Sunday, September 14, 2008

Plans

We intend to play two games today, starting with the first pitch of game one at 4:15 p.m.  Rain should be out of our area then and we are clear through the night.

Lineup

OC, SS; Wise, LF; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; Missile, 2B; AJ, C; Griffey, CF; Swish, 1B; Uribe, 3B.  Vazquez pitching.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Today’s doubleheader is washed out.  We will try to play a split doubleheader tomorrow, Sunday, with games at 1:05 pm (on Comcast Sports Net and WSCR) and 7:05 pm (ESPN and WSCR).

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Game 1 Lineup

OC, SS; BA, LF; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; Ram, 2B; AJ, C; Griff, CF; Swish, 1B; Uribe, 3B.  Vazquez pitching.

Weather

Rain, rain, go away, cause that worked so well yesterday.

I’m done trying to forecast …

Ticket from Last Night

Can be exchanged for any future White Sox game, this year or in the future, for a ticket of equal or lesser value …exchanges need to be made at the USCF Box Office.

Stone

Maybe you saw the press release, but Steve Stone has agreed to move over to the television booth and join Hawk for White Sox telecasts in 2009.  His new deal is through 2014 with a club option for 2015.

Also, Darrin Jackson has been offered the radio analyst position for next year and the club is waiting to hear back from DJ on if he wants the position.  DJ’s contract was up after this season, and the club declined to exercise his TV option for 2009.

Clubhouse Humor

I stood looking at a box of Krispy Kreme donuts this morning.

Nick Capra, who is with us in September as an extra coach and BP pitcher walked up.

“I’m trying to decide,” I told him.  “I worked out this morning, so I can treat myself.”

“Oh, so you’re playing for a tie,” he replied.

Nice.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; Wise, LF; Dye,  RF; Thome, DH; Missile, 2B; AJ, C; Griffey, CF; Swish, 1B; Uribe, 3B.  Danks pitching.

Rain, rain go away.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; Wise, LF; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; Missile, 2B; AJ, C; Griffey, CF; Swish, 1B; Uribe, 3B.  Floyd pitching.

Feedback

Give me your thoughts on this …

One of my overly-paid consultants was arguing with me today that we needed to come up with a theme, a slogan, a song, something to create combustion (and that for whatever reason this year’s edition of the Sox was missing that). 

These things tend to happen naturally.  Players come up with something.  Fans, opponents (Winning Ugly) or announcers do.  A song becomes popular (Don’t Stop Believin’), etc.

So what do you think about the 2008 White Sox. 

Does Ozzie’s recent “Paws Up, Ya Gotta Fight” mini tirade provide anything, or do some of you have other/better ideas?

Let me know what you guys think …

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

OC, SS; Wise, LF; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; Missile, 2B; AJ, C; Swish, 1B; Uribe, 3B; Owens, CF.  Buehrle pitching.

PK Update

I am sure you all saw, but the MRI this morning confirmed last night’s diagnosis of a mild sprain of the MCL for Paulie.  He hopes to be able to return to the lineup in a matter of days.

With a hoard of media waiting by Konerko’s locker, PK was in the trainer’s room with an ice pack on his right knee.

“Do you want me to go out and read a statement to the media for you?” Carlos Quentin kidded his injured teammate.

“We need to take it up a notch,” manager Ozzie Guillen told the media before the game.  “And then another notch and another notch.”

Buehrle vs. Halladay

Tonight marks the sixth time these two marquee pitchers have matched up in their careers, the third time in the last two years.

Buehrle has gone 1-1 with a 3.03 ERA in the previous five matchups, while Halladay is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA.  The average time of game when these two start against one another is 2:26.

With 115 victories since 2001, Buehrle is tied for fourth in the majors, one behind Halladay, who has 116.  Roy Oswalt leads the majors during that time with 126.

Word on PK:

Mild sprain of his MCL.  X-rays were negative but will undergo an MRI tomorrow to confirm initial diagnosis.

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, Game 1

Today’s Lineup

OC, SS; AJ, C; Dye, RF; Thome, DH; PK, 1B; Jr., CF; Rami, 2B; Swish, LF; Uribe, 3B.  Vazquez pitching.

Trepidation

This series scares me.  Toronto is a very good team.

Don Gutteridge

Our sympathies and condolences go out to the friends and family of former White Sox coach and manager, Don Gutteridge, who passed away at age 96 on Sunday.

When I called Bill Pierce yesterday to let him know, Billy responded with, “He was the last one (coach) left from 1959.”  As Billy explained to me that the Pierces and Gutteridges had exchanged Christmas cards for the “last few year,” Billy’s wfie, Glorida, shouted in the background, “40!”

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Today’s Lineup

OC, SS; BA, CF; Dye, RF; PK, 1B; Missile, 2B; Swish, LF; Uribe, 3B; Fields, DH; Hall, C.  Danks pitching.

How About That

With his dramatic, game-ending home run last night, Jim Thome (537) passed Mickey Mantle for 14th all-time … this was our fifth game-ending home run of the season and 38th in USCF history (regular season, that is, as well all remember one in October 2005).

If you’re going to play 15 innings, you might as well win it.

Elias Sports Bureau Note From Last Night

Jim Thome’s home run in the 15th inning gave the White Sox a 7-6 win over the Angels in Chicago.  It was Thome’s 10th career home run in extra innings, the most by any active player.  Adam Dunn, Jason Giambi, Ken Griffey, Jr., Chipper Jones, Jeff Kent and Albert Pujols all have nine extra-inning homers.

30-30-30

This is the third time in club history a White Sox team has had three hitters reach 30 home runs in a season … the others?   2004 (PK, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin) and 2005 (Crede, Dye, PK and Thome).

Numbers

Our 207 home runs lead baseball by 21 …our 48-22 record at home is third-best in the AL behind Boston and Tampa Bay.

Calling Fans

Any White Sox fans interested in watching the taping of experts picking and arguing over the All-Chicago Team, head to Harry Caray’s at 33 W. Kinzie on Tuesday at 10 am.  Ron Kittle and Steve Stone are scheudled to appear as Sox experts …

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Tonight’s Lineup

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

Sights of the Day

Ed Farmer and clubhouse manager Vince Fresso watching their Irish struggle in the first half against mighty SDSU (and former Hawkeye Chuck Long).

Comparisons

I showed Jose Contreras my scar from my 2000 Achilles repair and talked to him — as best I could — about my experience.  Of course, I tried to explain that he is a World Class athlete and I certainly am not. 

An observor tried to convince Jose that I tore mine dunking a basketball.  I did do it on the court, but it was an over-the-hill jab step that was my undoing.