrepid reporter, or maybe clueless reporter that I am, I actually stayed on the 5th floor for all 3 nights during the series. And while I was honestly hoping to be visited by a spirit, it never happened. Not once. So take that for what it’s worth.
Why do you think Walker is still the hitting coach? I know most of the players are veterans, but after the 2006 year-long, team-wide hitting slump, and this year’s struggles, doesn’t Ozzie have to do something to shake things up? Lisa Southerland, Chicago, IL.
Chuck, can the roster players be more patient at the plate? They seem to hack at the first pitch and then the offense never seems to get going every inning. Karen Marcus, Kenosha, WI.
Lisa, Karen, thank you for the emails. I’ll start by saying that the worst job in sports after field goal kicker is hitting coach. There’s only so much you can say or do. Eventually it comes down to the players practicing what you’re preaching.
And there’s nothing more difficult in sports
than hitting a baseball.
That said, I don’t think they should fire
Greg Walker. If you’re going to blame him for
the struggles of Jim Thome, Nick Swisher,
and Paul Konerko, then you have to give
him credit for the emergence of Carlos
Quentin and Alexei Ramirez. It’s a two-
way street.
I agree that sometimes they seem to hack at
the first pitch, but there’s a lot more that
goes on inside the game that the fans
and media don’t always know about.
For instance, the Sox might know that a guy is
a first-pitch, fastball pitcher, so the hitter
is thinking fastball, and all of a sudden a
slow curve goes by, and it’s an ugly strike one.
Some hitters have the genetic code to hold off on such a pitch. Others don’t. I’m not sure what Walker could do to prevent that from happening unless he can break into each player’s DNA.
The Sox do seem to strikeout way too often. So I checked the stats, and was surprised to learn that they have the 11th fewest strikeouts in the majors, 37 fewer K’s than the Cubs, who have the number-one offense in baseball.
Ozzie says he’s going to shake things up. Don’t be surprised to see more of Alexei Ramirez and Brian Anderson, and less of Nick Swisher—at least for the time being.
Chuck, do you think we will see Orlando Cabrera as our starting shortstop next year? Nichole Haack, DeWitt, IA
Nichole, when the season began I would have said that there was a 50 percent chance that the Sox would re-sign Cabrera, who is a free agent after this season. Now, I’d say it’s down to 20 percent. If Alexei continues to emerge at the plate…I’ll put it at 5 percent.
OC did not exactly get voted Mr. Popularity inside the Sox clubhouse when he recently called the press box during 2 separate games to complain about errors that were charged to him (errors that would then go to one of his teammates).
He is a hard-nosed, gritty player, which is exactly the kind of guy Ozzie Guillen wants, and asked Kenny Williams to get. Cabrera is not here to make friends. He is here to win, and I don’t fault him for that. Frankly, I think there were too many nice guys on the team last year, so having someone like Cabrera to fire things up, not worrying about hurting others feelings is actually good for the Sox.
Do you think the White Sox will make it to the World Series? Logan Small, Channahon, IL.
Hey Logan. I do believe the Sox can make it to the World Series, “will” they is a whole other story.
So far, they have the pitching (both starters and relievers). That’s half the battle. The other half is hitting and defense. We all know about the problems in the hitting department, and their defense is above-average to great depending on who’s playing that day.
The fact that the Indians and Tigers have gotten off to such slow starts has completely opened the door for the Sox, and a possible return to the playoffs. And as we saw in 2005, once you get into the post-season when everything is completely magnified, anything can happen.
For the Sox, it’s going to come down to hitting. If the bats finally wake up, the pitchers will finally be able to ease up, and I think you’ll see wins start flowing through the summer, and they could be tough to catch in the Central.
However, if the Sox continue to struggle offensively, they’ll run the risk of burning out their pitching staff, which simply can’t carry the load like this for 162 games. And honestly, things could get ugly in a hurry.
Keep the faith!
Friday, May 30th
Clearing the Air
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- As most of you know, Orlando Cabrera has been in the middle of a clubhouse controversy this week. It began when the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Cabrera had called the press box during games twice this season to dispute 2 errors that were ruled against him. When Ozzie Guillen came out criticizing his shortstop, Cabrera fired back saying that Guillen wasn’t protecting him.
Before Friday’s game, I had a chance to sit down with Cabrera (moments before he walked into Ozzie’s office for a closed-door meeting to officially clear the air). Even though Orlando has been noticably absent at times in the clubhouse when it comes to speaking to the media, he literally jumped out of his chair when I asked him if he wouldn’t mind heading to the Sox dugout for an interview.
Here’s a transcript from part of our conversation. The interview will run both Friday and Sunday nights on Land Rover SportsNite at 10pm.
Garfien: You and Ozzie go way back. Are you surprised things progressed the way they did between you and Ozzie?
Cabrera: It was nothing, a misunderstanding. People outside the team just trying to mix things up. As a team and family in the clubhouse, we try not to allow outsiders to break us apart. We have a great team, great ballplayers.
Garfien: Have you cleared the air yet, because Ozzie said you two haven't even spoken about this?
Cabrera: It was nothing, people try to make things more than they are. I spoke with my teammates, everybody's cool. I'm cool with Ozzie, we know this is nothing. We know how the press in Chicago is.
Garfien: What did you tell your teammates about what happened?
