September 2007 - Posts
The Chicago Blackhawks
lost owner Bill Wirtz early this morning as he lost his battle with cancer. Before I go ANY further I want to say that in no way is it my intent to slander or appear disrespectful of a dead man whom I've never met. On top of it, I have lost family members and friends to cancer, I know it is dreadful. I know he was a charitable man and was a big reason we have the United Center today.
With that I will say that upon hearing the news of his passing my first thought was, "now maybe some decent hockey will be played in Chicago". Yeah, I'm sorry to hear of someones passing and would obviously be much happier if the Blackhawks had lost their owner to a sale instead of death but out of this sad event I hope comes a new beginning for the team. I have to think that in all likelihood ownership of the team will stay within the family but I really hope whoever it is takes this opportunity to turn things around.
IT IS INEXCUSABLE that an
original six team be so bad for so long. I can't stand the fact that there are teams now that are named after tropical weather and Disney movies--THIS IS HOCKEY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!--and one of the oldest in the league can't even fill up their stadium once a year with their own fans?!!! To be honest--and probably slightly unreasonable--if you are in the US but can't jump in your car and be in Canada within a few hours or so you should not have a hockey team (UGH, with the exception of Colorado of course, even though I
HATE the #$^&%*@$# stupid
Avalanche--oops, and now you know my dirty little secret...I love me some
octopi!!! ) If snow and real winter weather is not an expected part of your geographical climate, you should not have a hockey team. The mere thought of the Carolina Hurricanes makes me want to vomit fire on kittens. What do Dallas, Florida and Nashville know about winter?! IT KILLS ME when these sorts of teams do well and stupid Blackhawk owners don't even let their home games be televised!!!! WTF?!??!!!
COME ON, for the sake of the Original Six, Chicago Stadium, Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita TURN THIS FRANCHISE AROUND!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, Here We Are.
The last home stand of the year--TG!
As I walked home after work yesterday (which takes me past the park) I do admit that despite how absolutely painful and putrid this year has been I was still looking forward to going to game last night. I must be sick, maybe a masochist but I was still happy to be going. I’ve got to be crazy.
Coming off of a weekend where the Sox took two of three from the Twin-kies, including one from Santana, probably had something to do with it. Josh Fields was named AL Player of the Week , most likely due in part to the fact he went 2-3 (2 HR) during the Santana game. Owens went 5-6 on Saturday and Javie had a solid outing. It was also a nice night. The storms were going around us; the humidity was gone, etc.
Contreras was a little scary in the first, but not nearly as scary as Bannister who couldn’t even get out of the inning. Things looked good for a while, Pods actually almost looked like an outfielder for a little bit, JO picked up his 30th stolen base—not bad for a rookie who’s only played half a season! Left, Third and Short Stop Royals players let a ball drop between the three of them (they were close enough to one another to reach out and hold hands if they wanted to). I looked over at my friend, Jess, and said, “and that’s why they are the Kansas City Royals”, shortly after that there were a few other mistakes and I repeated myself to her. BUT being that the 2007 White Sox are floundering around in the basement of baseball themselves they weren’t to be outdone and made their own mistakes as the game went on but I need to spare myself from reliving it so take my word on it. I have seen worse this year but it was still bad enough and we’ll leave it at that. Contreras was actually good for a couple innings but I can’t say he was solid the entire outing. Definitely not as good as last time, maybe his daughters should have birthdays every week from April to October next year. He definitely can’t take the blame though. This one was not his fault for sure, he left the game and we were ahead.
One down, five more to go, I’m hoping for the best at this point—to not finish DFL (WHINCE and SHUDDER), but my head tells me to expect the worst, or to at least have no expectations anymore.
