Back To Business

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan

Now that all the Interleague silliness is behind us its time for the Sox to focus on the AL Central. First up are the floundering Cleveland Indians; a team that was a whisker away from the World Series a season ago but now is preparing to write off 2008. As the World’s Last Baseball Traditionalist I look forward to these divisional matchups more than Cubs vs. Sox, The Crosstown Classic, The Subway Series, or whatever else people have been calling it.

But since you brought it up fare reader this past weekend is certainly worth remarking on. I’m sure all Sox fans were happy to even up the annual (and all-time) series against the Northsiders. I for one was not expecting a Sox sweep (see my last post), but when the bats get hot this team is very tough. And the intensity of the series is fun for the fans of both teams. Its never dull. I had to laugh when Pinella came storming out of the dugout to (correctly) argue that Crede struck out in the 2nd. Sweet Lou has been in the game for a long time; he had to know that he would get tossed for arguing balls and strikes.

Despite my traditionalist stance I have to admit Cubs-Sox is something special for all the Joe 12-Pack Chicago fans like myself. I attended the very first Chicago interleague series at Sox Park back in ‘97. I cannot remember ever being so invested in the outcome of a regular season baseball game.  All of us for years whether at school, church, jail were forced to defend our Sox Fanhood (is that a real word?)
from the ever present and expanding Cub Nation.  And I’m sure some Cub fans had to deal with the same sort of resentment…you know….if that Cub fan lived in Canaryville maybe.  So as I originally said, sure it was fun but I’m glad regular old American League baseball is back.  Besides, for the Cubs and Sox to meet again in ‘08 there’s work left to be done.

Kiss those Blues away…

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan

I am fresh back from my Cancun vacation and I could not have asked for a better homecoming.  The Sox put on a show which will not soon be forgotten.  The pitching and defense along with some timely homers overcame the National League’s best team.  This not only held up the American League’s dominance and the Sox first place lead, but it made half a city extremely happy and proud.

It was hard to describe my mood after the Sox were swept in Wrigley.  I also knew that the south side would have a chance at redemption, and with a red hot Minnesota Twins team on the move, there would be no room for error.  I feel that the slumps (Thome, Cabrera, Swisher, Buerhle, Konerko, etc.) may be at their end.  If this is true then the rest of league is in trouble- they have already been impressed with the Sox starting rotation and bullpen.  Now they may be complete with a lineup we already knew could be feared and put up runs like a pinball machine.

Hold on to your seats Sox fans- this will be an exciting second half which may end the same way we saw the Cubs-Sox series end…

Duck And Cover

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan
Well Sox fans lets be glad last weekend is over. If that was a ten game series over at The Shrine-That’s Also Known as Wrigley Field I’m not sure our South Side Heroes would have taken one. Sometimes in life you just run into a screeching buzzsaw and strangely enough this particular buzzsaw happened to be the Chicago Cubs.

Its odd to talk about The Cub in that way. But in 2008 at least it seems to be true. They are playing like an absolute powerhouse as opposed to a band of Lovable Losers. It also appears to be a superior club than their playoff teams of last year, 2003, and 1998. Those squads relied on weak National League Central competition nearly as much as their starting pitching or lineup. But I sure don’t see the 2008 version limping into the playoffs with 88 or 89 wins; in fact a .500 record the rest of the way would put them at 91.

These Cubs even seem more dominant than the excellent 1984 team. Sure they were a good team but did they really scare anyone?. I mean how could you with guys called “Penguin” and with that super-lame Jody Davis song? There’s sure no Cubbie Cuteness this year. I’d be scared to be on the field against these guys. When Aramis Ramirez isn’t absolutely killing the ball he spends his spare time fighting poultry. Carlos Zambrano is dominant on the mound and at the plate and is also known for pummeling his own catcher. I heard Ryan Theriot chases neighborhood kids when they step on his lawn. Okay, I made that last one up. But you get my point. Its not a Cub team to mock but one for a Sox fan to fear. Not only to fear this coming weekend but very likely in October as well. Duck and cover Sox fans, we may be in for a very long autumn.