Cabrera: Well, that's the kind of thing we have, I can tell my teammates. They know I'm a winner and that's all I care about.
Garfien: So you feel your teammates have your back?
Cabrera: As much as people outside want to say, the players that we have are unbelievable, they're gamers. I get the opportunity to play with a five hundred home-run hitter. We're winning ballgames, that's all that matters.
Garfien: You're a free agent after this year, after what happened, do you feel you're going to come back here?
Cabrera: We'll see in the end. It's up to the Sox organization and myself to make that decision. No one will influence that decision. Right now I just want to play hard and win.
Tuesday, May 27th
Let’s Make a Steal
Kenny Williams is not Monty Hall. He doesn’t own a microphone. He doesn’t host a game show.
But if the White Sox general manager comes calling about a trade, look out for what’s hiding behind door number 3.
One of the most aggressive executives in baseball, Williams is not afraid to roll the dice. We know that. But what you may not know (or realize), is that he’s recently been on a run that would get him kicked out of most casinos, sportsbooks, and bingo parlors.
Heck, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with him in a friendly game of checkers.
Since winning the World Series in 2005, Williams has made 11 trades involving major league talent. Some have been praised, others universally panned. Yet all along, while the vultures have circled, the Sox exec has told anyone who will listen, “trust me.”
Sure these trades have not resulted in a return to the World Series, or the playoffs for that matter, but looking back, knowing what we know now, Williams has come out ahead in just about every deal—or should I say steal?
Don’t believe me?
November 25, 2005. The Sox trade Aaron Rowand, Daniel Haigwood and Gio Gonzalez to the Phillies for Jim Thome and cash.
On the surface, this trade might seem pretty even. The Sox have gotten 2 great years out of Thome (77 HR, 205 RBI in ’06 and ‘07), the Phillies got likewise from Rowand (39 HR, 69 doubles), before he left for San Francisco as a free agent.
But consider this: the Phillies are still paying half of Thome’s contract. That’s right. Philadelphia somehow agreed to pony up $22 million of the $43.5 million left on Thome’s deal when they made the trade. And if the Sox decide to buy out Thome’s contract after this season for $3 million, guess who’s on the hook for half of it? The Phillies.
And if Thome’s bat starts heating up (and I believe it will), that tips the scales even more. Advantage: White Sox
December 20, 2005. The Sox trade Orlando Hernandez, Luis Vizcaino, and Chris Young to the Diamondbacks for Javier Vazquez.
Of all the deals Williams has made since the World Series, I’d say this is the most balanced, and probably the boldest. Just 2 months after Hernandez became a White Sox hero with that classic bases-loaded escape act against the Red Sox in the Division Series, Kenny Williams shipped him off to Arizona. But the key to the trade was Chris Young. Williams knew how good he was going to be (so did Arizona), but Kenny also knew that after Buehrle, Contreras, Garland, and Garcia combined to throw over 900 innings in 2005, they likely would slip a little in 2006. So for insurance, he acquired Vazquez, who has become the ace of the Sox pitching staff.
Meanwhile, Young looks like a future All-Star. He hit 32 HR and stole 27 bases for the Diamondbacks last year as a rookie (he also struck out 141 times). If the Sox held onto him, he’d instantly solve their problems in centerfield and the lead-off spot. But then again, they wouldn’t have Vazquez, who’s 5-3 with a 3.52 ERA, 2nd in the AL in strikeouts, and an innings monster. Advantage: Push
March 21, 2006. The Sox trade Joe Borchard to the Mariners for Matt Thornton.
At the time, you could call this deal the “I’ll trade you my project for your project”….or “my headache for your headache.”
Monty Hall: Host of "Let's Make a Deal" for 13 seasons.
In 2000, the Sox made Borchard their #1 draft
pick, and gave him a $5.3 million signing bonus.
Ugh. He had tremendous power. Could hit the ball
a mile. The problem was…the strikeout. In 4
seasons with theSox, he had 57 hits and
93 strikeouts. Not
a good ratio.
In Seattle, Thornton was a pitcher’s version
of Borchard, a guy with great power on the
mound, but no control. In 2005, he was
0-and-4, gave up 13 homers, and threw 7
wild pitches.
But here in Chicago, Matt has found new life.
With the help of pitching coach Don Cooper, Thornton has been straightened out, and with the exception of last year, he’s been anywhere from solid to downright dominating—which is much better than Borchard.
After playing just 6 games in the majors for the Mariners, Borchard was let go, and later claimed him off waivers by the Marlins. In 2 seasons with Florida, he had 14 HRs, 88 hits, and 126 strikeouts. He wasn’t brought back for 2008. The Braves signed him to a minor league deal before this season. But just last week, Borchard learned he has ligament damage in his left elbow, and needs Tommy John surgery. He’s out for the season. Advantage: White Sox
July 24, 2006. The Sox trade minor league pitchers Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes to the Royals for Mike MacDougal.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Mike MacDougal actually knew how to pitch. An All-Star with the Royals, MacDougal came to the Southside for the last 2 months of the season, and was completely lights out.
In 25 innings, he gave up only 5 runs..good for an ERA of 1.80. I repeat…1.80!
However, in 2007, the wheels came off. Big-time. He was 2-5 with a 6.80 ERA. He threw 8 wild pitches, not to mention many a Sox games under the bus.
