Thursday, June 19, 2008

Today’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Q, LF; Thome, DH; Dye, RF; Swish, 1B; Ramirez, 2B; BA, CF; Ozuna, 3B.  Floyd pitching.

June Production

The White Sox are hitting .309 with 30 home runs and 102 runs scored (6.4 per game) in June as the team batting average has risen from .246 to .261.

Chicago leads the majors in June for average, slugging (.538) and OBP plus SLG (.909) and ranks among the leaders in homers (T1st), runs per game (2nd) and OBP (2nd, .371).

History

Last night Mark Buehrle marked the fifth time this season a White Sox starting pitcher carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning … Gavin Floyd threw 7.1 no-hit IP on 4/12 vs. Detroit and 8.1 on 5/6 vs. Minnesota … John Danks went 5.0 hitless IP on 4/3 at Cleveland and 4/26-1 vs. Baltimore …

Tomorrow

Heading north tomorrow for the first game of our series with the Cubs … did you know that the all-time series between the two teams is tied, 30-30, with each team going 16-14 at home … amazingly, both teams have scored 291 runs against the other …

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; Ramirez, 2B; Quentin, LF; Thome, DH; Dye, RF; Swish, 1B; Crede, 3B; BA, CF; Hall, C.  Buehrle pitching.

Who’s On First

Ozzie told reporters before the game that he may still consider playing Jim Thome at first base this weekend at Wrigley Field, particularly with Paulie on the DL.

“But I told Jim not to take ground balls or anything (and risk injury),” Guillen said.  “It’s not like he’s going to get better in a day or two.”

Impressive List

With his 521st home run last night, Jim Thome tied Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Willie McCovey last night for 16th on the all-time list.  Heady stuff …

Happy Birthday To You

Sun-Times beat writer Joe Cowley turns 40 tonight.

Sad News

Former Sox pitcher Johnny Buzhardt passed away …click here to read his obit.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Q, LF; Thome, DH; Dye, RF; Swish, 1B; Crede, 3B; Ramirez, 2B; Wise, CF.  Vazquez pitching.

Great Off Day

Current players, staff, former players and front office employees joined Chicago celebrities and fans at the ninth annual Field of Greens Charity Golf Tournament yesterday at The Links of Carillon.

Gavin Floyd’s group, at 19 under, edged out Nick Swisher’s group by one stroke.  For anyone who cares, my group was 10 under.

I’ve enclosed some photos of the fun …

The weather was great, the course was perfect and a good time seemed to be had by all.  Best of all, funds raised during the outing go to pediatric oncology research at Comer’s Children’s Hospital of the UC and Children’s Memorial Hospital downtown.

Thanks to all who participated.

Ask Brooks

Anyone with a question for Brooks Boyer, our VP, CMO, make sure you log on to tomorrow’s live chat at noon CT.  MLBAM will begin taking questions around 10:30 am and the chat begins promptly at noon.

Here’s the link.

Series Previews

Already the pre-Series prognostications have begun for the Cubs-Sox showdown this weekend at Wrigley.  I love it because it is only more fodder for the underdogs … that’d be us.

Sunday, June 16, 2008

Today’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; PK, 1B; Swish, LF; Crede, 3B; BA, CF; Ramirez, 2B.  Contreras pitching.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Q, LF; PK, 1B; Dye, DH; Swish, RF; Crede, 3B; BA, CF; Uribe, 2B.  Danks starting.

Birthday Wishes

To my daughter, Marley, who celebrates her 13th birthday tonight at the ballpark.

Home Sweet Home

The Sox have won nine straight, and 16 of their last 19, to improve to 21-9 (.700) at home … during the nine-game winning streak, the White Sox have hit .323, scored 69 runs, hit 23 home runs and posted a 2.90 ERA … the White Sox are now 4-0 in interleague play entering tonight.

Friendly Visit

My good friend Art Berke, life-long Sox fan, former SI PR staffer and currently at the Yogi Berra Museum in NJ, came to the game tonight.  Earlier in the day, he escorted his two parents, both in their 80s, to the monument in front of the ballpark to show them the family’s brick.  His parents, South Siders to the core, can’t make it to ballgames anymore but Art wanted them to see their brick.

I can’t tell you how many stories like this I’ve heard and how many people I see posing for photos outside our ballpark at all times of the day.  Makes me smile every time.

Bricks are still available for purchase.  Check out whitesox.com for details.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Q, LF; PK, 1B; Thome, DH; Dye, RF; Swish, CF; Crede, 3B; Uribe, 2B.  Floyd pitching.

Welcome Pods

Good to see Scotty Pods during batting practice before tonight’s game. 

Roster Move

Prior to tonight’s game, we placed Esteban Loaiza on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Adam Russell from Class AAA Charlotte.  Esteban has right shoulder tendinitis and needs to strengthen his shoulder.  Russell is available tonight.

News & Notes

This is the first ever trip by the Rockies to US Cellular Field … the White Sox have been in first place 53 days this season … we are 7-3 so far in a stretch of 26 of 32 games at home … we enter tonight having won a season-high eight straight at home … we won 10 straight in 2006 … Carlos Quentin was selected by fans in an on-line vote as the “Major League Baseball Clutch Performer of the Month Presented by Pepsi” (say that three times quickly) for May … the Sox are 3-0 in interleague play, sweeping the Giants in May … at 20-9, the Sox own the third-best home winning percentage in the majors … the White Sox top the majors with a 3.36 ERA … our starters lead the majors with 42 quality starts and rank second with a 3.61 ERA.

Thanks, Fans

The Sox have now sold more than 2 million tickets for the 2008 seasons … this is just the 10th time in club history the team will top 2 million … this is the fourth straight year the Sox will top the 2 million mark (also done in 1990-93).

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Today’s Lineup

OC, SS; BA, CF; Q, LF; PK, DH; Dye, RF; Crede, 3B; Swisher, 1B; Ramirez, 2B; Hall, C.  Buehrle starting.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Q, LF; Thome, DH; JD, RF; Crede, 3B; Swish, 1B; Alexi, 2B; BA, CF.  Vazquez pitching.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Quentin, LF; PK, 1B; Thome, DH; Dye, RF; Swish, CF; Crede, 3B; Alexei, 2B.  Contreras pitching.

Notes

This from the Elias Sports Bureau:

The White Sox swept their seven-game homestand, matching the longest homestand that the team has swept in its 108-year history.  The three previous 7-0 Sox homestands came in May 1965, April 1972 and then in September 1983.

Chicago’s offensive totals in those seven games: 61 runs on 91 hits, including 19 home runs.  Only two other teams in major league history have produced that many runs, hits and home runs during a seven-game winning streak: the Athletics did it in 2000 and the Braves followed suit two years ago.

Reports From The Front

It seems my friends at the Sun-Times may be embroiled once again in a bit of a Civil War.  See, it’s not just me.  There is more to this story, I know some of it, but this could be fun to watch play out …

Series By Series

Let’s start winning the first game of each series …

Monday, June 9, 2008

Nice Homestand

To quote one of the assistants here who answers many phone calls:

“Just think, one week ago people were calling and yelling at us …”

What a difference a week makes.