10 Reasons why the Chicago White Sox winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

With about a month and a half left to the season, the number of legit playoff contenders are winding down. And the staff here at Sully Baseball decided to look at each contender and see what would be positive about their potential World Championships.



Which players or managers would benefit the most from a title. Which fan bases would savor it. And how the perception of each franchise would change slightly. Remember, this isn't a numbers crunching site... this is all about emotion and things that strike my fancy.



The first potential World Series contender will be the Chicago White Sox. Why the White Sox? Because they are so unpredictable that they could either be in first place by next week or fall totally out of contention. So if I want to include them, I had better do it NOW!

10 Reasons why the

Chicago White Sox

winning the 2011 World Series

would be good for baseball

1. Another World Series title moves Ozzie Guillen closer to Cooperstown



Ozzie Guillen's Hall of Fame resume is a long shot at this point. 2 post season appearances, even with a World Series title, isn't going to cut it. (Ask Cito Gaston who won back to back World Series titles and two other Division Titles. Forget the Hall of Fame, he couldn't get hired.)



But another World Series title, and this one with almost a brand new cast of characters would add to his luster that the team plays Ozzie's brand of baseball. And when (not if) he takes over the Marlins and wins with them, he'll get even closer.



The idea of Ozzie giving a Hall of Fame speech is a wonderful concept, if for no other reason than for the need of a 7 second delay.

2. It would justify Kenny Williams' wild GM style



In an era of calculators, bizarre new stats and hoarding prospects, it would be nice to see Kenny Williams methods be rewarded again.



He's always willing to bring in a free agent, even an ill fitting one. He's willing to say "prospects be damned, we're winning NOW!" And he has taken some chances in Cuba and by bringing up prospects super fast and throwing them into the fire.



Is it sometimes irresponsible? Sure. Does it blow up in his face sometimes? Ask Adam Dunn.



Is it cool to see a GM always trying? You bet.

And to see that GM win a SECOND World Series spitting in the face of convention... that would be too cool.





3. A Championship could justify the Adam Dunn signing

Speaking of Kenny Williams' style, let's talk about Dunn. Right now Adam Dunn looks like one of the biggest busts in Free Agency history.



I mean he is so terrible right now that you have to wonder if he had a twin brother that he suited up in his place. And they've got 3 more years of this.



But imagine if he got a big hit in the post season. Or clubbed a big homer off the bench in the World Series. Then it would be kind of like J. D. Drew... an injury filled disappointment overall, but contributed big to a ring.



Besides, he seems like a likable accountable guy. I'd like to see him happy. (As if $56 million wouldn't buy happiness.)





4. Multiple Rings will help people remember how to spell Konerko and Buehrle



I wrote a blog post that was basically a love letter to Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle.



Guess what? I spelled in Kornerko every single time.

And I had to double check Buehrle whenever I typed it. I double checked it when I typed the previous sentence. Is it B-E-H? B-U-E? B-E-U?

None of it is instinctual.



Maybe another title will seal that.





5. Everyone loves seeing A. J. Pierzynski happy!



Speaking of members of the 2005 White Sox with difficult names to spell...



Sure you might not like A. J. Pierzynski. Sure he seems like he might be a jerk. But look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't want an obnoxious pest like him on YOUR team.







6. If the White Sox win, maybe Juan Pierre will do another unbelievably awful rap



There are few subjects I know less about than rap. But even as a total NON authority, I can tell you that the rap Juan Pierre did at the 2003 Florida Marlins World Series celebration was awful.



He called it rap. For me? The C at the beginning was silent.



Maybe he will improve in Chicago. Or maybe it will be just as bad.



Take a listen. Tell me how it is good.









7. A ring for Omar Vizquel



Vizquel is making one of the least likely runs at 3,000 hits and may have already have punched a ticket for the Hall of Fame.



The greatest defensive shortstop of his generation has played over 4 decades, won 11 Gold Gloves and played on 6 Division Champs and in the 1995 and 1997 World Series.



A ring would be nice.







8. The President needs a Pick Me Up!



There have been lots of ups and downs for the President this past year and no doubt 2012 will be one tense year for him.



Up for reelection, the markets are going nuts, lots of people still out of work and maybe he needs a little reminder of how good "Hope" feels.



Maybe his team winning the World Series can kick start his campaign!

Do it for AMERICA, White Sox!





9. Another World Series title could help the White Sox enter the "Big Bad Bully Club".



The White Sox are consistently among the top payrolls, they bid for free agents and they act like one of the "Haves" instead of the "Have nots."