2008 hasn’t been much better. He’s currently in Triple-A with an 0-2 record, and a 5.23 ERA.
Looking back, trading for MacDougal wasn’t Kenny Williams’ mistake. Signing him to a 3-year, $6.45 million contract in December of 2006…that most certainly was.
Meanwhile, Daniel Cortes could turn out to be a real find for the Royals. He’s 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA in Double-A, and is considered the 2nd best prospect in the Royals farm system according to Baseball America. Advantage: Royals
December 6, 2006. The Sox trade Freddy Garcia to the Phillies for Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.
Talk about a steal. In just a year-and-half, this has already become one of the greatest rags to riches deals since Duke & Duke traded Lewis Winthorp for Billy Ray Valentine in the movie Trading Places.
Behind Door #1: A new car.
Behind Door #2: A new motorcycle.
Behind Door #3: Freddy Garcia.
After a rough start last
year, including an extensive
trip down to Triple-A, Floyd
has quickly developed into
one of the best pitchers in
the American League. I
can’t believe I wrote that. He’s
4-3 with a 2.93 ERA,
and has has twice flirted with a
no-hittter. He’s here
to stay, and could one day be
the ace of the Sox
pitching staff. I can’t believe I
wrote that.
Not sure if you remember, but the day this trade was announced, most Sox fans instantly hated it. Kenny Williams could already sense the public outcry, saying, “We have to do what’s best. We’ll take a few punches along the way, and hopefully people will say, ‘Oh, that’s why we did that two-three years ago,”
Well, let me be the first to say….”Oh, that’s why you did that.”
As for Freddy Garcia, he has been an absolute train wreck. He won a grand total of one game for the Phillies in 2007. In Philly, they proudly refer to that victory as “The Ten Million Dollar Win” since that’s what the Phillies paid Garcia last year.
After having surgery to repair his throwing shoulder last August, Garcia was not re-signed (shocker), and is currently doing rehab with the hope of signing with a team after the All-Star break. The Mets, Braves, and Tigers might be interested. The Phillies…not so much. Advantage: WHITE SOX (with capital letters)
December 16, 2006. The Sox trade Ross Gload to the Royals for Andrew Sisco.
Memo to Kenny Williams: Don’t make anymore trades with the Royals.
Gload was the perfect bench player for the Sox. He had a great bat. In fact, some of the Sox used to say he was one of the best hitters on the team. He could also play multiple positions. The Sox could use him now.
Sisco. What can you say? A left-handed pitcher standing 6-foot-10, the guy could be the next Randy Johnson. Instead, he’s pitched like Randy Jackson. In 19 games for the Sox last year, his 8.36 ERA was so high it almost hit a satellite. He’s out for the season after having surgery on his elbow (his pitching elbow). Advantage: Royals (they’re 2-and-0)
December 23, 2006. The Sox trade Brandon McCarthy and David Paisano to the Rangers for John Danks, Nick Masset, and Jacob Rasner.
At the time of the trade, Williams said that he was not shopping McCarthy, but was “bowled over” by this offer from the Rangers, so he pulled the trigger.
Memo to the Texas Rangers: Thank you.
Danks, like Gavin Floyd, has blossomed in his second year with the Sox. In 10 starts, he’s 3-and-4 with a 3.00 ERA. With a little more run support, he could easily be 5-and-2. Maybe 6-and-1. He’s only 23.
Masset, a future potential starter, has been used in long/short relief, and after struggling in 2007, he has come back strong in 2008, doing everything the Sox have asked. He’s got sneaky good stuff.
Meanwhile, McCarthy, just like Garcia, has not been the same ever since he left the Sox. Last year he was 5-10 with a 4.87 ERA, and that’s the good news. Currently, he’s been out since March 8 with forearm inflammation. He just resumed throwing in extending spring training in Arizona.
Another Ricky Henderson steal. Advantage: White Sox
July 27, 2007. The Sox trade Tadahito Iguchi to the Phillies for Michael Dubee.
I didn’t like this trade then. I don’t like it now. It was like Kenny felt bad for dumping Garcia on the Phillies, and this was his way of making it up to them.
Tadahito Iguchi
Iguchi was a free agent last
winter. He cried in Ozzie’s
office when he learned the
Sox traded him away. Why didn’t
the Sox bring him back??? He’d
look great in the 2-hole right
about now.
Instead, he’s now with the Padres.
As for Michael Dubee. He’s pitching
in Single-A. Maybe he makes it
to Double-A. Maybe he makes
the big club one day. Who knows? At the end of the day, you traded an unproven, middle-of-the-road prospect for your World Series second baseman. Doesn’t make sense. Advantage: Phillies
November 19, 2007. The Sox trade Jon Garland to the Angels for Orlando Cabrera.
Like the Vazquez deal, this one’s very equal. For now.
Even though they had just signed Juan Uribe, the Sox needed an upgrade at shortstop as well as a bat near the top of the order. He and Garland are both free agents after this season, so we’ll have to wait to see who signs where before making an accurate call here.
And speaking of calls, Cabrera has to stop calling the press box during games complaining about errors charged to him on the field. If this keeps up, there’s no way he’ll be re-signed by the Sox.
