Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Black Sox Faction

On Over
Sure, Kittle was one of the sparks of the 1983 team, Bere was 14-2 in 1993, and Iguchi was a key to the 2005 team: but shit, all that is eclipsed by that half of a second of a half of a second after Lex Ramirez swung the Sox into game 163 yesterday. He knew it, I knew it, we all knew it - even Minny knew it: that giantic swing wrought a giantic homer and kept the Sox on the road to another World Championship.

I will straight away amidt that this season has beenone of my favourite seasons of all time. We didn't think the team in 2000 or 2005 had a chance entering the season. But this year we expected even less: I scoffed @ GM Wiliams assesment of the Detroit trade that netted them Cabrera and Willis over the winter "It puts detroit in a better position to compete with us". What? And in the end he was right: Detroit couldn't compete for the one game the Sox needed them to win.

The season has been so exciting. Yes, the team has had it's downtimes - what team other than the Angels have not had them this year? Sometimes it was the starters, the relievers, the fielders, or the batters. Yes, injuries -in the form of both of the teams All Stars - have disrupted this team more than the other surviving teams, (but not as bad as, say, Cleveland. But the continued scrapping of the team - time after time they were left for dead before and during - and even the day after the end of the regular season- that to have them playing now is just a treat.

Funny. The addction to this team started early. There probably has not been another season of heavy transistor radio listening for me than this year. I have compulsively have watched and suffered this team the whole year, and they are JUST ABOUT THERE.

So-one game. AS Hawk would say it, "Thrill me one time". And can they do it? Like I wrote yesterday, anyone can win in a baseball game. The reason they play 162 games, instead of 16 or or 30 or 82 or whatever is because any team can win on a given day. Either team could win to-nite, and it would not be an upset. However, there are numbers and feelings that point well towards the Sox.

Though last weeks sweep by the Twins of the Sox was a horrow show and dropped them to 1-8 in Minny, Comiskey has had a similar hold on the Twins: they are 2-7. The Sox themselves have the fourth best home record in baseball. And even though one may assume that the twins sweep of the Sox would prove decisive - it's now the Sox who are on a huge roll. Even though Detroit and Cleveland were playing out the year, the Sox won the last two MUST WIN games. The Twins went 1-2 to end the regular season, when 2-1 would have them in Florida already waiting for the Rays. One can imagine that the twins, watching Lex's granny, had to be.....displeased that they had to go to the airport to catch a plane to Midway.

And the Twins mite win. They are good, and 88 wins are decent. John Danks will be on 3 days rest for the first time in his MLB career, and he is 1-1 in 4 starts w/ a huge ERA this year.

But man, that instant happiness in that half second of a half second right after Lex's swing. I just gotta see that again to-night. Or, as this game is on cable, i gotta listen for it.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Black Sox Faction

Last Thursday nite, with the Sox clinging to a 1/2 game lead over Minny, the game that nite took on the air of a "this is it' moment". Of course, since the twins are as completely inept @ winning a division despite the other contending team doing everything it can to lose it - there have also been "this is it" games on Friday and Saturday before a real "This is it" game happened on sunday.

So, as it is, although the pennant races of 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1964, 1967, and - remember - 2003 and 2005 (to name some off the top of my head) have been close - but there never has been a race this close. Sundays game, unprecedented in Sox history, now gives way to another game (today -v- Detroit) that is unprecedented in Sox history - and a win allows them to play -yes- yet another game that is unprecedented in Sox history- a divisional playoff/in game -v-Minnesota on Tuesday.

Good news, Sunday. They had to win -with Minny also winning - and they did. Althlugh i had made mark burhle the third pitcher onthe staff this year behind Floyd and Danks, there is no question he came up with one of his most clutch performances in one of the biggest Sox games in the teams history. One run in seven innings after only three days rest. The offense also did what it had to do. One of the worst things about the weekend was in Saturday nites game. When the minny lose was posted on the scoreboard @ Comiskey, the huge crowd reacted like it was one of those good october games in '05. Thunderous, and ongoing. Until whatever Sox batter in the box @ that moment immediately grounded into a double play. Great. But they got the runs, and they got the makeup game they need.

