September, 2008 | The Baseball Zealot

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.

Sandoval: 4 rbis in one inning the hard way

Pablo Sandoval: 2 for 3. 2B, run, 5 rbis

The Giants went double digits in one inning for the first time in five years against the hapless Bucs yesterday and hey, they even won.

22-year old, rook backstop Pablo Sandoval played a big part of that fourth inning. He drove in four of those runs. Three of them came off a line drive double then later in the inning, a sac fly. In all, Sandoval had five ribbes for the game.

The Giants seemed to be going with the youth movement. Including Sandoval, six rookies comprised the Giants’ lineup.

Eight of those runs came against Pirate starter Jeff Karstens who came into the fourth with a 5-0 lead. Karstens made an impression his first two starts in the NL including a near perfect first game. Perhaps now, the NL is figuring him out.

As for Sandoval, his 2 for 3 performance brings him to .364. As a rookie, he’d be someone who I’d be looking at for next year’s rookie draft, but I think I know who I’m picking for catcher already.

Five Ribbies and 3 HR for Alfonso (and a tense moment for Jason Marquis)

Linescore of the Day:

Alfonso Soriano: 4 for 5, 3 HR, 4 runs, 5 rbi (and no errors)

Soriano came though for the Cubs in a big way for the Cubs Saturday against the Reds in a game they quite honestly needed to win. They needed all of Alfonso’s production as the Reds made a comeback against the Cubs beleaguered bullpen scoring 8 runs in the last two innings. Final score: 14-9.

Much kudos to starter Jason Marquis who not only pitched a good game (2 runs in 7 plus innings though with five walks… more on that later), he had a good day at the plate. He hit two nicely hit flyballs for outs the first two times he was up but the third time was a charm. That one reached the right field seats for a solo homer.

The day wasn’t without a little controversy, though. The situation with umpire Brian Runge was just plain weird. With the bases loaded and a 3-0 count, Marquis threw one that looked like a strike to me. Regardless, Runge didn’t call it. Even stranger, batter Chris Dickerson didn’t make a move to first thinking it was a strike himself. It took a long while before anyone did anything. Finally, Runge made the call, Ball Four. Boy, that got Marquis upset and he got yelling and gesturing the shape of the strike zone.

The Play of the Game?

The best play of the game wasn’t a hit or a play in the field. It was a simple gesture made by catcher Geovany Soto to Runge that could have saved the game. While Marquis was yelling at Runge and things were getting tense, Runge started to move to go toward the mound. Soto touched Runge’s arm as if to say, "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it." and went out to the mound. Runge turned back to his spot behind home plate.

In my opinion, Soto prevented Marquis from getting ejected from the game. It may have been obvious and simple but it worked. Marquis pitched pretty well the rest of his outing, allowing one more run in the eighth (don’t forget about his homerun too). Had he been ejected, who knows what could have happened. We saw what happened in the 8th and 9th inning.

Soto has been showing this kind of maturity and presence of mind all year. I will most likely have the first pick in the rookie draft in the Ilowa APBA League next year.

I think I have made my decision.

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.

Linescore of the Day: Mariners’ Brandon Morrow

Brandon Morrow: 7 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K (W)

Mr Brandon Morrow had a no-hitter into the 8th inning when pinch hitter Wilson Betemit spoiled his party by hitting a rbi double.

It was Morrow’s first career start and the seventh time a pitcher got into the 8th with goose eggs in the hit column. So far only Red Sox Jon Lester has been able to go distance.

The Ms need something to cheer about languishing in last place. Brandon Morrow might be a future star.

Somebody get Lou a GPS nav unit

Lou Piniella jokingly blames it on Coach Matt Sinatro who was driving. MLB.com’s headline, Never trust online directions, seems to accuse Google Maps (not likely). Either way who look at it, the two of them got lost on their way to Cincinnati for their first game of the series (seems to me Lou spent some time there, didn’t he?). They drove 80-90 miles out of their way.

Get Lou a TomTom, stat.

The Cubs didn’t win the series opener either losing their sixth straight 10-2.

SOUTH PARK LITTLE LEAGUE: THE LOSING EDGE

I was flipping around the TV dial last night trying to find something worthwhile to watch. It was getaway day so most of the baseball games ended early. The first football game of the new season was over. The only thing on was the Republican Presidential Convention in Minnesota, don’t know how the Metrodome didn’t explode from all the hot air, four more years, sheeesh, didn’t we get enough over the last eight years? Seriously, if you truly believe you’re better off than you were eight years ago, these poor kids are fighting an unwinnable war (how do you know when you’ve defeated terror?), all the big corporations are getting huge tax breaks & moving jobs out of the country, the deficit is growing larger every second with China buying our debt & selling us all their junk, the middle class is being squeezed out of the picture, and Big Brother is watching with cameras on every street corner. And we’re worried about Mexicans coming across the border to pick our produce, women being told they can’t make a decision about their own bodies, and whether Adam & Steve should wed and be as miserable as the straight marrieds. Don’t get me started!

