April 2009 - Posts

Back to Back 300 Jacks
13 April 09 06:27 PM | SarahN

For the first time in MLB history two teammates have hit century milestones in the same game.  Not only that but Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko did it hitting back-to-back in the second.  That's the cool thing about baseball, this game is played over and over and over multiple times a day, month after month, year after year and there are still firsts to be had.

More good news:  Q had 2 HRs, in my opinion Fields and Lillibridge are still making a good argument for themselves.  Matt Thornton once again was really effective.

Bad news: Floyd stumbled but thankfully we had enough run support, both sides issued way too many walks (15 total).  Just as he was coming around and he said that the game “was slowing down” for him, DWise went down with a separated shoulder and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks.  Chris Getz is still out for a couple games. 

 I had fun going back and forth with family and friends today during the game—thanks boys for coming out on top!

Some sad news, I just heard a little earlier today that The Bird aka Mark Fidrych, Tigers pitcher from the 70s died today.  By coincidence I just happened to watch a game of his this past weekend.  June 28, 1976 vs NYY I'm a little too young to remember the first time around but that guy was something else.  Talking to the ball, talking to himself....

 Also sad to hear of Harold Kalas' passing.  You know his voice from many NFL films as well as the announcer for the Phillies.  

 These two along with Adenhart in just a few days...

Filed under: , ,
Kicking and Screaming
10 April 09 09:19 PM | SarahN
With the exception of my stomach turning every time I saw the red and blue #24 I was feeling OK about this game until about the 7th inning but before I go there I'll begin with what I thought would be the main focus of my thoughts tonight.

I was at that Aug. game, Sox vs. Sox, when Contreras left the mound for first base.  I saw the big guy go down and writhing in pain.  His recovery is pretty amazing.  We weren't supposed to see him for months yet and even that was speculation.  Instead, Jose Contreras made his start as the #4 pitcher in the Sox rotation in the 4th game of the season 8 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon--ouch, it still makes me shudder.  In fact, he made the same play tonight that shut him down on that summer Saturday last season.  Thankfully this time he faired much better, beat the runner to get the out and stayed on his feet.  Whew.  All things considered he looked pretty good.  He wasn't great but I think he will continue to improve with some more innings under his belt.  He's close.

One thing I enjoyed seeing was Alexei and Josey running off the field at one point.  You could tell Alexei was happy to see his idol was back.  There was also a shot of them sitting together on the bench, it was nice to see.

Paulie and Q homered (each their first of the year); hopefully this is the start of the hitting.  Even D.Wise got a hit (but was thrown out trying to steal 2nd).  He was moved from lead to #8 in the line-up Thursday (wise move, no pun intended). Stoney the soothsayer once again predicted the future as Wise stepped up to the plate for the third time this evening.  Stony remarked how although Wise had not yet been credited with a hit tonight he was about ready to breakout because of the contact he had in his previous 2 at-bats in this game.  The next swing and Wise is at first.  Stone Pony, you continue to amaze me.

The kids (Fields and Getz) contributed once again.  Getz had a couple great defensive plays (also got on base) and Fields hit a fastball in the bottom of the second worth 2 RBIs to tie the game.  These two are exciting me and they are why the club knows the naysayers don't know what they are talking about.  YEAH!

Crede's first at-bat also resulted in his first HR of the season.  Before that though, his former teammates had a special at-bat song played for him: Air Supply's "All Out of Love".  :) (I think it was BA's retribution for Crede having "Say You, Say Me" played during one of BA's at-bats last year.)

