Iowa's International Wrestling Presence

The University of Iowa Wrestling program has long been synonymous with Domination. Not only within the collegiate levels of the sport, but also at international levels. Doug Schwab (shown above), Mike Zadick and Steve Mocco are just a few of the many Olympians that have come through the Iowa Wrestling team to continue on with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club (see http://www.hawkeyewrestlingclub.com/) This powerful branch of the Iowa Hawkeyes is responsible for supporting athletes while they pursue their Olympic and World title dreams. The HWC has many fund raising opportunities and would not exist without support from Hawkeye fans and fans of wrestling. Currently the HWC has former Olympic Champions Tom Brands and Randy Lewis as coaches. Co-founder and former Olympic Champion, Dan Gable is an advisor to the club which was founded in 1973.

Former HWC Olympians:
Chris Campbell
Randy Lewis
Chuck Yagla
Ed Banach
Lou Banach
Barry Davis
Tom Brands
Terry Brands
Lincoln Mcllravy
Mike Zadick
Doug Schwab
Steve Mocco

Former HWC Olympic Champions:
Randy Lewis 1984
Ed Banach 1984
Lou Banach 1984
Tom Brands 1996

The HWC hopes to bring back the dominance it once had at the 2012 Olympic Games. Hoping to have a year like 1984.

Photo from: http://images.townnews.com/globegazette.com/content/articles/2008/08/19/news/local/doc48aa56456cca8707625961.jpg

Dan Erekson

Born: March 11, 1987

Home Town: Eagle, Idaho (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=eagle%2C+idaho&rlz=1R2_____en&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10)

Weight: Heavyweight

Height: 6-3

Major: History

Nickname: Danimal

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Professional Sport: Football

Favorite Professional Sport Team: Da Bears (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msSB5ev41Sk)

Favorite Book: Where the Red Fern Grows

Favorite Movie: That's complicated, Forest Gump, well just go with that

Favorite Music: Country music...As far as my favorite artist, that's a tough one, probably Alabama....they're from the 90s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHdXQAQHjd8)

Favorite Color: Red, I've like it since I was a kid.

Favorite Wrestling Memory: Last year at the NCAA tournament when I beat the Edinboro kid. That was my match to All-American, I was down by like four points and I came back to win it in over time.

Wrestling Videos on Flowrestling

For more information about Ereckson and to see his complete profile go to: http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/erekson_dan00.html

Chad Beatty

Born: February 4, 1987

Home Town: Wilton, Iowa (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=wilton+iowa&rlz=1R2_____en&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10)

Weight: 197 pounds

Height: 6-0

Major: Art with a 3D Design Emphasis

Favorite Food: Steak, black angus steak

Favorite Professional Sport: Football

Favorite Professional Sports Team: The Minnesota Vikings

Favorite Book: I don't read too many books, but A Child Named It

Favorite Movie: Happy Gilmore

Favorite Music: My favorite song is by the Dave Matthews Band, You and Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9CrZODlNA), DMB is also my favorite band

Favorite Wrestling Memory: I remember watching Alex Grunder win state when I was in eighth grade. It was an awesome, exciting match (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wrestlingusa.com/02%2520wusa%2520web%2520root/images/covers/Dec-cover.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wrestlingusa.com/02%2520wusa%2520web%2520root/images/covers/dec15-cover.html&usg=__kgxf5pxQ0cJ18kOPv5Wj6lTJ3Ro=&h=517&w=400&sz=111&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=C12Er_18IBFTnM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAlex%2BGrunder%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1R2_____en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)

For more information about Beatty and his complete profile go to: http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/beatty_chad00.html

Daniel Dennis

Born: September 24, 1986.

Home Town: Ingleside, Ill.

Weight: 133 pounds

Height: 5-4

Major: Interdepartmental Studies, business track.

Favorite Food: Anything...any candy really. I really like Chocolate.

Favorite Professional Sport: I'm not really big into professional sports, I like rock climbing, is that a professional sport? ( http://www.climbing.com/)

Favorite Book: Into Thin Air. Best book I've ever read.

Favorite Movie: Braveheart, Man on Fire, Gran Torino, Across the Universe...you know the Beattles Musical, great movie to watch with a girl!

Favorite Color: Gold Obviously, but other than that Red, or Blue.

Favorite Music: My favorite song is Bad Company by Bad Company on Bad Company (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3uiCfNkaM). I also like the Foo Fighters, especially lately, they're really versatile.

Favorite Wrestling Memory: Tom Brands in his Olympic final match in 1996. Or maybe Terry in the Worlds against the Cuban. Both those matches stick out in my mind. Both had total dominance. It was awesome.

For more information about Dennis and his complete profile go to: http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/dennis_daniel00.html

Sox find their man?

The White Sox have finally found a possible leadoff hitter and centerfielder for the 2010 team....Juan Pierre. The Sox traded a couple of minor leaguers-to-be-named-later to the Dodgers for Pierre who was essentially their fourth outfielder who saw a lot of time last season when Manny Ramirez sat out for testing positive for a banned substance. Piere brings the Sox some valuable experience and a World Series ring he won with the Marlins in 2003. He will likely become the everday centerfielder for the Sox, a position he only played fifteen games last season. The 32-year-old Pierre did hit .308 for the Dodgers and stole 30 last season. Sadly this means the Sox have probably seen the last of 2005 hero Scott Podsednik, but then again we've said that before, so who knows.

Ozzie!!!

Great interview with Ozzie as he previews 2010 and looks back on a few things from the 2009 season, as well as his stint as a media member. Check it out at http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7143777&c_id=cws&topic_id=

Godzilla!!!

The White Sox have also shown interest in DH/Outfielder, lefthanded power bat and 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. Godzilla could fill a couple of different voids the White Sox will have in 2010. The first being the void of power lefty that Jim Thome used to fill. Although he isn't quite as powerful as Thome, Matsui did hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs last season. Matsui would also fill the void of World Series MVP that the Sox lost when the let Jermaine Dye go this offseason. Dye won his World Series MVP with the Sox back in 2005, but on paper Matsui would be a slight upgrade from Dye's .250 average, 27 homers and 81 RBIs. Ironically both players are the same age and would command similar salaries, both of which might be out of the White Sox price range.

Podsednik vs. Coco Crisp

Right now it seems the White Sox are trying to decide between resigning Scotty Pods or signing Coco Crisp to bat leadoff and play center field next season. There is a lot involved in this process, but the main inhibitor seems to be contract negotiations. Pods wants a garunteed two years, and for some reason the Sox only want to give him one with an option for a second. Anyways here's a comparison of Pods and Crisp.

Pods: 34 years old, career .277 batting average, career .340 on-base-percentage and 266 career stolen bases. Last season he had 30 stolen bases to go along with his .304 average and his .353 on-base-percentage.

Crisp: 30 years old, career .277 batting average, career .331 on-base-percentage and 137 stolen bases. Last season he had 13 stolen bases, just a .228 average and a .336 on-base-percentage in just 49 games with the Royals.

Edge: The numbers are suprisingly close, especially the career numbers. Pods had a better season last year, but Crisp did not play in half as many games as Pods. Crisp is a better outfielder and is a true centerfielder. Plus he is younger, but I just have a hard time going against a guy in Pods that has done so much for the White Sox organization.

Going cuckoo for Coco Crisp (the player)

The White Sox are still trying to find a way to sign free agent outfielder Coco Crisp, likely to play center field and possibly bat leadoff. This is just another complex and confusing deal that Williams is trying to get done. Instead of signing Sox hero and a guy who hit .304 in Scott Podsednik , go after Crisp, who just hit .228 last season? The only reason I can understand going after Crisp his to help the marketing department. Just think of all of the fun promotions they can do with a guy named Coco Crisp, even though Coco isn't his real name, its Covelli. Kenny Williams must know something that the stats don't show...or at least I hope he does.

Bye D.J.

