The White Sox have left the CELL-ding

The White Sox were forced into a do or die situation by losing the first two games in Tampa versus the Rays in Florida. They came back home Monday behind John Danks to win, putting the series at a 2-1 deficit. But on Tuesday the baseball in Chicago came to an end, the White Sox were eliminated.

Like I’ve stated before I enjoy going to the last game of the season, this one was different, everybody was there, it still mattered, till it was over, then it was over. There would be no game tomorrow, wait’ll next year.

The response from the crowd was much different on the southside of Chicago than it was on the northside of the city when the Cubbies were eliminated. The expectations were different. The Cubs were expected to win, they had won their division last year, this was the year to win it all, ending a century of frustration. While the White Sox gave up last year, traded away one of their pitchers from their rotation, didn’t get Torii Hunter, and looked to be going nowhere. As fate would have it both teams won their respective Central Division crowns.

“It’s Gonna Happen” was the rallying cry for the Cubbies. Kosuke Fukudome was brought on to play rightfield, one of the Cardinal devils Jim Edmonds was brought on to play center, Geovany Soto was ready to take over behind the plate, and Rich Harden was brought in down the stretch to anchor the rotation. While the White Sox brought on Alexei Ramirez for only $1,000,000 per year for four years because nobody thought the Cuban star could play, missed out on getting Hunter (as I mentioned before) & Miguel Cabrera, instead adding Orlando Cabrera, nobody knew whether Joe Crede could rebound from his bad back, Carlos Quentin was a talent who always got hurt, and adding Ken Griffey, Jr. down the stretch at the expense of trading a relief pitcher, this team’s chances were suspect at best.

I rode to, what would be, the last game of the year with Rob & CLuke’s daughter Kate. Inside the ballpark, next to Nancy, were the usual subjects, Tade, Steve, Dick & Bea, Caramel Corn Mike & his brothers, George & Debbie & Debbie’s son, Terry, & Phil. But Al & his son Anthony were nowhere in sight, so I called Anthony’s Cell in the 3rd inning, they were in the upperdeck, security wouldn’t let them downstairs, even though they were season ticket holders, seems upperdeck season ticket holders only had first level access during the regular season. After Al almost got arrested for debating this position with an off duty police officer, Tade went upstairs, bringing down Al & Anthony, now we were all where we belonged.

Gavin Floyd was a little off, B.J. Upton was a little on, and soon the baseball season in Chicago was over. We all said our goodbyes, promising to stay in touch in the offseason, we’re going to get together to watch a Bulls, Hawks, or Bears game from a Wings. Nancy said she’d come and she even gave me a kiss goodbye, till next year.

Two other notes…

Minnie Minoso was watching the ballgame from the concourse behind homeplate, so I approached him. I’d ordered three teeshirts from www.minoso.com about one month ago, but never got them, the check never cleared either. Minnie told me, he’d look into it, and give me a call.

The next baseball I’ll see in person will be in about one month in Arizona at the Arizona Fall League. I love prospects and really enjoy seeing youngsters before they become stars. One youngster I saw last year was a middle infielder for the Boston Red Sox with some pop in his bat, he ripped a game winning homer in an AFL game, so it was kind of a full circle moment when Jed Lowrie ripped a game winning single to advance the BoSox past the Halos in last night’s ballgame.

STOOGES: BEE DOWN DANCE INSTRUCTOR’S DRESS

As I boarded the Redline for the Cell, I noticed a fly got on with me. After it had buzzed around the train car annoying riders, it flew up my teeshirt, and couldn’t find its way out. I kept fluffing my teeshirt in an attempt to free the fly. Other riders couldn’t help observe my antics. It brought to mind the Three Stooges episode where a bee flew down a dance instructor’s dress just as she told them to do what she did. Needless to say, the bee caused her to jump around like crazy as the bee stung her beneath her dress. Well our boys followed suit, jumping around as if they had bees in their britches.

The White Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Paul Konerko launched a long home run off Tony Saunders in the 4th inning. Toby Hall made it two to nothing when he homered to left the next inning. A.J., Thome, & Griffey were all given the day off against the southpaw after Saturday night’s marathon victory. Josh Fields was the team’s DH. I have a hunch that Alex Cintron passed along the nude photos of Ozzie Guillen to Fields before leaving town. I’d rather see Chris Getz in the lineup, batting leadoff, with Brian Anderson moving down in the order.

