Yes, let's win one indeed. There is no reason to think we cannot win todays game. They have their best pitcher going, but then arguably, so do we. It should be another good low scoring game. As I suggested yesterday. All we need is for the Angels to win Sat and Sun, and for us to take todays game and we will be right back in first place as before the weekend started. That's what will happen. All we need is to keep the faith and enjoy..... Until later all..... Go White Sox... j.k.
Okay, let's see how the Rays like it. They have an early lead for the first time this series. Now the Sox can come back and BEAT them... Go Sox... j.k.
JK,
I with you today. Following the game online again while I plug away at work.
Buerhle has been burned way too often this year with unearned runs. He has to bear down and forget about those 2-out errors.
Anyway, get us a few runs and get us a win.
Technically, that third run will go down as earned but c'mon Mark, you're better than this.
So now the score is Mark Buehrle zero, Sox zero. Unfortunatelly, The Rays have three runs courtesy of our Boys in the field.. Go Sox go... j.k.
Good to have you along for the ride, tc. While I'm thinking about it, I appreciated the stance you took against Lip the other day. I agreed with you. I can see where he's coming from, but you can't do anything about the past, so we do need to achieve in the now and in the future. Top of third coming up, later... Go Sox.. j.k.
Mark has to pick his fielders up from time to time. After all, they have bailed him out many times with some outstanding plays.
To me, runs that score on an error are truly unearned. But runs that score on hits after an error that should have ended an inning still are partially to be blamed on the pitcher. Just because someone else makes a mistake, it doesn't mean that you are off the hook.
I'm sure that Mark is more upset about the runs scoring than any of the fans in the park.
It looks like Sonnenstein is settling down now too, so this could be a long afternoon. I just want the guys to put good swings on the ball and then we can go from there. Juan hit the ball hard in the third, but got made an out on a good Aybar catch. Stay patient and we will be o.k..... The one thing I will agree with Lip on is, we need to string together some hits and not try for the five run HR every AB. Go Sox... j.k.
I agree with that too. But when you have a lot of power hitters on your club it doesn't always happen. But I think some of our guys don't get a fair shake on that either. Every time that Thome or Konerko or Dye makes an out in that type of situation, the knee-jerk reaction is to say that they were swinging for a home run. That is ridiculous. The only guy on the team who actually looks like he is swinging for a homer every time is Uribe. But that is just the way he swings and he is not going to change.
Attaboy Carlos! Are there any MVP chants right now in the crowd???
Then again.... There is a lot to say about the two run HR...... Sox lead 4-3... Wow.... Keep it up guys... j.k.
What was that about stringing 5 hits together and not going for the home run, JK?????????
Attaboy Jim!!!! Keep adding to the Cooperstown numbers!
alright alright ok . . . this is what I'm wanting, right here, no more crap!!!
hello gentleman, good afternoon!
Hitting to all fields...
Would you all rather this current streak be NOW, when they can still do something about it, or a month from now, when there would be only four days left in the season?
Elementary, my dear (not Bob) Watson...
These Rays remind me so much of those damned Yank-me teams that I grew up disliking in the early '60's... You older members remember that time, right?... WS would have a lead late, then Mantle or Berra or Elston Howard or Hector Lopez or someone off the street would get on or get a key hit, or a long ball and absolutely break your heart and your spirits... especially if you were a 9 or 10 year old kid who loved the WS with all his heart... and died with every loss...(guess who?)
As to the sport of baseball returning to the Olympics... It will NEVER happen, for a number of reasons... 1) The basketball players play in the Summer Games, during their off-season... when the NHL shut down for two weeks during the Winter Games, no one here cared, because hockey didn't matter anymore... but ask MLB to shut down operations for two weeks during the peak time of the season, just for a gold medal?... I don't think so, Oswald...
Queen Jennifer... Congrats on finishing your furniture...which is redundent... don't you ALWAYS finish your furniture?... Get it, FINISH ???... You know, like varnish?...
I'll be here all week, folks... try the veal...
Tomorrow, the mess that is a resumption of a suspended game...
O.K. Mark. You've got your lead. Keep it.... Go Sox go.. j.k.
tc - seems like you're always working, what do you do if you don't mind me asking?
Alright!. I have to go to a family luncheon, so tc, TQ, QJ (Queen Jennifer), and krisv, bring me home a winner. I leave the game in your and the Boys capable hands.... Go White Sox... j.k.
Besides falling behind i my projects, not much Kris!!!!! Actually I work in the athletic department at a small college and with all of our fall sports starting it is rather hectic to say the least. Preseason publications have to get done, websites have to be updated, etc., etc.
All I can say is thank the good Lord for the Internet. If I tried to listen to the radio while working, absolutely nothing would get done. At least this way, I can work for a while, click on the Yahoo screen to check the score, and then return to work.
Nothin' better than switching back to the game online and seeing the words "Carlos Quentin hit a home run to deep center field." Seems that has happened, ohhhh, about 36 or so times this year.
Sure, JK, leave us with a one-run lead against the hottest team in baseball. That lunch better be good!!!!!
no doubt, tc and I got your back! I would love working in an athletic dept . . . hectic yes, but fun I would think! Nice out by Uribe and AJ!
This inning is jk's fault.
Now that's the Mark Buerhle we all know and love. Fighting through an error and not giving up any more runs!
Carrasco has really pitched well since coming up. Big hitters up this inning.
Attaboy Paulie!!!!!
atta boy paul
Looking at the Rays numbers is just unreal. Nothing but timely hitting could describe their success this year. These are not the Boston Red Sox....
2-3-4 leading off the 10th. End it here.
If the playoffs started today, I would make the Rays heavy favorites to win the AL. They are really good. And with three key parts missing.
God Bless A.J. Pierzynski. There is not a smarter, more alert, more "thinking on his feet" baserunner in the game today.
This team absolutely refuses to quit. Obviously, they don't read Liptak's gloom-and-doom (lol).
It is this type of fortitude that has kept them in the race despite their inconsistency.
Okay, this one's over. Time to focus on getting TWO wins tomorrow after having crab cakes for lunch.
holy cow, that was beautiful.... AJ is insane to get away with that!!! and our baby boy, the Cuban Missile . . what an amazing end!!!!!
congratulations on today's win, it is much deserved....
Nice win Sox fans, at least you avoided the sweep. But to say that the play by AJ was anything but CHEATING is a bit far fetched. Surely you cant argue with the replay. He will be ridiculed and maligned all week in the highlites and the umpire will no doubt be fined and disciplined for blowing the call. He already has the worst reputation in the game and is compared to the lowly likes of Rodman and other famous cheaters of the sports world. Any way a win is a win no matter how you get it. Good luck with your stretch run and I wish you the best of luck.
I'm Baaaaack!!! I saw the score and just caught up on the board here, so now I've got to watch what you all are talking about.....
I knew you guys could bring home a winner without me, Way to go..... tc, if you blame me for that inning then do I get kudos for the ninth and tenth?..... Way to go Sox, all that has to happen now is for the Angels to push the Twins back where they belong,,, in second place.... j.k.
Big win for the White Sox today. They should have won yesterday and lost today so I suppose justice was served. I know for a fact that AJ is a big fan of pro wrestling and hangs out with many of the wrestlers- I think he learns some of his "playbook" from them.
Plus the Angels came back in the bottom of the 8th to win....what started out as a terrible afternoon has just turned into a glorious evening. And Klien you son of a gun, you called it. Way to go.