AND they play in a big media market! But they never get mentioned as one of the big bad franchises.



Another title will tie them with the Yankees and Red Sox in the 21st Century. That sounds big and bad for me.





10. It would make the White Sox and Cubs fan dynamic more interesting



Would the White Sox finally the choice of the casual sports fan in Chicago? Would the winning of the South Side out weigh the cute and cuddliness of Wrigleyville?



Two things are for sure.



- White Sox fans hold ALL the bragging cards. Another World Series title would mean the White Sox would have won as World Series in the 21st Century as the Cubs did in the 20th Century.



- If what doesn't destroy you only makes you stronger, then Cubs fans must be damn near invincible!







So there you have it for the White Sox... Hall of Fame credentials, inter city rivalries, spell check and a Presidential race could all be improved.



They are all good reasons.

But there are other teams in contention too.



And I will get to them all!





If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.



NEW YORK YANKEES

Sully Baseball Salutes... Mark Buehrle and Paul Konerko

Tomorrow, the White Sox will continue to try and turn their season around and limp back into contention.



And the starting pitcher will be Mark Buehrle. Chances are Paul Konerko will be in the lineup, either at first base or as the designated hitter.



They have been a tandem for so long that it is truly worth a long salute here.

People talk about the great combination of teammates that Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera made for all of those seasons in New York.



And Buehrle and Konerko have not been together for as long as they have been nor have the success. But for a franchise best remembered over the decades for throwing a World Series instead of winning them, Buehrle and Konerko have seen a lot of winning. They contributed big time to the only World Series appearance in Chicago in more than half a century and the only Chicago title in 94 years.



Konerko was a product of the Dodgers organization and was later dealt to Cincinnati. He came over to the White Sox in a deal for Mike Cameron before the 1999 season. That was his third year in the big leagues and his third big league team. It is safe to say he found stability on the South Side of Chicago.



He cracked 24 homers his first year with the White Sox and posted an .862 OPS.



In 2000 he remained a solid hitter (.298 AVG, .844 OPS) was worth 21 homers, 97 RBI and a 111 OPS+. And the White Sox were back in the post season.



And in no small point for this post, he was joined that year by Buehrle. While Konerko was a first round pick and coveted prospect, Buehrle was picked 38th.



Not 38th overall. In the 38th round. He was the 1,139th pick overall. Right before him, the Pirates picked Shaun Skrehot. The infielder played 9 seasons and made it to AA Nashville and Indianapolis.



The pick after him has thrown 12 seasons in the majors.



The 2000 White Sox had the best record in the American League but were swept out of the playoffs by Alex Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners.



It has been a while since A-Rod has been a Mariner. But that whole time, these two players have represented the White Sox with clutch play and class.



While Konerko played behind the massive shadow of Frank Thomas, he put up solid if not spectacular numbers. In many ways, his career resembled his one time teammate and current coach Harold Baines. His stats may not have been elite but they were good enough to make 5 All Star teams and twice be a top ten finisher in the MVP vote. And play nearly every season injury free. He is on pace to play 150+ games again this year, which would be the 8th time he would pass that mark in 13 seasons.



And of course he came up big time for the 2005 White Sox, unquestionably the greatest Chicago baseball team since the First World War.



His home run off of Tim Wakefield helped sink the Red Sox hopes to repeat as World Series champions. His 2 homers, 7 RBI and .937 OPS crushed the Angels in the ALCS and earned him MVP honors as the White Sox won the pennant.



And finally his mammoth grand slam in Game 2 of the World Series turned the game around and helped set up the White Sox win.



The starter of that game? That would be Mark Buehrle.

Since 2000, Buehrly became one of the most reliable and durable starting pitchers in all of baseball. He recorded 200+ innings every year from 2001 to 2010 (and is on pace to do so again this year.) He had made 2 All Star teams by 2005 and finished 5th in the Cy Young vote that year.



In the 2005 playoffs, he won Game 2 of the Division Series against Boston and threw a complete game to win Game 2 of the ALCS.



He started Game 3 of the World Series and got a no decision. But when Game 3 went to the 14th and manager Ozzie Guillen had burned through his bullpen, he turned to Buehrle to protect a 7-5 lead. He earned the save, to date his only one in the majors. He joined Grover Cleveland Alexander as the only person to start and then save consecutive World Series games.



The next day the White Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1917.



After the title, Konerko was offered more money to go to the Angels or the Orioles but stayed in Chicago. He responded with three more All Star selections, a fifth place finish in the 2010 MVP vote and 2 homers in the 2008 Division Series against Tampa Bay.