This is the year Bobby Jenks grew from a “thrower” to a “pitcher”. Some people were concerned that he was “only” throwing in the mid to high 90s and were worried that we hadn’t really seen 98, 99, 100, 101, etc. in Spring Training and early this season but it quickly became evident that he had really arrived as a true pitcher. Sure throwing fire is awesome but to do it with accuracy… As if being the first rookie to close out a deciding World Series game wasn’t enough--come on, double AA ball in July to closing the World Series in October of that year??!!! He then tied a 35-year old record, which in my opinion is tougher than, well you can read on if you haven’t already. If you need more convincing… or listen to the Amazing and All-Knowing Steve Stone on 8/14/07 and 8/13/07 (fwd counter to 4:00—I think this last one is better if you’re short on time.) GO HERE AND VOTE FOR BOBBY JENKS of the Chicago White Sox to win the “MLB Delivery Man of the Year Award presented by DHL”!!!!! (Voting ends Monday, October 8, by voting you are entered to win a trip for two to Game 4 of the 2007 MLB World Series.)
MERCY!
What a way to make 500! How fitting that on Jim Thome Bobblehead Day, Jim Thome hits his 500th career home run AND wins the game with a walk-off where at one point the Sox trailed the Angles 7-1! CAH-RAZY!
Along with a lot of other people I was waiting and waiting for #500 to happen. I wanted to see all that I could of this last home stand because, well, let's face it; there hasn't been much to celebrate this baseball season in the South Side of Chicago. More than that though, this is a great guy on and off the field! You just want him to do well because of the kind of person he is. The one time Sox killer is now a Sox slugger--I will NEVER forget that "HELLO CHICAGO" home run against the Indians on Opening Night 2006, which happened after quite a lengthy rain delay that chilly and wet Sunday evening. It was worth the wait that night and it was worth the wait today.
I went out in the rain this past Monday night, I was there Tuesday night and I had a "lunch meeting" at 35th and Shields on Wednesday. I was out in the cold and wind Friday night, I coaxed my sister, brother-in-law and their 5-month old twins who were in from out of town (and have never been to a Major League game) out Saturday night. I think they were bored to tears but I was frantic that I would miss it. I was there each time the Thome Ticker in right field clicked over, how could I miss the final click, the one that really mattered?!
I should have known it would happen today. I opened my season ticket box just before I left this morning and tore the tickets off their pages. As I did, I noticed that Thome's picture was on today's tickets. When I saw it I seriously had feeling that something special was about to happen. You know those brief moments that spark something inside you, it was that feeling. I played it off as just being coincidental that I was going today to get a bobblehead. I was actually concerned that he was going into a slump since he hadn't homered in a few days, maybe the pressure of getting it done at home was getting to him I thought, but I had a secret weapon. I was bringing my little baseball friend, Ben, who seems to be some sort of good luck charm this year. Ben is 5 and I used to be his nanny, but if you ask him, he'll tell you I'm his "White Sox Babysitter". We have had so much fun going to games, getting autographs on Kids Days, playing on the Fundamentals Deck and watching the games with our "White Sox friends" (aka the family with season tickets next to me). He knows every player and their jersey numbers, what they position they play and he's now learning the position numbers for scorekeeping. This is one smart kid and so much fun to have at a game because he finds such joy in some of the smallest of things at the ballpark. It helps to put a bad season back into perspective and has helped me to remember what I like about baseball games on the most simplest of levels. All of that aside, this kid has seen a lot of highlights of this year. He was with me when Buehrle had his 100th win; we were at the crazy come from behind win against first place Cleveland on Aug. 8, where JD and AJ tied it on two separate occasions with homers and Uribe finally won it with a 12th inning walk-off; together we saw Bobby Jenks tie the Major League Record of 41-straight retired batters and today we saw Jim Thome hit his 500th career home run.
I actually owe him (Ben) this one. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I was ready to leave early, something I have only done three other times this year (and had never done previously) but it had been a long weekend and I was tired, we were getting killed (AGAIN) the score was 7-1 at one point thanks to Buckvitch stinking up the joint and walking Angels in. I decided we'd wait for what I thought was going to be Thome's last at bat (he was 0-4) and after that I asked Ben if he wanted to go, "NO!" he said. "Are you sure?" "YES!" So we stayed--THANK GOD--or should I say, thank you Ben!