The Sox's bullpen took a hit when they failed to sign reliever D.J. Carrasco. The Sox lose their most durable reliever and the most durable reliever in all of baseball as he led the league with 89 and 1/3 innings last season. They also lose his 3.76 ERA, his career best, and his 5-1 record, also a career best for D.J. He could come in in just about any situation and get the job done. He wasn't flashy but he did have a decent strikeout-to-walk ratio with just 29 walks and 62 strikeouts. Really the only thing that I don't think that the Sox will miss about D.J. is his wearing of the stirup style socks, sorry D.J. its just not a good look.

photo from: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3648028978_d008b48e2f_o.png

Sox sign Putz

White Sox GM Kenny Williams continued his strange strategies by acquiring another injured pitcher. The Sox signed J.J. Putz who is rehabbing after having bone spurs removed in his throwing elbow last season. Putz put up his best numbers with Seattle, where he was there closer and had a career high saves with 40 in 2007. He was a disappointment last year for the Mets going 1-4 with a 5.22 ERA in just 29 games, while filling a similar role the White Sox hope to fill with him. If Putz can return to his 2007 form, where he had a microscopic 1.38 ERA the Sox bullpen will be almost as strong as their rotation. Many think Putz could also be used as a closer if Bobby Jenks struggles, or is traded. Hopefully the Sox don't have to resort to that and can use him as a set-up man to Bobby. That gives the Sox a dangerous seventh, eighth and ninth inning combination with Putz, Matt Thornton and Jenks. This could also put the starters at ease if they know they only need to go six strong innings.

Lapchick APSE Report Card

I can understand and agree with the importance of Lapchick’s study on the Racial and Gender Report Card for the Associated Press Sports Editors. I think that the idea of having fair and equitable media coverage is often overlooked, not only in the field of sports but all of media. It’s important that the media is as diverse as the people they cover because that way they can help relate to and may even share some of the similar experiences of the people they are covering. Diversifying the media also helps to bring the public different ideas than if people of all the same race were the only one’s involved in the media. Although the goal for the media is to cover people fairly, there will always be some bias and differences in coverage with different races.

Lapchick’s study examines and grades the Associated Press Sports Editors as far as having minority races and genders involved in the profession. As I said this study is important, mostly because it calls attention to the misrepresentations of minority races and of the female sex involved in sports coverage today. The study showed that just six percent of sports editors were minorities, similarly just six percent were women. Just eleven percent assistant sports editors were minorities. Overall the number of minorities in the sports media is very small, which resulted in poor racial and gender grades for the ASPE. I wasn’t really surprised that minorities were underrepresented in the media, but I was surprised how small the number was.

Lapchick also asks the question, “Is the coverage of athletes and sports in the media fair and
accurate when women and people of color are the subjects of the reporting?” This is an interesting and difficult question to answer. However, I would say that the answer is yes, if the media works hard to present all sides of the story equally and fairly. That being said, I still believe it is important to try to improve the gender and racial grades for the ASPE because of the different views that the public can get from different races and genders.

Another thing that I think is important, but not brought up in the study, is why the APSE is so underrepresented in minorities and females. There aren’t any explanations as to why this occurs. I think that the number of minorities and females who want to be in those positions in the APSE needs to be accounted for in the study. I think instead of just showing the percentages of people in the position, I think they need to show the percentages of people who applied for the job. If no minorities or women are applying for those jobs, then it really isn’t the APSE’s fault. Regardless of the outcome of a study that compares those percentages the APSE needs to play a more proactive role in encouraging minorities and females to become involved in the APSE, which would hopefully help make the numbers more equitable.

Twitter and the media

The media can use Twitter in some excellent ways, mostly to break news stories. The media can also redirect their viewers, or followers in this case to different people's Twitter accounts. This aspect helps bring the fans closer to the player/ coach. I think this is an excellent use for Twitter because it gives more access to the fans. The media can also use Twitter to break stories. Twitter allows people to make quick and short posts that can tell people a lot about what's going on. I've even heard stories of Twitter helping to save people from a fire by giving them updates about the situation. The same is true for sporting events and now, especially with events that aren't covered by television or other media, people are able to give updates about the events. A problem arises when the posts are inaccurate. People doing the posting need to make sure that what they are reporting is true and not mislead their followers. Just because anyone can have a Twitter account doesn't mean that journalists can slack off with their responsibilities regarding ethical journalism. Journalists need to remember that they are considered to be more credible than others on Twitter and that what they are reporting is still journalism. They also need to be careful of redirecting others to false information. Redirecting fans to a player's Twitter account is much different than directing them to a "neighbor of the player who says...." They need to do a certain amount of fact checking before they post something on the Twitter account from other peoples' accounts. I think that sometimes people are more worried about getting the story out quickly than they are getting it out correctly. Personally I would like to wait the extra time so I can get the truth. I would like to think that most people are like me and would prefer the truth as oppposed to a false story that came out quicker.

Overall I would say that Twitter can and will play a key role in journalism for the next couple of years. I think that, like most of technology, it is a good thing if it is used correctly. Journalists need to remember that they are still journalists and they need to apply the same ethics and research that they would apply to a story in a newspaper to their Twitter tweets. Even though anyone can have a Twitter account, journalists need to hold themselves to a higher standard because people look to them as reputable sources of information. When false Twitter tweets are reported by journalists it causes problems for everyone in the industry and makes the readers/followers or journalists skeptical about everything they say. Unfortunately most people aren't skeptical about what they read, which can cause rumors to be spread. I think its important for the public to also be more critical of what they see on Twitter and I think they need to hold journalists who have Twitter accounts to a higher standard than their relatives who have Twitter accounts.

Regardless of how it is used, it seems that Twitter will be a part of journalism in the future, which is why it is important that journalists realize all of the responsibility that comes with a Twitter account. This isn't important for just the journalist, but the entire journalism field because one bad report can make everyone question the legitimacy of journalists everywhere. This could be a problem for getting sources as well as for getting people you're covering to trust you and give you information. Also it is terrible for your readers/followers because they won't have any trust in you or your reporting.

I think this is an important part in separating the real reporting from the gossip reporting. A journalist (and everyone in the field) needs to establish a positive reputation so their followers can trust them. People eventually figure out that most of the gossip reporting that is done tends to be fabricated or embellished. Hopefully today's journalists can decipher from what is false and only report the facts. If they can do this then I believe people will go to the journalists who have a reputation for delivering the truth instead of listening to the gossip reporting. If this can happen then it would help to eliminate some of the rumors that swirl around during controversial stories, like the Tiger Woods story.

2010 team

Here's what I project for the White Sox lineup next season:

1. Alexi Ramirez SS
2. Gordon Beckham 2B
3. Paul Konerko 1B
4. Carlos Quentin LF
5. A.J. Pierzynski C
6. Mark Teahen 3B
7. Tyler Flowers DH
8. Alex Rios CF
9. Andruw Jones RF

Obviously this lineup is subject to change and hopefully will. I feel like it won't be set in stone until after spring training, and even then it will have moving pieces, especially with the versatility that some players like Teahen and Beckham possess. Don't be surprised to see Beckham anywhere in the infield or to see Teahen in the outfield.

Let's move on to the strength of the team for 2010, the starting pitching staff.
1. Mark Buehrle
2. Jake Peavy
3. Gavin Floyd
4. John Danks
5. Freddy Garcia
I can't wait to see these guys in action and they will all play need to play a very important role if the team is going to be successful next season.

And on the tail end the Sox will have Bobby Jenks to close things out, unless the rumors are true and they trade him, in that case Matt Thornton will do the job.

Possible leadoff hitters

Here's a list of the possible free-agent leadoff hitters the Sox could still go after. Chone Figgins isn't on the list because the Sox simply don't have enough money. With that in mind here's a look at some feasible free agents.
1. Scott Podsednik- We need to sign him. I think he's the best leadoff hitter on the list and he already has a proven history with the Sox. I can't figure out why this deal can't be done.
2. Felipe Lopez- Lopez batted .310 last season with Arizona and Milwaukee. He's a solid player, but unfortunately he's also a second basemen and the Sox infield is already a little crowded, unless Beckham could play the outfield, which I'm sure he could.
3. Orlando Hudson- Hudson would have been the perfect fit last season. He is very similar to Lopez and is also a second basemen, which could mean some reorganizing if we could sign him, but his bat and experience would be worth it.
4. Johnny Damon- Damon seems to be the best fit, other than Podsednik. He could play a corner outfield spot and has a history as a leadoff man. However, I wouldn't even have him on this list if he hadn't had such a great postseason, anyone who steals two bases in one play should get a serious look.
5. Marlon Byrd- Byrd isn't a proven leadoff man, but he could do the job. He is a solid outfielder and did manage to hit .283 last season with the Rangers. Plus we've already signed two other players from the Rangers last season, so why not go for the trifecta?