After a slow start, Garland has settled down, looking like the Garland we saw the last 3 years in Chicago. Jon was originally drafted by the Cubs in 1997. Any chance they might try to bring him to the North Side next season? I say…”yes.” Advantage: Push
December 3, 2007. The Sox trade Chris Carter to the Diamondbacks for Carlos Quentin.
Absolute thievery!
The Sox had their eye on Quentin, and when the D-backs had nowhere to put him in the outfield, Williams pounced. He gave up first base prospect Chris Carter, who the Diamondbacks quickly traded to Oakland in the Dan Haren deal, so Arizona is not complaining.
But neither are the Sox. Quentin is on pace for 46 HRs and 145 RBIs. He’s clutch, he’s driven, he’s a good teammate, and he’s only 25. Advantage: White Sox
January 3, 2008. The Sox trade Gio Gonzalez, Faustino De Los Santos, and Ryan Sweeney to the A’s for Nick Swisher.
Let me start by saying that Gio Gonzalez is not Cy Young. He is not Bob Gibson. He is not Sandy Koufax. And after being traded 3 times in less than 3 years, the former Sox prospect who was supposed to win 700 games for the Sox by 2020, is currently on the skids.
Nick Swisher
He’s 1-2 with a 5.92 ERA in AAA-Sacramento.
After throwing 185 strikeouts last year for the Sox
in AA, he has just 44 K’s to go along with 26
walks this year. This is not to say that Gio isn’t
going to turn it around, but prospects are
prospects. And I’ll take a proven major league
hitter (like Nick Swisher) over a prospect, or even
3 prospects anyday, everyday.
I know Swisher’s numbers are down (.205, 4 HR,
14 RBI), but he’s actually been crushing the
ball lately…right at guys. In 3 years, you’ll
forget about this cold stretch. You might even
forget about Gio Gonzalez. Maybe not.
Faustino De Los Santos? He had a 5.87 ERA in Single-A before being shut down with a sore elbow three weeks ago.
Ryan Sweeney? He might turn out to be a solid outfielder for the A’s, but there’s just way too much upside for Swisher on the field and in the clubhouse. Advantage: White Sox. Case Closed.
EMAILS
Are Juan Uribe’s days in a Sox uniform numbered now that Alexei Ramirez has come on at 2B? Kurt Schlaich, Herscher, IL.
Good question Kurt. In fact, Monday night on White Sox Post-Game Live, our poll question was:
When Juan Uribe comes off the disabled list, who should start at second base?
Ramirez won it easily, getting 47 percent of the vote, followed by Uribe with 20, Josh Fields with 19.
For a guy playing out of position, Ramirez has been impressive in the field. And his hitting is getting better. After batting .138 in April, he’s hitting .286 in May.
Still, I think we need to see this thing play out a little more. You probably know my feelings about Uribe at the plate. However, his arm at second might be the best in the majors. You can’t overlook that.
I think it’s safe to say that this is very likely Uribe’s last year with the Sox. As for Alexei, I think he’s a year away from being an everyday player.
However, he could prove me wrong.
If Swish is out of position, both in the field and in the order, then why did we get him? We needed and still need a table setter to help manufacture runs. Getting Swish makes sense only if Thome or Konerko sit. Al Bloom, Montgomery, AL.
Thanks for the email, Al. Great to hear from readers and viewers in Alabama! When the Sox traded for Swisher, Plan A was to have Jerry Owens in center and leading off, with Swisher in left, batting 7th or 8th.
But then 2 things happened: Owens got hurt and Carlos Quentin turned into CARLOS QUENTIN. Suddenly, the Sox have no place for Owens in the outfield (and when the Sox brought up red-hot Dewayne Wise from Triple-A and not Owens, who is batting .217 in 157 at-bats, that said something).
They tried Swisher leading off, which worked for a while. Now they’ve got him where he should be (7th or 8th). Pretty soon you’re going to start seeing results.
I agree that the Sox still need a lead-off hitter. And A.J. Pierzynski cannot bat 2nd the rest of the season. Something’s gonna happen….I say around the trading deadline.
Do you believe what Ozzie Guillen said about the Cubs getting more media coverage than the Sox, even though the Sox have won the World Series? Betsy Shoudis, Morris, IL.
Hey Betsy. I might be in the minority here, but frankly, I don’t think the Cubs consistently get more media coverage. As someone who covers both the Sox and the Cubs, I can tell you that roughly the same amount of reporters cover the Sox as the Cubs.
It’s all a matter of winning.
In 2005 and 2006, the Sox had a ton more media coverage than the Cubs. In fact, at the end of 2006, when the Cubs season went down the tubes, pretty much the only thing you heard about the Cubs was “When is Dusty Baker getting fired?”
However, now that the Cubs are winning, and this being the 100th year without a title, yes they will get more attention from time to time. But it’s not over-the-top like Ozzie makes it out to be. That’s just how I see it.
Who would win in a rumble, Soxman or Southpaw? Lee Morris, Chicago, IL.
Lee, I’ve been up many nights pondering this very difficult question. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, I believe this was even discussed in the Bible.
At first thought, I want to say Soxman simply because he claims to have superpowers. However, if he actually did, how do you explain 2007? The dude totally fell asleep at the wheel. Plus, he wears socks on his ears. Not a good look.