He represented the White Sox in the 2010 and 2011 All Star Game.



Buehrle continued to be a steady and sometimes dominant starter. He was named to two more All Star teams and won the last two Golden Glove awards.



In 2007, he threw a no hitter against the Rangers. In 2009 he did that one better by throwing a perfect game against the Rays. He would retire a record 49 consecutive batters that year, breaking the record held by his teammate Bobby Jenks.



And there was something kind of bad ass about Buehrle, an avid animal lover, wishing ill to Michael Vick.



Not saying I condone wishing harm on others, but it is cool how he never gave a damn what anyone thought.



The two are still solid players and performers after 12 seasons as teammates. They won't be going to the Hall of Fame. Yet if anyone deserves to have a lifetime of standing ovations and love from White Sox fans, it would this duo of classy solid and champion players.



They don't get the press that players on the Yankees, Red Sox or even the Cubs would get. But when you put more than a decade into the same team, bring a championship, multiple playoff berths and class to a franchise that needed turning around, then you have earned our salute.



Now take it easy on the Red Sox.

Dennis Lamp... Mime?

Going through my old baseball cards at my parents home, I stumbled across this one of former White Sox pitcher Dennis Lamp. (He had stops with the Cubs, the A's and Pirates as well as pitching for 2 Division Winners with the Red Sox and having an 11-0 record with the 1985 Division Champion Blue Jays... but here he is a White Sox pitcher.)

It's a 1982 Donruss card and frankly I don't remember ever buying Donruss cards, but here it was in a shoebox.

Dennis Lamp was a good enough player. He pitched for 16 seasons and finished his career with a 3.93 ERA. He saved 15 games for the 1983 Division Champion White Sox.



And he had a kick ass mustache.

There is something odd, however on the back of his card.

Not his stats. Did you check his carrer highlights on the bottom of the card?

Look at the last line...

One of his hobbies is pantomime.



Wait WHAT?



Former White Sox and Red Sox reliever Dennis Lamp was into pantomime?



And what exactly does that mean?



The art of pantomime can refer to a specific form of theater common in Europe. Usually performed in Christmas shows, it involves wildly exaggerated characters, dance and songs.



And lots of the people are dressed in those creepy Harlequin clown costumes that give us all nightmares.

And of course the other possibility is he was a mime.



You know, those guys in the white makeup, dressed like a French stereotype and pretends to be in a wind tunnel or walking invisible dogs.



Either way it is strange.



Either way Dennis Lamp is either dressed in a Harlequin clown suit dancing about... or pretending he is trapped in a box.



Folks, that creeps me out.



If ANYONE has seen Dennis Lamp perform pantomime, please write info@sullybaseball.com



I must get to the bottom of this.

Is that any way to support Tim Wakefield?

One damn run is all Wakefield gets?
He's trying to pass Roger Clemens and Cy Young, damn it! Get those bats going!

It's those White Sox.
I've been warning you about them for weeks now.

They finally got to .500, have looked like underachievers. But they are 2 games back of the Tigers in the loss column for first place. I'm telling you... they will sneak into the playoffs.

Right it down.

Meanwhile, let's update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 34

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)
June 3 - 8-6 win against Oakland. (Buchholz lets up 4 runs in the first but the Sox come back thanks to Carl Crawford's 2 run single.)
June 4 - 9-8 win against Oakland. (Red Sox blow a 4 run 9th inning lead and trail in the 11th before Ellsbury ties it and Drew wins it in 14.)
June 7 - 6-4 win in the Bronx. (Papelbon strikes out A-Rod to end the game with a runner on base.)
June 9 - 8-3 win in the Bronx. (Down 2-0 to Sabathia in the 7th, the Sox score 7 runs as Papi exacts revenge after getting plunked. A 3+ hour rain delay pushed the game past 1:30 AM)