John Danks was cruising along, it seemed as though both teams were going through the motions. With one out in the top of the six it was 1st & 3rd after Mark Teixeira doubled & Vladimir Guerrero singled. Then Danks exited stage left after surrendering an RBI double to right off the bat of Torii Hunter. D.J. Carrasco induced Juan Rivera to top a slow roller to thirdbase, which knotted the game at two.

Three times in this ballgame the homeplate umpire gave the Angels hitter timeout, despite the fact that Chicago’s pitcher was already in his pitching motion, and he had to holdup at the last moment. Finally Guillen couldn’t take it anymore, lipped at the ump, which resulted in the umpire mouthing back, rather than just going about his job of calling the ballgame. The reason the rule is in place, not to grant timeout to a batter when the pitcher is in his motion is to prevent an injury to the pitcher. God knows we don’t need to get another player injured, especially a pitcher, after already losing Jose Contreras, Carlos Quentin, & Joe Crede.

It might’ve come back to bite the White Sox in the 8th inning. Gary Matthews, Jr. singled to leadoff the 8th off a tired Horacio Ramirez. Ramirez, who replaced Carrasco, had worked the previous two nights, and appeared to be running on fuimes. Teixeira appeared to take strike three, but the ump called it a ball, allowing Mark to double on the next pitch, making it 2nd & 3rd, with nobody out. With the infield in, Ehren Wasserman was called upon for the 2nd straight game to face Guerrero, and again he retired the slugger without allowing any damage, this time getting Vlady to ground weakly to third. Next Torii Hunter was intentionally passed setting up a possible inning ending doubleplay by Juan Rivera. Mike Scioscia replaced Rivera with the lefthanded hitting Garret Anderson. Anderson didn’t look comfortable facing the submariner Wassermann, as he had a 2-2 count, when he lifted a deep foul fly ball into the rightfield corner. I screamed, “NO!”, but Jermaine Dye couldn’t hear my pleading, as he caught the ball, allowing the eventual winning run to score from thirdbase. Brandon Wood grounded out, but the Angels had a one run lead.

It was KRod time once again in the 9th. Konerko was replaced by pinch runner Dewayne Wise after lining a one out single to center. Then it looked like Chicago had a shot after Alexei Ramirez grounded Wise to 2nd, but Nick Swisher never took the bat off his shoulders, taking three strikes to end the game. I don’t understand why you’d take a bat to homeplate, if you don’t intend on swinging it.

So put the brooms away, Angels 3, White Sox 2.

THE WIN JUSTIFIES THE GAME

Unfortunately Jim Thome doesn’t run very fast, fortunately where he hits the ball, he doesn’t have to. Thome hit one far and deep into the Chicago night ending a 15 inning contest between two first place ballclubs. Dawn, an usher at US Cellular Field, saw Mr. Thome (Jim’s Dad) coming off the elevator the next day after the late night game. She said, “Congratulate your son and kick him in the fanny, if he’d have hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th, we’d have gone home alot earlier”.

It was a matchup featuring Gavin Floyd for the White Sox and John Lackey for the Angels, on paper, it looked like a pitcher’s dual. It looked like the Angels had it when they broke a two-two tie in the top of the 6th, exploding for three big runs. LA of A adopted Chicago’s scoring method when Juan Rivera hit a long drive, that looked to be going foul, to left, that just made it over the fence, with a runner aboard. The next batter, Mike Napoli, took a 3-0 fat fastball, and sent it up into the wind, which carried it over the centerfield wall. I was starting to wonder, was it really a coincidence that DonS (a Huge Halo fan) stopped by to visit.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 6th Paul Konerko connected. Paulie has been red hot! Konerko will be the bat to pick it up after losing Carlos Quentin for the season. But the good guys still trailed 5-3 after six.

In the bottom of the 7th Nick Swisher connected with Alexei Ramirez aboard after a leadoff walk, to tie the ballgame at five.

Bobby Jenks entered the tie ballgame in the top of the 9th inning. Surprisingly Brandon Wood (a Josh Fields wannabe) took Jenks out to give the Angels a one run lead, setting up KRod for another save.