SO, Yesterday Cleveland @ Comisky, today Detroit. Although anyone on a given day can win, the Sox really have to be favoured. Tthe Sox have it all to play for, while Detroit is 4 -13 in their last 17, 2-6 @ Comiskey, and finishing off a miserable season.

But of course, anyone can win on a given day. Hopefully, however, this is a Gavin Day.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Black sox Faction

So it's come to watching the twins updates via Gameday or the Fox game on TV. After being blow apart in last nites Cleveland game, the Sox got a break ( abig fucking break) in Kansas city's unexpected win over Minnesota; @ this point, we'll take whatever we can get.

But it doesn't seem that this team wants to win. With four losses in a row when they should be taking it to the other teams is disturbing not just to any chance of winning in the postseason. The distemper and disassociation in the team with the Cabrera and Swisher. the Cabrera deal seems to have been boiling over inthis critiacl time for the team. But swisher - he seemed like such a gung ho guy. To have him down is bad. Although they have their 'fate' in their hands - Sox win out (four total against three teams in four days), they'll play Anaheim.

But they have to win. Last nite, following the Twins loss juxtaposed to the Sox loss, I was encouraged from my own longstanding theory that if enough time in a game/ games off the season happens, maybe just maybe the miracle - and yes, it seems it will take a milagro - can occur. But, as Churchill paraphrased about Dunkirk, "victories are not made from evacuations".

Two to two in thesixt at Minnesota. But it's the Sox that gotta win.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Manchester and Madrid in chicago

Since 2003 or so and the closing of the lower decks @ Comiskey to cheapcats like me, I'm used to sitting amongst the toughcrowd of the upper decks. (For Bulls fans, think of after M.J. crowds in the new Stadium - not the types who flocked to those wondrous SuperBulls teams. For those Cub fans, think of the individuals in the Wrigley bleachers of the late 1970's ((in the pre Tribune, pre corporatization of the arena) And Hawks fans....... well, shit, @ this point they take the toughguycrowd count by far.....but w/ the teams resurgence, watch out...) .



So, with much amusement, it was interesting to watch the crowd @ the Fire -V - L.A. Galaxy game last nite - a touch of the otherworldly visiting us. Fire crowds, like Sox crowds (upstairs), are overwhelmingly childladen - running, shouting, candy and soda pop buying. But for the return of David Bekham to Chicago last nite, the pretty crowd came out. Lots of fashionistas, sexpots, and that sort. Pretty for the eyes.



And lots of Bexx jerseys. I thought it kind of weird that there were so many L.A. Bexx jerseys in the crowd, but my guess is that they were making their first visit to Toyota park. However, it was also laden w/ the regular types. In Bexx's first season in MLS last year, the fire crowd earned the distinct badge of pride in the we were the only crowd to BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Bexx in America. Now, donot get me wrong - I love Bexx, and in ost game wold totally root for him. However, if I am called upon to rip on the guy, then I hed the call to duty. Although there were many who initially looked about askewance @ the volume of booss rounding the park, by halftime we had all gotten into the act. Every time Bexx touched the ball, boos came out. Even when Landon Donovan, the best forward the USA has so far produced, touched the ball, he stared to get booed. The best was his corner kicks. He takes them all for LA, and each time he walked over to take it ----BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!! The crowd was in a great mood (except for me - I was rocking the transistor tuned to Minnesota - well, actually I was in a great mood for most of the game........).

Another factor juicing up the crowd was the amount of Hispanic fans @ the game. Since C. Blano was signed last year, the amount of Latins - and specfiacally Mexicans - exploded. They always went before, but he is a huge draw. To Mexicans, in fact, he is a huge draw on the road. Mexico games in the past have always had an element of chaos if the game is tight. The most brawls ever - matching anything old Comisky could match - have been @ Mexico national teams -v- whatever soccer games.

So, it was a large loud boisterous crowd that took in the game. Being televised by ESPN, the whole nite had a festive celebratory air (excepting, of course, the late news from Minnesota). And that the Fire won a well played game topped it all. Both sides [l;ayed offense well, and there were great goals (3-1 fire), great passes and tough defense. Great win for the Fire.