Offseason so far....

Here's a brief recap of what the White Sox have done this offseason, an offseason that I can't seem to figure out. Overall I would say that Williams has improved the defense and that's about it. He still needs to sign a leadoff hitter (Scott Podsednik is still available). However he did sign seasoned veterans Andruw Jones (which would have been great five or so years ago) and Omar Vizquel (which would have been great about ten years or so ago). I expect both players to have more of an impact off the field than on it. He also traded budding star Chris Getz and the underachieving Josh Fields for Mark Teahen, who I can only hope hits as well for the Sox as he did against them. He also resigned Freddy Garcia and Matt Thornton, while failing to resign the World Series MVP Jermaine Dye. Sadly, those are about the only three moves that I understand from this offseason. Let's just hope that Willam's moves work out, but I hope he can find a leadoff hitter.

Sox sign Jones

In another befuddling move by Kenny Williams the White Sox signed center fielder Andruw Jones. The 32-year-old Jones will play a similar role that Omar Vizquel will play, as a player-coach, only he will do so with the outfield. Jones is a five-time All-Star and a ten-time Gold Glove winner. Unfortunately Jones still doesn't fill the void the Sox have at the top of the order because he hit just .214 last season with the Rangers.

Sox sign Vizquel

Kenny Williams made another interesting move by signing 42-year-old Omar Vizquel. The eleven-time Gold Glove winner should help the White Sox infield that committed 113 errors last season, even if it is from the bench. Vizquel did manage to hit .266 with the Rangers last season and his ability to be a player-coach should have some impact on the White Sox, unfortunately he still isn't the lead-off man the Sox need to sign. However, he could have a huge impact on Alexi Ramirez, similar to the impact he had on Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus. Vizquel, who's from Venezeula, also cited the team's long history of Venezeulan shortstops as part of the reason he wanted to become a Sox.

Beckham named number 9 in the future of sports

Gordon Beckham has been named number nine in ESPN's The Mag on a list of athletes considered to be the future of sports. Hopefully Beckham can live up to this hype as he can focus even more on hitting this season because he is making the move to second base, an easier place to play defensively. Photo from: http://theghostofmoonlightgraham.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/beckham.jpg

Offseason Moves

It appears that the White Sox won't be too aggressive in the free-agent market this winter. They have already committed $78 million towards 13 players for next season's team. That means that the Sox will only have around $15 million to work with for the rest of their team because their payroll usually is in the $93 million range. So don't count on the Sox signing any big name free agents. However one area that the Sox could spend some money is to fix up their bullpen. Going in to the 2009 season the bullpen looked to be a strong suit, however it looks like its going to be the weakest area for the Sox this season. That being said, I don't expect the Sox to sign any big names to help their bullpen, instead they will hope for Scott Linebrink to have a rebound year. If Linebrink can return to his pre-2009 form the Sox bullpen could look become a strength for the team.

Wilson Betemit to sign with Royals

Former White Sox Wilson Betemit, who the White Sox traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees to get, looks like he will sign with the Royals. The Royals could use Betemit at third base to fill in for the loss of Mark Teahan, who the Sox just got for Fields and Getz. All of that basically means that the Royals infield could be full of former White Sox players....lets hope they don't hold grudges.

Mark Buehrle Wins Golden Glove

Mark Buehrle became the first White Sox to win a Gold Glove since Robin Ventura won back in 1998. Buehrle put up some great numbers this season has he collected 41 assists and assisting with five double plays, while committing just one error. He's only the second White Sox pitcher to win the award, joining Jim Kaat, who won in 1974-75.

Photo from:

http://www.blogiversity.org/blogs/willburns1/mark_buehrle_no_hitter.jpg

Bye Dye, Hello Kotsay

The White Sox have officially cut ties with 2005 World Series MVP Jermaine Dye. The Sox bought out the final year in his contract making him a free agent, and no longer a member of the Chicago White Sox team. Although it is sad to see Dye go, it was time. The Sox need to get younger and go cheaper in the outfield. Plus Dye's sad second half made it easier for the Sox to part with him.

Kenny Williams did resign utility player Mark Kotsay, who will play multiple roles for the Sox next season. Kotsay can play firstbase, outfield and could even be used in the DH role. Kenny Williams took Ozzie's words to heart when he told him that he needed to resign Kotsay.

2010

Now that the baseball season is officially over, I think it is finally time to start the talk about next season. Kenny Williams thought so too. He has already made quite a few moves, but none bigger than sending Chris Getz and Josh Fields to Kansas City for Mark Teahen. Teahen was a Sox killer last season, hitting .404 against them, but just .271 overall, while playing third base for the Royals. Yes third base, which means the White Sox plan to fill the void of Getz, who was starting to play very solid baseball for the Sox last season before his injury, with current third basemen Gordon Beckham. That means the Sox will have to teach the Rookie of the Year another new position in 2010. Becks will be able to transition nicely to second base, but I'm concerned about Getz hurting the Sox next season with the Royals. I'm less worried about Fields, but stranger things have happened. In the end, Teahen is a solid player, but the Sox simply gave up too much for him because he is not the All-Star RBI producer the White Sox lineup needs for 2010.

*photo from www.espn.com

Rumor Has It

Before Johnny Damon had such a great World Series with the Yankees, there was talk about the White Sox signing the free agent, possibly as a replacement for Scott Podsednik. Thankfully, it seems like the Yanks might resign Damon, leaving the door open for the Sox to resign Pods. Pods and Damon both have declining abilities in the field, yet they seem to have some pop left in their left handed swings. However, Pods is two years younger than Damon and had a higher batting average last season. Plus Pods has a history with the White Sox that no one will forget and he'll steal more bases next season.

Of note: Congratulations to former White Sox lefties Damaso Marte and Scott Eyre for their shut out innings in game six. Seeing that makes me wonder why we let those guys go....oh yeah, because of a guy named Matt Thornton.

*photo from: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/ZskbHW3X0pn/New+York+Yankees+v+Los+Angeles+Angels+Anaheim/sD6UKFdngA5/Johnny+Damon

Pedro Martinez

Despite taking the loss in game two of the World Series, Pedro Martinez has looked great for the Phillies. He has gone 5-1 for the Phillies with a 3.36 ERA this season for the Phils and I would like to remind everyone that he could have been doing that for the White Sox (or any other team willing to sign him) this season. In the end Freddy Garcia worked out as the fifth starter, but just think of what could have been if we could have had Martinez for half the season? Or even the full season?

(EX)White Sox in the World Series

Ozzie will only get to watch three former White Sox players, one of which he didn't even coach, this year in the World Series. Nick Swisher, Damaso Marte and Scott Eyre are the only players left that used to be a part of the White Sox organization, and with Jerry Hairston replacing Swisher in the Yankee lineup, they all will spend the majority of series watching. Well at least Swisher is still on the team, the same can't be said for the player the Sox received for Swisher, Wilson Betemit.

2010 World Series

As many of you know White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is a part of the Fox broadcasting crew for this year's World Series. Scott Reifert (vice presdient of communications for the White Sox organization) asked Ozzie to comment on a few aspects of his broadcasting job this season and here's what Ozzie had to say:

"Don't worry. We have a bet. I'm going to win a lot of money." Ozzie said about the possiblity of cursing on the air. "I only curse and say bad stuff about my team," Ozzie added.

"This could be one of the best. Both teams have speed, power and pitching," Ozzie about the World Series matchup between the Yankees and the Phillies.

Finally, Ozzie said this about instant replay in Major League Baseball, "I think you have to trust the umps. I don't think we need to move anything right now."