Francisco Rodriguez is in hot pursuit of former White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen’s single season saves record. However he wasn’t going to get any closer to the record on this night as Ramirez got a leadoff single, went to 3rd on a single to right by Swisher, and scored on a deep sac fly to rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero by pinch hitter Dewayne Wise. However pinch runner Jerry Owens was out trying to advance to 2nd on the play when Mark Teixeira cutoff the throw home & fired to Wood. This doubleplay tied the game, but ended a game winning rally.

Scot Shields took over for KRod as the game entered the bottom of the 10th. Scot’s entire family gathers at the Cell whenever Shields & the Angels come to town. There must’ve been twenty plus, strong, even his elderly mother was rooting for her son. Sean Rodriguez fielded A.J. Pierzynski’s leadoff single up the middle, but threw the ball away trying to get A.J. at 1st, the error allowed Pierzynski to go to 2nd with nobody out. When Jermaine Dye singled to left, it looked as though the Sox were going to hang an L on Shields. It was 1st & 3rd, nobody out, with Thome, Konerko, & Griffey coming up.

Mike Scioscia brought on Robb Quinlan to give the Angels five infielders. Thome struckout swinging, which was what Dawn was talking about the next day with Jim’s Dad. Then Paulie bounced one down to third on which Pierzynski was caught off base, rather than risk an around the horn doubleplay. With two out Griffey lined a deep drive to centerfield, which Torii Hunter tracked down for out number three. Houdini Shields had escaped.

Once again the Good Guys had a good chance at winning the game when Owens stole second after lining a one out single to center. Josh Fields was called out on strikes, why take a bat up there, if you’re not going to swing it? Then A.J. struckout swinging to end the threat.

The next three innings were controlled by Jason Bulger for the visitors, who threw three perfect innings, striking out five and Mike MacDougal & Matt Thornton for the home team, who threw up three goose eggs themselves.

After singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame for the 2nd time in the game in the bottom of the 14th, Horacio Ramirez was called upon to face Chone Figgins, who flew to center. Then Ramirez walked the lefty swinging Garret Anderson bringing up switch hitter Teixeira. Mark hit a doubleplay grounder to Fields at third. But when Fields took his time on his throw to 2nd, the potential inning ending DP was lost. Ehren Wassermann was brought on to strikeout Guerrero to end the top of the 15th.

The Angels manager brought on relief pitcher Justin Speier to pitch in the bottom of the 15th. Maybe Scioscia just wanted the game to end, as Speier’s 1-7 record might indicate, Chicago restaurants are open late, but it was getting a little bit ridiculous, and the postgame fireworks display is one of the best around. Justin got Dye to ground to Figgins at third. And up stepped Jim Tome, Thome’s blast, his 30th on the season, put him ahead of Mickey Mantle on the All Time Home Run list. Walkoff style, like his 500th, with some premature fireworksulation.

It should be noted that Jermaine Dye made three outstanding catches in rightfield. He’s been playing Gold Glove calibar rightfield all season long, making great diving catches, strong & accurate throws, while committing only one error. He probably won’t win a Gold Glove as three centerfielders (Torii Hunter, Grady Sizemore, & Ichiro) will probably win the A.L. “outfielder” awards. It is insane that the awards aren’t given out on the basis of whether you play left, center, or right. It would be like the award being given to infielders, whereby all shortstops might be rewarded there. Alex Rios might challenge Dye for a “rightfielder’s” Gold Glove, but I’m voting for JD!

Torii Hunter had a tough night at the dish, going 0-6, with two K’s. Late in the game a fan standing next to Nancy Faust’s booth kept yelling, “A.J. SAYS, YOU’RE A PUNK!, WE DIDN’T WANT YOU ANYWAY!, & TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN!”. I’d like to think my yelling got into Torii’s head.

ZORRO IN DA HOUSE!!!