As I said, by the middle of the seventh inning the score was 7-1. I put my scorebook away. I didn't need to add to the frustration and torture. But then things started happening for the Sox. Josh Fields hit a three run homer, Danny Richar had a two run homer to tie in the eighth, and somehow the bullpen didn't blow it. As Erstad came up to the plate I looked to the fans behind me and we started talking as we were all actually worried that Erstad would be the hero of the game with a walk-off, which wouldn't have allowed Thome another chance at the plate. Luckily, he "only" made it to first. Thome comes up. I had readied my camera at every other at-bat that day. This time I decided to leave it in the case--unzipped. I yelled at the pitcher to give Thome a cookie. The at-bat went to a full count; I pulled out my camera and took a picture of the famous Thome stance. With my camera still on him out of the corner of my eye I could see the Angels' reliever, Moseley, going into the wind up so I pressed the button one last time and hoped for the best. Thome swung and I knew from the crack of the bat it was a good one. Sometimes they just have that sound, after a couple hundred times of hearing the really good ones you just know it's gone and 426 feet later Jim Thome became the first guy to make it to the 500 club while wearing a White Sox uniform.
After A LOT of cheering I looked at Ben and I told him the same thing I told him the day Bobby tied consecutive retired batter record a month earlier: "Remember this day buddy, when you are older, remember this day and that you were here to see it with your own eyes! I know you don't understand now but remember this day, you were here" and I know he will.
No one can say a bad thing about the guy and it's so great to see someone who's so nice, so gracious, so professional achieve such a goal without even the slightest hint of controversy. It's fitting that the guy who caught the ball, Will Stewart of Texas, has done the right thing and gave the ball back to Thome, who is making a trip to Cooperstown with his dad to present the Baseball Hall of Fame with the very ball that landed in the stands out in left center field--yeah, that's right, I said LEFT center field, he beat the ever-present right field Thome shift too! Because Stewart gave the ball back he was awarded season tickets for next year, among other things. Since Stewart does not live here he is donating the tickets to a charity of Thome's choosing. Ahhhhhh, a feel good sports story..... fresh air!!!
A few extra tidbits, Thome is only the 23rd guy to reach 500 and the only people to have done it in less at-bats were Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds...and if you think about the controversy surrounding the last two on that list....well, let's just say that if it were up to me it would only be Babe Ruth ahead of him (another list cited the list being Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire and Harmon Killebrew). Thome is the first player ever to have his 500th HR also be a walk-off and this is the first time 3 guys made it to the 500 club in one year (The other two are A-Rod and former White Sox player "The Big Hurt" Frank Thomas.)
While this hasn't been a good season for the team as a whole and I hope the Sox NEVER have a season like this again, being able to see things like Buehrle's No-No, Bobby Jenks tying a 35-year old record and being able to say I was there when Jim Thome hit his 500th home run (and quite a few leading up to it), well, I think it's pretty special and I'm happy I've stuck it out. I love this game and I still love this team and a lot of guys on it. These are some big accomplishments and it's been very cool to see.
Click on the photos below, there are actually 14 to see. :)
I also posted three videos on YouTube.
When asked pre-game Friday night about the piranhas of Minnesota Ozzie said they are playing more like sardines these days. I guess he’s right. Sox have taken the first two from the Twinkies this weekend and neither of them was pretty. It’s been more like the battle of the bottom-feeders but we’ve already won the series so I’ll take it.
Both have been come from behind wins, both teams had errors in both games, Friday night both teams each scored 6 points in the 9th--something that has never happened in Major League baseball.
I did not think we had a chance going into the bottom of the 9th Friday night but then when I saw DePaula was on the mound and that his ERA was 10 something I thought we could at least make it interesting. If you only watched highlights of the game on Comcast you would have thought that Joe Nathan gave up all the runs. Chuck Garfien’s recap made it sound like all the runs came off of the Twins closer but he only gave up one, which resulted in the tie and extra innings, but the real damage was done at the hands of Julio DePaula who was hit 5 times for 5 ERs who actually started the 9th for MIN. The game went to 13 innings and was won by a walk-off single by AJ Pierzynski. During the 9th inning Sox rally Jim Thome smacked HR #496 out of the park and we got our first look at the “Thome Ticker” hanging over right field.