Back in first place!! The game was blacked-out here, what did AJ do?
Well JK,
I gotta give Junior and Paulie props for the ninth and AJ and the Missile props for the 10th but I'll give you all the credit in the world for "instigating" that Angels comeback in Anaheim!
I think the word "cheating" is wrong. You can't cheat when it's in broad where the whole world can see it. If the umpire can't tell that he was acting, then it's the umpire's problem. How many times have infielders "sold" the tag and gotten an out without tagging a guy? How many times have players gotten first base on a hit by pitch when the pitch didn't touch them but they "acted" enough to get the call? Hey, it's part of baseball.
But Joe Maddon must really be shaking his head since he has now seen AJ be at the center of two late-innings controversies that involved Doug Eddings.
Of course, I type slower than I think. I meant broad "daylight" in the above post.
Wow!! and another Wow!!. You guys REALLY had to work to bring that win home.... Way to go....
I need to recap what I just saw... Nice hit by Junior in the ninth, but what in the blue blazes was Ozzie thinking sending Paulie in to hit for Juan? Paulie was Oh-fer five against that pitcher and Juan has been swinging the bat real well lately. But somehow he got a solid single to left, way to go Paulie. Then Brian scored running for Jr. Nine times out of ten BA is out at the plate on that play, so kudos to Jeff Cox for sending Anderson. ( I guess the adage is true: during the long season of baseball, things have a way of evening out). The good fortune fell on our side of the ledger on that play.
Bottom of 10 and AJ "sells" interference..... Not a cheating play, but using EVERYTHING at your disposal to win. Nice hit by Alexei for a Sox winner. And then I read from tc above that the Angels did win, so we're back in first! Whew! Maybe I should be "out to lunch" more often???
Back to reality now, I need someone to refresh my memory of the game that was suspended. I know we're the "home" team, but what inning is it? And of course, Go White Sox '08..... j.k.
I just read from the pitching probables about the make up game tomorrow. Top of 12.... Who is left to pitch? If only Wilbur Wood was available, he could wrap up this game then pitch the regularly scheduled one... ( right TQ?)... Again, good win guys, get some rest and take out the birds.... j.k.
Way to get the win today boys!
Now on to the Orioles and take two in one day.
I don't care how we win...all home runs, on the other team's errors, on questionable calls from umpires, playing bad but still pulling out the win, whatever. At this stage of the game a win is a win is a win. I will take it whatever way they want to give us one.
With all the doom and gloom spread about by liptak, all I can say is we won today, twinkies lost. We are back in first place. And that, at the end of the day is all that really matters.
GO SOX!
Marie
I don't think Uribe had a hit yet today so Ozzie thought he would roll the dice with Konerko. And with two outs in the ninth and a tough reliever in the game, you have to make the defense make that play and send the runner.
Of course, if Anderson is thrown out then the fans are screaming for Cox's head. But any third base coach would have done the same thing unless they had Ted Williams on deck.
I think the game will be in the top of the 13th with the "road" team Baltimore at bat, jk. Remember, Juan had tied the game in the bottom of the previous inning with a homer after Linebrink had surrendered the lead in the top of the previous inning.
Haven't heard yet who will be pitching for the Sox when they resume the game. Would have been Carrasco if he hadn't thrown as much as he did today.
Ya gotta love AJ. Now they will be booing him in St. Pete -- in his home state no less -- just like they do in Anaheim. And in San Francisco and in Minneapolis.
And at the dump on the North Side too even though the only thing AJ did against them was to get sucker punched by Michael Barrett!!!!!!
As they say in the business, he may be a jerk but he's our jerk. (As you can guess, I cleaned that one up a little!)
Hi guys (and Kris)
I am sooooooooo glad AJ is on OUR team!! He's the best! To the TB Fan that posted earlier - AJ loves controversy and your just mad because he's not on your team!!
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We went to Applebees and watched most of the game, my 3 year old daughter called CQ's HR before he hit it. When he came up to bat I told her he was up - she yelled (and I mean yelled so loud everyone in the restaurant heard her) "and you could put it in the board yes" sure enough he hit one! I think because he has hit so many that she's used to it. It was funny. BTW I had to ask them to turn the game on - they had the Cubs on. They did turn on the Sox for us, but the volume was off, the Cubs game volume was on.
Yeah, jk, Wilbur would (was than pun bad enough for you, TQ?).
I think Seaver did the same thing against Milwaukee back in '84 when the Sox finished a suspended game and he got that win and started and won the next one, too. But that is history so I will let Liptak give you all the details!
Jen, you just have to live with the fact that there are a lot of misguided souls out there.
But, to the credit of the North Side team, they are kicking butt and deserve the attention they are getting this year.
You see, Piniella and the players on that team don't believe all that garbage they hear about the past. What has happened over the last 100 years has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening in 2008.
But winning games in October is different than winning games in August.
Applebee's huh? You must not have stocked that new fridge yet. What kind of wife and homemaker are you anyway????
A very strange, bizarre set of circumstances both in Chicago and in Anaheim today.
Thank God they both worked out in the Sox favor.
Don't you just LOVE A.J., a guy who will do basically anything to win a game. We need more of that.
Tomorrow will be my 53rd birthday, have been a fan for 48 seasons now. (My earliest Sox recollections are from when I was around five, so that's when I consider myself blessed...) It would be appreciated if the Sox played well in Baltimore and finished these turds off.
Short of that a Mariners win over Minnesota would be nice. I mean Seattle has to win SOME games don't they?
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STORY ALERT.
There is a fabulous article this week in the print edition of The Sporting News (T.O. on the cover...) starting on page 58 and taking a detailed look at what the "new" Yankee Stadium is going to mean to that franchise and to baseball directly.
The story talks with a number of baseball folks and they all basically think it's bad news for baseball.
According to the story what the Yankees are going to get JUST FROM THEIR SEATS ALONE, will be more then almost every other team in baseball will make in total income! Stunning.
The story also quotes Toronto's Paul Godfrey, the president/CEO of the Blue Jays as saying that if the Yankees go nuts this off season (like the Cubs did when they spent 400 million in free agents and contract extensions) and have say a 300 MILLION DOLLAR payroll by next April, enough teams, including the Red Sox, may finally say, 'enough... we'll shut the game down until a salary cap arrives.'
MLB could be looking at Armageddon soon. It will be VERY interesting to see how this all plays out. Remember George Steinbrenner who is no longer healthy, isn't running that club anymore, his son Hank is, and he is what George was in the 1970's, so anything is possible.
I highly recommend reading this article.
Mark Liptak
tc - if you had read my previous posts - I have not had any time (because of the playhouse that I had to finish) - today I wanted to go - but, the kids wanted to go hiking, then I promised my 6 year old I would get him a new bike, then we went to Applebee's, then came home to watch the rest of the game, had to put the bikes together (my 3 year old got one, too) Now, I am checking in with you guys, Have to give all the kids baths, then get them ready for school tomorrow, then get them to bed. You see, now where would I find time to go grocery shopping? I'll go tomorrow after I drive the boys to school. I really have nothing in the new fridge, tomorrow I will! No beer, my husband has his own mini fridge in the man cave for his beer!
Jen, of course I read your previous posts. What else was there to read late on a Saturday night. Just trying to be like AJ and stir up a little trouble is all.
I don't envy your life. Trying to watch a team win a division is hard enough without having to do all the things you parents do.