Riding the Redline to the Cell I observed that Zorro boarded my train and was wearing a White Sox shirt under hit black cape, also he was not wearing a mask, and a sword was nowhere in sight. Imagine my surprise when he turned to me and said, “Hi Tedd”. Turns out he used to play softball for me on a Theatre League Softball team I used to coach called Tommy Guns. Truth be told I had a hard time identifying this guy dressed as the Gay Blade. Turns out his getup was really Father Southside, who knew? Another former softballer Jim “Cicero” Grillo was also on the train, along with Bob (Bob & his wife Sandy run Tommy Guns). Tommy Guns Garage is a speak easy that will bring you back to the roaring twenties and a time of gangsters in Chicago. I highly recommend a trip to their joint, especially on St. Valentine’s Day, when they reenact the massacre (with tommy gun machine guns a blazing).

It was Latin Music night at the ballpark. The Salsa music was booming and so were the hips of the dancers who could not sit still to the driving rhythm of the beat. I listened to the band outside gate 4 as I waited for CLuke and his family coming off the L. We proceeded inside, got off the elevator on floor one, and took our position next to Nancy Faust’s booth (Nancy wasn’t there, as she only works day games, thanks to Brooks Boyer, no thanks Brooks!). Caramel Corn Mike & his brothers loaded us up with a delicious mix of cheesy popcorn & caramel corn. I ordered up a Miller Lite and an ice cream bar, can’t beat ballpark food. That said, I must admit that the Cell has some of the best ballpark food you can find. They have hot dogs, brats, kosher dogs, hamburgers, Polish, Italian sausage, chicken, garden burgers, veggie hot dogs, Mexican food, corn, churros, Dippin Dots, popcorn, caramel corn, cheesy popcorn, pizza, pretzels, peanuts, and of course Crackerjack.

Bottom of the first inning CLuke & I were discussing how the White Sox would make out without Carlos Quentin. Quentin broke his hand, slamming his bat into the bat rack, and pretty much will be lost for the rest of the regular season & probably the post season as well. All of a sudden we couldn’t hear one another as Ken Griffey, Jr. lined a two out, two RBI, bases loaded single off Dustin Moseley to put the Good Guys up 2-0.

Then in the bottom of the 2nd CLuke & I resumed our discussion of how it was really going to hurt the team with Carlos being out, especially considering Joe Crede also might not see action again this season due to a bad back. That’s when his replacement, Juan Uribe set off the exploding scoreboard with a two run homer to left, that put Chicago up 4-0.

Once again in the bottom of the 3rd we tried taking up our discussion of how Chicago would make up for losing all this offense, when Paulie Konerko set off the scoreboard again with a shot to left. It certainly is tough talking over all these fireworks. Then in the same inning, with two outs, Uribe once again was up to more of his pyrotechnic antics, sending another two run bomb into the leftfield seats. Now with Mark Buehrle tossing a shutout, up 7-0, our discussion of where we’re going to find more offense took on less importance.

There was a strange play in the bottom of the 6th inning. With Konerko on 1st & Jim Thome on 2nd, and one out, Griffey pops to Angels catcher Mike Napoli, the infield fly rule is called, the popup drops in fair territory, Thome & Konerko start running(?), Napoli fires to third, where Brandon Wood steps on 3rd, and fires too late to doubleup Griffey. But because Griffey was out on the infield fly, the runners weren’t forced to run, meaning Wood needed to tag the fleet footed Thome, and thus the Sox had runners on 2nd & 3rd with two outs. Mike Scioscia came out of the dugout, the umpires gave Scioscia a crash course in Baseball 101, explaining the Infield Fly Rule to him, and Mike returned to his seat on the Halos bench. Of course Alexei Ramirez came through with a soft two out single, which plated two more runs, making it nine zip.

Standing beside us was a nice guy who turns out to be the editor from ESPN.COM named Thomas. Thomas had never experienced the New Comiskey (the Cell), was in the area to cover Saturday’s ND football game, and decided to take in a baseball game on only two hours of sleep. He is a professional, don’t try this at home, watching a baseball game on only two hours sleep is extremely dangerous, as you may fall asleep standing up. Luckily he had CLuke & Teddy Ballgame to stimulate his mind with intriguing trivia, like name three HOFers who started and finished their careers in the same cities, but with different teams. They are Babe Ruth (Boston Red Sox/Braves), Willie Mays (New York Giants/Mets), & Hank Aaron (Milwaukee Braves/Brewers), let me know if there are any others. Thomas came up with one saying Barry Bonds & Rich Aurilia have the highest single season home run mark of two teammates, pending verification.