My All Time Nine

Seeing the MLB's All Time Nine got me thinking about who would be on my All Time White Sox team. This is a little different from the MLB's All Time Nine because I only started really following the Sox in the mid nineties. With that in mind, here's a look at who I would have for my All Time favorite (not necessarily the best) White Sox of from that time until now:

Starting Pitcher: Mark Buehrle. Of course I'm going to choose Buehrle. He's established himself as the Sox number one starter. He's won a World Series, a perfect game and he just seems like a fun guy. He is working his way to become the best starting pitcher in White Sox history, and I would say that he isn't far from that goal.

Catcher: A.J. Pierzynski. Another easy one here. I love the way A.J. plays, he has to be one of the smartest (baseball knowledge wise) players in baseball. No matter what happens it always seems like A.J. is at the center of controversy and we won the World Series with him calling the pitches. Plus Carlton Fisk was just a bit before my time, so who else would I pick? Ron Karkovice?

First Base: Paul Konerko. I had to choose Paulie. I've seen Paulie at his best and his worst. He's the team captain and has been a cornerstone for the team since I have been a fan. He's a good hitter and a very underrated first basemen. I don't know how many errors he's saved our infielders over the years.

Second Base: Ray Durham. I loved Durham and almost cried when the Sox traded him in 2002. Durham played eight solid years for the Sox. He was a fine second baseman and an even better hitter, usually hitting around .280. He could hit from both sides of the plate, and had no problems stealing bases for the Sox.

Third Base: Robin Ventura. Gordon Beckham is well on his way to passing Ventura, but I'm going to need to see more than just one year. Becks has some big shoes to fill as well because Ventura was great in his ten years with the Sox. The left handed hitting Ventura generally batted around .260+ and played a great third base. Plus he wasn't afraid of anyone...or to take a beating. Just ask the great Nolan Ryan. (Number one on the list) http://www.metacafe.com/watch/133074/top_ten_baseball_fights/
Joe Crede was a thought for this position, seeing as we did win a World Series with him and he did have some clutch late inning hits, but as soon as he signed with the Twins he lost this spot for sure.

Shortstop: Juan Uribe. Tough pick here. As long as I have been a fan the Sox haven't had that Derek Jeter type shortstop that I'm looking for. I thought about picking Ozzie but I only saw him in his final years with the team, plus I need him to be my manager for this bunch. Alexi Ramirez could be the guy, but I need to see more from him. I thought about putting in Jose Valentine because I liked the way he played and he did hit for the cycle with us. But instead, I chose the guy who we won a World Series with, Juan Uribe. Uribe wasn't the greatest hitter or the greatest fielder, but he put things together in 2005. He established himself in White Sox history with the catch he made leaping into the stands in the World Series. Plus I need a guy with a great belly on the team.

Right Field: Jermaine Dye. This would have been a much more difficult pick if Magglio Ordonez would have gone and played for a National League team, but I decided to cut all ties with Mags after he signed with Detroit. That made Jermaine the easy pick. He was the World Series MVP, played a solid right field and seemed like a great guy to have in the club house. I wish him luck next season, whether it's with the Sox or not, unless it's with a division rival.

Center Field: Aaron Rowand. I miss Rowand. We have been searching for a replacement ever since we sent him to Philadelphia. Rowand was a gritty, hardnosed, team focused guy that could hit for average and play the outfield well. Hopefully Alex Rios can make me forget about Rowan next season, but I'm not holding my breath.

Left Field: Scott Podsednik. Pods was our catalyst in 2005, 2009 and hopefully in 2010. He can steal bases, get on base and basically just cause all sorts of problems for opposing teams. I thought about sliding Carlos Lee in here, but Pods has had much more of an impact.

DH: Frank Thomas. Any list of All Time Great White Sox has got to have The Big Hurt on it. Thomas was great for the White Sox and I wish things could have ended better between him and the club. I thought about adding in Harold Baines here, but the two time AL MVP Thomas gets the nod.

Closer: Bobby Jenks. It may seem like I'm just throwing in all of the players from the 2005 World Championship team, but Jenks is the best close that I can remember ever playing for the Sox. If anyone has someone else in mind I would love to know who they are.

Iowa City West Girls BB Preview

The Iowa City West girls basketball team brings back nine seniors and playoff experience as they look to improve on their 16-6 record from a year ago.

Head Coach B.J. Mayer hopes that experiencing the playoffs will be a motivating factor for this year’s team and that they play with a “chip on their shoulder,” so this could be the year that West High girls basketball makes their first state tournament berth.

Mayer admitted that the offense could suffer after losing their top two scorers from last season, in Emma Krieger Kittle and Madison Sadecky, but he thinks that seniors Mackenzie Reed, Kristin Fomon and Courtney Fritz can replace last season’s scoring leaders.

Mayer also said that he plans to implement a new, up-tempo offense, with an emphasis on the three-point shot. That new offense should help to make up for losing last year’s top scorers as well as the lack of size on this year’s team. Mayer said Fomon will be a key component to this year’s offense, as the team’s best three-point shooter.

Mayer’s biggest concern is defending in the low post. He hopes to use a platoon of about ten players this season, running kids in and out to wear his opponents down and create “chaos” on defense. Mayer expects sophomore Tatum Klein, after playing varsity as a freshman, to lead his defense this season. Mayer is also excited about the rest of his sophomore group, as they should see a lot of varsity action this season.

West begins their season November 24, at Fairfield. Their first home game is against North Scott on November 28, before they begin their conference schedule, a conference that Mayer believes is the best in the state. December 18 highlights the conference schedule because West hosts in-town rival City High, a team that returns everyone from last season and is traditionally one of the most intense games of the year.

John Vincent Reading

1. Vincent examines how female athletes are covered compared to male athletes by the media. He mostly seems to focus on how the field of print journalism covers the athletes. He looks at everything involved with a paper and compares a number of different aspects of the paper including; headlines, cover stories, where the articles are located and a few others aspects about where and how female athletes are represented in the papers.
He also mentions explanations for why this happens. According to feminist scholars, female athletes are "marginalized and exploited" when it comes to their interaction with the media. Cultural scholars believe that the media plays an important part in telling their audience what to read and in this case how important female athletics are. Political economy scholars think that the media is just doing what their audience wants, so they can make money and sell their product. Out of the three of these theories I would have to agree with this one the most. I don't believe the media is trying to exclude women from their coverage, or make them less important than male sports, but the consumers are simply more interested in male sports than female sports.

2. According to Vincent's study media coverage of women lacks in comparison with media coverage of men. He mentions that women's sport has grown, yet it only receives about 10% percent of the print coverage. He also mentioned that when women's sport is mentioned, it usually involves socially constructed sex roles and heterosexuality contexts. He also mentioned that athletes competing in "gender appropriate" sports generally receive more coverage than athletes competing in "gender-inappropriate" sports. Finally he mentioned that African American female athletes are generally associated with "race appropriate" sports.

3. I think in a perfect world his recommendations would be perfect. Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world, so I don't think his recommendations could work in today's world. Fair or not, consumers usually do not care about female athletics. I'm not saying that they need to be completely left out of the sport sections, but I think that the most important thing to the reader should be the biggest story and journalists should spend the most time on that story. That being said, I do think it is important to eliminate the use of heterosexual contexts in stories regarding female athletes. I think that reporters need to take the same type of approach when working on a story about females as they would when working on a story about male athletes.

All Time Nine

Sox fans can vote for the best nine White Sox (one at each position) of all time. Sox fans can pick virtually any player from Luis Aparicio to Harold Baines at http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/fan_forum/all_time_nine/index.jsp?c_id=cws. Here Sox fans can not only vote for formers stars but also give some love to same current Sox standouts and members of the 2005 Championship team. Check it out to see who is in the lead and to let your opinion be known.