Is the man cave kind of like the Bat Cave? I always thought Batman, Robin and, of course, Alfred had the coolest place to hang out. Don't know if they had the Bat Cave's mini fridge stocked with cold ones, though.
As jk would say, Go Sox '08.
Actually, it should be called the White Sox Romper Room - it's a really cool place if your under 12, drink beer, shoot pool and darts, and a WS fan. If you could picture - a bar lounge with toys all over the place!
I just dropped a box and a pepsi can dropped out and exploded all over me, I was thinking who the f**k packed a pepsi can away. I look at the can and it says All star game July 15, 2003 US Cellular Field.
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Could it be a sign??
Since it is always mentioned by someone on this blog about how the Twins just never seem to do anything wrong, I find the events of today quite interesting.
The almighty Twins -- the team that does all the little things right, the team that just refuses to lose -- watched as their bullpen let a 3-0 lead get away in the late innings for a 5-3 loss.
On the other side of the spectrum, the White Sox -- who supposedly are destined to another "lost" season of futility and blown postseason opportunities -- scraped and elbowed their way to a come-from-behind, extra-inning win over another divisional leader.
Something tells me that the fans in Minnesota, disheartened over losses the last two nights after winning the first two in Anaheim -- are saying to each other ---- "Those damn White Sox just won't go away!"
Mark:
I'm going to be "crazy" busy tomorrow and probably won't have time to post before the game, so please allow me to be the first to send "A Very Happy 53rd Birthday Wish" your way! I know EVERYONE hopes that the boys can take two tomorrow. What a great gift that would be huh?
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As for tonight's game......suffice it to say, I have no fingernails left, but I'm happy.
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Man, I'm glad AJ's on our team!! All I can say is...Carlos Quentin-MVP, Alexi (Missile) Ramirez-Rookie of the Year!
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Now, go get you some tomorrow boys!!!!!!
Go White Sox!
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Lisa
attention scott...
quentin is getting a lot of national coverage and seems to be the favorite for al mvp, but can the team put something together to get some love for alexei? ill admit, back in april i wasnt a fan of the kid and would laugh at hawk droning on and on about him all through april as he hit like .100, but he's definitely made a believer out of me.
longoria got the all-star game, can the team maybe get a push put together to get the spotlight on alexei for rookie of the year, though?
Let me be next in line to wish Mark a happy 53rd...the blog surely wouldn't be the same without you! Enjoy your day!!
JK, my heart can't take what happens when you going to lunch ...PLEASE stick around for the games!!
Does anyone but me feel like this is the spark to set the stage for the rest of the season? Games like these can do that and I've got a feeling this is the spark to light the fire. I was on my way home from work and heard the Paulie hit--wasn't that nice to score my boy BA-- and got home just in time to see the "AJ incident" I laughed and then really laughed when I realized it was the same ump from the infamous dropped third strike! Is he AJ's long lost cousin??? I bet the flight to Baltimore was fun. Aren't you glad he is on OUR team! Hitting the bed with the boys in first place...how sweet it is!!
Lisa & Obrn:
Thank you for the kind wishes.
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T.C.:
Keep in mind those damn Twins have what may be the ultimate 'ace in the hole.' The final week they get the Sox for three at the House of Horrors and we know how well the Sox usually do there. Ah yes... the memories are many and voluminous.
They can afford to urinate a game away once in awhile, we can't....yet we continue to do so... which plays right into their hands.
It'll come down to the final week unless someone completely implodes...who knows maybe the ball will bounce funny the Sox way in that monstrosity they call a stadium...of course I may also win the lottery tomorrow on my birthday too.
Mark Liptak
It's too bad you had to win it the way you did. I don't fault AJ for the play (a little dirty, but not any more so than all the basketball flops and PF baiting that goes on in the NFL). I do fault the officials as they simply blew it again. I understand a bang bang play being missed, but come on. I wrote a piece at:http://www.9equals8.com that serves up quotes from the rule book on this play. Looks like the umpire they rolled out to talk after the game dug the hole even deeper.
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Anyway, I respect what Ozzie has done with the Sox and love watching the bombers strike (against all teams other than the Rays, of course). But, let's at least all root for a game without a big blown call in the bottom of the 10th. Seriously, any fairminded person knows that it was a bogus call (AJ knows it, too, just read his quotes after the game). Let's just hope this doesn't happen when we meet again in the playoffs... ;)
Mark - hope you get two W's for your birthday. Though I may disagree on occasion (usually I agree) I enjoy your posts (I sense that you 'feel' each and every win/loss).
Happy Birthday
O.K. tb.... you can have this win, but you gotta give back the one from sat...... You can't? you won't ? then neither will we...... maybe you can beat us in the playoffs...... Go Sox.... But seriously, it's nice to see that there are a couple of fans that are rooting for the Rays. You have a very good team this year......I guess we'll have to let it play out on the field.... Go White Sox... j.k.
Mark -- First, Happy Birthday. At least I feel young when I reply to you, Quaid and JK.
Second, I only posted that remark to show that, indeed, the Twins too are capable of giving one or two away. They did it at KC a week or two ago as well.
It very well may come down to that three-game set in Minneapolis and of course the Twins have the edge. Shoot, any home team would have the edge. Of course, the Twins aren't just any team at home. While the Twins are great at home, the Sox are pretty good at the Cell too (as the Twins remember from their 4-game trip here in June) and I am sure that Gardenhire is extremely happy that he is done with the Cell this year unless the two teams meet in the ALCS.
I have been to the Metrodome many times and actually enjoy watching games there. It's a great venue for the fans. And now that the really bouncy turf of the '80s and 90s has been replaced, the game is actually a little fairer there than it used to be. Sure strange things happen. But I think that has just as much to do with the Twins and how they play as it does with the stadium. Look at the strange things that happened in Anaheim today. A HR reversed and Vlad Guerrerro getting a triple!!! For a change, the strange things happened against the Twins.
While I love Minneapolis as a place to visit and I like watching baseball there (I know I am in the minority on that last comment) I would much rather have those last three meetings at our place. But you play the schedule you're dealt. I just hope we are still fighting for first or have gone on a run and locked it up by that time. The first five months of this season have far exceeded my expectations and I want that to continue.
I'm not satisfied with 2008 yet, but I am pleased with how it has gone so far. There are 33 games left. But the only ones to think about now are the 1-plus games tomorrow in Maryland.
I can't imagine that there are many worse venues to watch a game from than the Twinkie Dome. I have been there a couple of times and it is pretty bad. Don't know how you don't mind it TC. The only stadium i can think of that may be worse is the tampa bay one. My personal favorite road stadiums are old Tiger Stadium and Camden Yards. My buddy tells me PetCo Park in san diego is beautiful. I have been to Fenway, Yankee Stadium and unfortunately Wrigley.... Tiger Stadium in my opinion was the best of all of the classic ball parks besides my all time favorite Comiskey Park.
Happy Birthday, Mark, from the "left coast"!
I hope you get a gift of two Sox wins (a gift we all can share).
I always find your posts interesting, and I hope the team surprises you with a great postseason this year :-)
-Peggy
Now that it's officially your birthday ( 25th) here in Tucson.... Happy B. Day Lip! Now you have something to complain about! You are now OLD!...... Welcome to the CLUB....... j.k. ( just kidding)..... Have a great day capped off by a couple of W's in Camden yard... Home of the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.....j.k.
Hey, Mark.... Just another wish for a very happy and W-filled birthday!
