Black Sox Faction

One run on five hits was Enough

SOX WIN !! SOX WIN !!

And so the team continues. As near run as a near run thing can be, the Sox's 1-0 win allows us to watch playoff baseball on the Southside for the first time since 2005. It's been too long. One of the most famous of all Sox weekends in the teams 108 year history now leads into one of the most famous of all Sox postseasons (this being only the ninth postseason, so....)

And what a fucking game. I knew that the Sox had a good chance to win - even better than 50% because of the run they invented themselves up,because Minny wasn't the greatest of teams this year, and because game 163 was @ Comiskey. But it was also one of those churling games where every pitch had to be watched because one couldn't know where the pitch would finish.

The whole day yesterday was exciting. So exciting. The previous two days had Sox fans going nuts, and school was such an experience. Everyone instinctively got out their Sox gear, and both teachers and kids were Soxed up. Although there are cub fans @ the school of course (these teachers, mannnnn...), it's overwhelmingly a Sox school. People were shouting and smiling all day, acknowledging each other in the gear (I was best dressed, of course - I mean, I'd gotten my shirt in 1990, and to me historu is deeply important). And the call for the Sox fans to wear black @ Comiskey worked @ the game, and it also worked on me. I had that really really really old "Real Men Wear Black" - it should now be called "Real Men Wear Faded Black" - so I rocked that. I also had a black button up shirt whenever there was a chance I'd see the principal. And, I'd like to say, I was a little embarrassed. .
One of my favourite Bulls stories of all time was watching the terrible loss in Game 7 to the Knicks in '94. There was the usual 25-30 20-23 years olds crowded into my crib (The Lunt House, y'all) that Sunday, and I was the only one with Bulls shit on (Almost certainly it was my.....uh....."Real Men wear Red" shirt......). The Redhead, halfway through the game, turned to me, then looked all about the upstairs room where we were all hanging, and said "Oh Virgil, yr the only one here with spirit!" So, of course, I had to blackup my outfit and show my spirit. Lemming after Sox management, but.... It was great to rebreak out that shirt - for me, I felt it may be too provocative around cub fans so in the last few years I really de-emphesied the shirt. But it was perfect for this nite

Gallo had emailed me to come over so, I made the drive up to Evanston. The HD was on, grilled burgers (only salt and pepper -usually when I patty up beef myself @ home i throw in hundreds of spices -but I'll despice my recipe next time) delicious, a few calls to the bullpen for some matt Jenke relief, and both Yankee and White Sox fans in alighment. I was a bit late - I got there in the bottom of the first - and I was worried that POSSIBLY, knowing the history of these two teams the last 10 years or so -that it would be 0-5 after one. But this was to be a different nite*.

One run, five hits, but baseball hero's all around. Danks, of course. Luckily, it was a John Danks @ his very best - and every pitch of his seemed to land just on the corner of the plate. Every pitch. And when I say that he had his best game of the year - he had pitched no hitters into the seventh twice - it's saying a lot. he's had a real solid and promising year. There were the scares from last year when he was shut down near the end to save his arm. This year a few starts were delayed a few days, and he was pitching on only three days rest - a first for him in Chicago. But good as Buerlhe and Floyd have both been this weekend/season - Danks was there with them. His final record in the regular season was 12-8, but this is the type of game - a low scoring close game - he has lost several times this year. He deserved it. Nice regular season, but beautiful game 163. Six pitches one inning? Nine another ? Holy shit. Get ready for a start -v- Tampa.

The defense. Griffs catch and throw were rite on target, and A. G Pierzinski (sic)'s catch could have easily been hacked out of him. Images of Tori Hunter knocking the ball out of a Sox catchers mitt - nightmares for Sox fans - did not happen. But then again, that's one of the reasons A.G. is on the team. Griff got it right on. And yes - the runner should have gone. Although it was not very deep - i'm from the school of going for it, especially in a game 163 that was 0-0.


And the ninth had two nice plays. Supermaligned players Swisher and Anderson both made mighty plays in the final frame - Andersons wildly spectacular. Both players have had well, down Sox careers, and to have them come up big when they had to was great to experience. And then there were double plays and ordinary plays. To often the Sox would make some bonehead play to fuck their chances. No mistakes for the twins to take advantage of. And kinda funny as well - Anderson was brought in to run for Griff, and he usually takes over defensively for the older player-while Griff had already made the great outthrow home. I think that Griff might have made that catch - but glad Ozzie had taken him out. Same for Swisher - he has become a lateinning defensive replacement for Konerko, and although Konerko probably could have made the play, Swisher actually did get it done. Defensive replacements, in a one run game, can come to bite you back if the other team actually scores and your team now needs runs again - but it worked out. Both players have been starters for the Sox @ some point in their careers - it was good to see them fully play their part in winning the division.

And the batting. Yes, one run on five hits was enough. And Thomes homer - again, a maligned player ( from Hilts, no less) - was gratifying to see. And what a homer - it was Mickey Mantle / Dick Allen sized. Thome's been to the playoffs and World Series before, but hasn't won. One run on five hits was enough.

More than anything, the fact that @ the very least the teams season continues till next week carries its own reward. I love the fact that I will have three more games minimum to watch the team, listen to the radio, read the newspapers, wear black.... But that other feeling - the feeling of winning it all. I gotta say that that 2005 feeling is really really compulsive, and I got such a bad jones for it this year. I've said before that this year has been one of my absolute favourite Sox years, and the chance that they could brazen their way to another title has me fixed big time. Invested? Buffet of Omaha invested. Friday afternoon, in the Great state of Florida.

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*=and, news that Neice.1 had babysat the little Galla's over the weekend. She's really mature and has lots of experience - if you are reading and would like a babysitter on the northside - I'll hook you up. And, it was the first week -second day - of homework for guerra.1. It was nice to see the id get it done and then - work finished - go nicewilde w/ little sister. SO important to get that "get it done, then go pay" idea in to kids.