Saturday, as mentioned, saw more errors and more sloppy play but we also got to see the Thome Ticker click over to homerun #497 in the first inning which was followed immediately by a homerun hit by Paul Konerko. Buscher answered back at the top of the 2nd with a HR and the Sox went down 1, 2, 3. The Twins extended their lead in the 3rd by scoring 4 more runs (three of them thanks to an error by Alex Cintron—ugh, please get rid of this guy!) but the Sox fought back in the 4th by sending everyone to bat and scoring three despite Danny Richar getting caught in a pickle between 3rd and home.
Recently called up Twinkie catcher, Morales, (he was called up Thursday) left the game with a severely sprained ankle. At the way he was rolling around at second you would have thought it was MUCH worse.
Speaking of catchers, Toby Hall started Saturday for the Sox but AJ was called in to pinch hit in the 7th and got to play the hero for the second day in a row as he homered with a guy on base to tie the game at 7. MIN kept their pitcher, Cali, in who then walked J.O., Pods singled, as did Thome, which allowed the go-ahead run to place the Sox in the lead.
Contreras didn’t have a good game but thankfully Mike Meyers, MacDougal and Thornton held things down. Surprisingly Uribe went 4 for 5, which I think was enough to tie his all-time personal best…but I still hope KW shops around for a SS this winter.
It’s true that misery loves company. It was a little comforting to see MIN struggling as badly as we are…and as their fans cheered a Torii Hunter home run on Saturday my friends and I told their fans to enjoy it because it’s nearly time for them to part ways AND I WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED TO SEE HIM IN A WHITE SOX UNIFORM NEXT YEAR but that’s a topic for another day. Spend the cash!
A win is a win, we have two to take the series and they’ve been scarce this year so I’ll take it.
We’ve all seen it. That squirrel spinning furiously across the road, the poor critter who wandered out onto the pavement and into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Though they aren’t dead yet you know it’s moments away. Now the animal is just thrashing about or wearily staggering aimlessly after being slammed into by something much bigger and stronger. That’s pretty much how I see this 2007 Sox team, though this particular squirrel fell off a wire or out of a tree because you see not too long ago, they were high above all this danger, few thought of the terror lurking below and just how close it actually was. There’s nothing left but to watch the suffering and wait for the death of the season. Please, put it and all of the onlookers out of their misery.
They’ve been smashed by the majority of the teams they’ve faced—sadly, lots of times they did it to themselves. They were where there shouldn’t have been and couldn’t get their act together enough to get out of the way and didn’t get back to where they belong, all that’s left is to wait, watch the flailing and hope for a quick end. Maybe I’ll turn my head and pretend it’s not there. Is here a Hospice for downtrodden teams and fans?
For a while I could pass the time by hoping Ozzie and the boys were really learning through this adversity, I could amuse myself by watching the rookies improve (and sometimes outplay their veteran teammates) but even that is growing old. I found hope in watching Josh Fields and Danny Richar (by the way Gail Fischer and Mike North, it’s pronounced “RE shar” not “Ri ker”—shouldn’t you know that by now?) It used to be that I couldn’t wait to come home and watch the away games (I’m at most home games) but I’ve found myself barely able to force myself to do so. It’s almost become like watching “Little House on the Prairie” or something.
I’m not allowing myself to get angry anymore. It’s a waste to get myself so worked up over something so hopeless and worthless. If I were able to still get mad, however, I would be fuming over what I heard from
Joe Cowley this week: “(on this team) There’s at least four or five guys that DO NOT CARE.” Now look, I understand about needing to let things go and having balance between your personal life and your professional life and I don't expect anyone to drag along and mope 24/7 for months and months but to not care? WHOEVER these guys are I don’t want them back. I hope they are gone. For a while I wanted to know just who it was that he was talking about but I don’t anymore, I just want them gone and in their places I want guys who will care. It’s not too much to ask. As a season ticket holder, fan of the team, fan of the game and a person who feels that anything worth doing is worth doing right, again, it’s not too much to ask. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HOW MUCH ARE YOU GETTING PAID?! There should be enough in there to cover you caring just a little bit. If you don’t have enough respect for your fans, the neighborhood, this city, the sport, your performance, your place in the Major Leagues, your teammates, your manager, GM or owner you should leave and leave now. I’m sorry for wasting my money, hopes, emotions and time on you. Get out.