Kenwo, I agree that the HumpDome stinks. To me, it feels like a bullfight arena. The bottom row of seats are like 15-20 feet above the field, and they just get worse from there. Tropicana Field is actually OK. It gets a much worse rap than it deserves. While I'll always prefer an outdoor venue, at least it was built for and sized for baseball.
Regarding the A.J. play, I love reading all the non-Sox fans' reactions. What they fail to realize it that A.J. understands the rules at a level that few other players do. His ability to capitalize on certain situations is called "thinking out of the box". He's the ultimate gamer, and I applaud him for it. As for people who label him a "cheater", show me the written rule he broke and I'll hear you out. Until then, save your condemnation for those who truly deserve it.
Maria - I'll second those AJ comments
Well, Kenwo, we all have our different viewpoints which is why we have this board.
You liked old Tiger Stadium while I think it was one of the worst of the old parks. I even like Wrigley better (did I actually say that???).
Fenway is bar far the best of the old parks. It is even better than old Comiskey. But you can have the people that go to Fenway and the Red Sox. They are the worst.
I haven't been in the Trop in St. Pete, nor have I been to Camden Yards. Royals Stadium is still one of the best in the game. And it was built over 30 years ago. And Dodger Stadium is still one of the very best and it is nearly 50 years old.
The all-time worst that I have been to? The Kingdome. Or maybe an empty (which it usually) was Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. But when they filled that place on the the 3rd of July for fireworks, it was a great venue.
Happy Birthday to you,
Hope the Sox win 2 for you,
Happy Birthday Dear Mark,
The Sox WILL win 2 for you!!
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Have a wonderful day, Mark!
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Jenn
Folks:
Thanks so much for the nice comments. Believe me it is very appreciated!
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The worst stadium that I have actually been to was the old Kingdome. I've seen more life in a morgue.
Weed, I honestly do "feel" every win and loss. It's why I could never announce for the Sox even if I had the opportunity. I don't mean this to sound arrogant but I have the background, experience and voice to do it but I simply couldn't emotionally endure the grind of 162 games with this team.
I'm to much of a fan... a good announcer always puts a little distance between themselves and the team they cover, even Hawk does this in his own way (buy not saying anything and disappearing when they are playing really bad...) but when you've lived and dies with a club for 48 seasons you don't have that luxury.
Mark Liptak
Stop the presses! Liptak and I actually agree on something. The Kingdome!!! Great city, great seafood. Bad ballpark. Morgue describes it accurately.
Mark... Happy Birthday, "young man"... (I can get away with that because I AM older... SLIGHTLY... 23 days, BTW, until my "holy day of obligation"...(pardon me, Lord...)
To AJ... It is only controversial if you get away with it... I still remember Reggie Jackson sticking his hip out between 1st and 2nd in the World Series versus the Dodgers... and Lasorda going ballistic... He got away with it, too...
Ironically enough, the ump who made the call yesterday?...The same guy who was behind the plate in ALCS Game 1, when the play occured that made me christen AJ as "Lightning Bolt"... Doug Eddings...
Today at Camden Yards, in Duke Reifer's old home town...(where are you, Ira?... Come back, all is forgiven...)the boys finish up their first suspended game since that 25 inning marathon against the Brewers at the old Comiskey... the game that Harold won with a HR... the game that Seaver won in relief(tc, you were correct... BTW, which school do you SID for?)... and for the benefit of those of you in Tucson who can't remember what the score was...(hello there, jk)it is 3 to 3, going to the top of the 12th...
Even though that game in in Balmere... the boys are the HOME TEAM until that game is done... hopefully, quickly...
I still recall that Brewers game... I had just started my 3rd scoresheet... 12 innings each sheet... when Harold "took the grand tour..."
BTW, jk... Wilbur Wood DID win a sort of DH, back in 1973 at the old Comiskey... It was against Cleveland... it took 21 innings and three days to conclude...started on a Saturday, rained out Sunday, finished Monday...
How did that one end?... HR by Richie Allen off of... that grumpy old relief pitcher that is their radio PBP man today,No. 22 in your program, No. 1 in your heart...Ed Farmer...
I love it being a storehouse of useless information... how else would "all you youngsters out there" EVER learn ANYTHING about the boys if it wasn't for me?...
(I'm also like my public relations firm... Humble and Modest)...
Help, I'm confused, when's this suspended game supposed to be played, it's 3 where I'm at now..... did I miss something this morning?
kris, I believe it is starting at 5:05.
Best I can figure out krisv, is that it starts 1 hour before the regularly scheduled game, or 5 p.m. in chicago, 3 in tucson..... If that isn't correct someone please let me know asap. I want to watch it... Go Sox.. j.k.
ok, thanks for the info, I was looking when I got home from work and figured it would've been played a bit earlier so they'd get a little space between the two but guess not huh.... our website just says the time of tonight's game
The WORST "park" in MLB is the Trop in Tampa. I lived in Orlando for 8 years, and the only time I got to see the Sox was on WGN and their yearly visit to St. Peterstampawaterbay.
The ONLY redeeming quality of the stadium was when I first went there, they had these seats in a section called the "beach." It was a little higher than the rafters and it was a 5 dollar ticket that came with two free drinks. Yes, you heard it - TWO free beers and 1 five dollar ticket. Then after the 2nd or 3rd inning or so, you could have your pick of seats in the place...
I've gotta say - the US Comiskular is a great stadium. I do miss old Comiskey, but what they've done with the new park is great. I was severely disappointed in Yankee Stadium this year as well as Shea. Comerica was pretty cool and so was New Busch. Old Busch was definitely different though.
Go Sox tonight! x 2
I've been to both Texas stadiums and Minute Maid is pretty darn nice, thank goodness they don't BUUUZZZZ anymore over the speakers since the 4 B's aren't there, that was a little more than annoying.. where the Rangers play though has got to have the best parking I've ever run across when it comes to ball games, we were right across the street.. no matter where though, still love going to a game . . always prefer Comiskey, both old and new but sometimes one has to work with what they've got!
Earlier we were talking about ballparks. I've been to all of them sans Tropicana Field. That was as of 1999, so I have a lot of newer ones to go to again.
I didn't like the HHH Metrodome at all. I didn't like the number of seats in each row, something like 50, meaning I had to climb over about 25 people to get to an aisle. Very inconvenient.
The Vet in Philadelphia was my worst experience though. Way up in the nose bleed section, in the sunshine and most of the fans were rooting for the Pirates. A waste of time
On the other side of the coin, some of my favorites are Old Comiskey, County stadium in Milwaukee, and Sky Dome in Toronto. I did like Tiger stadium too as well as Chase Field (BOB), Camden Yard and the Big A in Anaheim.
I guess I have more favorites than bad experiences, but I do need to get out in the near future to something like 16 newer parks....
See you all in about 11/2 hours.... Go White Sox... j.k.
You're right about the parking at Arlington. It was great! There was also a Chick-Fil-A two blocks from the stadium! YUM! Except that there's no shade...
Houston was a pretty cool stadium, but the beers were so expensive there - more expensive than any stadium I've been to so far. But, at least it's not Old Style...
According to the Chi Trib: Crede activated and starting tonight in the continued game. Wise on 15 day DL. Jen will be happy. I hope we all are and he lights one up.
I guess Crede isn't out for the season like everyone was saying. He was 2-16 down at Charlotte, so it should be interesting to see how he looks.
