- 11:45 AM
- 11/05/24
If you really think about most of the MLB team names, they are pretty dumb. Red or White Sox? Phillies? Pirates? Orioles? Giants? No one thinks twice about the names of most of the current teams because they have built a history. Tampa should worry more about what's on the field - the name Devil Rays or whatever they decide to change it to will seem as normal as the Mets or Yankees with a few good teams and a few more years of memories.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:44 AM on April 07, 2006
How about the losers that ran onto the field and attacked the KC Royals first base coach at Comiskey Park a few years ago...
posted by ChiSox1977 at 10:57 AM on April 04, 2006
Even if the Major League Drug Policy is a paper tiger, MLB can break out the old "for the good of the game" clause and punish Bonds in the face of insurmountable evidence that he introduced controlled substances into his body to improve his performance. MLB has to do something credible and very public about this situation or continue to lose fans. I think to most baseball fans, threatening to break Babe Ruth's home run mark, and Hank Aaron's all-time mark, while assisted by steroids is a far more significant crime than Pete Rose betting on baseball. Right or wrong, I think people perceive this as a bigger deal.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 03:44 PM on March 16, 2006
Has a discussion topic jumped the shark when MC Hammer checks in with his opinion?
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:37 AM on March 10, 2006
I was shocked to hear the news. He was a class act and his passing saddens me. My best to his family.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:29 AM on March 07, 2006
I like the fact that the Giants organization matched the $377 for charity - now that's a generous organization. Oh, it's good to see Rob Schneider's career is hitting its zenith with this gig...
posted by ChiSox1977 at 10:50 AM on March 01, 2006
Thomas carries the White Sox on his shoulders for 10 years, becomes the best hitter in the franchise's long history, fails to contribute in the past couple of years only because of debilitating injuries, and no one will miss him? grum, that's the point I'm making. While you couldn't ask for a better guy to come to the plate with the game on the line, Thomas' personality prevented fans from really liking Frank, the human being. Frank the hitter was awesome. Frank the person came off as self-centered and often childish. He didn't have a team focus and was often a negative influence in the clubhouse, as Ozzie Guillen has not be shy about stating. I don't think that reflects poorly on Sox fans - I think you have to work pretty hard to have big numbers and blow it with the fans, and Thomas and Sosa have done just that. Just because Thomas never really clicked with the fans doesn't make Sox fans disloyal - it just means we never really liked Thomas' approach to the game. Sox fans are loyal to players who play the game with heart. Carlton Fisk, Robin Ventura, and Ozzie Guillen are three relatively recent players who didn't put up numbers like Thomas but won the hearts of the fans by playing hard and doing whatever it took to win - they were missed when they left the club for more than their numbers. Frank will be missed for his numbers only.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 12:55 PM on February 16, 2006
It's pretty sad that someone who meant so much to so many baseball fans a few years ago has put himself in a position where only one MLB team is willing to give him a chance to play. It shows that self-centered stars with huge egos are beloved only as long as they are producing at peak levels. When their numbers come back down to earth, as a result of cleaning up or natural aging, fans have very little patience for them. Frank Thomas just left the White Sox and I don't think anyone will miss him, just as no one will miss Sosa.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 10:50 AM on February 16, 2006
As a fan who enjoyed Harry while broadcasting for the White Sox (and, with reservations, for the Cubs), I don't really care what Milo Hamilton has to say. Hamilton has been bitter about the way he left Chicago for decades. On a personal note, I once ran into Harry Caray as I was entering his Chicago restaurant - he was standing in the foyer waiting for a ride. He greeted me with a big smile and shook my hand. Regardless of what Milo Hamilton thinks, Harry was a legendary broadcaster who contributed greatly to Chicago's baseball history. It's too bad he couldn't have been around to see Chicago's first World Series title in 88 years.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:13 AM on February 09, 2006
Worst Name - U.S. Cellular Field. The best part about it is that those who haven't continued to call the park "Comiskey Park" or "Sox Park" call it "The Cell," which delivers exactly zero bang for the corporate sponsorship buck.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 03:06 PM on February 03, 2006