June 15 - 3-0 win in Tampa Bay. (Youkilis homers in the 7th for the only runs in Beckett's 1 hit masterpiece.)
June 16 - 4-2 win in Tampa Bay. (Papelbon wiggles out of a 2 on, nobody out jam in the 9th thanks to Youk's diving catch.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates make 4 errors and the Red Sox score 2 in the 7th to avoid a sweep by the Bucs.
June 30 - 5-2 win in Philadelphia.(An injury to Cole Hamels leads to the Red Sox bats waking up.)
July 1 - 7-5 win in Houston. (The Sox score 6 in the 7th inning to come back and win.)
July 3 - 2-1 win in Houston. (The Red Sox score a run in the top of the 9th on a walk to break a tie.)
July 5 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Lester gets hurt but Darnel McDonald throws out the tying run at the plate to end the game.)
July 6 - 6-4 win against Toronto. (The Sox score 4 in the 4th to take the lead and Wakefield and company hang on for dear life.)
July 10 - 8-6 win against Baltimore. (The Orioles score 6 runs off of rookie Kyle Weiland in the second, but the Red Sox hit three homers in the bottom of the second to tie the game and hold for dear life.)
July 16 - 9-5 win in Tampa. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 3-0 first inning hole, but 3 Sox homers bring them back for the win.)
July 17 - 1-0 win in Tampa. (Beckett throws a masterpiece and the bullpen throws 8 amazing innings. But the Sox bats go dead, leaving 17 men on base before Pedroia drove in a run with 2 outs in the 16th inning.)
July 18 - 15-10 win in Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 6-2 lead but score 8 runs in the 8th to take the game.)
July 22 - 7-4 win against Seattle. (John Lackey beat Felix Hernandez and Mike Carp's error helped the Red Sox score 5 in the 7th to give them some breathing room.)
July 23 - 3-1 win against Seattle. (Ellsbury gets Beckett off the hook in a tight pitchers duel when he got a 2 out, 2 strike 2 run go ahead single in the 8th.)
July 26 - 13-9 win against the Royals. (The Sox trailed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th before the bats exploded in the 5th.

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 27

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

June 14 - 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay. (Wakefield's solid outing is spoiled. Longoria scores on a passed ball.)
June 18 - 4-2 loss to Milwaukee. (The Brewers hit three homers early off of Lester and hang on.)
June 21 - 5-4 loss to San Diego. (Ortiz hits a double play in the 9th to stifle a potential winning rally.)

June 24 - 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox strand 7 runners in scoring position.)
June 25 - 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox fall out of first as Pedroia's error leads to a Pirates run.)
June 29 - 2-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Vance Worley duels John Lackey and slumping Raul Ibanez drives in both runs.)
July 4 - 9-7 loss to Toronto. (John Lackey's miserable start puts the Sox in too big a hole to climb out of.)
July 19 - 6-2 loss in Baltimore. (Scutaro gets thrown out stealing and the Orioles tack on 3 big runs late.)

July 25 - 3-1 loss to the Royals. (Scutaro botches a potential game winning squeeze play in the 12th as the Red Sox lose in 14.)

July 28 - 4-3 loss to the Royals. (Crawford's bid for a walk off homer falls just short.)
July 29 - 3-1 loss to the White Sox. (Sox blow a late 1-0 lead and spoil a solid Wakefield start.)

Down to +7.

It's a 2 game losing streak. I don't like losing streaks... even to a team that will catch people off guard and make the playoffs.

I am telling you, look out for the White Sox

Normally you don't have to worry about sub .500 teams in late July. But I wrote this the other week and I am standing by it now. Yeah, the White Sox were flat in Kansas City. Maybe that foul ball to the face of Ozzie Guillen woke this team up.

OK, that analogy makes no sense. The White Sox lost the game where Ozzie got hit in the face.

Tonight's win in Cleveland helped them creep a little bit closer. I have been clear on who I am rooting for in the AL Central. When in doubt I root for Cleveland. Their fans need a hug.

But the White Sox are just four games behind the Indians in the loss column for second place. And take a look at how they won tonight. Gavin Floyd pitched into the 8th in the White Sox shut out.

Carlos Quentin homered. Even Adam Dunn, who has hit so badly that he looks like a guy wearing a uniform at fantasy camp, got 2 hits. (Any word on why Dunn is batting CLEAN UP?)

If this team can start pitching, and tonight was a good indication that they can, then they could be in second place before you know it. And they play Detroit next.

If they can win both of those series, then this could very well be a three way race.

Keep an eye on them. Ozzie's boys are a sneaky bunch.

Has anyone else noticed the White Sox?

I picked the White Sox at the beginning of the season, yet here they are as a sub .500 team after the All Star Break.

They have fallen to third place and there are some rumblings that they might be trading some of their expensive pieces (possibly Edwin Jackson whose shutout yesterday made his value go up.)

So all is lost in the South Side, right?

Not so fast.

They are trailing the Tigers and the first place Indians.
They beat the Tigers at home each of the last 2 games and are off to a quick 3-0 lead today.

And the Indians are up and down and can fall into a slump at any time.
The White Sox can hit...
They have a bunch of arms in their bullpen.