Yes, let's win one indeed. There is no reason to think we cannot win todays game. They have their best pitcher going, but then arguably, so do we. It should be another good low scoring game. As I suggested yesterday. All we need is for the Angels to win Sat and Sun, and for us to take todays game and we will be right back in first place as before the weekend started. That's what will happen. All we need is to keep the faith and enjoy..... Until later all..... Go White Sox... j.k.
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Okay, let's see how the Rays like it. They have an early lead for the first time this series. Now the Sox can come back and BEAT them... Go Sox... j.k.
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JK,
I with you today. Following the game online again while I plug away at work.
Buerhle has been burned way too often this year with unearned runs. He has to bear down and forget about those 2-out errors.
Anyway, get us a few runs and get us a win.
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Technically, that third run will go down as earned but c'mon Mark, you're better than this.
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So now the score is Mark Buehrle zero, Sox zero. Unfortunatelly, The Rays have three runs courtesy of our Boys in the field.. Go Sox go... j.k.
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Good to have you along for the ride, tc. While I'm thinking about it, I appreciated the stance you took against Lip the other day. I agreed with you. I can see where he's coming from, but you can't do anything about the past, so we do need to achieve in the now and in the future. Top of third coming up, later... Go Sox.. j.k.
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Mark has to pick his fielders up from time to time. After all, they have bailed him out many times with some outstanding plays.
To me, runs that score on an error are truly unearned. But runs that score on hits after an error that should have ended an inning still are partially to be blamed on the pitcher. Just because someone else makes a mistake, it doesn't mean that you are off the hook.
I'm sure that Mark is more upset about the runs scoring than any of the fans in the park.
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It looks like Sonnenstein is settling down now too, so this could be a long afternoon. I just want the guys to put good swings on the ball and then we can go from there. Juan hit the ball hard in the third, but got made an out on a good Aybar catch. Stay patient and we will be o.k..... The one thing I will agree with Lip on is, we need to string together some hits and not try for the five run HR every AB. Go Sox... j.k.
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I agree with that too. But when you have a lot of power hitters on your club it doesn't always happen. But I think some of our guys don't get a fair shake on that either. Every time that Thome or Konerko or Dye makes an out in that type of situation, the knee-jerk reaction is to say that they were swinging for a home run. That is ridiculous. The only guy on the team who actually looks like he is swinging for a homer every time is Uribe. But that is just the way he swings and he is not going to change.
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Attaboy Carlos! Are there any MVP chants right now in the crowd???
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Then again.... There is a lot to say about the two run HR...... Sox lead 4-3... Wow.... Keep it up guys... j.k.
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What was that about stringing 5 hits together and not going for the home run, JK?????????
Attaboy Jim!!!! Keep adding to the Cooperstown numbers!
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alright alright ok . . . this is what I'm wanting, right here, no more crap!!!
hello gentleman, good afternoon!
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Hitting to all fields...
Would you all rather this current streak be NOW, when they can still do something about it, or a month from now, when there would be only four days left in the season?
Elementary, my dear (not Bob) Watson...
These Rays remind me so much of those damned Yank-me teams that I grew up disliking in the early '60's... You older members remember that time, right?... WS would have a lead late, then Mantle or Berra or Elston Howard or Hector Lopez or someone off the street would get on or get a key hit, or a long ball and absolutely break your heart and your spirits... especially if you were a 9 or 10 year old kid who loved the WS with all his heart... and died with every loss...(guess who?)
As to the sport of baseball returning to the Olympics... It will NEVER happen, for a number of reasons... 1) The basketball players play in the Summer Games, during their off-season... when the NHL shut down for two weeks during the Winter Games, no one here cared, because hockey didn't matter anymore... but ask MLB to shut down operations for two weeks during the peak time of the season, just for a gold medal?... I don't think so, Oswald...
Queen Jennifer... Congrats on finishing your furniture...which is redundent... don't you ALWAYS finish your furniture?... Get it, FINISH ???... You know, like varnish?...
I'll be here all week, folks... try the veal...
Tomorrow, the mess that is a resumption of a suspended game...
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O.K. Mark. You've got your lead. Keep it.... Go Sox go.. j.k.
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tc - seems like you're always working, what do you do if you don't mind me asking?
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Alright!. I have to go to a family luncheon, so tc, TQ, QJ (Queen Jennifer), and krisv, bring me home a winner. I leave the game in your and the Boys capable hands.... Go White Sox... j.k.
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Besides falling behind i my projects, not much Kris!!!!! Actually I work in the athletic department at a small college and with all of our fall sports starting it is rather hectic to say the least. Preseason publications have to get done, websites have to be updated, etc., etc.
All I can say is thank the good Lord for the Internet. If I tried to listen to the radio while working, absolutely nothing would get done. At least this way, I can work for a while, click on the Yahoo screen to check the score, and then return to work.
Nothin' better than switching back to the game online and seeing the words "Carlos Quentin hit a home run to deep center field." Seems that has happened, ohhhh, about 36 or so times this year.
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Sure, JK, leave us with a one-run lead against the hottest team in baseball. That lunch better be good!!!!!
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no doubt, tc and I got your back! I would love working in an athletic dept . . . hectic yes, but fun I would think! Nice out by Uribe and AJ!
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This inning is jk's fault.
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Now that's the Mark Buerhle we all know and love. Fighting through an error and not giving up any more runs!
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Carrasco has really pitched well since coming up. Big hitters up this inning.
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Attaboy Paulie!!!!!
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atta boy paul
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Looking at the Rays numbers is just unreal. Nothing but timely hitting could describe their success this year. These are not the Boston Red Sox....
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2-3-4 leading off the 10th. End it here.
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If the playoffs started today, I would make the Rays heavy favorites to win the AL. They are really good. And with three key parts missing.
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God Bless A.J. Pierzynski. There is not a smarter, more alert, more "thinking on his feet" baserunner in the game today.
This team absolutely refuses to quit. Obviously, they don't read Liptak's gloom-and-doom (lol).
It is this type of fortitude that has kept them in the race despite their inconsistency.
Okay, this one's over. Time to focus on getting TWO wins tomorrow after having crab cakes for lunch.
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holy cow, that was beautiful.... AJ is insane to get away with that!!! and our baby boy, the Cuban Missile . . what an amazing end!!!!!
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congratulations on today's win, it is much deserved....
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Nice win Sox fans, at least you avoided the sweep. But to say that the play by AJ was anything but CHEATING is a bit far fetched. Surely you cant argue with the replay. He will be ridiculed and maligned all week in the highlites and the umpire will no doubt be fined and disciplined for blowing the call. He already has the worst reputation in the game and is compared to the lowly likes of Rodman and other famous cheaters of the sports world. Any way a win is a win no matter how you get it. Good luck with your stretch run and I wish you the best of luck.
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I'm Baaaaack!!! I saw the score and just caught up on the board here, so now I've got to watch what you all are talking about.....
I knew you guys could bring home a winner without me, Way to go..... tc, if you blame me for that inning then do I get kudos for the ninth and tenth?..... Way to go Sox, all that has to happen now is for the Angels to push the Twins back where they belong,,, in second place.... j.k.
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Big win for the White Sox today. They should have won yesterday and lost today so I suppose justice was served. I know for a fact that AJ is a big fan of pro wrestling and hangs out with many of the wrestlers- I think he learns some of his "playbook" from them.
Plus the Angels came back in the bottom of the 8th to win....what started out as a terrible afternoon has just turned into a glorious evening. And Klien you son of a gun, you called it. Way to go.
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Back in first place!! The game was blacked-out here, what did AJ do?