Gordon Beckham wins TSN Rookie Honors

The Sporting News has named third baseman Gordon Beckham their AL Rookie of the Year. Beckham was one of the few bright spots for the 2009 White Sox team that came up short in the pursuit of their championship aspirations. Beckham obviously impressed not just the White Sox organization, but other players in the league as this award was voted on by a panel 338 Major League players. Beckham hit .270 with 14 homers and 63 RBIs for the Sox this season in just 103 games. He did this just one year removed from playing college baseball and while learning to play a new position, as he played shortstop the majority of his baseball career. The future is bright for Beckham and he will need to continue to improve if the White Sox are going to contend next year. Becks is the ninth White Sox to win the award and the first since his manager Ozzie Guillen did it in 1985. Hopefully the former Rookie of the Year can find time between his busy broadcasting schedule to help show Beckham how he can cut down on his 14 errors from last year.

Keep Ozzie

Lately there has been talk of the Chicago White Sox ditching their manager Ozzie Guillen. Just the fact that I need to comment on this seems preposterous to me. Ozzie Guillen was not the reason the White Sox underachieved this season, his players were. Ozzie began the season without a leadoff hitter, a solid fifth starter or centerfielder and a host of other questions. All of these questions were a recipe for failure, its a wonder the Sox didn't finish worse than just two games below .500. Another reason the Sox struggled could have been the fact that Guillen had two rookies in his infield, which already had two players playing entirely different positions from their previous season, which no doubt had something to do with 113 errors.

I will admit that Ozzie Guillen has a tendancy to go on barely understandable rants and call out his players if he sees something he doesn't like. But isn't that a good thing? Ozzie's rants seem to take the focus off his players and put it squarely on his shoulders. As for when he calls out players, don't you think that it should make them wake up. These guys are professional athletes, not little leaguers that need coddling. I would think that Ozzie's honesty is something his players would appreciate...and fear, again which I believe is a good thing, so his athletes aren't taking their roles for granted.

I will also admit that baseball, and sports in general (Bobby Bowden comes to mind) is a what have you done for me lately type of society. With that in mind Ozzie hasn't won the World Series since 2005, but neither has 27 other skippers in the Majors.

Ozzie did everything he could shy of breaking out his old glove and bat for the White Sox in 2008. He simply did not have the right peices of the puzzle. A puzzle that Ozzie seems to know very well. One move of his that no one will question now was putting Dewayne Wise in as a defensive replacement for Mark Buehrle's perfect game. Plain and simple: Ozzie knows baseball and he wants to win. Sometimes I feel like he wants to win more than any of his players. Ozzie cares about his guys and expects them to come to play and play the right way.

Hopefully Ozzie, who has just announced he will be in the broadcast booth for Fox this postseason, is not preparing for a new career any time soon. The White Sox will bring back, for the most part, the same core of players as last year, but with another year's experience under their belts. He will also begin the season with a very complete and solid rotation, possibly a leadoff hitter, and no rookies in the infield. I am even willing to say that nobody will be questioning Ozzie's job safety after next season.

What went right and wrong for Steve Rosenbloom

As I was reading about the underachieving 2009 White Sox team, I came across Steve Rosenbloom's blog http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/rosenblog/2009/10/making-a-sox-list.html?obref=obnetwork. He had some great points and was almost dead on with his account of the season, and predictions for next season. However I think he was a little critical on Scott Podsednik, but other than that I would pretty much agree with him.

What went right?

In hopes of adding a little optimism to Sox fans everywhere I would like to remind them what went right in 2009:
1. Buehrle's Perfect Game. The number one thing in my mind was Mark Buehrle's perfect game. Even though Buehrle didn't pitch very well after his gem, the gem alone is something he can hang his hat on for the season. That day in July will always be remembered by Sox fans as well as MLB fans. Buehrle became just the 18th pitcher to throw a perfect game and the first since 1999. Dewayne Wise will also get a mention when this game is discussed because of his miracle catch. Sadly, it seems that will be about all Sox fans will have to remember Wise, but it remains just one of many (and hopefully many more) things Sox fans will have to remember Buehrle.
2. Gordon Beckham. Beckham hit .270 with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs while learning a new position during his first season in the Major Leagues. Need I say more?
3. Scott Podsednik. Pods came back to the Sox after a disappointing stint with Colorado. He filled our 2009 leadoff spot, much like he did in 2005. In fact, he actually had a higher average in 2009 (.303) than he did in 2005 (.290). Hopefully the Sox can work out a deal to bring him back and he can repeat his 2009 performance.
4. Jake Peavy. I will admit that I did not like the trade for Jake Peavy. I thought that Clayton Richard could have been a great pitcher, especially with Mark Buerhle to tutor him. Plus I didn't like the idea of trading for an injured player. However, now I see that the trade wasn't just about 2009, and I am very excited to see what Peavy can do in 2010 after going 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA for the Sox this season.

Ex-Sox in Postseason

Even though the current White Sox players aren't playing in the postseason, they can still cheer on a few of their former teammates. Here's a look at the former White Sox (some were Sox more recently than others) that made it to this year's fall classic.

1. Brian Anderson-Boston Redsox. The Red Sox didn't even use Anderson's great defensive skills during the postseason, as the light hitting center fielder only saw the field as a pinch runner for Mike Lowell. Anderson played four years with the Sox and made his debut with the team in 2005 during their championship season.

2. Orlando Cabrera-Minnesota Twins. Cabrera gave the Twins some postseason experience at the shortstop position, before they were swept by the Yankees. Cabrera gained some of that postseason in his only stint with the Sox last year. Ironically his postseason stats from last year look very similar to the way he ended this season. In 2008 Cabrera had 16 at bats and scored one run off of two hits and had three strike outs in four games. For the Twins this postseason he had 12 at bats, but still scored one run off of two hits and had three strikeouts in just three games.

3. Damaso Marte-New York Yankees. Marte had some of his best years with the White Sox and was a key situational lefty coming out of the bullpen for the White Sox back in 2005. The Yankees are still using him as a situational lefty, but not necessarily with the game on the line. So far this postseason he has played in one game, giving up two hits without recording one out.

5. Nick Swisher-New York Yankees. Swisher seems to have figured things out in New York, and it appears as though the Yankees may have gotten the better of the Sox on that trade. He is constantly given credit for changing the atmosphere in the Yankee dugout. His play, although not outstanding, has been much better this season than last year and he seemed to carry the Yankees earlier this season. However, it seems as though he has returned to his 2008 form so far this postseason, batting a lowly .083. He will get more chances though as the Yank's starting right fielder for the American League Championship Series.

6. Jim Thome- Los Angeles Dodgers. Even though things didn't work out the way both parties had hoped, I'm glad Thome has been given a chance to win a ring this season with the Dodgers. Thome did not quite live up to expectations with the White Sox, but he seems to fit in well as a pinch hitter for Joe Torre's Dodgers. That being said, Thome has yet to collect his first hit of this postseason, as he is 0-2, but he does bring quite a bit of October experience to the young Dodger team.

7. Jon Garland- Los Angeles Dodgers. Garland has quitely become one of the most reliable starters in baseball. He isn't a number one starter but he has great stuff for a guy at the back end of any rotation. He played eight years with the Sox and was a key member of the 2005 team. He was also an All-Star that season and has a 2.25 ERA in postseason play. Garland has yet to pitch this postseason, but could be used out of the bullpen or as a starter.

8. Jose Contreas- Colorado Rockies. Contreas is another member of our 2005 pitching staff that has been demoted to the bullpen this postseason. After a roller coaster of a career with the Sox, Contreas was traded to the Rockies this season, giving them a player who knows what it takes to win a World Series.

9. Scott Eyre- Philadelphia Phillies. Eyre began his career with the White Sox in 1997, He played four years with the Sox as a starter and reliever, with mixed results. However the lefty seems to have found the perfect fit in the Phillies's bullpen as he has already appeared in their first two games this postseason and has yet to give up a run.

2010 Outfield

The Chicago White Sox hope to put Scott Podsednik back at the top of their batting order for next season. Podsednik's agent and Sox GM Kenny Williams have agreed to start talks and seem optimistic that a deal can be done. Podsednik hit .304 and stole 30 bases this season for the White Sox. Any Sox fan knows that he already has a part in team history as a pivotal member in the 2005 World Champion team. The White Sox will need him to repeat his success in 2010 if they are going to contend.