Especial note towards Tiburon. Went w/ GF and Tiburon (husband of Kahla). He is an irrepressible joyous man, totally in love w/ life. I can remember a Soldiers Field game w/ the Fire 3-4 y.a. The fire had a player who shared Tiburons actual name. There occurred a stoppage on the field for an injury - and the player who shared tiburon's name was on the sideline ready for the play to resume so he could throw it in. I mean 20, 000 people there, and Tiberon riuns down the aisle to the field, calles out the player, and they have a conversation. during the game. We all had a giant laugh as we were watching this transpire, and when he rereached our row we quizzed him on what happened. Not much - they just had a little minute chat. during the game. So, last nite, we three sitting in the nice seats, laden w/ popcorn and snax. When Tiberon got the popcorn, he actually naturally offered some to the little kids sitting in front of us. Not exactly sure how the Dad of the three felt, but the kids ate heartily.

Black Sox Faction

Planning Changes

A long while ago I was attempting to plan just which Sox game would be the clo\\incher. Iw as there in 1983 and 1993 when the Sox clinche the old AL west. 2000 and 2005 were clinched in Minnesota -too far fopr me to visit. But this years tight race had me planning to attend one of those last wkd games -v- Cleveland. For the past two weeks -until Tuesdays loss to Minnesota made it impossible - I was planning to go to to-nights game. I knew I couldn't go Saturday nite - a date w/ My Bloody Valentine, who I haven't seen since what -1991?? There was also Sunday, but I was rather hoping that the division would be sewn up by then.

So, this weeks games highlighted some of the sox's woes this season in turn. Tuesdays 9-3 loss was all about the terrible start by Vasquez. Although the Sox starters -well, the top three, with about a half a good year from vasquez- hasn't been bad, but they did have that two week period in August (or so) when they threatened w/ collapse. Blessedly, it was the young guys - Floyd and Danks - who kept it all to-gether the whole year and allowed the staff as a whole to recover.

Wednesdays loss highlighted the poor hitting. The 3-2 loss had the Sox - except for Grff's hitting - missing opportunities w/ men on base. Although the team also had its hitting scares earlier in the season (and the loss of AL MVP favourite- as of 1 September - and the Sox's OTHER All Star really drove these worries through the last two months of the season), they have't duplicated last years flod.

And then last night. Going into this series, I would have been very happy w/ one win out of three. I pointed to the ace, Gavin Floyd's start, as the probable victory. Although it wasn't his absolute best star, he left the game w/ the lead....... So, last years bugaboo, the relivers, have been shakey -although not as shakey as last year burnouts - but this game's loss could be blamed on them. And, to make it worse, it was Linebrink and Jenks - who have been steady all year , despite Linebrinks recent stay on the DL- who gave up the lead. Not good.

So, the Sox have work to do. Both Minnesota (Royals) and the Sox (Cleveland)are @ home. K.C. has been terrible -v- Minny, but they are also 11-2 inntheir last 13 games. Cleveland made a nice run to bring themmselves to respectability, but they have lost their last three.

As it stand, both teams are tied in the loss colum, so Da Sox have the season intheir own hands. Depending on what Minnesota does, the Sox have to sweep Cleveland (though it's not necessary) and hope KC sweeps Minnesota. If that happens, the Sox do not have to make up that hurricane delayed Detroit game from two weeks ago. However, I sense that on Monday, the Sox will be playing Detroit in the makeup game. What else? There is also the heavy possiblility of a one game playoff -v- Minnesota (Sox 7-2 -v- Minnn. @ Comiskey).

So what am I gonna do?? My plans for this nite changed when a Friday clinching game was rendered impossible by Wednesdays loss. Sunday became the goal - it could be the day - but it could also be Monday (I'll have to work) or Tuesday (I'll have to work). My plans for this nite? On about Wednesday, that #2 St. Rita - #18 Providence game suddenly became very attractive - until I realised that I'd have to travel to the other side of the fucking world to get to it.

So now? Shit - w/ Danks pitching, even if it ain'tno clincher, it looks like it'll be anbother Comiskey nite for me.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

17 September, 1983

On the occasion of Chicago's first ever Division Title in baseball history (have been pennants, but this was the first division) 25 years ago today - the only time have ever been on comisky parks' grass - we note that the Tribune gave into the inherent unfairness in their treatment of the two major league clubs in town. Thank you for finally regularly runnning the Sox's dwindling Magic Number - now @ ten - on the Sports page -just like they have been regularly runninght other teams magic number for these last few weeks.