I may be a little biased toward baseball, but I think the clash of two first place baseball teams is a better story than the Notre Dame vs South Dakota State football game. It was great hanging with Thomas, who’s pretty much lived all over the place from San Diego to Austin to Bristol. He grew up in Michigan and was extremely jealous when I explained how I was partying in Waupaca with Brian Rafalski & the Stanley Cup.

William (I call him Bill), the BIG beer vendor, stopped by to ask, “Who should be more nervous?”, see Bill is a Cub fan. The Cubs were down big to the Reds and destined to keep their losing streak intact. I just kind of smiled, a beer fan interrupted us, before I was forced to answer.

Buehrle came out after six innings of shutout ball, before turning it over to the bullpen. It was good to see Scott Linebrink, just off the DL, throw a scoreless inning. Jermaine Dye made a nice diving catch to keep this game a blowout, it happened in the top of the 7th, with two on, two out, in a 9-2 game to get D.J. Carrasco out of a jam.

Phil stopped by to say hello and we high fived each other as we boarded the elevator to the L to take us home after a 10-2 win.

ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BALLPARK

Elvis has left the ballpark and he took with him my six game winning streak, which is all gone. Though my streak was only against KC & SEA, it was still a streak, you have to beat the bad teams.

It was Elvis night out at the Cell, took the L down with Mom & Dad, got there just as the gates opened. Listened to an Elvis impersonator before going inside. Introduced the folks to all my friends at the ballpark, Tade brought his uncles (John & Joe), Dick & Bea were there, so were Terry & Bubba.

Before the game there was a very nice tribute to Andy the cameraman. His camera was laid on the field, covered with a teeshirt with the number one & AndyCam on the back, surrounded by his family, the scoreboard featured a montage of his life at the ballpark with his camera. He really seemed to love his job, smiling in every picture, far too young to go, 52, my age. There was a moment of silence and a standing ovation.

The Rays opened the game by putting runners on second & third with nobody out. John Danks fielded a bleeder between home and the pitcher’s mound, sprinted toward home, and dove fullout, tagging the runner out, A.J. had gone out to try to field the ball. Moments later Pierzynski would get his opportunity to tag out a runner at the dish, on the tail end of a 7-2 DP to end the top of one, remarkably without any runs scoring.

The Sox didn’t score in the first as with two out and the bases loaded, Edwin Jackson got Alexei Ramirez to popup. Then in the 2nd inning, Ken Griffey, Jr. didn’t challenge centerfielder B.J. (Bossman Junior) Upton’s arm on a single by Orlando Cabrera, with Griffey on 2nd after a double, Chicago stranded two more.

Finally in the 4th Nick Swisher went yard for a two run bomb. Swisher wore an Elvis wig on the field before & after the game. The Sox then squandered two base runners in the 4th, when both Juan Uribe & Cabrera were caught.

Chicago trailed 3-2 in the 7th when Danks was relieved by Matt Thornton, Matt got Carlos Pena swinging with two on and two out. But Octavio Dotel resembled Fat Elvis when he allowed three runs in the 8th, then Horacio Ramirez was nothing but a Hound Dogs when he surrendered three more in the 9th. Adam Russell came on to close the barn door, but the horse was long gone. Alexei Ramirez hit a two run rocket to left in the 8th, but there was no way to overcome the bullpen imploding.

Final score, Bad Guys win it, 9-4.

The fireworks after the game, done to Elvis songs, were tremendous! Then there were Flying Elvi parachuting onto the field. Lotsa fans dressed up, you can get a sample at www.whitesox.com/fanfoto gallery 70 (me, Tade, & Dick each have a picture on the board).

I’m going to miss the last two games of this series with the Rays, leaving early in the morning for California, won’t be back at the Cell till September 5th.

So I’ll give a big shout out, LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!

WINNING STREAK ENDS FOR BG AT THE CELL

I’ll have to start a new winning streak, as Scott Feldman & the Texas Rangers shutdown the White Sox 6-1. Feldman was forced into an emergency start when Eric Hurley had shoulder stiffness. Scott had his share of baserunners, but was able to induce Sox batters into hitting into key doubleplays.