Fellow Sox outfielder in 2009, Dewayne Wise appears to be leaving as he opted for free agency instead of accepting an assignment to Triple-A. Wise will best be remembered as the defensive replacement who saved Mark Buerhle's perfect game by robbing a home run in the top of the ninth. The 31-year-old Wise batted just .225 this year with the Sox.

Finally outfielder Carlos Quentin is still recovering from having a pin surgically removed from his wrist. He also recently had a foot doctor look at his foot, which made him miss 2 months of the season due to plantar fasciitis. The foot doctor found no abnormalities and Quentin can start off-season activities as soon as his wrist heals in about 30 days.

The Rabbit Hunter

To begin, I would take out the Faulkner quote. Then I would explain the methaphore of the rabbit hunter. I would explain to the reader that Bobby Knight is too worried about the small, trivial things (the rabbits) that he forgets about the elephants. I would put the passage at the top of 480 first. Then I would put the part about countenances, by transitioning with something like but according to Knight, he says his problem is...and then go to the beginning of the story. The only reason I would keep the part about the countenances is because it goes with the fictitious story about why Knight only has one dimple, and I think it perfectly explains his personality. After that I would switch the order of Older People section the Coaches section. I want to tell the readers about Knight's father sooner in the story to help explain why he used the coaches as a father figure. Instead of a Women section, I want a Nancy section. I want to learn more about how Knight met her and how she can put up with him. I think it would be interesting to hear her thoughts about Knight and more about her role in their relationship, as well as what their relationship is like. I would also leave in the other parts of this section, especially the ones about Knight telling his players that women are obstacles. After that I would put the Players section, and then finish it with the More Rabbits section. However throughout the piece I would relate all of Knight's problems back to the rabbits metaphore. I think this is an excellent metaphore, and seems to legitimately explain Knight's problem. I would also end the peice saying something about Knight hunting rabbits, instead of "It can be a great life. (Someday)." Or after say: it can be a great day, someday, if Knight can forget about the rabbits. Or something to that effect. Also I would like to end with the paragraphs on pages 485-486, starting with "I just love the game of basketball so," and use all of those paragraphs until the end of the coaches section. Then I would add the part about Knight still hunting rabbits. I think this would be a better ending because it reminds the readers how much Knight loved the game of basketball.

Sox sign two veteran throwers

The White Sox are planning for Matt Thornton and Freddy Garcia to play significant roles on the pitching staff in 2010. Thornton went 6-3 with a 2.74 ERA this season and was really one of a few brights spots in the White Sox bullpen this season. Many beleive that Thornton is one of, if not the best situational lefties in the game. However Thornton has proven that he can get just about anyone out and could be the closer next season if Bobby Jenks continues to struggle. The 33-year-old had a career high 87 strikeouts in 2009.

Freddy Garcia seems to have a claim on the fifth spot in the starting rotation for 2010. Having Garcia back in the starting rotation brings back memories of 2005 when he played a pivotal role for the Sox's World Series Championship season. Garcia pitched very well in his nine starts with the Sox in 2009, going 3-4 with a 4.34 ERA. Hopefully Garcia will give the Sox the stability in the fifth spot that they couldn't get from Bartolo Colon.

2010 here we come!

The Chicago White Sox ended their 2009 campaign fittingly, with a loss to the Detroit Tigers. The loss somewhat showed what the Sox were lacking all season, offense. They were shut down by Detroit's ace, Justin Verlander, who gave up just three runs in 7.2 innings in what turned into a must-win game for the Tigers to force a playoff game with the Minnesota Twins. John Danks took the loss after he gave up four runs in five innings. Rookies Carolos Torres and Daniel Hudson finished out the game and the season. Hudson went two innings giving up three hits and one run, while striking out two.

Keep in mind that the Sox did win the series after stellar starting pitching from Jake Peavy and Freddy Garcia. Peavy won the series opener going eight strong innings, giving up just two hits. Scott Podsednik and Carlos Quentin were the offensive stars as Pods went 3-4 with a run and Quentin went 2-4 while driving in two. Both players could play prominent roles on next year's team. Freddy Garcia could also play a prominent role next season as he pitched very well in his final audition for the fifth starter spot in the rotation. He went seven innings and gave up just one run. Quentin's bat was also encouraging, as he went 2-3, scoring two runs and driving one in.

Now that the season is finally over, all that Sox fans can do is wait and see what lies in store for their team.

Sox split doubleheader

The White Sox lost the first game of their doubleheader against Cleveland 5-1, meaning that they will finish the season with a losing record. Carlos Torres took the loss, going six innings and giving up five runs. More importantly Torres did not impress in his audition for next year's fifth spot in the rotation. That spot will now likely go to Freddy Garcia or rookie Daniel Hudson.

There was some positive on Wednesday as the Sox took the second game behind a stellar pitching performance by Mark Buehrle. Buehrle went six shut out innings and gained his 13th win of the season when Paul Konerko drove in Dewayne Wise in the bottom of the sixth. Paulie had quite the game as he also managed to pick up his first stolen base of the season, the eighth of his career. Matt Thornton threw a perfect ninth, with two strikeouts, to grab his fourth save of the season.

Sox fans probably won't need to get used to Paulie stealing bases, but they might need to get used to seeing Matt Thornton in the closer role. The lefty has converted all three of his save opportunites since taking over for the injured Bobby Jenks, who has struggled this year.

Why Play?

Just because the White Sox are out of playoff contention doesn't mean they don't have anything left to play for. Here's a few things the Sox can still work for to try to salvage the season, in no particular order:

1. Finish the season with a .500 record (81-81). Despite how bad they have played this season, the Sox can still finish with a .500 record if they win the rest of their games. Granted, this is well below the expectations that many had for the ball club this year, but it would give them some great momentum to carry into the offseason.

2. Play spoiler. Depending on how the Twins-Tigers series goes this week, the White Sox can gain the support of Twins fans if they can beat the Tigers in Detroit during the final series of the season, and prevent them from reaching the playoffs.

3. Help Gordon Beckham win Rookie of the Year. Gordon Beckham has a very legitimate shot at winning this year's Rookie of the Year award. This would not only be big for Beckham, but it would be more great momentum for the Sox going in to the offseason. Beckham would be the organization's sixth winner of the award, and the first since his manager did it in 1985.

4. Say goodbye to more stars from the 2005 title team. Sox fans will likely be forced to bid farewell to 2005 World Series MVP Jermaine Dye. Dye played a pivotal role in helping the Sox in 2005 and started off this season hot, hitting .302 with 20 homers and 55 RBIs before the All-Star break. Unfortunately the 35-year-old right fielder has cooled off during the second half hitting just .179 with only seven homers and 24 RBIs. Nothing is set in stone, but more than likely Jermaine's five year stint on the South Side will be over. I know I'll be sad to see him go, but I understand the move as the Sox look to go younger with their ball club.

The Sox could also say goodbye to their 2005 and current table setter in Scott Podsenik, depending on who they can sign in free agency this offseason. Pods was also a pivotal part of the winning formula in 2005 and has had a solid year for the Sox this year. He is hitting .303 and leads the team in hits, triples, on base percentage and stolen bases. Pods has a chance to stay with the team, but if the Sox can land free agent Chone Figgins the chance is low. It will also be sad to see Pods go, but I understand the move if the Sox can sign Figgins, but that is a big if.

5. Stop Ozzie from going on tirades. Even though the Sox won't be making the playoffs, Ozzie still expects his players to come to play everyday and play hard. This was evident after his latest rant after the loss against Detroit on Saturday. It's good to see that Ozzie hasn't lost any of his desire to win and that he's not afraid to call his players on it. However, his players can reduce Ozzie's anxiety and alleviate the television censors' aching thumbs if they continue to play hard for the rest of the season.

Sox Win 6-1

After taking two of three from the AL Central leading Tigers, the Sox continued their hot streak against the Indians on Monday night. John Danks pitched very well, going the distance and only giving up one run on three hits to go along with seven strikeouts and just one walk. Gordon Beckham was the offensive star, going 2-5 with three RBIs. Dewayne Wise also played well batting leadoff, as he went 2-4. With just five games left the Sox need to win all of them just to finish .500 for the year, not a huge accomplishment, but one that the Sox need to reach to give them some momentum for next season.