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Well JK,
I gotta give Junior and Paulie props for the ninth and AJ and the Missile props for the 10th but I'll give you all the credit in the world for "instigating" that Angels comeback in Anaheim!
I think the word "cheating" is wrong. You can't cheat when it's in broad where the whole world can see it. If the umpire can't tell that he was acting, then it's the umpire's problem. How many times have infielders "sold" the tag and gotten an out without tagging a guy? How many times have players gotten first base on a hit by pitch when the pitch didn't touch them but they "acted" enough to get the call? Hey, it's part of baseball.
But Joe Maddon must really be shaking his head since he has now seen AJ be at the center of two late-innings controversies that involved Doug Eddings.
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Of course, I type slower than I think. I meant broad "daylight" in the above post.
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Wow!! and another Wow!!. You guys REALLY had to work to bring that win home.... Way to go....
I need to recap what I just saw... Nice hit by Junior in the ninth, but what in the blue blazes was Ozzie thinking sending Paulie in to hit for Juan? Paulie was Oh-fer five against that pitcher and Juan has been swinging the bat real well lately. But somehow he got a solid single to left, way to go Paulie. Then Brian scored running for Jr. Nine times out of ten BA is out at the plate on that play, so kudos to Jeff Cox for sending Anderson. ( I guess the adage is true: during the long season of baseball, things have a way of evening out). The good fortune fell on our side of the ledger on that play.
Bottom of 10 and AJ "sells" interference..... Not a cheating play, but using EVERYTHING at your disposal to win. Nice hit by Alexei for a Sox winner. And then I read from tc above that the Angels did win, so we're back in first! Whew! Maybe I should be "out to lunch" more often???
Back to reality now, I need someone to refresh my memory of the game that was suspended. I know we're the "home" team, but what inning is it? And of course, Go White Sox '08..... j.k.
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I just read from the pitching probables about the make up game tomorrow. Top of 12.... Who is left to pitch? If only Wilbur Wood was available, he could wrap up this game then pitch the regularly scheduled one... ( right TQ?)... Again, good win guys, get some rest and take out the birds.... j.k.
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Way to get the win today boys!
Now on to the Orioles and take two in one day.
I don't care how we win...all home runs, on the other team's errors, on questionable calls from umpires, playing bad but still pulling out the win, whatever. At this stage of the game a win is a win is a win. I will take it whatever way they want to give us one.
With all the doom and gloom spread about by liptak, all I can say is we won today, twinkies lost. We are back in first place. And that, at the end of the day is all that really matters.
GO SOX!
Marie
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I don't think Uribe had a hit yet today so Ozzie thought he would roll the dice with Konerko. And with two outs in the ninth and a tough reliever in the game, you have to make the defense make that play and send the runner.
Of course, if Anderson is thrown out then the fans are screaming for Cox's head. But any third base coach would have done the same thing unless they had Ted Williams on deck.
I think the game will be in the top of the 13th with the "road" team Baltimore at bat, jk. Remember, Juan had tied the game in the bottom of the previous inning with a homer after Linebrink had surrendered the lead in the top of the previous inning.
Haven't heard yet who will be pitching for the Sox when they resume the game. Would have been Carrasco if he hadn't thrown as much as he did today.
Ya gotta love AJ. Now they will be booing him in St. Pete -- in his home state no less -- just like they do in Anaheim. And in San Francisco and in Minneapolis.
And at the dump on the North Side too even though the only thing AJ did against them was to get sucker punched by Michael Barrett!!!!!!
As they say in the business, he may be a jerk but he's our jerk. (As you can guess, I cleaned that one up a little!)
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Hi guys (and Kris)
I am sooooooooo glad AJ is on OUR team!! He's the best! To the TB Fan that posted earlier - AJ loves controversy and your just mad because he's not on your team!!
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We went to Applebees and watched most of the game, my 3 year old daughter called CQ's HR before he hit it. When he came up to bat I told her he was up - she yelled (and I mean yelled so loud everyone in the restaurant heard her) "and you could put it in the board yes" sure enough he hit one! I think because he has hit so many that she's used to it. It was funny. BTW I had to ask them to turn the game on - they had the Cubs on. They did turn on the Sox for us, but the volume was off, the Cubs game volume was on.
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Yeah, jk, Wilbur would (was than pun bad enough for you, TQ?).
I think Seaver did the same thing against Milwaukee back in '84 when the Sox finished a suspended game and he got that win and started and won the next one, too. But that is history so I will let Liptak give you all the details!
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Jen, you just have to live with the fact that there are a lot of misguided souls out there.
But, to the credit of the North Side team, they are kicking butt and deserve the attention they are getting this year.
You see, Piniella and the players on that team don't believe all that garbage they hear about the past. What has happened over the last 100 years has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening in 2008.
But winning games in October is different than winning games in August.
Applebee's huh? You must not have stocked that new fridge yet. What kind of wife and homemaker are you anyway????
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A very strange, bizarre set of circumstances both in Chicago and in Anaheim today.
Thank God they both worked out in the Sox favor.
Don't you just LOVE A.J., a guy who will do basically anything to win a game. We need more of that.
Tomorrow will be my 53rd birthday, have been a fan for 48 seasons now. (My earliest Sox recollections are from when I was around five, so that's when I consider myself blessed...) It would be appreciated if the Sox played well in Baltimore and finished these turds off.
Short of that a Mariners win over Minnesota would be nice. I mean Seattle has to win SOME games don't they?
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STORY ALERT.
There is a fabulous article this week in the print edition of The Sporting News (T.O. on the cover...) starting on page 58 and taking a detailed look at what the "new" Yankee Stadium is going to mean to that franchise and to baseball directly.
The story talks with a number of baseball folks and they all basically think it's bad news for baseball.
According to the story what the Yankees are going to get JUST FROM THEIR SEATS ALONE, will be more then almost every other team in baseball will make in total income! Stunning.
The story also quotes Toronto's Paul Godfrey, the president/CEO of the Blue Jays as saying that if the Yankees go nuts this off season (like the Cubs did when they spent 400 million in free agents and contract extensions) and have say a 300 MILLION DOLLAR payroll by next April, enough teams, including the Red Sox, may finally say, 'enough... we'll shut the game down until a salary cap arrives.'
MLB could be looking at Armageddon soon. It will be VERY interesting to see how this all plays out. Remember George Steinbrenner who is no longer healthy, isn't running that club anymore, his son Hank is, and he is what George was in the 1970's, so anything is possible.
I highly recommend reading this article.
Mark Liptak
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tc - if you had read my previous posts - I have not had any time (because of the playhouse that I had to finish) - today I wanted to go - but, the kids wanted to go hiking, then I promised my 6 year old I would get him a new bike, then we went to Applebee's, then came home to watch the rest of the game, had to put the bikes together (my 3 year old got one, too) Now, I am checking in with you guys, Have to give all the kids baths, then get them ready for school tomorrow, then get them to bed. You see, now where would I find time to go grocery shopping? I'll go tomorrow after I drive the boys to school. I really have nothing in the new fridge, tomorrow I will! No beer, my husband has his own mini fridge in the man cave for his beer!
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Jen, of course I read your previous posts. What else was there to read late on a Saturday night. Just trying to be like AJ and stir up a little trouble is all.
I don't envy your life. Trying to watch a team win a division is hard enough without having to do all the things you parents do.
Is the man cave kind of like the Bat Cave? I always thought Batman, Robin and, of course, Alfred had the coolest place to hang out. Don't know if they had the Bat Cave's mini fridge stocked with cold ones, though.
