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.

Rose to 7 yr old - I've seen more of Dimaggio's Cock than Marilyn

Gregg Doyel has a priceless article about Pete Rose swearing to 7 year olds and telling them how he saw Joe Dimaggio's cock. Priceless.

The Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century: Jackie Robinson

Sometimes, MLB and ESPN really get things right. The all day celebration of Jackie Robinson Day today was made even more poignant with the backdrop of the declining numbers of African American players entering the Major Leagues. It is hard to imagine today, but almost two decades before the Black Panthers, two decades before Martin Luther King, two decades before Selma, Jackie Robinson forced baseball, no, forced America to reevaluate itself and its promise. That just cannot be understated.

One thing that Jackie Robinson Day definitely did was educate people about the incredible accomplishments of Jackie Robinson. It is worth noting that not only was he great at baseball, tennis, football and track and field. In my opinion, he was an even greater athlete than Jim Brown.

In 1935, Robinson graduated from Dakota Junior High School and enrolled in John Muir High School ("Muir Tech"). There he played on various Muir Tech sport teams, and lettered in four of them. He was a shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, a quarterback on the football team, a guard on the basketball team, and a member of the tennis team and the track and field squad. He won awards in the broad jump.

In 1936, he captured the junior boys singles championship in the annual Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament, starred as quarterback, and earned a place on the annual Pomona baseball tournament all-star team, which included future Major League Baseball Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Bob Lemon. The next year, Jackie played for the high school's basketball team. That year, the Pasadena Star-News newspaper reported on the young Robinson.

After leaving Muir, Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College and played both football and baseball. He played quarterback and safety for the football team, shortstop and leadoff batter for the baseball team, and participated in the broad jump.

In 1938, he was elected to the All-Southland Junior College (baseball) Team and selected as the region's Most Valuable Player. On February 4, 1939, he played his last basketball game at Pasadena Junior College. Thereupon Robinson was awarded a gold pin and was named to the school's "Order of the Mast and Dagger.”

To add insult to injury, Jackie served his country in the Military during World War Two and upon his return was not allowed to play in the Major Leagues. Finally, in 1947, Jackie joined the Dogders. For two years he said nothing about the deplorable conditions blacks faced in this country. Such was his deal with the Dodgers.

Finally, he was allowed to play in the Major Leagues and quickly won Rookie of the year in 1947, was a Six time All-Star. Three years into his career he won the NL batting title and the League MVP. This was truly a great American Athlete, and an even greater American who deserves to have everyone remember his legacy.

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Still the suffering addict in denial, Pete Rose continues to dig a hole with no end in sight. Now stating on D.P's show that he bet on "every" Reds game as manager, he continues to distort, deflect and deviate from his own story.

His purpose for now using the every game technique is a poor attempt to strengthen his position. By going with the every game model, he can say that he didn't manipulate the rotation, batting order etc. So Rose has now gone the distance from denying any gambling with baseball to wagering on every game. Why does he continue to bother you ask, because he is still displaying the classic signs of an addict=lying and manipulating.

Remember Pete Rose was Mr. Baseball in the 70's and 80's. Ripkin's adulation was only a fraction of that for Rose as a player. Rose embodied the hustle, determination, and unselfish play fans ate up. I still believe that Rose should be in the hall of fame for his numbers as a player. His activities as a manager should be held separately from those of his playing days.

As I've said before in a few posts, timing is often very important in life. Pete Rose had very poor luck in the timing department following his unseemly disclosure. He faced an obtuse Bart Giammati who would not bend. Then with Bart's death, the bottom fell out with the Dowd report.

For Rose its been a fool's play from the beginning. In America its forgive and forget. The best move for Rose from the start of this mess would have been to admit his mistake, entering gambling rehab and beg for forgiveness. One and done-end of story. But this Rose by any other name is a Fool.

Sammy's Back!

With the news of Mark McGwire's recent Hall of Fame rejection fresh in our minds, recent reports have Sammy Sosa, yes that Sammy Sosa, being offered a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.

"Sammy came across as hungry and humble, just looking for an opportunity," Daniels said. "We're not placing any expectations on the situation. It's a second chance for him."

This seems like a desperate move, but as we know, the Rangers and Sosa have a history together. This is low risk, but why the fuck would you try to fix your mistake from 1989 now? Especially now that he is 38 and probably unable to hit over .175?

And in other baseball news...

Zambrano, who was paid only $6.5 million in 2006, is asking for a reasonable $15.5 million in 2007. The Cubs are offering $11.025 million. That's quite a gap. DCS was on top of this topic back in December. It's going to impossible for Hendry to convince Zambrano that he should be paid less than Ted Lilly. Frankly, I'm embarrassed that Hendry offered this amount to Big Z. He should just bite the bullet and get him signed to a long term contract before opening day now. You know you are going to pay him, just do it now and move on to other things.

The White Sox and Joe Crede, bad back and all, have agreed to $5 Million to avoid arbitration. That seems like a reasonable price, one that even Mr. Far could get behind.

Finally, next year is going to be last year of Yankee Stadium, the new $1 billion dollar ballpark will go up in 2009, so MLB is giving the seventies citadel one last hurrah by hosting the All-Star game there in 2008. They aren't going to blow up the stadium like Shea, but the Yankees won't play there anymore.

Less than a month before pitchers and catchers report...