As for Southpaw, when it comes to a rumble, I’d rather not pick something made out of fur. That’s just me. However, he’s been around longer, and since he’s the team’s official mascot, he has the support of the organization.
Actually, come to think of it, do we even know if Southpaw is a man or a woman?
I’ll save that for another blog.
I’m going with Southpaw.
The Sox Drawer comes your way from Tampa later this week! See you then.
Monday, May 19
Thank Q
A show of hands…
When the season began, how many of you thought that Carlos Quentin would be the best hitter on the White Sox?
How many thought that after 44 games, he would lead the Sox in hits, runs, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and be second on the team in stolen bases?
How many thought he would have more home runs and more RBIs than Albert Pujols, Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, Adam Dunn, Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, Manny Ramirez, Aramis Ramirez, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, and Torii Hunter?
If you answered “yes” to any of the following three questions, you are either Carlos Quentin, Carlos Quentin’s parents, or knew something that every general manager in baseball didn’t know, and that includes Kenny Williams, the man who traded for Carlos in the first place.
Let’s go back to December 3, 2007. I’m sure you remember it well…
A week after losing out on the Torii Hunter Free Agent Sweepstakes, the Sox opened the Winter Meetings with a deal—sending minor leaguer first baseman Chris Carter to Arizona for an outfielder coming off major shoulder surgery by the name of Carlos Quentin.
Everywhere you went, people said….nothing.
Nothing except for maybe, “Who’s Carlos Quentin? What’s Kenny thinking?? And when are the Sox going to sign Aaron Rowand????”
Sound familiar?
But for Kenny Williams, this was a no-brainer. Quentin had been on the Sox radar ever since 2006 Spring Training, when he consistently crushed the ball against the Sox (and everybody else). He was healthy, and a bonafide rising star in the National League. But last year, the wheels came off. Carlos batted just .214 with 5 home runs, he lost his starting job in right field, was demoted to the minors in July, and when the Diamondbacks played the Cubs in the post-season, Quentin was left off the playoff roster, presumably on a baseball road to nowhere.
That was until Kenny went a-courtin’.
Knowing that Quentin’s value would probably never get any lower, Williams swooped in and grabbed him. At the time, Williams said, “We weren’t trying to get a player like Carlos Quentin, we were trying to get Carlos Quentin.” But even Kenny has to admit that he never envisioned that Carlos would be this good, this soon.
Quentin is not just leading the Sox in basically every offensive category. What impresses me is how he is doing it, getting clutch hits in key moments (unlike so many of his teammates).
For example:
As a team, with 2 outs, the White Sox are batting .211 with 13 HR and 101 strikeouts. Carlos? He’s batting .368 with 4 HR and 12 RBI, and 8 strikeouts.
How about with runners in scoring position?
.424, 4 HR, 29 RBI. And with 2 outs? .462, 1 HR, 9 RBI.
And here’s my personal favorite. With the bases loaded, Quentin is 2-for-3 with 10 RBI!!!!! He’s a got a triple and a grand slam. That’s insane.
You want big hits at the end of games? Take a gander at this:
7th inning: .368, 2 HR, 6 RBI
8th inning: .304, 3 HR, 7 RBI
9th inning: .400, 1 triple, 5 RBI
10th inning: 1.000, 1-for-1, 1 double
Sunday, Quentin broke a 2-2 tie in the 6th with a 2-run homer off Matt Cain. Said Ozzie Guillen afterwards, “We hit the lottery with him.”
Did they ever.
EMAILS
Was signing Nick Swisher over the off-season a mistake? Sure he is a great guy in the clubhouse, but his performance on the field has left a lot to be desired for me. Jose Molter, Chicago, IL.
Jose, Nick would be the first tell you that he’s not satisfied with his play so far in Chicago. When the Sox traded Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Sweeney, and Faustino De Los Santos for him in the off-season, they probably didn’t expect Swish to bat .213 with 4 home runs after 43 games.
More to come?
But then again, Swish didn’t expect to
bat lead-off to start the season either.
And despite never hitting there before,
he did a pretty good job at the top until
he, and the rest of the offense went belly
up against the Twins and Blue Jays a
couple weeks ago (which is around the
time you sent your email).
Lately, he has slowly been coming out of
his slump. His pinch-hit double on
Sunday against the Giants cleared
the bases and was his biggest hit of
the season. But keep in mind, Swisher is
not a .300 hitter (at least not yet). He’s
a guy who will bat .250-.260, hit 20-30
HR, drive in close to 100 runs, and drive
his opponents crazy by taking so
many pitches. Ozzie Guillen says he
hated Swisher in Oakland because he
would force the Sox pitchers to work
so much, driving up their pitch counts.
It’s those little things that help over
the course of a season. Even when Swish couldn’t hit, he still drew the walks (his on-base percentage is .343).
I think you’ll start seeing Swisher deliver more hits real soon.
Do you think the Sox will be a contender in the hunt for the playoffs? If you do, why? Eric Krasich, Oak Lawn, IL.
Hey Eric! Yes, I do think the Sox will be in the hunt for the playoffs. Will they actually make it there? Let’s talk in October. A lot can happen between now and then, but 7 weeks into the season, some things are starting to come into focus.
#1 The Sox have starting pitching.