As jk would say, Go Sox '08.
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Actually, it should be called the White Sox Romper Room - it's a really cool place if your under 12, drink beer, shoot pool and darts, and a WS fan. If you could picture - a bar lounge with toys all over the place!
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I just dropped a box and a pepsi can dropped out and exploded all over me, I was thinking who the f**k packed a pepsi can away. I look at the can and it says All star game July 15, 2003 US Cellular Field.
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Could it be a sign??
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Since it is always mentioned by someone on this blog about how the Twins just never seem to do anything wrong, I find the events of today quite interesting.
The almighty Twins -- the team that does all the little things right, the team that just refuses to lose -- watched as their bullpen let a 3-0 lead get away in the late innings for a 5-3 loss.
On the other side of the spectrum, the White Sox -- who supposedly are destined to another "lost" season of futility and blown postseason opportunities -- scraped and elbowed their way to a come-from-behind, extra-inning win over another divisional leader.
Something tells me that the fans in Minnesota, disheartened over losses the last two nights after winning the first two in Anaheim -- are saying to each other ---- "Those damn White Sox just won't go away!"
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Mark:
I'm going to be "crazy" busy tomorrow and probably won't have time to post before the game, so please allow me to be the first to send "A Very Happy 53rd Birthday Wish" your way! I know EVERYONE hopes that the boys can take two tomorrow. What a great gift that would be huh?
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As for tonight's game......suffice it to say, I have no fingernails left, but I'm happy.
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Man, I'm glad AJ's on our team!! All I can say is...Carlos Quentin-MVP, Alexi (Missile) Ramirez-Rookie of the Year!
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Now, go get you some tomorrow boys!!!!!!
Go White Sox!
-
Lisa
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attention scott...
quentin is getting a lot of national coverage and seems to be the favorite for al mvp, but can the team put something together to get some love for alexei? ill admit, back in april i wasnt a fan of the kid and would laugh at hawk droning on and on about him all through april as he hit like .100, but he's definitely made a believer out of me.
longoria got the all-star game, can the team maybe get a push put together to get the spotlight on alexei for rookie of the year, though?
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Let me be next in line to wish Mark a happy 53rd...the blog surely wouldn't be the same without you! Enjoy your day!!
JK, my heart can't take what happens when you going to lunch ...PLEASE stick around for the games!!
Does anyone but me feel like this is the spark to set the stage for the rest of the season? Games like these can do that and I've got a feeling this is the spark to light the fire. I was on my way home from work and heard the Paulie hit--wasn't that nice to score my boy BA-- and got home just in time to see the "AJ incident" I laughed and then really laughed when I realized it was the same ump from the infamous dropped third strike! Is he AJ's long lost cousin??? I bet the flight to Baltimore was fun. Aren't you glad he is on OUR team! Hitting the bed with the boys in first place...how sweet it is!!
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Lisa & Obrn:
Thank you for the kind wishes.
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T.C.:
Keep in mind those damn Twins have what may be the ultimate 'ace in the hole.' The final week they get the Sox for three at the House of Horrors and we know how well the Sox usually do there. Ah yes... the memories are many and voluminous.
They can afford to urinate a game away once in awhile, we can't....yet we continue to do so... which plays right into their hands.
It'll come down to the final week unless someone completely implodes...who knows maybe the ball will bounce funny the Sox way in that monstrosity they call a stadium...of course I may also win the lottery tomorrow on my birthday too.
Mark Liptak
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It's too bad you had to win it the way you did. I don't fault AJ for the play (a little dirty, but not any more so than all the basketball flops and PF baiting that goes on in the NFL). I do fault the officials as they simply blew it again. I understand a bang bang play being missed, but come on. I wrote a piece at:http://www.9equals8.com that serves up quotes from the rule book on this play. Looks like the umpire they rolled out to talk after the game dug the hole even deeper.
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Anyway, I respect what Ozzie has done with the Sox and love watching the bombers strike (against all teams other than the Rays, of course). But, let's at least all root for a game without a big blown call in the bottom of the 10th. Seriously, any fairminded person knows that it was a bogus call (AJ knows it, too, just read his quotes after the game). Let's just hope this doesn't happen when we meet again in the playoffs... ;)
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Mark - hope you get two W's for your birthday. Though I may disagree on occasion (usually I agree) I enjoy your posts (I sense that you 'feel' each and every win/loss).
Happy Birthday
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O.K. tb.... you can have this win, but you gotta give back the one from sat...... You can't? you won't ? then neither will we...... maybe you can beat us in the playoffs...... Go Sox.... But seriously, it's nice to see that there are a couple of fans that are rooting for the Rays. You have a very good team this year......I guess we'll have to let it play out on the field.... Go White Sox... j.k.
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Mark -- First, Happy Birthday. At least I feel young when I reply to you, Quaid and JK.
Second, I only posted that remark to show that, indeed, the Twins too are capable of giving one or two away. They did it at KC a week or two ago as well.
It very well may come down to that three-game set in Minneapolis and of course the Twins have the edge. Shoot, any home team would have the edge. Of course, the Twins aren't just any team at home. While the Twins are great at home, the Sox are pretty good at the Cell too (as the Twins remember from their 4-game trip here in June) and I am sure that Gardenhire is extremely happy that he is done with the Cell this year unless the two teams meet in the ALCS.
I have been to the Metrodome many times and actually enjoy watching games there. It's a great venue for the fans. And now that the really bouncy turf of the '80s and 90s has been replaced, the game is actually a little fairer there than it used to be. Sure strange things happen. But I think that has just as much to do with the Twins and how they play as it does with the stadium. Look at the strange things that happened in Anaheim today. A HR reversed and Vlad Guerrerro getting a triple!!! For a change, the strange things happened against the Twins.
While I love Minneapolis as a place to visit and I like watching baseball there (I know I am in the minority on that last comment) I would much rather have those last three meetings at our place. But you play the schedule you're dealt. I just hope we are still fighting for first or have gone on a run and locked it up by that time. The first five months of this season have far exceeded my expectations and I want that to continue.
I'm not satisfied with 2008 yet, but I am pleased with how it has gone so far. There are 33 games left. But the only ones to think about now are the 1-plus games tomorrow in Maryland.
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I can't imagine that there are many worse venues to watch a game from than the Twinkie Dome. I have been there a couple of times and it is pretty bad. Don't know how you don't mind it TC. The only stadium i can think of that may be worse is the tampa bay one. My personal favorite road stadiums are old Tiger Stadium and Camden Yards. My buddy tells me PetCo Park in san diego is beautiful. I have been to Fenway, Yankee Stadium and unfortunately Wrigley.... Tiger Stadium in my opinion was the best of all of the classic ball parks besides my all time favorite Comiskey Park.
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Happy Birthday, Mark, from the "left coast"!
I hope you get a gift of two Sox wins (a gift we all can share).
I always find your posts interesting, and I hope the team surprises you with a great postseason this year :-)
-Peggy
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Now that it's officially your birthday ( 25th) here in Tucson.... Happy B. Day Lip! Now you have something to complain about! You are now OLD!...... Welcome to the CLUB....... j.k. ( just kidding)..... Have a great day capped off by a couple of W's in Camden yard... Home of the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.....j.k.
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Hey, Mark.... Just another wish for a very happy and W-filled birthday!