Javier Vazquez was the victim of Josh Hamilton’s three run blast after home plate ump didn’t give Vazquez the corner on a strike three 3-2 pitch that would’ve ended the inning rather than putting another runner on for Hamilton’s monster blast to center. Hank Blalock added insurance with a late shot to the rightfield bar area off Boone Logan. Carlos Quentin’s solo shot was the lone run the Good Guys could muster.

With Jose Contreras on the shelf, rookie lefty Clayton Richard will get the nod Tuesday night for the Pale Hose. Let’s hope the former Michigan backup QB can right the ship.

13 WINS IN A ROW FOR BALLGAME & SOX

Cub fans had pretty much wiped their feet on the Sox after sweeping them at Wrigley the previous weekend, now it was time for the Sox to return the favor. Like I said before, I missed seeing the middle game of this Crosstown Classic at the Cell, Lindskoog Family Reunion. But was able to watch the game on TIVO Saturday night. And was able to watch Carlos Quinten take Carlos Marmol yard with what turned out to be the game winner. Just before the homer, FOX showed a closeup of Kerry Wood in the bullpen double flipping the bird to White Sox fans, no one said a word.

Mark Buehrle was on fire as he entered the finale of this three game set, matched up against a soft throwing lefty Sean Marshall. I was a bit concerned, as sometimes Sox hitters have troubles against this type of pitcher. But not Sunday night, Quinten hit a solo shot in the 4th to left, Brian Anderson hit one out with one on in the 5th, and Jim Thome blasted a two run bomb off a reliever in the 8th. The final score 5-1 Sox.

Even though the Sox won by four, there was plenty of drama & excitement. Cubs manager Lou Piniella was ejected early on for disagreeing with the firstbase umpire on whether Joe Crede checked his swing with runners on 2nd & 3rd and nobody out in the third. Nick Swisher made three great fielding plays at firstbase in this game. First he caught a throw from Buehrle that was ticketed from the rightfield line, then he grabbed a hurried off the mark throw from Alexei Ramirez (Ramirez tried to double the runner off 1st, Swisher from the seat of his pants threw to 2nd to double up the runner there), and then Nick put out a threat by snaring a 9th inning nobody out liner & doubling up a wayward Mark DeRosa off 2nd base. After going 5 for 5 on Saturday Derrek Lee struckout three different times on Sunday on high heat.

Monday night was halfpriced night at the Cell, only $8.50, to see the White Sox play the Indians, a fullhouse, with 8,000 walkup. A.J. Pierzynski was not in the lineup for Polish/American Night, go figure. Among those in the house were NickyV & Kathy, Al & Anthony, Tade, Big Bob, KevinS & his friends, Phil, Caramel-Corn Mike, and Jackie stopped by to visit.

It was a beautiful night for baseball on the Southside of Chicago as Gavin Floyd would be facing Jeremy Sowers, another softthrowing lefty. Jim Thome took a heater(?) on a line drive ride to left that cleared the fence with two aboard & two out in the 1st to turn a 1-0 deficit to a 3-1 lead. With two out and Orlando Cabrera on 2nd after a leadoff third inning double, Jermaine Dye ripped a single off the thirdbaseman for an RBI sinle. Later in the 3rd Nick Swisher stepped to the dish with the sacks drunk and unloaded for a grand slam to put the Sox up 8-1. The lead looked out of sight.

The lead was still a comfortable 8-4 one when Floyd left after six innings of work. Octavio Dotel pitched one inning of scoreless ball before giving way to Nick Masset. The Tribe relievers only allowed one run over the last five innings, another Swisher homer, this time from the left side. Things got a little tight as Masset, who hadn’t worked in a while allowed five hits & three runs (two unearned) in 1 2/3 innings, before Matt Thornton was called to save the day. The lefty Choo got an RBI single off the southpaw Thornton, which brought the tying run to the plate in the person of Casey Blake. Matt got Blake to fly to right to end the game and preserve a 9-7 win. Jhonny Peralta had a career night, going 5 for 5, with three doubles, a homer, three RBI’s and three runs scored, but it wasn’t enough.

Going back to the Cell Tuesday & Wednesday nights with Cliff Lee & C.C. Sabathia toeing the rubber for the Tribe, before I head out to Waupaca for the weekend of the 4th.