Their ERA is 5th best in the majors (3.61). However, that stat might be a little misleading. The Sox have yet to face 3 of the best offenses in baseball (the Red Sox, Rangers, and Cubs), and they got teams like the Tigers and Rays at the right time.
Gavin Floyd and John Danks are legit, Jose Contreras is back to his old self (unless his back turns out to be a real problem), Mark Buehrle should come out of his funk, and Javier Vazquez has been a rock.
#2 The Indians have better starting pitching.
Downright scary starting pitching. Their starters recently pitched 44-and-a-third straight innings without allowing a single run. And when they did…it was unearned. Cliff Lee, who finally lost on Sunday, is 6-1 with a 1.37 ERA. He’s got 46 strikeouts and just 5 walks.
Not that Kobayashi
C.C. Sabathia is starting to look like his Cy
Young self from last year, Fausto Carmona is
still walking a ton of guys (35 BB vs. 22k’s), but
he’s still winning (4-1), and when Jake
Westbrook went on the disabled list last month,
the Indians brought up Aaron Laffey, who in 4
starts has proceeded to go 2-2 with a 1.35 ERA.
The Sox definitely have the better bullpen. The
3-headed closer combo of Joe Borowski
(hurt and bad), Rafael Betancourt (healthy and
bad), and Mashide Kobayashi (gave up 3-run HR
to Adam Dunn in the 9th on Saturday) is a
total mess. I don’t see this getting better
anytime soon. This will hold the Indians back.
Both teams meet 6 times in the next 8 days. Should be interesting.
#3 The American League is a beast.
No offense to the Cubs, but wins over teams like the Pirates, Padres, Nationals, Reds, and Brewers don’t impress me. There are 4 potential playoff teams in the A.L. East, another 4 in the Central, and at least 2 in the West (I’m excluding Seattle for now).
The Tigers and Yankees are in last place in their respective divisions. The Tampa Bay Rays are for real (the Sox are in Tampa next weekend). No patsies here.
That said, assuming the Sox bats are finally waking up and they don’t get decimated by injuries, they should be in contention for a playoff spot come September. It’s not going to be easy, because there are no easy teams (like the Padres and Pirates). Since there is so much parity, no one is going to run away with anything (with exception of maybe the Angels and/or Red Sox). So how the Sox end up playing in the final month will play a key role in deciding if they’re headed back to the playoffs. What I do know is…the fight for the wildcard is going to be vicious.
What do you think of the Garland/Cabrera trade? I hated it when it happened, and I hate it even more now. They did not even make an effort to re-sign Garland and give him a chance to say “no.” They shipped him off for an over-the-hill shortstop. Linda Froehlich, Chicago, IL.
Thanks for the email, Linda. Love the emotion! Well, it’s always easy to look back, but if the Sox had Jon Garland right now, who’s spot in the rotation would you take away to make room for him. Danks? Floyd? They’re 2 of the best young pitchers in the game (and millions cheaper). Contreras? He signed a $29 million extension through 2009. No one would touch him in the off-season. And so far, all three of these guys are pitching better than Garland.
Cabrera is 33, but he’s not over-the-hill. He leads all American League shortstops in fielding percentage, and like Swisher, is apparently coming out of his offensive funk, hitting 2 home runs against the Giants on Sunday. I agree that he has been frustrating to watch at times at the plate. At .225 he’s hitting way below his career average (.271), but his play up the middle has been good enough for me to overlook that for now.
And from a financial standpoint, it will be much easier to sign a 33-year-old shortstop with 3-4 good years left than a 28-year-old starting pitcher looking for a big, fat payday. There’s only so much money to go around. And who’s to say the Sox don’t sign Garland next year when he’s a free agent anyway. Yes, it’s a longshot. Maybe an extreme longshot…..but who knows? Stranger things have happened.
What do you think of Juan Uribe? Brandon Wehmiller, Bedford, IN.
Brandon, I could probably teach a class called, “What I think about Juan Uribe.” He’s a guy who in the course of 1 second can go from Jackie Robinson to Jackie Mason, in every single second of the game.
"Juan might strike out. Then again he might not."
He’s either scorching Arizona hot or freezing
North Pole cold. There’s no middle, no Switzerland. You gotta take a side. That’s Juan Uribe.
He will swing at the first pitch. He will
swing at the second pitch. And if a third
pitch is coming, he will probably swing
at that one too. That’s Juan Uribe.
He will come to the plate with 2 outs (is it
me or does Juan always seem to come to
the plate with 2 outs), and he will
either drive in a run, or drive every single Sox fan crazy swinging at pitches headed for Batavia.
That’s Juan Uribe. Truly Juan of a kind.
Monday, May 12th
Going Back to Cali
So it’s been roughly 30 months (or specificially 930 days) since the White Sox did the unthinkable—ending their 88-year drought, winning the World Series. It happened, right?
Yet despite that history-making, deft-defying, mind-blowing run towards baseball immortality, the experience had basically remained shelved deep in the backside of my brain, along with other monumental achievements; the 1983 All-Star Game at Comiskey, Michael Jordan’s last shot for the Bulls in 1998, my Bar Mitzvah. All special moments that will be talked about for years.
But with the White Sox in Anaheim this week for a 4-game series with the Angels, I felt it was finally time to break open the 7-DVD set of the Sox 2005 post-season, going back to the place where it all began, or in the Angels case, where it all ended: Game 5 of the ALCS, which sent the Angels home for good, and the Sox to their first World Series since 1959.