Kenwo, I agree that the HumpDome stinks. To me, it feels like a bullfight arena. The bottom row of seats are like 15-20 feet above the field, and they just get worse from there. Tropicana Field is actually OK. It gets a much worse rap than it deserves. While I'll always prefer an outdoor venue, at least it was built for and sized for baseball.
Regarding the A.J. play, I love reading all the non-Sox fans' reactions. What they fail to realize it that A.J. understands the rules at a level that few other players do. His ability to capitalize on certain situations is called "thinking out of the box". He's the ultimate gamer, and I applaud him for it. As for people who label him a "cheater", show me the written rule he broke and I'll hear you out. Until then, save your condemnation for those who truly deserve it.
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Maria - I'll second those AJ comments
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Well, Kenwo, we all have our different viewpoints which is why we have this board.
You liked old Tiger Stadium while I think it was one of the worst of the old parks. I even like Wrigley better (did I actually say that???).
Fenway is bar far the best of the old parks. It is even better than old Comiskey. But you can have the people that go to Fenway and the Red Sox. They are the worst.
I haven't been in the Trop in St. Pete, nor have I been to Camden Yards. Royals Stadium is still one of the best in the game. And it was built over 30 years ago. And Dodger Stadium is still one of the very best and it is nearly 50 years old.
The all-time worst that I have been to? The Kingdome. Or maybe an empty (which it usually) was Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. But when they filled that place on the the 3rd of July for fireworks, it was a great venue.
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Happy Birthday to you,
Hope the Sox win 2 for you,
Happy Birthday Dear Mark,
The Sox WILL win 2 for you!!
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Have a wonderful day, Mark!
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Jenn
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Folks:
Thanks so much for the nice comments. Believe me it is very appreciated!
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The worst stadium that I have actually been to was the old Kingdome. I've seen more life in a morgue.
Weed, I honestly do "feel" every win and loss. It's why I could never announce for the Sox even if I had the opportunity. I don't mean this to sound arrogant but I have the background, experience and voice to do it but I simply couldn't emotionally endure the grind of 162 games with this team.
I'm to much of a fan... a good announcer always puts a little distance between themselves and the team they cover, even Hawk does this in his own way (buy not saying anything and disappearing when they are playing really bad...) but when you've lived and dies with a club for 48 seasons you don't have that luxury.
Mark Liptak
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Stop the presses! Liptak and I actually agree on something. The Kingdome!!! Great city, great seafood. Bad ballpark. Morgue describes it accurately.
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Mark... Happy Birthday, "young man"... (I can get away with that because I AM older... SLIGHTLY... 23 days, BTW, until my "holy day of obligation"...(pardon me, Lord...)
To AJ... It is only controversial if you get away with it... I still remember Reggie Jackson sticking his hip out between 1st and 2nd in the World Series versus the Dodgers... and Lasorda going ballistic... He got away with it, too...
Ironically enough, the ump who made the call yesterday?...The same guy who was behind the plate in ALCS Game 1, when the play occured that made me christen AJ as "Lightning Bolt"... Doug Eddings...
Today at Camden Yards, in Duke Reifer's old home town...(where are you, Ira?... Come back, all is forgiven...)the boys finish up their first suspended game since that 25 inning marathon against the Brewers at the old Comiskey... the game that Harold won with a HR... the game that Seaver won in relief(tc, you were correct... BTW, which school do you SID for?)... and for the benefit of those of you in Tucson who can't remember what the score was...(hello there, jk)it is 3 to 3, going to the top of the 12th...
Even though that game in in Balmere... the boys are the HOME TEAM until that game is done... hopefully, quickly...
I still recall that Brewers game... I had just started my 3rd scoresheet... 12 innings each sheet... when Harold "took the grand tour..."
BTW, jk... Wilbur Wood DID win a sort of DH, back in 1973 at the old Comiskey... It was against Cleveland... it took 21 innings and three days to conclude...started on a Saturday, rained out Sunday, finished Monday...
How did that one end?... HR by Richie Allen off of... that grumpy old relief pitcher that is their radio PBP man today,No. 22 in your program, No. 1 in your heart...Ed Farmer...
I love it being a storehouse of useless information... how else would "all you youngsters out there" EVER learn ANYTHING about the boys if it wasn't for me?...
(I'm also like my public relations firm... Humble and Modest)...
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Help, I'm confused, when's this suspended game supposed to be played, it's 3 where I'm at now..... did I miss something this morning?
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kris, I believe it is starting at 5:05.
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Best I can figure out krisv, is that it starts 1 hour before the regularly scheduled game, or 5 p.m. in chicago, 3 in tucson..... If that isn't correct someone please let me know asap. I want to watch it... Go Sox.. j.k.
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Thanks johnwesley for the confirmation... j.k.
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Leave it to A.J. Wonder how many more he has in the tank...
--Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
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ok, thanks for the info, I was looking when I got home from work and figured it would've been played a bit earlier so they'd get a little space between the two but guess not huh.... our website just says the time of tonight's game
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The WORST "park" in MLB is the Trop in Tampa. I lived in Orlando for 8 years, and the only time I got to see the Sox was on WGN and their yearly visit to St. Peterstampawaterbay.
The ONLY redeeming quality of the stadium was when I first went there, they had these seats in a section called the "beach." It was a little higher than the rafters and it was a 5 dollar ticket that came with two free drinks. Yes, you heard it - TWO free beers and 1 five dollar ticket. Then after the 2nd or 3rd inning or so, you could have your pick of seats in the place...
I've gotta say - the US Comiskular is a great stadium. I do miss old Comiskey, but what they've done with the new park is great. I was severely disappointed in Yankee Stadium this year as well as Shea. Comerica was pretty cool and so was New Busch. Old Busch was definitely different though.
Go Sox tonight! x 2
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I've been to both Texas stadiums and Minute Maid is pretty darn nice, thank goodness they don't BUUUZZZZ anymore over the speakers since the 4 B's aren't there, that was a little more than annoying.. where the Rangers play though has got to have the best parking I've ever run across when it comes to ball games, we were right across the street.. no matter where though, still love going to a game . . always prefer Comiskey, both old and new but sometimes one has to work with what they've got!
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Earlier we were talking about ballparks. I've been to all of them sans Tropicana Field. That was as of 1999, so I have a lot of newer ones to go to again.
I didn't like the HHH Metrodome at all. I didn't like the number of seats in each row, something like 50, meaning I had to climb over about 25 people to get to an aisle. Very inconvenient.
The Vet in Philadelphia was my worst experience though. Way up in the nose bleed section, in the sunshine and most of the fans were rooting for the Pirates. A waste of time
On the other side of the coin, some of my favorites are Old Comiskey, County stadium in Milwaukee, and Sky Dome in Toronto. I did like Tiger stadium too as well as Chase Field (BOB), Camden Yard and the Big A in Anaheim.
I guess I have more favorites than bad experiences, but I do need to get out in the near future to something like 16 newer parks....
See you all in about 11/2 hours.... Go White Sox... j.k.
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You're right about the parking at Arlington. It was great! There was also a Chick-Fil-A two blocks from the stadium! YUM! Except that there's no shade...
Houston was a pretty cool stadium, but the beers were so expensive there - more expensive than any stadium I've been to so far. But, at least it's not Old Style...
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According to the Chi Trib: Crede activated and starting tonight in the continued game. Wise on 15 day DL. Jen will be happy. I hope we all are and he lights one up.
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I guess Crede isn't out for the season like everyone was saying. He was 2-16 down at Charlotte, so it should be interesting to see how he looks.
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