I agree with Sharon Robinson. I think there is a tendency in today's cultural climate to try to include everyone in everything, which is good in general but would diminish the meaning of the retirement of Jackie Robinson's number. His accomplishments echoed beyond just baseball - he was a cultural pioneer that should be recognized as such. Obviously Clemente was a superstar on and off the field and means a great deal to the people of his heritage. He should be recognized for his accomplishments - just not by having his number retired across-the-board. Jackie Robinson should stand alone in having his number retired by MLB.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:17 AM on January 24, 2006
Sutter should definitely be in - he's a pioneer that really elevated and defined the closer's role. Eckersley was outstanding and also deserved to be elected into the Hall.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 03:50 PM on January 10, 2006
I'd go with Lee Smith & Bruce Sutter without much hesitation. The sluggers on the list were generally red-hot for a few years. I'm not sure if any of them belong in the Hall of Fame, which I think should be for the absolute elite in the game. Belle, Garvey, Dawson, & Clark were great ballplayers - no doubt about it, but I'm not sure about the Hall.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 02:25 PM on January 05, 2006
The Cubs should (& will) continue to try to squeeze every dollar out of the original Wrigley Field - it's all the franchise really has. Half the people who attend the usually sold out stadium don't pay attention to the game - it's a social event, a primer before hitting the bars. If the Cubs were to change stadiums or alter Wrigley in a significant way, they would lose the real draw for their fan base. Although I would argue that the current configuration of Sox Park is a huge improvement over what it once was, I still contend that if you put the Sox in Wrigley and the Cubs at US Cellular, the Sox would easily outdraw the Cubs based largely on the ballpark and it's surrounding area. The Cubs won't ever leave Wrigley - they'll just keep trying to squeeze a little more from the field each year.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 12:05 PM on December 13, 2005
Many Cub fans would groan when Baker brought him into a game - Farnsworth couldn't leave fast enough for North Siders...
posted by ChiSox1977 at 04:30 PM on December 02, 2005
Best news of the day - the White Sox wouldn't be the same without Paulie...
posted by ChiSox1977 at 03:30 PM on November 30, 2005
Nobody deserves a Manager of the Year award more than Ozzie Guillen - he took a team of average players, a young pitching staff, and a couple of veterans and had them working as a team, sacrificing individual statistics for the good of the club. On Ozzie's team, a Geoff Blum or Juan Uribe were given the chance to contribute as much as Paul Konerko or Frank Thomas. He used his entire roster and had everyone marching to the same beat. An amazing year and unbelievable post season!
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:30 AM on November 10, 2005
An incredible performance that I'll never forget - thank you White Sox!
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:07 AM on October 27, 2005
The White Sox have gotten to where they are because they are a team. Look at the impact players in each of the games - it seems like someone different steps up every game. Jenks, Podsednik, Blum, Konerko, Dye, AJ, Crede - each player has chipped in over this series. The Sox don't rely on one or two big hitters (as they have in the past) to win games. Just as in the regular season, the Sox are inventing ways to squeek out wins. Have they gotten breaks? Sure. Have they taken advantage of the breaks? Absolutely. They play hard and deserve to be where they are today. This has been a tight World Series where they have shown the ability to get just enough from everyone to win.
posted by ChiSox1977 at 09:40 AM on October 26, 2005
While I think it's stupid to play baseball under a dome when temperatures are mild and there's not rain, I don't think MLB should dictate whether the dome stays open or not. If the Astros want to shut it down because they think it gives them an edge, it's their field - they can do what they want. While not to the same extent, teams have always customized their fields to benefit the home team by doing things like altering the angle of the foul lines, moving the fences, and keeping the grass long/short depending on the strengths of the club. So, MLB, stay out of this. These two clubs will play a tight game with or without the roof. And, who says that the White Sox don't play well in a loud, hostile stadium anyway? They had the best road record in the AL, maybe all of baseball...
posted by ChiSox1977 at 11:45 AM on October 25, 2005
Minor league team challenges the Royals
This is clearly a preseason publicity stunt by the independent league team - and it's working, as I'm sure no one on this board has ever heard of the Rox until today. The Royals should continue to ignore this Bill Veeck wannabe and maybe donate some cash to the charity mentioned so as not to come off as jerks. BTW, I agree with the concept of picking on the Cubs...they keep raising ticket prices while putting mediocrity on the field...