White Sox!

[Steve 'StatMan']

Changing Sox for the World Series! Woooh! Hooooh!!!!

Amazing, the 4th complete game win! Last 3 won in L.A./Anaheim! Didn't even need the great bullpen! Woooaaa!

To Boldly Go where a Chicago Baseball Team hasn't been in 46 years! But this is clearly no ordinary Chicago Baseball Team!

[headhawg]

What a great feeling!! :jump:

Amid all of the umpire controversy, I truly believe that the White Sox would have won this series regardless. The pitching performance was more reminiscent of a game in the '50s than one in 2005. I was surprised to see Ozzie leave Contreras out there as long as he did as I didn't think that he had his best stuff and pitched from behind in the count too much. But it sure as hell looks like Ozzie knows what he's doing.

Go White Sox.

[Valuist]

Its refreshing to not see the Larussa-sized micromanaging approach of using 8 relievers to pitch to 8 hitters. I believe that type of managing inevitably will burn out a bullpen. Looks like those Cards won't even get to the series this year. Actually I'd kind of like to see them get there so the Sox could take them down.

[andicap]

ALthough I'm a die-hard Yankee fan I'm not displeased to see the Sox finally make it -- I'll be rooting very hard for them. I have some ties to Chicago and have been to both the old and new Sox park.
Let me tell you -- the old Comisky Park was much much better then the new US Cellular Field. Man what a disappointment for a new park!

Anyway I really like watching these Sox. Pitching, defense, speed, timely hitting -- and all without Frank Thomas. If they play Houston it will be an interesting matchup of fairly similar teams although it seems the Sox have a bit more team speed and Houston a bit more starting pitching (although the Sox starters have been lights out lately).

The bullpens could decide this Series if the Astros wrap it up.

I think the Sox are on such a roll from the end of the season they seem a team of destiny this year.

[headhawg]

ALthough I'm a die-hard Yankee fan I'm not displeased to see the Sox finally make it -- I'll be rooting very hard for them. I have some ties to Chicago and have been to both the old and new Sox park.
Let me tell you -- the old Comisky Park was much much better then the new US Cellular Field. Man what a disappointment for a new park!

Please don't remind me. :(

[Valuist]

That old park had a lot of problems, especially all the poles that would block the views. True the new park isn't perfect; its a somewhat sterile environment and has a steep upper deck. I also think it draws a bit different clientele than the old park, which was known for drunks and brawls in the stands. At least there is plenty of parking now, the food is good and the washrooms are clean. The park on the North side certainly can't say that about the parking or the washrooms.

[toetoe]

Valuist,

Speaking of Angry Man La Russa, where is his favorite arsonist, Ray King? I would pay to see him face Barry Bonds every night. I haven't heard anything about Uncle Ray. D. L. perhaps?

[Valuist]

Probably.

I think that overuse is part of why they were swept last year. Boston may have been the better team but StL shouldn't have gotten swept.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Anybody got the odds?

[falconridge]

Anybody got the odds?Like the Chisox since they traded away the slugging Polish-American first baseman who bashed two homers in the '59 series opener, I'm Klu-less.

Go-go, Sox.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Wow! Close one tonight. Thankfully they never lost the lead, and held it well late. Glad to know the Bullpen is quite ready with no rust from lack of use! Way to smoke 'em Big Bobby! Pheww! 3 more wins to go!

[Steve 'StatMan']

Man! Thought we had it with Konerko's Grand Slam! Can't believe Posednick hit it out again in the post season! Great when the 'small ball' players can suddenly go 'long' too.

Astros got to Big Bobby Jenks late tonight. The invincible Lidge got taken yard in his last outing in a tough loss. What a time to do it again in the World Series! Whoo!

Still gotta win two more. Changing Sox! Changing Sox!

[headhawg]

I'm still in shock over that dramatic win! What a roller coaster ride of a game -- high - low - and then high again. I'm also sick and tired of hearing about all of the "breaks" the Sox are getting as if those breaks caused the White Sox to win. Paulie hit a screamer for his dinger, and Pods hit his off of Brad Lidge, arguably the best closer in the N.L.

In response all I have to say is "Don't stop believin'". (God I hate that song.) Ok, strike that. How about "Two more wins". Yeah, that's better.

Go Sox!