I’m Back Like DeWayne Wise

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan

Super Fan here, sure is nice to speak to you all again. I’m back from Tennessee and ready to talk some Sox. Its a strange experience in this hyper-connected world we live in to step away from it all. I was out of town for nearly five days with no computer, cordless telephone, or color television. I felt like I was on the moon. Now I come back to earth only to learn that R. Kelly got acquitted, Iowa is underwater, and the Sox have lost five of six. The latter calamity is by far the most trivial, yet its what I get not paid to talk about here…so much more on the Sox later.

First though I have to come clean with you my fair readers. I was not at a music festival in Tennessee for purposes of research for this blog. I hope the kind folks at NBC-Universal don’t get too upset about this little deception, but I don’t think they would have let me expense the trip anyway. No I was there to listen to a whole mess of different bands, drink heroic amounts of beer in the blazing hot sun, and to generally behave like I am not actually a grown adult. But I did make one important observation there. This observation came after I saw probably fifty or so people wearing Yankees or Red Sox gear. And it was much after I saw literally hundreds of folks with blue hats with the little “c” on them. My ground-breaking observation was that there in Nowhere, Tennessee I spotted one whole person wearing a White Sox t-shirt. Like out of 80,000 people there. Way far away from the South Side of Chicago. Its really great news everybody…White Sox Nation is spreading like wildfire. I hope my little blog had something to do with it. I wanted to go up and talk to this guy and see if he is a reader but he was all sweaty and I think he spilled beer all over most of his clothes. Well I hope it was beer.

Well I promised you some insightful White Sox analysis and I have lied once again. I haven’t watched the Sox the last six games so I’m having a cold one and enjoying tonight’s broadcast. Let’s talk about it soon.

Sipping the Sox Kool-aid

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan

Ok, I admit.  With the Sox latest win streak I was sipping the Sox Kool-aid.  The homers were flying, our hitters were finally waking from their spring sleep, and I saw some motivated and hungry eyes.  Then the Sox went to Detroit and all of that went away.

The White Sox were swept by the Tigers and managed only six runs.  Today was perhaps the worst loss because Mark Buerhle pitched great and our hitters were continously stifled by a gambler only surpassed in age by James Garner.  The Tigers could have put Johnny Chan on the mound today and still would have beat the Sox.  Every swing was an uppercut and led to pop-ups and flyouts.

This further supports my claim for a speed player.  The Sox can score so many runs with this lineup when all is right.  1 thru 9 they look as tough as any top team but when they are slumping, which is happening all too often, they still lack a player who can create trouble with speed and stolen bases.  A speed player can get on base and turn walks or singles into doubles and triples.  In games such as our 2-1 loss today, this player could have turned the tide earlier and put 1 or 2 runs on the board.

I hate to play the laptop GM but I will attempt to throw a few names out there:

Brian Roberts.  This speedy 2B can hit well and steal.  He would be a great addition to the top of the lineup but could be pricey.

Bill Hall.  This guy wants off the Brewers, has speed, hits for some power, and maybe some work with Greg Walker will do him some good.  I think he may be had for less.

Kenny Lofton.  He is old but can still bust it out.  He batted .296 last season and had 23 stolen bases.  The best thing- he can be had for nothing!  Sign this free agent!

If the inconsistency continues I hope Kenny Williams has a plan to push some speed burner to the top of the order.  Hold on Sox fans- it promises to be a great ride!

Dog Days

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan
Summer has arrived and so have the White Sox it seems. One of the funny things about baseball is that it has the longest season but it doesn’t seem so. What I mean is that its hard to pick up the long view at times…especially when the team you follow is performing either very well or very awful. Watching the Sox tear through this past seven game homestand its easy to picture a division championship and October baseball on the southside this fall. I mean, only the elite teams can hit like that right? And our pitching has been excellent all season. Are the pieces not in place?