In for relief was Clayton Richard, he looked solid earlier this week and Sox were only down by a run, the game was still within reach esp. since some of the guys started hitting tonight.  I think he came in during the 6th, and he was called for a bawk--which was a bad call (begin talking to the TV).  Luckily, it didn't come back to haunt him and he pitched out of the inning with guys on base.   The 7th, however, was...ah...a lot of crap.  Richard started to fall apart (the start of fist slamming and some loud comments directed at the TV) and then it happened, ARGH, enter MacDougal (yes, this is where the kicking began).  Clearly you know how this story ends.  HOW THE HECK DID THIS GUY MAKE IT OUT OF SPRING TRAINING?!!!  On one hand I feel a little (like the size of some fly poop and pepper) bad being so opposed to ever seeing him in a Sox uni again because I've had a couple run-ins with him outside the park and he's always been "nice enough" but then I see him inside the park and I....just....want.... him.....gone!  Between Richard, Mac and Carrasco 7 runs were scored in the 7th.  Sox lose 12-5.

Filed under: , ,
Numah 2 & Numah 3
08 April 09 07:48 PM | SarahN
Wow, not the way I’d like to start things out.  Floyd and Danks both deserved wins but got little to no support.  I am really not ready to see this (again) all year.  I am fighting to not let this wreck things for me, I’m so excited it’s baseball season I do not want to be negative but geez guys, let's start hitting.  Please stop wasting all of this good starting pitching and work from the pen.

I can’t even believe I am about to say this but Royals pitching is nothing to sneeze at—what?  I still can’t believe I just said it, I’m still trying to get used to even thinking it but you’ve got to give Meche, Greinke, and Davies (and Soria) some credit.  This team has made some big moves and is much better from just a few years ago.  That being said, there are still some chumps who will manage to screw things up for them but now that their pitching is better (and Teahen and Crisp are there) they are more of a force to be reckoned with.  We could do without Greinke throwing at Qs head though.

I'm hoping it's just that good pitching is what has been shutting the boys down.  Sometimes it's good pitching makes a team look flat...hopefully the next time these teams meet our bats will be hotter and they won't look so bad.  I don't know what to blame it on: good pitching or no hitting; feather or shell?

I knew the leadoff spot was not good, I knew Wise wasn’t the solution (but I wasn’t booing him—he was set up to fail). I'm glad Ozzie didn't let that scenario play out too long.

On the upside, how great does Josh Fields look?!  Chris Getz has been looking good too.  I'm happy to see them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going out to buy their jerseys or anything but I'm glad we aren't hearing bad news/complaints about 2nd and 3rd.

Speaking of the hot corner, ugh, and now Joe Crede comes to town.  There are two teams that I never wanted to see him go to.  The Twinkies are one and it’s a no-brainer what the other one is.  I’m so torn.  Of course I wish him well but not there.  He did so much for the Sox.  I’m eating up all of the highlights but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.  The Twins are out for blood after 163, this will be a battle (if the Sox ever start hitting) and oh yeah, Contreras is on the mound.  I don’t know how to feel about that other than nervous.

I'll start with Crede.  I totally understand why he isn't here anymore.  I am not mad at KW for not signing him.  He was unbelievable in 2005 and 2006 but we haven't been able to count on him since.  Being that his agent is the devil I didn't think we'd see him again.  I just REALLY didn't want him to go to MIN, he had other options.  I still can't get over him going there, bad feelings aside, hello--it's a stinking dome!  His back hasn't been good on a real field; he sat out at least a day each time, I believe, when they were in domes.  How is he gonna survive?  He says he’s had no set backs in ST (but we’ve heard that before).  UGH!  I'll just blame his agent (and will someone please stop playing that stupid jerk in all of the Adehnhart clips?  Tragic story, very sad, horrible!  But I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who'd rather see ANYONE else reacting to Nick's death...it actually wrecks the emotion and the story for me to see that #$%^&^%$ guy bawling over it.)

Jose on the mound...great.  He looks really good, lost a lot of weight I don't think the Sox would put him out there if he wasn't ready, I'm just nervous is all.

Funny thing from the other day, we find out in ST that everyone was pronouncing Alexei's name wrong.  The announcers were correctly pronouncing it pre-season and Opening Day, now we hear he wants them to go back to saying it the wrong way because he wasn't hitting on Opening Day like he was when we was being called by the wrong name last year.  I love baseball.