[Steve 'StatMan']

Yes, in this case of the 'break' Sunday night, that pitch was way inside on a 3-2 count, and if there is no contact, he walks the batter. It would have been a lucky break for the Astros to have had the pitch miss inside and still be ruled that it hit the bat and was a foul ball, instead of a walk, or hitting the batter. Yet the Astros still could have stopped them, but instead Konerko hits the Grand Slam(!) on the first pitch, I believe. Truly Uh-May-Zing! Put It On The Board......YES!

[Valuist]

Bad calls are a part of the game. No question the ball hit the bat but this wouldn't be the first time an umpire missed a call. I think the catcher's glove may have screened the umpire out and he went on sound.

[cj]

Bad calls are a part of the game. No question the ball hit the bat but this wouldn't be the first time an umpire missed a call. I think the catcher's glove may have screened the umpire out and he went on sound.

Certainly not the first time, but the Sox sure are way, way on the positive side of the ledger this post season. The Ghost of Shoeless Joe?

Couldn't he have asked for help? Or maybe he did and the first base ump blew it?

[Valuist]

He could've but the base umps are 90 feet down the line. I don't think they could tell whether it hit the bat or not.

I'm sure we'll now here the debate on replay. I like it in the NFL but I'm not sure I'd want to see it in baseball.

[cj]

I think it would be a lot more conclusive in baseball than it is in the NFL. No real reason not to that I can see.

There is a huge debate in the UK right now over whether or not replay should be used for calling off sides.

[toetoe]

Ex-Giants in playoffs:

AJP ... Nice to have a lefty bat in lineup, but G's got a marvelous season from MMeth.
JVizc ... Hit or no hit, don't miss him.
JTav ... Rubber arm, but hard to make pitches with head up rectum.
R. Sanders ... Four years beyond done. LaRussa must look at his lineup come playoffs time and wonder WTF?
J. Brower ... Scapegoat for G's woes, but was good for them, not too good for Braves(?)

I must be leaving some out. Any other teams well represented by formers?

[toetoe]

Hawg,

I think Journey are from the BA, my old stomping grounds. I am ashamed, kinda like how 'Friends' makes me feel for being white.

[falconridge]

I must be leaving some out. Any other teams well represented by formers?You had to know this was coming, toe, right down to my choosing to parse your last sentence as I have (rather than "any other teams well-represented by ex-G's?" Former Pittsburgh Pirates on playoff rosters:

BOSOX: Adam Hyzdu--ages ago, 1st-round draft pick by G's; .229 career batter with 229" hole in his swing.
Tim Wakefield--broke in as position player with the Steel City Nine; dealt when Bucs knuckled under to financial pressure.
Bronson Arroyo--showed promise, grit, talent; didn't fit in with Bucs' player profile; dealt for sore-armed never-was rp.

NYY: Tony Womack--debuted with Corsairs; fine lead-off hitter, middle infielder; dealt to Arizona for rights to beachfront Maricopa Co. condo.

StL: Abraham O. Nunez--career light-hitting utility player, ph for Buccos; stepped up game for Redbirds.
Jeff Suppan--pitched consecutive cg shutouts during lone season in Allegheny County.
Julian Taveras, Reggie Sanders--see toetoe post re ex-Giants.

HOU: Phil Garner--dubbed "Scrap Iron" for sterling stint with 1979 WS Champions.

SD: Joe Randa--all he ever did for Buccos was hit .300.
Brian Giles--value plus; in past decade and a half, the only great deals Bucs' management made involved BG--stolen from Indians for R. Rincon, brought quality players in swap with SD (RotY Jason Bey & lefty fireballer O. Perez)

[toetoe]

No, I meant any teams well represented in playoffs by former anybodies. As to G's, my fave is still DLew. He went an entire season errorless before that was even cool. An error virgin. I think he was sent off in the (holding my nose here) Deion Sanders trade. It wasn't enough that Felon Delon, or whatever the nickname is, tainted my beloved Niners' championship in 1994/95. Now he was coming to my BASEBALL team. Find this guy a bobsled team somewhere, somebody.
Wasn't Royce Clayton, the double threat --- fair fielder, absolutely inept hitter --- with the ChiSox for years? Another ex-G.