So, without further adieu, let’s go back to October 16, 2005. I’ve got my DVD player, my computer, and countless memories ready to come flooding back. Here goes:
1st inning
It’s 66 degrees in Anaheim. A light rain is falling. It’s Jose Contreras vs. Paul Byrd (who I suddenly realize looks a lot like former Sox starter Britt Burns).
Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are calling the game for Fox, and every once in a while, I hear another voice coming from the booth. It’s a voice I’ve heard before, but can’t seem to place it. Wait a minute…I’ve got it. LOU PINIELLA! How could I forget?? I’m pretty certain that 10 years from now, when Lou is retired somewhere in Florida, this will be one of the great trivia questions in Chicago sports. “Who broadcast the game with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver when the White Sox won the Pennant?" Lou Piniella. Talk about the irony—especially if the Cubs never win the Series…or atleast anytime soon.
We know what kind of manager Lou is. So how was he as a broadcaster?
Well, here in the first inning, Piniella, a man who played 16 years in the majors, and had managed another 19 at this point, gave us this little nugget: “Angels manager Mike Scioscia’s favorite food is deep dish pizza, and the best place to get deep dish pizza is in Chicago!”
At the time, I’m sure we all thought nothing of this nice compliment about our fair city. But looking back, it has me wondering…."Could this possibly have been Piniella expressing some hidden code to the Cubs that he wanted to be their manager?"
"Blue Horse Shoe Loves Anacot Steel"
It was like Bud Fox’s secret stock tip to Gordon Gecko
in the movie Wall Street, "Blue Horse Shoe Loves
Anacot Steel." This was Lou, with Dusty Baker
possibly on the ropes, informing the Tribune brass
on the air that he was their manager, Chicago was his pizza, and with the Sox on the brink of ending one
of the greatest droughts in sports history (only adding
to the misery and even longer drought on the
North Side), that he was the Chosen One to bring
the Cubs to the Promised Land.
Come to think of it. Maybe not.
2nd inning
Aaron Rowand leads off with a double down the right field line. Watching Aaron in a Sox uniform for the first time in almost 3 years, I have to admit—I’m feeling a little separation anxiety here. Jim Thome has been great. Nick Swisher could be on his way....but Rowand was a rock in 2005. An absolute rock.
Rowand moves to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Pierzynski. I repeat…. Rowand moves to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Pierzynski. Where has that been? Joe Crede’s up next. He brings Rowand in on a sacrifice fly. Sox up 1-0. They made it look so easy.
Stat of the night:
While pitching for Cuba in the 2000 Olympics, Contreras threw 160 pitches in one game. And if that isn’t enough, he came back to pitch 2 days later throwing a complete game for another win. The story goes that Fidel Castro called the team’s coach after Jose’s first victory and demanded that Contreras pitch the next game. What was that conversation like?
3rd inning
How were the Sox able to beat the Angels in 5? Two words: Vladimir Guerrero. The guy simply couldn’t hit in this series. After the Angels tied the game at 1 here in the third…Guerrero did what he did best in the ALCS….he grounded out to end a rally. Vladimir, by far the Angels best hitter, went 1-for-20 in the series with 1 RBI.
2nd best stat of the night:
The last rainout in Anaheim was 1995 vs. the White Sox. What??? Are you kidding me!!! Don’t tell Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard this. He might take his Doppler Radar system and just throw it into Lake Michigan.
4th inning
Carl Everett is up. That’s right, Carl Everett.
Whatever happened to....
Remember him? Carl hit 23 homers and drove in 87 runs
for the Sox in ‘05. Say what you will about his
odd personality, but looking back, he’s easily the
most under-appreciated player on the championship
team. Period. Think about it. When was the last time
you were in a conversation about the 2005 White Sox,
and someone brought up the name “Carl Everett.”
He’s become a ghost. Everett spent most of the
season batting 3rd in the Sox lineup, hitting
between Tadahito Iguchi and Paul Konerko, and yet
when it comes to his status on that World Series team
he ranks somewhere between Joe Borchard and Timo Perez.
Trivia question: Who drove in more runs for the Sox in 2005, Carl Everett or Jermaine Dye? Answer: Carl Everett.
Since the World Series year, Carl has taken quite a fall from grace. After the Sox chose not to bring him back, he signed a free agent deal with the Mariners in 2006, but didn’t finish out the season. Seattle released him on July 26, 2006, and he hasn’t played in the majors since. He’s currently playing for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, batting .321 with 2 home runs in 14 games. But he does have that World Series ring.
5th inning
By now you have likely forgotten all about the 5th inning. I’m sure everyone on the planet has forgotten about the 5th inning. But there’s one guy, likely living somewhere in Orange County, who if it wasn’t for a favorable umpire’s decision plus some extremely good karma, would have woken up this morning, and every morning, looking in the mirror and seeing the man known worldwide as the Angels’ Steve Bartman.
Let me set the scene:
Steve Bartman: The Sequel?
With the Angels trailing 2-1, Chone Figgins roped a
shot into right. Adam Kennedy was on first and
running on the pitch. The ball took one bounce,
and before Jermaine Dye could field it, a fan with a beer
in his left hand and fate in the other, reached out
and grabbed the ball while it was still in the field of play.