Well I finally found worthwhile TV on the Comedy Network where South Park was airing a classic episode of their Little League team trying to lose rather than having to keep on playing boring baseball. Below is a recap of the episode, but my description doesn’t do it justice. If you ever get the chance, watch it!

The boys of South Park are involved in a Little League baseball team, despite the fact that they all hate the sport; they play because of the enthusiasm of their parents. When they win their final game they are initially elated, thinking the season is over, but then discover to their horror that they have to continue playing in the state championships. They decide to lose their next game, and thereby get out of the running for the championship, but the teams they oppose have exactly the same idea. They compete with Fort Collins, Greeley, and Pueblo (shown as being full of Mexicans). While trying desperately to lose, they manage again and again to beat the other team, whose efforts at throwing the game are more effective.

Meanwhile, Stan’s father, Randy, has taken up the hobby of being a “trash talking dad,” being generally obnoxious at every game so as to get into fights with other, equally obnoxious fathers. While training to be the best fighter he can be, he becomes terrified when he meets the Denver team’s “Bat Dad,” who wears a purple Batman cowl and cape, is much bigger than him, and behaves like an over-the-top professional wrestler. He decides not to attend his son’s game, as Stan and the others play the Denver game, which, if they win, will force them to waste the whole summer in the national circuit. The team drafts Kyle’s stereotypically Jewish cousin, Kyle Schwartz (distinguished in a previous episode as “Kyle One”) to join their team, knowing he is terrible at any sport. Even this strategy fails to work as the pitcher hits Kyle’s bat with the ball, resulting in a ground ball and subsequent home run after Kyle rounds the bases with no effort from Denver to throw him out. The kids realize that while they were practicing being bad, the other team got “really good at sucking” – they can even “bat themselves out,” purposely hitting pitches directly into South Park fielders’ gloves. Just as it seems the South Park team is sure to win, Stan’s dad shows up and begins harassing Bat Dad. The two get into a huge brawl that spills onto the field, and the umpires declare that if either man continues to fight their team will be disqualified. With the encouragement of his son and his team (though he doesn’t really know why) and other illusionary people in his head (including Mickey Goldmill from Rocky), Randy gets up and keeps fighting, and the South Park team is disqualified, leaving victorious Denver to go to the national circuit. Stan tells his father, “You’re the greatest,” as he is led away in handcuffs by the police in his underwear. After hearing that, Randy jumps for joy as the song “You’re the Best” plays.

Will a day off help the Cubs?

When I was a kid and the Cubs had a day off, my family would always joke, "Hey, the Cubs didn’t lose today!".

Of course, back then in the mid 70’s, the Cubs had crap teams and the joke fit. But now in late 2008, when the Cubs are 4 1/2 up on their contender, the joke kinda loses its meaning.

That said, in the microcosm of the last 5 games of this season, they might as well be the Chicago Cubs of the 70’s. A Cubs apologist might say that they’ve won seven of their last twelve. I’ve heard that bandied about. But let’s face it, the Cubs need to turn it around.

What’s up with Big Z

With all the trouble that Carlos Zambrano is having, I have a suggestion for him. No, I can’t help him with getting him to his MRI appointment on time… he’ll have to work that out on his own. Nor with his rotator cuff tendinitis (hopefully he’ll be back by September 14th).

However, when he does come back, maybe Big Z could focus a bit less on his hitting. It’s no secret that his slugging has gotten some good press this season (I know I’m guilty of it). Watching him against Houston, I’m just getting the sense that he’s paying a little TOO much attention to his hitting exploits. When things work out at the plate, it can be good (although not always). But if they don’t, it can get to him and affect his pitching.

We pay you for your arm, Carlos, not your bat.

Go Cubs!

11,211 OR 600 FANS

What a shame! 11,211 was the announced paid attendance yesterday for the ballgame between the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins in Miami, but only 600 fans were in the stands. I do understand the Marlins have recently fallen out of playoff contention, the kids are back in school, and it’s very hot in South Florida. But really, only 600 people were willing to show up to yesterday’s major league game, that’s pitiful, this team is talking about a new stadium, how ridiculous!

The Florida Marlins are a pretty good baseball team, above .500, with All Stars at both shortstop in Hanley Ramirez and at secondbase in Dan Uggla. Ramirez in his third full season has once again reached the 29 homer mark for his 2nd straight year, and has scored more than 100 runs for the third straight time. His doubleplay partner, Dan Uggla, has hit 29 longballs, he hit 31 last year, and 27 as a rookie. Then there’s firstbaseman Mike Jacobs, who has knocked 28 balls over the wall, in his third year as a starter. Also Jorge Cantu has a solid year with the bat over at the hot corner, with 23 taters. Florida also has some pretty good young starting pitchers in Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco, & Josh Johnson.

But it doesn’t seem to be about the quality of the ballclub. It seems like a Florida thing. The Marlins have the second lowest paid attendance from 2000-07 at 1.6 million. The only team with worse attendance is in Tampa Bay, the Rays drew 1.1 million over the same time period.