[headhawg]

Couldn't he have asked for help? Or maybe he did and the first base ump blew it?
I heard Garner say in the post-game press conference that he wanted the home plate ump to ask for help but the ump responded that it was his call.

Hawg,

I think Journey are from the BA, my old stomping grounds. I am ashamed, kinda like how 'Friends' makes me feel for being white.
I don't have anything against Journey per se, but the majority of their songs are on the puss...I mean...pop side of rock.

[Valuist]

Headhawg- LOL re: Journey. Even a local TV anchorman was ripping on Journey.

Wouldn't it be great if the Sox clinched on Saturday? Breeder's Cup during the day, Sox win the WS at night. That's what I call a sportsgasm.

[toetoe]

Another ex-G.: D. Hermanson on the Pale Hose.

[Steve 'StatMan']

What a game! Woooh! Even overcame an umpire boo-boo on the declared Home Run hitting the wrong portion of the wall in the 4th(?) inning.

Game Winning Homer by Jeff Blum, a player the Astros once traded away. Wow! Amazing how those things happen. No, I hadn't heard of him either! Sure have now! :)

First World Series Game in Texas. 14 innings, 5 hours & 41 minutes. Guess everything really IS big in Texas!

Changing Sox! Changing Sox!

[Kreed]

What a game for sure. I'm covering a currency desk today for a pal & I'm
sleep walking from that game now. Ah, its only foreign money at stake, lol.

[Valuist]

I watched thru 11 innings. Had to finally go to bed. Of all people, an ex-Astro hits the GW homer.

[OTM Al]

I've really enjoyed this series so far, but haven't been able to stay awake past 8 innings. Will keep the eyes pried open if the Sox have a lead tonight.

[toetoe]

That guy is a former UCB Golden Bear. Now that the wheels have come off the football wagon, we'll take any good news.

[Kreed]

Actually, the game last night was only long-winded. It was B O R I N G.
Was there any talent apparent in that game? Ay Caramba.

[toetoe]

I think seeing every pitch replayed ad nauseum, every call, pitch or swing second-guessed, every fan reaction shot from the stands ("Look, Junior, the bad guys made an error, let's jump up and down."), the hometown fans standing with two strikes on the first batter of the game, all these things wear us down, even with McCarver muted. Even the fans were subdued in the final, unproductive innings, as if they were exhausted from standing and screaming the whole game long. It was pretty excruciating. They were almost silent, just nervous as hell. Hey, what's that little cartoon character's name? Oscar? Ignatz? The sport wasn't sufficiently dumbed down already? Dot racing is looking not so horrible now.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Hey, what's that little cartoon character's name? Oscar? Ignatz? The sport wasn't sufficiently dumbed down already? Dot racing is looking not so horrible now.

The cartoon character on Fox? "Scooter". Yeah, tough on the knowledgeable fan. Little kids might like it. Of course, it's adults who come up with stuff like that. :bang:

[toetoe]

If the Sox fall to Brandon, just beseech Mr. Selig to reverse the Backe Decision. Apologies to readers younger than 40. Actually, apologies to all.

[Kreed]

I didn't know that Last Nights game marked the 1st Time, the Very 1st Time,
that a World Series Game was played in Texas. Did you know that?

[Steve 'StatMan']

I didn't know that Last Nights game marked the 1st Time, the Very 1st Time,
that a World Series Game was played in Texas. Did you know that?

Yup! First time the Astros made the World Series since they were began as an expansion team in 1962. Texas Rangers have never been in the World Series since the team started as the Expansion Washington Senators in 1961. They moved to Texas in 1972. The original Washington Senators became the Minnesota Twins in 1961, where they eventually won their first World Series.

[Steve 'StatMan']

White Sox! White Sox! We Changed Sox for the World Series!

Ground out the last win. Finally won a playoff game with the Small Ball. Shut out pitching for the last 19 innnings (last 10 of game 3, all of Game 4). Didn't have the big offense in the last game, but they found a way to get it done.

First Baseball Championship for Chicago since 1917. They said the late Harry Carry (one time White Sox, as well as Cubs and Cards announcer) and John F. Kennedy were both born that year! World War I was still being fought, and Woodrow Wilson was President. Yes, been a very long time. My late grandparents were kids back then.