Sox, Peavy Shine

The White Sox's playoff future may not look bright, but the 2010 future is gleaming. Sox fans saw two key aspects of that future help them win Friday night against the AL Central leading Tigers. Those two key players were Jake Peavy and young Gordon Beckham. Peavy went seven stellar innings, scattering six hits and striking out eight. Beckham went yard in the bottom of the sixth with a two run shot. It was Beckham's 14th of the year and finally gave Sox fans something to cheer about.

Although Sox fans won't be doing too much cheering this postseason, they should probably save up because they could be doing alot of cheering all next season. If Mark Buehrle can regain his number one starter stuff the White Sox will have two legitimate number one starters. The Sox will also have Gavin Floyd and John Danks who could be either the second or third starters for just about any team in the baseball. Finally if Freddy Garcia continues to pitch the way he has been, the White Sox starting rotation looks to be one of the best, if not the best in all of baseball. That being said, we will still need more bats to come alive than just Beckham's.

Stay focused on 2010

After their third consecutive loss to the Twins the only words of sympathy that I can impart on White Sox fans is to look forward to next year. Next year could, no has to look better. GM Kenny Williams might have said it best when he admitted that this year's team simply underachieved, especially with their defense. The Sox committed 108 errors, allowing 69 unearned runs. The White Sox bats also underachieved, hitting a lowly .259. However, at the risk of sounding trite, after the dark there is always light and in this case the light might be the youth of the White Sox. Besides Pierzynski and Kornerko the rest of the infield has less than four years of MLB experience, combined. If nothing else, at least the Sox will have more infield experience to go along with their (potentially) stellar starting rotation come 2010.

2010 looks better than 09

After their second loss in as many days, the White Sox and their fans should focus on 2010. Although they aren't mathematically eliminated, their chances of making the post season this year are about as good as the Bears benching Cutler. However, the rest of the games could show some promise for the 2010 season. Even during their loses to the Twins on Monday and the Royals on Sunday, the Sox have shown some positive glimpses that could be big for next year.

One of those is the play of Freddy Garcia. Garcia pitched very well, despite picking up the loss on Sunday. He went eight innings giving up just two runs. Besides his first start of the season, Garcia has gone at least six innings in all of his games with the Sox and maintained a manageable 4.01 ERA. Which makes him the likely candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation next season. That rotation looks to be a very strong point for the 2010 Sox when you add Buehrle, Peavy, Danks, and Floyd.

Rookie Daniel Hudson started Monday night's game against the Twins for Floyd who was scratched due to a sore hip. Hudson proved to be another bright spot and could contend with Garcia for the fifth spot in the rotation, as he went five solid innings, giving up just three runs, with only one of them being earned.

In 2010 the White Sox will have to sure up their defense if they want to contend and prevent nights like tonight from happening. The Sox have committed 107 errors this season, which makes them third worst in the league. However keep in mind both players on the left side of the infield were playing new positions, as Alexi Ramirez was at second last year and this was Gordon Beckham's first year as a third basemen, so they should make great strides this offseason.

One positive to look forward to for 2009 is that Gordon Beckham could still win the rookie of the year title. If Beckham becomes the rookie of the year, he would be the organization's 6th winner of the award, and the first since manager Ozzie Guillen won the award in 1985.

11-0 bad guys

The Sox were unable to take advantage of the Twins beating up on the Tigers as they lost, big to the Royals on Friday. Not much went right for the Sox and really the only positive is that Detroit also lost, which means that they are in the same position in the games behind column.
Buehrle took the loss going six innings and giving up five runs.

On the positive side, the Jake Peavy wait is over. Peavy will start today against the Royals in what now becomes even more of a must win game for the Sox. The former Cy Young award winner will face Kansas City's first time starter Dusty Hughes.

Jenks blows the save

It was difficult to watch as Bobby Jenks gave up two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth against Seattle to tie the game at three. Jenks picked up his 6th blown save of the season, matching his career high from 2007. After the demoralizing blow, the Sox bullpen held the Mariners to four scoreless innings until Scott Linebrink gave up an RBI single to Ichiro Suzuki in the bottom of the 14th. Mark Kotsay was the offensive star for the Sox, going 4-6 with two RBIs.

The Sox missed a golden opportunity to make up ground on the Tigers as they lost to the Royals. The White Sox hope to (and must) cool down the Royals for their next series if they are going to make the playoffs. The series starts Friday with Mark Buehrle facing Luke Hochevar.

Although the Sox aren't mathematically eliminated they are running out of time. They are 6.5 games back with just 15 to go. One positive is that nine of those 15 are at home.

Sox can't repeat the rally

The White Sox were unable to rally tonight, unlike Tuesday night when they climbed back from a 3-0 defecit to beat the Mariners 6-3. Freddy Garcia picked up the win as A.J. Pierzynski knocked in two runs with a clutch hit in the top of the seventh, to put the Sox up 5-3.

Unfortunately the Sox couldn't repeat the magic Wednesday night, as they would never recover from a 4-0 deficit. Gavin Floyd struggled to get through three innings and gave up three runs in the three innings. He left after the third with what looked like a hip problem. Gordon Beckham was the only Sox player to cross the plate with his 12th home run of the season.

This loss puts the Sox 6.5 games back of the Tigers with just 16 games to play. The Sox haven't been mathematically eliminated, but they will be soon if they can't end their streak of alternating wins and loses, which is currently at nine. The Sox need to go on a winning streak, and it starts with John Danks on Thursday as he faces Brandon Morrow in the rubber match of the series.

Of note: Jake Peavy is scheduled to start this Saturday against the Royals.

Sox look to rebound

After the big loss on Sunday to the Angels, the White Sox playoff hopes continue to dwindle. Mark Buehrle pitched well, giving up only three runs (2 earned) in seven innings of work. On the bright side, Gordon Beckham continued his rookie of the year hunt by going 2-5 and scoring one of the White Sox's two runs in the first. Paul Konerko scored the other run when Carlos Quentin knocked both of them in with a single. The killing blow was when perennial White Sox killer Torii Hunter homered. With the game tied in the seventh Hunter homered off Buehrle to make the score 3-2.

This loss and Monday's off day left the Sox 6.5 games behind the Tigers with just 18 to play. Yet I'm still not ready to give up on the Sox. Peavy just had his best bullpen session yet and could return for the next series against the Royals. Gordon Beckham is back from injury and should continue to provide a steady bat. Yes, our outfield, besides Podsednik is consistently underachieving, but hopefully they realize that the end of this season could have serious implications for what happens next season. Because as Kenny Williams said back on August 10, "I have a tendency to get rid of people when we don't win."

The thing that gives me the most optimism about catching the Tigers is that we still have six games left against them. I'm not saying that it is going to be easy, but stranger things have happened. However, it won't matter if the Sox don't start winning now. It begins tonight as Freddy Garcia goes against Ian Snell and the Seattle Mariners. Garcia has pitched well his last two outings and needs to continue it tonight for the Sox to have a chance at making the playoffs.

Sox win, despite bullpen

After losing the series opener, the Sox won game two against the Angels, who have the second best record in all of baseball. Gordon Beckham finally returned to the lineup after missing four games to go 3-4 with a walk and a homer. Scott Podsednik also hit a homer, but the inside the park variety, and scored the game winning run in the tenth on a wild pitch. The White Sox bullpen lost a well earned win for John Danks, after he pitched six scoreless innings. Matt Thornton was touched up for two runs in the eighth. Then Bobby Jenks blew a one run lead in the ninth. Jenks ended up with the win, thanks to Podsednik's heroics, and Tony Pena recorded his first save in relief of Williams, who came in after Jenks couldn't get the job done. Overall it was an ugly, but much needed win as Detroit lost. This win leaves the Sox just five games back in the division race, but it won't stay that way if their bullpen continues to blow leads.

Of note: Congratulations to Yankee Shortstop Derek Jeter for becoming the all-time hit leader in Yankee history. Jeter is a complete professional and a perfect representative of Major League Baseball. I can think of no one better to complete such a historic feat.