Hell - even the Sun Times got into the act. Fact is, both teams suddenly have their numbers on both front pages. Like baseball championships are so common in Chicago that the Trib and Suntimes can be flip about it. For eveyone who remember the feeling in the afternoon of that 17 September day a quarter centuury ago - beforte the Sox clinched, when we were bizzarely young and the absolute impossible had finally happened (imagine the feeling in 2005 , huh?) - Chicago had a baseball team going to the playoffs.

Yes,a bit more commom now - even a World Series win for Chicago - but for Sox fans, the feeling is still sorta the same.

Except that a division win no longer is a massive deal. Justa step towards that deal. But it will still be an insane week. Last two game s@ Yankee Stadium, then a bit (hopefully) of a breahter -v- K.C., and then the series of series in the Major Leagues this year - the showdown betwixt the Twinkies and the Paws Up.

Tever whatcomes in the postseason, the Sox obv. have an upperhand in the division. Tough schedule to close out the season, but the Twins are losing. No guarentee here - but I can see the Sox closing it out in Minnesota. Just like 2000 and 2005, if I remember corectly.

here's hoping the 2005 link proves truer.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Magic Number

I'd totally forgotten that since 2005, baseball postseasons are not that big in Chicago. Remember in 1983 as then Sox methodically erased games @ a time off of the magic number as they clinched the Western Division on 17 September? The end came dizzyingly fast that year - my homemade Magic Number Counter bored me quickly as the lead was extended to a record in the old four division setup for games ahead @ the end of the season (20).

But since the Sox won in in 2005, everything is taken for granted. I assume. Although the Tribune has been keeping us updated on the other teams magic number - it stands @ six - I can only assume that the greatness of this years Sox team precludes that paper from also running the Sox's magic number. We have gotten the other teams number every day - but I have to use my own math ability to come up with the new Sox clinching number every day. Are people sick of the Sox's success? Maybe the staff @ the Trib just isn't smart enough to tabulate both scores. That could be true, because I actually read the Tribune and have a good knowledge of the papers deal. That would certainly explain their ediitorial policy.

Well, I'm glad the Tribune has taken this postseason for granted for the South side team. I must amidt that it look slike it's going to go down to the final weekend to determine the winner in the AL's Central. Luckily, the Trib has full cnfidence in the team. Unless Mariotti is hired.

By the way, it's 12.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Shouting and Screaming

Finally, after about seventy twists laster, I actually got to use those Friday nite Rainout Soix tix on Sunday. Because for the 12, 735th time I left myn lites on and was not jumped till the afternoon, I missed one of those most beautiful things in life + a natural doubleheader +. It was the first for me since August 2000. I went only to the second game, and was of course treated to something that can only be equaled by a women who loves to danse = that'd be the go ahead run in the bottom of the eight @ Comiskey. Of course, the seven run comeback by the visting team came before it, but all's well that ends well.

And - it was a shouting screaming game. Because of the hurriane remenants that dropped our area into monsoon hello's, the sell outs the Sox had -a nd were rained out of Friday nite and Saturday nie = were turned into a tiny 8,000 type crowd for the Sunday double header. It was strange to see so few people @ a game - I rememer one 33 degree game -v- somebody in the mid Ninties where there was even less - maybe 1000 for the whole game. Of course, growing up in the Seventies and Eighties there were plenty of like crowds in Old Comisky and Old Wrigley* - not to forget the Sting and, truth be told, the Bulls**.

It takes fucked weather to deliver the kind of platform in which my bellowing can take center stage. In addition to that Sox game, possibly my greatest bellowing game was a chicago Storm indoor socer game which was played during ablizzard. We got 20 tickets or so for free, so it was Good Kixx, my sister, mybe even Sandra, and 10 kids - we all had ours. We 15 people maybe made u 5% of the crowd that nite @ the UIC Pavilion. Ideal weather donditions for a russian assualt on nazi positions in rusia and for an alour assault by my voice.