Kennedy, who was blazing around the bases,
would have scored easily, but the umps ruled Figgins’
hit a ground rule double, holding Kennedy at third base. Immediately, this sent Angels Manager Mike Scioscia racing out of the dugout, his face literally brick red.
Keep in mind, that up until this point, the Angels had seen every single big call in the series go against them; from big ones like the Pierzynski dropped 3rd strike in Game 2 to small ones like a favorable strike zone Contreras was getting early in Game 5.
Doing some lip-reading, I think I counted 8 words coming from the mouth of Scioscia that you cannot say on basic cable.
If Scioscia had lost this argument, and if the Angels failed to score the rest of the game (which considering how Contreras was pitching was completely possible), all that anger, all that frustration that had been building and brewing inside Scioscia’s melon, not to mention the rest of Southern California, would have been pointed directly at John Q. Angels Fan….that clueless lug with the beer in his hand.
He’s fortunate he remains anonymous today. Bartman wasn’t so lucky.
6th inning
Nothing happened. Got nothing. Let’s move to the 7th.
7th inning
It begins with a little bit of TV magic.
Kelvim Escobar comes on in relief. Fox immediately flashes back to Game 2 when Escobar was on the hill for the dropped 3rd strike against Pierzynski. They follow with the replay of the next batter; Joe Crede, hitting the game-winning double off the wall. Crede leads off for the White Sox here in the 7th, and as soon as they cut back to live action, what does Crede do this time against Escobar? That’s right….a solo home run to left, tying the game at 3.
It was that kind of season. Everything just fell into place for the Sox…and Fox.
8th inning
After Escobar strikes out Konerko and Everett to start off the inning, giving him 5 k’s over the last 6 batters, the excitement begins. He walks Rowand on a 3-2 pitch, bringing Mr. Controversy to the plate, A.J. Pierzynski. The Sox catcher hits a grounder off Escobar’s fanny. Apparently stunned by it, Escobar fields the ball, and tags A.J. with his mit. The only problem was, the ball was in Escobar’s bare hand.
The first-base umpire immediately calls Pierzynski out. A.J. stays on the bag. He’s screaming. Ozzie jumps out of the dugout. He’s screaming.
White Sox fans everywhere are screaming!
Looking at it again, there’s really nothing controversial about the play.
Escobar clearly blew the tag. Everyone saw it except for 2 people. The first base umpire….and Mike Scioscia.
Scioscia about to turn purple
As soon as the umps reversed the call, and
gave Pierzynski first base, out comes Scioscia ranting
and raving again. His face no longer brick red, now a
dark shade of purple.
The Angels bring in closer Francisco Rodriguez to face
Joe Crede. The Sox were simply deadly in this series
with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. During
Joe’s at-bat, Fox shows a graphic that says the Sox
are batting .353 in such situations. And on the very next pitch, what happens? Crede smokes a grounder up the middle, scoring Aaron Rowand from 2nd, giving the Sox a 4-3 lead.
Destiny.
Top of the 9th inning
Rodriguez is back out there to pitch for the Angels. He’s arguably the best closer in the game. But not tonight. He walks Iguchi, he walks Dye, and then gives up a Paul Konerko double off the wall in right. You know Konerko is locked in when he’s hitting a double off the wall in right. They cut to a shot of Jerry Reinsdorf in his suite. The man is literally trembling.
The Sox score 2 insurance runs in the inning to take a 6-3 lead.
There’s nobody throwing in the White Sox bullpen.
Bottom of the 9th inning
Contreras walks calmly to the mound, like he’s walking to the refrigerator or listening to Yanni.
First batter: Darin Erstad. Jose throwing nothing but strikes. In 2 seconds, it’s 0-2. Erstad sends a high bouncer to short. Juan Uribe sends a missle to Konerko. 1 out.
Second batter: Benjie Molina. Once again…Jose has him 0-2. That was Contreras back then. Trusting his stuff, throwing strikes. Beautiful. Molina flies out harmlessly to Rowand in center. 2 outs. The White Sox one out away from their first pennant in 46 years.
Fox cuts to the classic video from 1959 when the Sox won their last pennant.
The players celebrating in Cleveland, dancing in the clubhouse. No champagne, just beer. My favorite shot is of the one reporter sticking his mic in the face of Sherm Lollar like he was checking for tooth decay.
Had this man ever held a microphone before?
Trivia time:
A.L. Champs!
Who made the last out for the Angels, sending the
White Sox to the World Series? Why that would be
Casey Kotchman, who bounces a grounder to Konerko
at first. Paulie steps on the bag…and it’s over.
The Sox beat the Angels 6-3. They win the series in
5. Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, and Contreras produce one
of the greatest pitching performances in
playoff history—throwing back-to-back-to-back-to-back complete games, a feat last accomplished by the Yankees in 1956, and considering the use of bullpens nowadays, a trick we’ll likely never see again.
The Sox celebrate on the field, with Ozzie Guillen choosing to stand by himself in front of the dugout, allowing his players and coaches to enjoy the moment. Classy. I don’t think he ever got credit for this.
The Sox are headed to the World Series. We know what happened there.
But again, I ask myself the question...it happened, right? Maybe I need to watch those games over as well.