Sitting ten games over .500 Its easy to forget that series down in St. Pete about 10 days ago. Remember? I think our manager had some interesting comments following that one. The reality of course is that the White Sox are likely a team somewhere in the middle. Not as good as we’ve been the last week and not as bad and frustrating as some of our low points thus far. 162 is a heck of a lot of games and there are still nearly 100 left to be played. My concerns with this team remain…it is an aging, terribly slow lineup that is extremely dependent on the long ball.

But I will tentatively go out on a limb on one point. If the rest of the AL Central has a losing record the rest of the way I think the Sox should finish on top. How’s that for a bold prediction? Even with the Pale Hose tearing the cover off the ball this past week I still believe the AL Central’s collective awfulness is the best thing Sox Nation has going.

RANDOM MUSINGS:

- What’s with that “Hottest Fans” contest over at the Times? I would think that with all the terrorism, high oil prices, and West Nile Virus the paper would have more pressing things to cover. I truly think there are many beautiful female spectators at both parks. It just seems to me at Sox games fewer of these attractive women attend unescorted. Maybe a “Leave Your Boyfriend Or Husband At Home” night would be a viable promotion.

- Many rave about the food at White Sox Park. I’m not quite on board. Its pretty good, don’t get me wrong…and far superior to any other sporting venue in the area. But on my way to a game I can get a cheaper, better Polish Sausage at the Maxwell Street stands off the Ryan near Roosevelt. It also comes with fries. I have a friend who is really into eating “Dipping Dots” at the game. I don’t understand the appeal.

- Why don’t they have “Old Timer” games anymore? When I was a youngster they’d play them at least once a year before a day’s scheduled Sox game. I can’t remember any such games since the New Park opened in ‘91. It would be fun to see some old favorites back in action. Heck…you’d have four position spots filled off our current coaching staff with Guillen, Walker, Baines, and Cora. Are today’s middle aged former Sox more lazy than the “Old Timers” of old?

Well that’s enough tomfoolery for now. I won’t be writing for a few days as I am off tomorrow to the Bonnaroo festival in rural Tennessee. Trust me it is purely in a research capacity for this blog. I hope to see many of you there.

Sweet smell of Soxess!

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan

As I sit in front of the computer writing this post I cannot help but to smirk with the feeling attributed to the success of the White Sox.  I feel pride that our team is the hottest in baseball- we are in first place by the largest margine in MLB.  I walk with triuphant swagger. 

The Sox have dealt with many issues this year: a slumping offense, Ozzie rants, injuries, and blowup dolls.  They have been able to deal with adversity and beat it down.   Our veterans have held their heads up.  The pitching staff has continued to impress.  And Ozzie has been able to motivate and push this team up to its true potential. 

I will be watching to make sure our Sox continue domination over the AL Central, of whom they have gone 21-8 against.  They need to go into Detroit and take care of more local business before heading onto interleague play.

Also going to dispell two myths.  The first one is that the AL Central is weak: considering Detroit and Cleveland both own winning records outside of the division, I believe it to be false.  Also I have heard many talk of the low talent level of our beloved Sox fans of the female persuasion.  I will just let this picture speak for itself:

Not just talented but they have great taste as well!

Thoughts From The Draft

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan

So I caught some of the amateur baseball draft on ESPN the other afternoon. It was on while I was getting my hair cut. Thankfully the sound was off so I didn’t have to listen to Master Of Ceremonies Bud Selig. Actually this would have been an ideal assignment for Erin Andrews but I think she was busy covering competitive spelling for some reason. Well the Commish appeared pretty pleased with himself, probably because the MLB draft was on live television to begin with.

Unlike the NFL or the NBA, it is extraordinarily rare for a baseball draftee to have an immediate impact on a big league team. The vast majority of the young players profiled by ESPN will spend the next several years laboring in obscurity in such outposts as Appleton, Wisconsin; Davenport, Iowa; and Peoria, Illinois; before anyone will see them suited up at 35th and Shields or another big league intersection.

Also unlike the NBA foreign-based players aren’t eligible for the MLB draft. So while I’m as hopeful as the next guy that Gordon Beckham will become the next Luis Aparicio or even the next Ozzie Guillen I’d bet my next NBC-Universal paycheck that there’s a better shortstop toiling away somewhere in Latin America right now just waiting to be discovered by a shady pro scout.