Off Day

The White Sox had a much needed day of rest on Thursday, before they start their series against the AL West leading Angels. The Sox will send Gavin Floyd to the mound to face Joe Saunders in the series opener.
The Sox also gained half a game on the Tigers and Twins in the division as both teams lost on Thursday. That means the Sox are just six games back of the division lead with 21 games to go. Interestingly enough, six of those 21 games are against the division leading Tigers. Keep your fingers crossed Sox fans, this could get interesting.

Sox win in lucky 13th

It took 13 innings but the Sox were able to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Wednesday's game. The win gave the Sox a split in the two game series and helped them pull to six and a half back of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.
Freddy Garcia looked good, giving up just two runs in six innings. However, he did allow the A's to steal a season high five bases. A.J. Pierzynski did throw out three base runners when it really counted in the later innings, but it was his bat that stole the show. A.J. drove in Alexi Ramirez in the bottom of the 13th inning to win the game. Octavio Dotel went three shut out innings to get the win.

Of note: Jake Peavy could start in place of rookie Carlos Torres on Tuesday against Seattle. Peavy threw a bullpen session today and looked good. The White Sox are in need of a replacement for Torres as he did not get out of the first inning in his last start against the Athletics, a game which the Sox lost 11-3.

Rookie of the year candidate Gordon Beckham was a scratch again in Wednesday's game. The soon to be 23-year-old is hitting .274 with ten homers and 52 RBIs and is still day to day while recovering from an oblique strain. He suffered a minor setback today as he took two ground balls off of his middle finger, causing it to bleed.

Sox take 3 of 4 from Boston

Mark Buehrle went seven strong innings, giving up just one run as the White Sox beat the Red Sox 5-1. Mark Kotsay punished his old team by going 2-4 with 2 RBIs. Carlos Quentin also went 2-4 with a two run homer, his 16th of the season. Hopefully this is a sign that Quentin is finally starting to regain his 2008 form.
The White Sox won three of four against the AL wildcard leaders and continue their home stand against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. The White Sox will send rookie Carlos Torres to the mound, with hopes that he can duplicate his seven scoreless innings that he put up against the Cubs.
The Sox also hope to have Gordon Beckham back Tuesday, after he sat out Sunday and Monday with an oblique strain.

Sox go on a run?

A day after rookie Carlos Torres went seven scoreless innings to get the win against the Cubs, the White Sox collected twenty hits and scored twelve runs to beat the Red Sox. It was a hit parade for the White Sox as every started collected at least one hit. However Freddy Garcia tried to steal the show by going six strong innings, giving up only one run. White Sox fans also got a first peak at September call ups Daniel Hudson and Jhonny Nunez. Both relievers looked good, especially Hudson who went two shutout innings against the AL wildcard leaders.
This win marked the third win in a row for the White Sox, keeping them alive in the hunt for the playoffs, but barely. If the Sox are going to make the playoffs they will need some help. The Detroit Tigers will need to go 14-14 (or worse) on their last 28 games, with the Sox going 20-6 (or better) for their last 26. As an optimist, I still believe the Sox have a chance, but the only thing they can do is win and then hope.

Of note: Jim Thome had a clutch RBI single in his first at bat with the Dodgers.

Then and Now

Alot has changed when the Sox first tried to play today's game back on June 26. For one thing we no longer have the man who is 12th on the career home run list, Jim Thome. Not that it would matter in today's game as there is no DH. We lost smooth fielding Brian Anderson. We also lost Jose Contreas and Clayton Richard, but we did gain an injuried Jake Peavy. Along with Peavy we picked up the lofty contract of underachiever Alex Rios and savvy left handed hitter Mark Kotsay. We also gained more experience for rookie Gordon Beckham, who seems to be the permanent replacement to Joe Crede, unlike Josh Fields. Finally we gained a couple of extra players for Ozzie Guillen to toy with from the September call ups. One of those is today's starter Carlos Torres. Another player that could be something to watch is catcher and heavy hitting Tyler Flowers.
One thing that didn't change is the fact that Sox fans are still waiting for the team to go on a hot streak. All season the Sox have had their hand on the the trigger, but they just haven't pullled the trigger. They have been right there all season, but now time is running out. It's time for the Sox to get hot or sit at home during the playoffs.

When all hope seemed lost for the game and possibly the season, the heart of the Chicago White Sox order finally came through. It took five epic at bats against one of the best closers in the game, but the White Sox finally made some magic happen in the Metrodome. It was a perfect way to end a less than perfect series and a fond farewell to the Metrodome, a place where virtually nothing was perfect for the Sox. With two outs and a full count, Gordon Beckham shipped a Joe Nathan offering into the left center field bleachers. Beckham's tenth home run still left the Sox down a run, but it didn't stay that way for long. It was the same count for Paul Kornerko when he floated a ball into the bleachers just out of the reach of left fielder Delmon Young. After Kornerko's long ball Nathan walked Jermaine Dye and then Dewayne Wise pinch ran for him and stole second. Finally after walking Carlos Quentin, Nathan was taken out for Matt Guerrier. It wouldn't matter as Alexi Ramirez singled to score Wise. The Sox scored an insurance run on a Guerrier wild pitch, but they wouldn't need it as the big guy, Bobby Jenks nailed down the game in the bottom of the ninth. So cheer up Sox fans, this win proves that there is still life in this team. Hopefully they can use this come-from-behind win momentum to go on a tear for the end of the season, and if not its always fun to beat a hated rival.

Have the White Sox waved the "White Flag?"

Call me an optimist, but I still believe that the White Sox can win the AL Central. I know that losing Contreas and Thome hurt the clubhouse, as they were both very well liked and hard working players, but how much did we lose from them on the field? Thome was hitting a lowly .249 with not overwhelming power numbers. Those numbers could easily be replaced if Carlos Quentin can return to his 2008 form and prove to us all that he wasn't a one year wonder. Despite Contreas helping us win the World Series in 2005 and setting a club record 17 consecutive wins, he simply has not been able to regain his dominance. So until (and if) Peavy returns we can only hope rookie Carlos Torres can make some magic happen in the fifth starter spot. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to matter how well the Sox pitch as their offense has been simply anemic. After Tuesday's loss to the Twins the Sox were seven games back with 28 to go. But keep in mind that six of those 28 games are against the AL Central leading Detroit Tigers. With that in mind, if (and it is a big if) the White Sox bats can find a way to score some more runs they can quickly make up ground in the Central. Overall, I will agree that we lost two highly respected players, but are the White Sox better without them? Lets just say that I don't think they could be any worse.

Thome, Contreas Dealt

If the White Sox are going to make up the six game deficit to the AL Central leading Detroit Tigers in the last 28 games of the season, they'll have to do so without Jim Thome or Jose Contreas. The Sox traded Jim Thome to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league infielder Justin Fuller. Thome was batting .252 with 23 homers and 74 RBIs this season for the White Sox. In his final game with the Sox Thome went 0-4 with three strikeouts tying him with Sammy Sosa for second all-time on the career strikeout list with 2306. The White Sox traded Contreas to another National League contender, the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher Brandon Hynick. Contreas, who helped the Sox win their first World Series in 88 years back in 2005 was 5-13 with a 5.42 ERA this season.

Sox lose...again.

The rough road trip for the White Sox continued as they fell 4-1 to the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. The loss makes the Sox a miserable 1-7 on their current 10 game road trip and six games out of first place in the division. Gavin Floyd took the loss, going six innings and giving up three runs, all coming in the third inning. The Twins tacked on another run in the eighth off of Matt Thornton. The lone White Sox run came in the sixth when A.J. Pierzynski singled to score Gordon Beckham from second. Many believe the Sox have finally thrown in the towel as ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the team will be listening to offers for veteran sluggers Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome and right handed reliever Scott Linebrink. One bright side of Monday's game was that it was the beginning of the final series for the Sox at the Metrodome. After Monday's loss the team was 2-15 in their last 17 games at the indoor home of the Twins. Needless to say the White Sox will not be disappointed when the Twins retire the stadium at the end of this season.