On To Florida

Mike Steadman, Sox Super Fan
Some twenty years after the White Sox franchise almost abandoned Chicago’s southside to move to St. Pete, the team returns to face the Rays in their first postseason appearance.  Games 1 and 2 will be played in Tropicana Field; formerly known as the Suncoast Dome, a venue built specifically to lure a relocated major league team.  The Sox and Jerry Reinsdorf publicly flirted with Florida officials in the late 1980’s until the Illinois legislature voted to use public funds to build New Comiskey Park.  As it turned out, no baseball franchise decided to up and move until the Montreal Expos in 2005.  Luckily for the thirty or so baseball fans in central Florida, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were created as an expansion franchise in time for the 1998 season.

But before delving into what should be an excited playoff series I think Sox Nation is entitled to a day of celebration and giving thanks for a heck of a conclusion to the regular season.  And so I give thanks to:

John Danks- I don’t think Sox fans are missing Brandon McCarthy much anymore.  A stellar eight shutout innings propelled the Sox to a victory in the only one-game playoff in their long history.

Ken Williams- Deserves many kudos for building this team after last season’s disaster but also deserves particular credit for the then unpopular moves to obtain John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

Jim Thome- Has that home run landed yet?

Bobby Jenks- I haven’t seen the White Sox closer hit 99mph on the radar gun in a long time.  Maybe he hasn’t since the ‘05 World Series.  Bobby will be a force to reckon with if the Sox can get him a ninth inning lead during the playoffs.

Mark Buehrle- A strong performance on Monday allowed the Sox a chance last night.  Also deserves credit for raining sunflower seeds on his manager while Ozzie Guillen was being interviewed in the dugout between innings on national television.

White Sox Nation- You looked impressive and intimitading in black.  It also made you appear slimmer.  Keep up the good work.