And there is talent in their rotation. Philip Humber, Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, Jake Peavy and John Danks all have talent. They just haven't as a group pitched to their ability. (The depth of their starting staff is what made me pick them back in March.)

Let's say the starting staff has a solid August and September.
Let's say the Indians come back to Earth (they can't play the Orioles EVERY weekend) and the Tigers return to the pack.

None of those scenarios are outlandish.

Guess what?
Even sub .500... even with the disappointing pitching staff...
The White Sox are only 4 back in the standings and 5 back of the Indians in the loss column.

In 2 and a half months, they can make up some ground.

Don't be fooled with the .489 winning percentage.
They are contending.

Unlike Riggleman, the Nationals didn't quit

The Nationals have had a hell of a week.
They swept the Mariners in a dramatic series at home in DC. And the euphoria of that series lasted about a nanosecond as Jim Riggleman, he of a career of mediocrity, suddenly felt he was entitled to an in season contract negotiation.

Say what you want about Riggleman and I have nothing personal against the man, but he quit on the team.

And off they went to Chicago where interim manager John McLaren was promptly thrown out in HIS first game. (The team was running out of managers.)

Friday night's game was one of the wildest and strangest regular season games you will ever see as the White Sox kept tying the game on the brink of losing. And yet the National never quit despite blowing several late leads and won it in the 14th.

After a loss yesterday they were losing late before Danny Espinosa homered in the 7th and the Nats held on to a 2-1 win.

They could have easily been swept and nobody would have batted an eye.
The team could have wandered into Chicago in a daze and nobody would have been surprised.

Instead they showed some guts and not only stayed above .500 but are now just 3 games in the loss column out of a playoff spot.

Davey Johnson, a man who was ACTUALLY screwed by two organizations after leading the Reds and Orioles to the LCS and getting let go, is getting into a good situation:

A tough young club who doesn't quit.

Their old manager did, but not the team.

Did you see what happened in Arizona tonight?

Daniel Hudson was pitching for the Diamondbacks tonight against his old team, the White Sox.

He's a 24 year old pitcher going up against Edwin Jackson, the guy he was traded for.

He was throwing a shutout into the 7th, but a Paul Konerko homer made it a game and he let base runners on in the 8th and 9th.

Do you know what Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson did?
He let him pitch through it. He didn't baby him.

And now he got a complete game win and has the experience of working through his own jams.
Hudson is now 8-5 with a good 3.56 ERA and is averaging 6 2/3 innings a start.

The Diamondbacks now have a good young pitcher who they can count on to go deep into games. And they got that because THEY LET HIM PITCH!

It sounds so simple. And yet so few teams do that.

But I covered that in the last Sully Baseball video.

Look at that! The A's show a little fight and win a game!

An out away from losing for the 11th straight time, the A's came from behind and beat the White Sox.

Bob Melvin's A's should a little fight.
And I don't believe that was a double possessive, but I am sure my mom will tell me either way.

A win is the first step.
Here's the second step... creep closer to the Rangers.

Guess what? They are only 8 games back in the loss column and the Rangers inevitably have a bad August. (They did last year as well... but no other AL West team was even decent last year.)

Think about it... if the A's turn around and win this thing, Bob Melvin might win the Manager of the Year. And if he does that he'd win it in both leagues, joining Tony LaRussa, Jim Leyland, Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella.

Ah maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.
It's just one win.

WHITE SOX! Enough with the fireworks in the day!

Seriously... I know the White Sox love to fire them off for EVERY homer. But when fireworks go off in the day, they don't look like a majestic celebration of baseball excellence. They look like a few pathetic puffs of smoke.

Save them for when it gets dark.

A tip from your pal Sully.

The wrong Sox looked good

The Red Sox climb to the top of the AL East standings was such an amazing turn around that they were bound to run into a wall sooner or later.

And here they were, swept by the White Sox and the awesomely underrated Paul Konerko. I can't say this is a complete surprise. I mean I PICKED Chicago to win the AL Central.

Granted, they are 8 1/2 games back of Cleveland and still under .500... but they have talent.

So Tim Wakefield won't inch closer to the all time Red Sox win leader. Another Big Fly from Big Papi is wasted.

And I need to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 15

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 16

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

Back to -1.

Call me crazy, and I've been called worse... I'm still not worried.
Let's hope for a Sox reunion in October.

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A Historic Fluke? My latest for The Hardball Times

In my latest article for The Hardball Times, I take a look at a historic oddity regarding Jim Leyland, Mike Scioscia and Ozzie Guillen.