[toetoe]

Another first --- Pedro Martinez as some kind of credit to his race. The only Latino legends he perpetueates are, well, ... no comment, but he's a bad joke. Two more things I forgot in my previous rant about how soporific the whole baseball production has become --- Latino Legends and God Bless America. And now, as I don't Lovett, I'll leave it.

[trying2win]

Congratulations to the people of Chicago. Your Chicago White Sox are the World Series Champions of 2005! I imagine it will be hard to be humble for awhile...LOL.


T2W

[Steve 'StatMan']

88 years of being humbled in baseball, 20 years(!) in the NFL, won't be that hard!

The White Sox have always been the 'Second Team' in Chicago, the majority of the attention goes to the Cubs (Chicago Tribune owns them and WGN TV, who carried nearly all their games for many years, plus some of the White Sox for the last 20-ish years that I recall). Lots of times on WGN, and most of the other TV stations, the lead sports story will feature a good minute on the Cubs loss, and then about 20 seconds on the White Sox win.

I was only half-joking on another board, being a fan of Chicago baseball, starting with the Cubs as a child growing up across the state, and adding an appreciation of the White Sox since moving to Chicagoland: Like the T.V. show Everybody Loves Raymond, the White Sox have been the 'Robert Barone' Team in Chicagoland. At last they really outshined 'Raymond', and hopefully can "Bask in the Love" of most of Chicago. (There are diehards on either side that despise each other, and can't even be happy when one does well - how sad! It's often a real-life but much nastier version of Miller Lite's "Less Filling! - Tastes Great!)

I'm glad too, because 'the bar has been raised' for sports in Chicago now. And with the Red Sox in Boston winning in 1918 and then 2004, and the White Sox winning in 1917 and next 2005, maybe the Cubs will work harder do reach the top rung. They last won in 1908 - before Radio was invented!

[PaceAdvantage]

Congrats Steve! Well earned, and well deserved!

[Valuist]

Well, one losing streak on one side of town out of the way. Maybe this will be enough to motivate the North Siders. Now they have the only real pathetic streak left.

[OTM Al]

Kinda, though Les Expos, er Nationals, and Rangers have been around for some time now and never been. Even though too the Cubs have been so long without a title, I still must hold the position that the most pathetic team of all time is the Phillies. Been around over 100 years and have been to the classic a whole 3 times with 1 win.

[Valuist]

But lets not forget, not only has it been several generations since the Cubs won, its been 60 years since they've even been there, and that was during a war year. Sure, the Cubs have won a number of titles but all pre-1920. Expos and Rangers (and Astros for that matter) are relative newbies.

[OTM Al]

That is certainly true, though at least the Cubs have come close recently. 1984 and 2003 were both crushing blows to the Cubs fan. So close it could be tasted and yet so far away. Poor Expos were tearing up the league in 1994 and then that strike thingee hit. Some teams just have no luck.

[headhawg]

Congratulations to the people of Chicago. Your Chicago White Sox are the World Series Champions of 2005! I imagine it will be hard to be humble for awhile...LOL.


T2W
I'm very happy, but it's a reserved happiness. All those years of hope and/or high expectations only to be disappointed in the end. I still get upset when I hear the words Tito Landrum or baseball strike. So for me, it still seems so surreal. I think I will actually realize that this is not a dream next season when I hear "The Chicago White Sox, reigning World Champions."

[Valuist]

That's a good point about 1994. The Sox were ahead of Cleveland at the time of the strike and had a very solid team that year. I thought Montreal and the Sox were the two best teams in '94.

[OTM Al]

Yanks had a tough team that year too. I believe they had the best record in the AL when the strike hit

[falconridge]

I thought Montreal and the Sox were the two best teams in '94.The 'Spos might have been a team for the ages in '94. On that roster were Cliff Floyd, Moises Alou, Larry Walker, Rondell White, Pedro Martinez, Jeff Fassero, Kirk Rueter, John Wetteland, Jeff Shaw. What made the strike all the more lamentable was that the franchise had looked upon the '94 season from its outset as a make-or-break year for the organization. A playoff berth might have spelled prosperity for years to come. Though the franchise staggered on for another decade or so before its collapse, it was the '94 strike that proved to be the mortal blow.

[Valuist]

Just got back from the parade. It was pure bedlam down there.

[toetoe]

Wait 'til they win a WNBA championship. Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies! That is NOT off topic. It involves a Diamond, so there.