As the Storm were winning that game, we started to get real loud. Well, maybe not we, but i did. I forget most of what I delivered that nite, but an alltime classic was the following = and remember, there was a porfessional indoor soccer game going on : "CLEVELAND. THE STORM HAVE WON THE GAME. YOU HAVE NO POSSIBILITY OF VICTORY. IT IS TIE FOR YOU TO NOW SURRENDER TO THE STORM BEFORE ANYMORE GOALS ARE SCORED ON YOU. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO....IS WALK AWAY".....and this went on for the whole end of the game. With 300 others inattendence. Adn every fucking sylobal (sic) heard by everyone.

With that major success in mind - but an upperdeck seat @ coniskey and w/ 8,000 in attendence (meaning lots of white noise to kut into my projection), I staretd to bellow. S usual, there were the first quizzical looks behind fro fans in front to see "What the fuck was racketing all that shit?" Always happens. Then the laughter. And then there were two other squads piping in and supporting each other. Of course I was the loudest, but similar yahoo's ahead and behind me all pitched in the whole game. The guys in back yelling "Cut yr hair, magglio!", I started to yell out "HIPPY!!!". It was great - we supported each other, and of course entertained the fans.

There were many great quotes b me, if I may write. And I remember none of them. Except, winning 7-0, i started inon the "DETROIT. THE GAME IS OVER. YOU HAVE LOST. OZZIE IS WAITING WITH THE INSTRUMNTS OF SURRENDER FOR YOU TO SIGN. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK AWAY." Lots of laughter. And then, Detroit actually scored 7 runs to tie it in the eight. When the Sox came up to the plate, just having lost a 7 run lead,, I kept on: "DETROIT. THE GAME IS OVER. YOU HAVE LOST....... "

But it all ended well. Dwayne Wise, the grannie in the bottom of the 8th @ comisky. Dansing girls, where are you??
..............................
*= that'd be the pre Yuppie days, when the neighbourhood was still gay and Peurto Rican.

*=that last pre Jordan season they drew somewhere around 4, 700 per game - about 1/3 the Sting did @ the old Chicago Stadium.

Monday, September 08, 2008

byes

I, probably alone amongst all Sox fans the worldwide over, actually liked Jay Mariotti. Oh, he had problems, fer sure - but overall, I ususally checked out at least what he was writing about if I didn't read the article.

But boy, did people hate him. They just hated the dude. And I'm not talking about Ozzie and the rest of the boys - I'm talking about the people he worked with. Seems he was slightly less well- behaved than Barry Bonds and Albert Belle combined. In the week that followed his leaving the Sun Times, it was funny as hell reading the .......'tributes' that his co-workers wrote about his departure. Each one a rip job on him. Here is Roger Ebert's, and here is neil Steinberg. I know it's bad when there is human dissention, but shit read that stuff about him - how would you like to have to work in the desk next to that guy.

Oh oh, the Sox hated him too- his deep hatred of the team always showed in his articles. So -it's summer, and 20 out of every 21 columns are about the Cubs. The other one was his once every three weeks rip job on the Sox. I'd read them - the Sox articles, mainly, as the stunningly deep disparity in his coverage of the two teams generally shyed me away from his coloums the last few years - what Sox fan wants to read a rip job on the team by a Cubs fan?? Or rather, what would be the point?

Possibly the funniest Jay mentions are in books about the White Sox. In both Richard Roepers fantastic Sox and the City and Phil Rogers Say it's So, the writers gleefully track Jay's take on the 2005 team. Of course we have hindsite, but I'm pretty sure Jay was trying his best to get the Sox to lose even as Uribe's throw was crossing the infield to record the last out of the 2005 World Series. The constatnt tracking of "The Sox suck" and "The Sox will collapse" and "This is the biggest chock job or all time" and other jayisms is deeply funny.

As I said, I was interested in Jays take on most stuff. Buulls, hawks, bears, Cubs, etc etc etc... However, I had stopped taking him seriously for several years now. Should his hatred of the Sox actually affected his writing so much? I think not. His hatred for the team really ruined him in my eyes. Why bother reading Cubs fan diatribes on the Sox? Jay's was such.

But I must amidt I did want to read his take on the Bears last nite. What - Is aid I read him.....oh, I said I liked him.....well, wahtever.......good luck Jay.