Each of them managed a World Series winner without a clear Hall of Famer on their playoff roster. And the only other teams to have won the World Series without a future Hall of Famer (the '81 and '88 Dodgers and the '84 Tigers) had Hall of Fame managers.

So is this a fluke? Or are Leyland, Scioscia and Guillen putting together Cooperstown resumes?

You can read the article here.

Ron Kittle - Another random card found in my old closet

Rummaging through my old closet, I found this gem from the 1989 Topps Traded Series. Ron Kittle, the 1983 Rookie of the Year, had three tours with the White Sox. One with the horrible SOX across the chest uniforms and the last one with the traditional pinstripe Sox uniform.

This card has him with the totally forgettable cursive C hat after his brief turns with the Yankees and Indians.

I have yet to meet a White Sox fan my age who doesn't LOVE Ron Kittle. The main reason I included Kittle in my Home Grown vs. Acquired White Sox entry was his special place in the hearts of Sox fans. It could be that he helped homer the Sox to the unexpected 1983 West title as a rookie. It could be that he was a humble midwesterner playing for a midwestern team. The fact that he wore glasses made him seem less like an athlete and more like a regular guy who could hit one out. It could be that he was one of those old fashioned right handed sluggers who was swinging from his heels, struck out a lot but could launch it when he got a hold of one.

Whatever the reason, mention his name to a White Sox fan my age and watch for the inevitable big smile.

We should also think about players like Ron Kittle as this Hall of Fame vote will be announced. No, I am not saying the Kitty Man belongs in Cooperstown. But let's take a name that is on the ballot. Just a random name... Oh let's say MARK McGWIRE.

Like Kittle, McGwire exploded onto the scene as Rookie of the Year and helped slug his team to the post season (McGwire did it in his second year.). And McGwire also hit a ton of homers and struck out a lot. By the time Kittle was 28 years old, injuries began to catch up with him. Same with McGwire.

The injuries eventually were too much to overcome and Kittle played his last big league games on August 13th when he played both ends of a double header. He homered off of Mike Henneman that day.

When McGwire was in HIS early 30s, he recovered from his injuries and suddenly became the greatest power hitter of all time and in the Hall of Fame discussion.

Kittle never made a million dollars a season.
McGwire made $11 million his final season alone and earned over $70 million in his career.

Can you imagine if Ron Kittle had injected Lord knows what into his body? If his body were able to recover from his injuries... if his line drives went a little further... if his 20 home run seasons became 30 home run seasons... if he piled up homers into his 30s...

Maybe people would have brought HIS name up in a Hall of Fame discussion. Maybe he could have been cashing $10 million checks.

But then again, nobody looks at HIS stats with suspicion. Memories of HIS home runs are positive.

Nobody questions the validity of his 7 homers that reached the roof top of old Comiskey Park.

Ron now does motivational speaking and now does something super cool.

He makes benches.

I am not kidding, these are cool.

The seats? Made of bases.

The backs? Made with bats connected by baseballs.


And you can design the benches to have which ever team and which ever players you would want to honor.

You can have the benches shipped to you... or if you live close enough, Ron Kittle will deliver it

How unbelievably awesome is that? Having Kittle show up with the new bench!

And no doubt he would be HAPPY to talk about the past.


So I salute you Ron Kittle.
You showed us all terrific home run power and you did it right.

No wonder Kittle will always be loved in the South Side of Chicago.

Bobby jenks and his bond with Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon

Today the Red Sox took a flier on former White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks for some bullpen depth. How could it hurt?

But as Jenks changes the color of his Sox, he has a unique bond with current Boston pitchers Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon:

All three were the pitchers on the mound when their team won the World Series.

Beckett tagged out Jorge Posada on a little dribbler to end the 2003 World Series for the Marlins.

Jenks got Orlando Palmeiro to ground out to end the 2005 World Series for the White Sox.

And Papelbon struck out Seth Smith to end the 2007 World Seris for the Red Sox.

Personally, I can't think of anything cooler in all of sports than being the pitcher to end the World Series. More than a game winning home run. I used to reenact clinching a World Series as a pitcher on our front lawn... jumping up and being mobbed on the mound.

And I've written a few posts like this one and this one about my fascination with the pitcher who got the final out.

I can't help but wonder if they will talk about it amongst each other in spring training.

They MUST talk about it. Heck, that's how I would preface every sentence. "As a man who clinched the World Series... I will order the chicken salad."

Maybe that's just me.