cwsox

and Albert Belle's

Not looking too far ahead because no one knows now who will be the teams to beat in 2003 (other than all of them), the April weekend with the Twins - our first games against them and someone has to establish whether their hex on us is over. But if we don't play them one at a time (cliche time here!) and take every game seriously, if we sweep the Twins in April to go 3-23 to that point, it won't mean a f***ing thing. So every series in April prior to the Twins I think is vital because I want them looking up at us when the Twins series begins, so we can kick them 3 games further back. Othereise: Opening Day, always, tailgate - the Friday Cubs game at Comiskey, the same group of friends go with me every year, our tradition and very important to us - Oakland in August because they are good and I like to beat them and I am passing up a major gathering of some friends so I can see that series, and Cleveland over Labor Day weekend and Minnesota on labor Day because that is my end of the summer reverie, the last sweetness of the summer. And I am looking forward to the three playoff series we will win and am ordering my Michigan tickets with my best guesswork as to what Saturdays I can be in Ann Arbor and what Saturdays I need to be in US Cellular Field.

HSC, you know I am your vocational counselor and want only the best for you - I picked your perfect career - I just wonder how you would conduct the personal interviews with the players to check their chemistry...

Thank you. We have PK. We have Frank. Now we have Daubach, who plays first. How many do we need? I don't sit around thinking everyone on every other team is better than what we have (I call that Sox Unhappy Coveting Syndrome, SUCS for short). Who would I want more than Paulie? No one.

As far as JR being concerned about winning - I would have agreed with your comment once upon a time - I who have never and will never forgive JR for being a cheerleader for the lockout in 1994, our year - and I who haven't been thrilled with a lot of things JR has done (although I appreciate him for keeping the Sox in Chicago...) got a chance to meet JR in very unexpected circumstances last May and had an extended conversation with him in a very laid back situation - damn I was so caught by surprise that I never even asked him for his autograph or anything and our conversation got to be like two guys talking rather than a big shot aand a peon - I came away from that conversation totally convinced - much to my amazement - totally convinced that JR lusts to see the WS win as much as I do and that is a hell of a lot, that he loves the Sox (as opposed to owns the Sox) and wants to a see a WS WS as much as I do - now one may quibble or even down right scream about his decisions, maybe he has gone about it all the wrong way and I won't argue with anyone who feels that way - and he has his weaknesses and failings like anyone and maybe some of his decisions have been totally bone headed in our opinions - but he wants a White Sox winner with every fiber in his body just as I do. That one I will give him, having had a chance to talk about it with him at length. So if JR is quoted as saying "They're not as interested in winning as I'm interested in winning" I would agree. Castigate him for whatever, but he lusts for winning. Whatever one thinks about his decisions made with his head, JR's heart is in the right place.

thanks for clearing that up - I was stunned beyond belief when I read that post - now I see you wise beyond words touting a talented young player -

I have gone to look up stats on Alex Fernandez - I was thinking of someone else when bag's first posted that - what can anyone tell me about him while I look up stats?

Ha! You are already wrong! You would be doing that U. S. Cellular Field! This is 2003, get with the program!! The name "Comiskey" is so last millenium!

I always wanted JP to do well with us but he hasn't taken the opportunity - his best route is to learn every position and become the ultimate ultility player - meanwhile with Daubach, that doesn't seem to leave room for JP. Which will be too bad. But JP has just not lifted his game tio where it needs to be.

cubkilla makes an excellent point though - I feel good about the season but experiences has taught me never to get too high nor too low - no one say the diaster of 1970 or struggles of 2001 coming, and no one was preidicting what happened in 1983 or 2000, or even 1993 - who know, one spring training injury... a rash of early season injuries (ala 2001) - anything could happen - or we could go out and win 90 games and miss the playoffs - or we can go wire to wire and then the next 11. So it is a guarded optimism that I feel -

where would you suggest?

I am feeling good about this season too.

she should be a scout

My experience is that HSC's evaluation of players is always very accurate, so I am not worried about Olvio.

Heather, I happen to be one, ordained by the Lutheran Church 25 years ago - and serving as a bishop in our church body right now - I am transferring into the United Church of Christ where I be just be a pastor there -

spoken like a true Sox fan!

I always admire creativity and kudos to you! Off the top of my head, I can picture him on the mound and we say its time to Rauch and Roll. But my idea is dumb. Somewhere, somehow, I think it will arise out of ST and somehow Hawk will be behind it.

Jason stays, Jose goes (I love Jason's thoughts about packaging Jose for players we can use).

I believe that we will never host the cubs for a night game again - or at least for a very, very long time - too many cubbie arrests when they have had all day to drink, too many fights in the stands when the cubbies who come to Comiskey drink all day - so the cubbie fans f***ed that up for us.

you can't pre-pick a nickname, it will arise naturally I can't picture calling anyone Sears Tower, does not trip off the tongue. Biggest Unit however does - but when the nickname comes, we'll all know it.

new to the Trib, formerly of Detroit (where he won a lot of awards) and LA

which is why I do not give up Rauch.

Just by standing there he strengthens our defense up the middle - what could get by him? - so I say we sign him now

really enjoyed reading that! thanks!

good show guys, I enjoyed it. Juan's last thought: Great Day. Maybe that segment is dead, huh?