My point being is that its next to impossible to judge the Sox’s or any other team’s draft until years down the road. One pick that did raise my eyebrows was the 6th round selection of Wichita State outfielder Kenneth Williams. That’s right, that’s the same Kenneth Williams who was sired by our talented and cranky General Manager Ken Williams. Its certainly not my place to cry nepotism at this pick. Maybe K. Williams was the best player on the board at Round 6. Maybe Big K. Williams recused himself from all scouting discussions regarding Little K. Williams. But we are of course aware this is Chicago and talent and merit aren’t always the end all be all here. Sometimes its called the “Chicago Way”.

To quote a line from Big Richard J. Daley, “If a man can’t put his arms around his sons, then what kind of world is this?” Indeed. Well congrats and best wishes to Gordon Beckham, Kenneth Williams, and all of the newest White Sox. I hope you enjoy Winston-Salem, and I hope you all can hit better than Swisher.

Best looking fans? SOUTH SIDE

Cait Higgins, Sox Superfan

Excuse my fangirldom, but oooooh I’m still alllliiivvvveeee…

Alright. With the Pearl Jam singing out of my system, I will start getting down to business. I’ve been busy getting jobs and internships (scary) so please excuse my absence.

I love how the Sox have been played off recently like we’ve suddenly dropped behind the Royals in our division. I love how people are asking what’s wrong with us when we drop 3 in a row. As much as I hate to see us lose, it’s not the end of the world. I know the Twins are creeping up on us, but we are still in first place. I guess it’s Chicago’s Cubbie hangover; they think they’re the only team in town! I’ve been more than happy to look in my Sun Times to see that Mariotti hasn’t written a bad word about us in what seems like forever (but, I bet it’s been about a week).

I am really excited to see that Quentin is leading the write in votes for the All Star Game! We did it for AJ and for Pods, why not Q?! He has been an absolute Godsend for this team. Hopefully he will keep up the good work.

Sweeping the Royals has to be a huge morale booster in the clubhouse. How nice was it to see Thome, Swish, and Paulie get homers in the same game? These guys have been struggling lately, and it was nice to see them come through with the power hits. We played a great game last night. Get ahead and stay ahead. It’s what we need to keep doing, especially since the Twins are coming into town! I always get nervous when they come to town. Keeping the bats going and keeping Javy and Buehrle’s confidence up will be key. Let’s beat them down so they stay behind us!

Finally, in the Sun Times, they were showing pictures of Sox fans vs the dreaded Cubs “fans” and asked which team had the better looking fans? Obviously we know the answer, so I urge all the hot Sox fans to send in their pictures to the Sun Times!

Ozzie rants, ozzie motivates

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan

Yet once again MLB gets to see the master motivator at work.  The White Sox had been baseball’s version of erectile dysfunction- unable to get the wood up.  With the amount of great pitching, defense, and low scoring losses, someone was bound to snap.  Let that be Ozzie.

Ozzie finally abstractly put the team on red alert.  Everyone’s effort was called into question from the GM to the coaches, players, and Ozzie of course always leaves himself responsible.  Many heard his words and misconstrued them to be throwing others under the bus.  If they would truly listen they would have heard him shouldering the load and doing what it takes to create a fire and motivation for an underachieving bunch.  He is right to be angry and disappointed even though the Sox find themselves in first place- they should own the best record in baseball with the pitching they have received.

The Sox responded in grand fashion as they beat up on Kansas City by scoring 21 runs.  Our boppers finally broke out as Jim Thome and Paul Konerko hit homers to boost us to an extra inning win on Wednesday night.  The offense is back firing and I thank you Ozzie.

Also going to send a big congrats out to Kenny Williams as we received our shortstop of the future in the MLB draft- Gordon Beckham.  It was great to see him drop down to the eighth pick and I cannot wait to see that future double play tandem of Beckham and Alexei Ramirez (who was fantastic by the way in the Kansas City series) though we are probably about three years away from that. 

Keep swinging the hot sticks and thank you Greg Walker and Ozzie!