Filed under: , ,
1 Down, 161 to Go
07 April 09 08:20 PM | SarahN

The  Fun
Sox win! Baseball is here!  Chris Getz had a good day as did Josh Fields (laid down a perfect bunt and had nice jumping throw to home to save a run).   Welcome back to the AL Central Kyle Farnsworth, we’re glad you are here and although we don’t understand it, we’re even happier that Trey Hillman left you in vs. JIM THOME  and with that, THANK YOU JIM THOME!!!!  Bullpen (Clayton Richard, Doetel) did a great job and Bobby was there to slam the door shut!  Yeah baby!

The Royals have made some good strides over the past couple years, however, that infield…oi.  Throws to first were pretty scary, seriously.  Give Jacobs some credit for hanging in there and making some of those catches.  Gordon—yikes.


The Fat
Buerhls—what’s up man?  It wasn’t the worst outing he’s ever had but it clearly was not close to his best.  I think it was the longest game I’ve ever been to that Buerhle’s started, 24 (maybe more) pitches in the first inning??!!  He was in a jam nearly every inning.  97 pitches in 5 innings---zoiks.  Some are speculating that he’s not 100%, I’m reminded that he can be slow to start, which has the staff telling him that he needs to improve on his offseason conditioning.  Everyone over 30 knows things start to change in regards to being in shape and rebounding, maybe it’s time for Buerhls to do a little bit more in the offseason.  I completely understand the Sox holding back on him in Spring Training, I do think it’s the right thing to do but I think maybe some more conditioning in the winter wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Am I worried about him?  No.  A few more outings like this and I might consider it but currently not concerned.

Dewayne Wise---but I’m not mentioning him because of his performance but more so because of the "boo birds".  Really?  It’s Opening Day and you’re already booing someone?  Rongey and Brian Paruch were talking about this on The Score as I drove home (ugh, yeah I had to drive home…my 2.5 block walk has become a 2.5 hr drive but I’m not letting it get between me and my boys!)  Anyway,  Rongey and Paruch were somewhat scolding the fans and I couldn’t agree more.  Why boo the guy on Opening Day?  I don’t agree with it.  Do I think he will remain our lead-off hitter?  No, but I’m willing to wait a few weeks.  Do I think he will remain our starting centerfielder?  No, but I’m willing to wait a few weeks.  Ozzie and Kenny have proven themselves and I am willing to be patient with this experiment.  I don’t think they will let it go on forever.  I also think people are too quick to forget that DWise did some good stuff for us this past fall.  Look, you go out and find an available leadoff centerfielder (and I can’t even begin to speak on Scotty Pods—two callers on the post game show brought up that name, to even acknowledge those calls is giving them too much credit right now:  MORONS!)

AJ trying to squeeze his hit into a double.  *I LOVE YOU*, you can’t run.   JD, why did you try to run home?   --and your near steal of 2nd was close and I love you but you can’t run either.

The Fluff
New Gate 5: protected, more escalators and now includes an elevator.
No more Best Kosher
Goose Island is now on draft—why’d it take so long?  This is Chicago, right? 
New TexMex stand—haven’t tried it but looks tempting
New out of town scoreboard, I like it but the cycling of games should be slowed down a bit.
Hello Ace, no more DHL on the tarp

Subtle clues of the economic downturn:
The Comcast Fundamentals Deck—bye-bye Pontiac
Harris Bank ATMs
Only 2 F-14s in the flyover instead of 4
I don’t know if it was because it was Opening Day but I think we saw less of the Chevy Pride Crew --I don't even know if they were there (???) and thankfully a few less annoying plugs between innings.
Season ticket holders got nothing this offseason in regards to giveaways.

 The bottom line, it was a great day!  I was so happy and grateful to be there!  I LOVE THE WHITE SOX!

 

Filed under: , ,