Lineup for 3/1

Get your pencils and scorecards ready, here are the correct lineups for todays ballgame.

Owens, CF
Valido, SS
Jimmy, DH
J.D., RF
Mackowiak, LF
Fields, 3B (Still my favorite)
TobyH, C
Rogowski, 1B
P-Lo, 2B

And on the mound:
Javy Vazquez, SP

Sox lose 12-4 in Spring Opener

There should be a Street & Smith curse. You know... like how they have the Madden Curse? Yeah well Street & Smith magazine chose the Sox to finish 2nd in the division behind the Tigers. Based on how today went they may be competing with the Indians for #4.

Mark Buehrle started the game (which I missed the first 6 batters of) for the Sox and pitched quite well actually. He went 2 innings gave up 6 hits and allowed 4 runs. But thats not all! Jon Garland came in in relief for Mark in the 4th inning went 2 innings allowed 8 hits and 7 RUNS! What're you thinking, Jon? He told Farmer and Singleton that he threw nothing but fastballs except when he tossed in one changeup. Then after Garland's little "stint" came Bobby Jenks. He faced 2 batters, walked one hit the other, then had to leave due to shoulder stiffness. Ouch.

Mike MacDougal came in and he was the first decent pitcher we had since the first pitch Buehrle threw. He faced 2 batters, made one ground into a double play, and stuck out the other. Then came my (relief) guy, Matt Thornton! He threw 1 inning faced 5 batters and struck out 2 of 'em. I really like Thronton and I have since he came from the Mariners. Then was John Danks! Yeah! HE KO'ed 2 batters in his first ever appearance in a Sox uni. I like him! And don't forget he's one of the 5 "Rubber Maid's" as I call them. Dewon Day finished out the game with an inning pitched, a K and 3 hits.

Then on the offensive side, Brian Anderson was the only guy who came close to hitting a homer. Well... never mind I lied. I just forgot who else came close. Iguchi was the only guy who did 1/2 a good job today. He had a double, a ground out, and a K. Juan Uribe stole a base! And so did Darin Erstad (SB #1 of my Erstad count).

Again final score:

White Sox - 4 Rockies - 12.

Tomorrows Lineups

The lineup was announced and here it is

Erstad, LF

Gooch, 2B
Jimmy, DH
Paulie, 1B
J.D., RF
A.J., C
Crede, 3B
Anderson, CF
Uribe, SS

So Brain Anderson gets the start in center field. Pods isn't starting in left, so we get to see Darin Erstad for the first time! And that is him in the picture diving up the wall clearly robbing a homer from Milton Bradley. Uribe batting last surprises me.

So there ya' go!

GO WHITE SOX!!!

Buehrle to open Spring Training

The starters for tomorrow's game were announced! For the Sox (as the title says) will be my guy Mark Buehrle. Even though whitesox.com has Contreras listed as their first starter they have opted to go with Mark Buehrle, which in my mind is a smart move. I like the way he pitches even if he looses 13 games.

Pitching for the Rockies will be their new ace (him and Jeff Francis) Aaron Cook. He's an ok pitcher but not that good. Cant wait for Dye, Thome, and Paulie to beat up on him.

If the lineups are announced before the game like... today... I'll post 'em and you know I will. Pierzynski will get the start behind the plate, I know that much.

[Game Info]

Ahh, the first time I've typed that out of many this year. So the game will be on WSCR AM 670 The Score with my guys Chris "The Ranger" Rongey, Ed Farmer and Chris Singleton. The game is slated for 2:05 CT. And remember, Cook vs. Buehrle!

1st Spring Training Game

Ahh... I can smell the spring grass already. Sure its covered with snow but not in Arizona!



The Sox are playing a split-squad game (where half the team plays one team and half the team plays another) and the game thats going to be on WSCR is the game against Cleveland. That means we get to hear Travis Hafner play for 3 innings, while Grady Sizemore gets to go all the way. And we get to C.C. Sabathia pitch against the Sox, then get nailed in the but by a Gooch line drive and be out the whole season.



Cant wait to see Sweeney again. Cant wait to watch Dye, Thome, Paulie, and Crede crush over 30 homers again. Oh boy... and Contreras win 17 straight again? Maybe? Ok fine...



What about Guillen blowing up in an umps face (pic to the right)?

Boy Guillen is a piece of work. But he's our piece of work, 'ya know?

Spring Has Finally Arrived!

OK, I am back for yet another Chicago White Sox season. And this year they have a slogan entitled "Back to the Grind". I know kind of corny but thats we we need to do is get back to the grind this year and build towards another championship year. Most of the building blocks have been set, and we have plenty of prospects waiting in the minors if we need them.

Ryan Sweeney is a guy I am looking into putting in center field, as well as Brian Anderson (2nd half Brian Anderson that is) and possibly Darin Erstad. Oh... I didn't mention that? Yeah, well in the off-season one of our moves was signing Darin Erstad to fill in in center field if we need him to and he can also fill in for Paulie at 1st if he needs a day off. Its a win/win situation having Erstad there. But back to Sweeney. He is a good looking prospect with an OK arm and he can hit. Last year for the Sox he played in 18 games and had 8 hits. They don't have his minor league stats up but I will find them... Ah Ha! Found 'em! Last year he had 13 homers and 70 RBI in 118 games. 133 hits is average for a minor leaguer, although he had 449 at bats so he had major league hits numbers for a rookie, 'ya know?

Our bullpen has 5 fire-armed rocket throwers. 5 of our relievers can throw 95+ MPH. Bobby Jenks who can hit 100. Mike MacDougal who can throw around 97-98. David Aardsma who can reach 97 but stays around 94-95. Andrew Sisco, who we picked up in the Riske - McCarthy trade to KC, can hit 98. Matt Thornton who is an awesome pitcher late in the game can hit 97. This group of throwers whom I have nicknamed "The Rubbermaid's" can be brutal to face late in the ballgame.

Toby Hall and A.J. Pierzynski have been working with the pitchers for about a week now and I like the idea of having Hall catch on some days, but Pierzynski getting the majority behind the plate.

The starting rotation is a big one. Even with the loss of Freddy Garcia we should do quite well with this rotation:

• Jose Contreras
• Mark Buehrle
• Jon Garland
• Javier Vazquez
• Gavin Floyd

I'm not quite sure about Contreras going opening day but I guess if that's what Ozzie & Kenny like then we should go along with it for awhile. Buehrle is always a good pitcher even if he loses 13 games. Garland is an 18 game winner every year. Vazquez won 6 straight last year, and Floyd was on the mound when Rowand broke his nose! How much better can you get?