Meow-ch
Wow, is DET hurting. They are going to win a game some time but considering their next series is in BOS I will be surprised if it's anytime in their next series.
It's kind of funny. Have you taken a look at the 1st week standings? Yes, I KNOW it's only the first week. I've got a box full of 162 tickets for 81 games, there is a looooong way to go, they will not stay this way but I get SO tired of all the pre-season predictions esp. when it's all (almost all) the same names year after year. If you don't know much about baseball and/or believe everything said on ESPN you'd wonder why some teams bother to show up. The AL East is currently lead by, of all teams, Baltimore. Following behind in second is Toronto (who just swept BOS), then Tampa Bay, NY and in last place is Boston--funny, eh? The Central is just as entertaining, in this order they are Chicago and KC tied for first (!!), CLE, MIN and DET. In the NL East ATL and FL are tied for first then it's Washington, NY and Philly. The NL Central MIL and STL tied for first, then CIN and the rest. As I said, I know this won't stay this way, it just feels good to see some of the "experts" already backpedaling. Just goes to show it doesn't matter how good teams look on paper or what the guy says on TV, you still have to play the game and KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY!!
Friday's Sox game in DET was the "battle of the bad" between Contreras and Robertson but then DET showed they had worse on Sat. with the D-Train, who was more like Thomas the train, he could not find the strike zone to save his life. He actually had a no-no going for 6 but I think it's because he was just throwing balls. He walked 7 guys.
Saturday the Sox were behind for a bit and I thought to myself, " well, we knew the Tigers would have to start winning and the Sox as much as I'd like the Sox to win every game, they won't..." but then they started scoring and caught up and then pulled ahead and I realized that it's not 2007. The extra work done in Spring Training and the additions to the roster are giving this team much more spunk in the form of offense. JD, Thome and AJ are off to great starts at the plate and new Sox player Carlos Quinten not only showed off his arm Sat. with a GREAT throw from left that was dead on to Paulie to get the runner out (in turn made the Kitties think twice about running when the ball was in left the rest of the weekend). He's also got 7 RBIs in his first 6 games as a Sox player. Many of the guys have missed HRs by a skotch and with that big Tiger outfield you know if they were hit elsewhere they could have been over the wall.
Also evident is the new bullpen. Linebrink and Dotel have been good as has Boone Logan--much improved from last year. I'm still eating fingernails when anyone goes in but do you blame me? The pen was dead on at the beginning of last year and then well...maybe it's time I just stop talking about it.
It was good that Floyd had his first start vs. DET as he pitched well against them last year and I think that probably helped him this first outting and thankfully Buehrls 2nd outting was much better than his first, which was to be expected.
Other things I liked about this first week: Ozzie yelling at Contreras in the dugout between innings (I'm tired of this lights out guy sucking and people seeimingly tip-toeing around him). Crede is back, Alexei Ramirez, all reports on life in the clubhouse rave about the chemistry, the team has life again. I could do without the crazy beards of Boone, Bobby, Swish and Hall but if they are working then I'm not complaining!
Tomorrow is the home opener. I almost feel like I should be hanging up my Christmas stocking. It's like Santa is coming tonight. Tomorrow is the day!!!!! I'm so happy. I can't wait to get to the park. I can't wait to hear the line-up announced. See the video, the fly by, I can't wait to cheer on the 2008 White Sox!!!!!!!! It's gonna be great!!!!!