Friday, October 03, 2008

Sox and Cubs

I'd forgotten that this years Chicago doublentries into the baseball playoffs are both performing a tribute to the playoff performance of the 1983 White Sox. Love those key HR's given up, those bases loaded situations where nobody gets home, and players screaming @ the other team.

Both teams - no doubt about it -are facing tough opponents. But these performances? The Cubs have been worse, and are in a lot of danger now. No Cub hating here, as the Sox have suxxed as well - just a realization that a Chicago Series is sadly slipping into the gutter and both teams have been deeply pathetic. The Cubs are too good a team to be swept - or even not advance from the first round.

The Sox, after a stirring few days this week, still have a bit of life. One loss, when they wanted only one of two in Florida, is ok. They have @ least one game @ Comiskey on Sunday. And, maybe most importantly, they got Vasquez out of the way. The next three starters are Burlhe, Danks, and Floyd - and, if a fifth game is needed, then I believe it should be - i'm changing my vote - Richard the Rookie. Vasquez is a nice #5 starter, but we need better for this series.

Both teams need better. yeesh.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Pathetic!


Horrible, Horrible!!! To continue last years futile playoff attempts, the Cub were lifeless again last night against L.A.D. Aside from Derosa's wind aided HR, they showed no life. Dempster had his worst outing of the year with 7 walks, Marshall looked ok, and Marquis continued his early outing fade.

There must be desperation on the field today. It is must win tonight. Let's hope Big Z can respond. The Dodgers did what they came here to do- steal a game. Pitching is vital, but the Cub can never seem to hit in the playoffs. What's also obvious is that Marquis cannot be middle relief- he takes forever to warm up.

Its do or die tonight, coming back from 0-2 is virtually impossible. Lets hope Zambrano has his head screwed on straight.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

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.

.......................................
*=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.

Let's Get It On!


Congrats to NW Indiana's team for making the playoffs tonight. What we now have is historic. Both city teams in the going for their respective pennants at the same time. Though the routes look different- all you have to do is get in and its a new ballgame. The Cub cakewalked in while the Sox fought and won a dogfight.

Will the dream of a Northside vs. Southside be realized? It all starts tomorrow and every pitch counts. Tonights Sox game was simply a preview of why playoff baseball is the greatest sport around-nothing can compare.

What would a Cubs vs Sox series offer? Finality!!!