Controlled Chaos

ALL CITY TEAM - SUN TIMES Perez over Uribe in this one...hahaha yeah right... Lowdown on matchups: More pluses for Sox May 20, 2005 BY CHRIS DE LUCA STAFF REPORTER All parties agree that the annual six-game interleague series between the White Sox and Cubs is three games too long. At least they say that now. But when the crowds start roaring and the intensity keeps growing, no will be complaining. The crosstown series is lacking the star power of a Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas or Magglio Ordonez, but there is still plenty left to keep us entertained. Here's a look at how the White Sox and Cubs match up: FIRST BASE The Cubs' Derrek Lee is the hottest hitter in town, carrying a .362 average with 12 home runs and 37 RBI into the series. Thanks to a .419 average in April, he basically has carried a struggling Cubs team through the first 38 games. He has had one six-RBI game, two five-RBI games and a four-RBI game -- 20 RBI in just four games. Paul Konerko leads the Sox with 29 RBI but is hitting just .211 with 10 homers. Lee is the complete package, with Gold Glove defensive ability and good speed on the bases (eight steals to Konerko's zero). EDGE: CUBS SECOND BASE Tadahito Iguchi seems right at home against major-league pitching. His .304 average makes him the Sox' only starter batting better than .300. His speed was overhyped, but he still has seven steals in nine tries. He offers the steadiest glove in the Sox' infield. Todd Walker (left knee strain) hoped to return from a rehabilitation assignment this weekend, but an 0-for-18 start at Class AAA Iowa derailed those plans. That means Jerry Hairston Jr. will get the bulk of the duty for the Cubs. Hairston gives the Cubs a decent leadoff hitter, but his glove has been suspect. EDGE: SOX SHORTSTOP Losing Nomar Garciaparra (ruptured tendon in his left groin) on April 20 was a blow to the Cubs. Garciaparra was hitting .157 with no homers and four RBI in his first 15 games. Veteran Neifi Perez stepped in and finished April with a .368 average. Perez has trailed off, but his mostly steady glove and solid bat (.282 average) have softened the blow of losing Garciaparra. Streaky-hitting Juan Uribe is on a 4-for-24 (.167) slide after going on a 20-for-55 (.364) tear from April 20 to May 11. Uribe's .964 fielding percentage is no match for Perez's .987 mark. EDGE: CUBS THIRD BASE After agreeing to a four-year, $42 million contract with the Cubs on Opening Day, Aramis Ramirez has been a disappointment. Even batting behind the red-hot Lee hasn't helped. Troubled recently by lower-back spasms, Ramirez is hitting just .248 with seven homers and 18 RBI. Still, Ramirez has proved to be more consistent as a major-leaguer than Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who at 27 is no longer a youngster. Thanks to a 1-for-20 slide, Crede's average has dropped from a respectable .304 on April 30 to .256 with three homers and 15 RBI. EDGE: CUBS LEFT FIELD Despite a slow start, Scott Podsednik has been the leadoff hitter the Sox have been lacking. On a 12-for-28 roll, Podsednik takes a .283 average into the Cubs series. Plus, he leads the majors with 24 stolen bases. With Moises Alou off to San Francisco, left field has been a puzzle for the Cubs. Super-sub Todd Hollandsworth overstayed his welcome, hitting .211 with one homer and eight RBI. Rookie Jason Dubois is getting the bulk of the time. He is hitting .250 with four homers and 13 RBI. Neither offers the range of Podsednik. EDGE: SOX CENTER FIELD The Sox' Aaron Rowand is riding a career-high 12-game hitting streak into the weekend series. He has gone 17-for-46 on the streak to lift his overall average to .278. Rowand has knocked in just 15 runs but has scored 22 -- one behind team-leading Podsednik. Corey Patterson, who has struggled in 18 starts as the Cubs' leadoff hitter, is batting just .253 with an alarming .294 on-base percentage. He does have eight home runs -- all with the bases empty. Patterson covers more ground in center and has a better arm. But the difference in their defense is marginal. EDGE: SOX RIGHT FIELD This used to be a showdown between Magglio Ordonez and Sammy Sosa. No more. Jeromy Burnitz doesn't get the same kind of love as Sosa enjoyed from the bleacher bums in right field, but he has fit in much better in the clubhouse. Burnitz has shown he can offer some pop without the aid of the thin air at Coors Field. He is hitting .287, and only Derrek Lee has more RBI than Burnitz's 21. His defense has been average -- which is to say much better than Sosa's. Jermaine Dye has struggled to replace Ordonez, hitting .216 and looking lost defensively. EDGE: CUBS CATCHER A.J. Pierzynski was a controversial acquisition by the Sox. But he has been a model citizen and has offered more than a solid left-handed bat. Criticized for eroding defensive skills last season, Pierzynski gets a lot of credit for calling some solid games for baseball's most dominant starting staff. He also has hit .266 with seven homers and 16 RBI. Michael Barrett got off to a dreadful start (.167 on April 24) but is 23-for-61 in his last 18 games, lifting his average to .278. He has thrown out 42.3 percent (11-for-26) runners trying to steal after getting just 20 percent (18-for-90) last season. EDGE: SOX STARTING PITCHING The Cubs' rotation might get all of the attention, but the Sox' staff gets the job done. Sox starters are a combined 23-6. The Cubs' starters, a group of seven pitchers, have combined for a 10-9 mark -- or five fewer victories than the Sox' Jon Garland (8-0) and Mark Buehrle (7-1). Starting pitching has carried the Sox. Garland, who entered the season as the fifth starter, is the first pitcher in the majors to reach eight victories. Injuries to Kerry Wood (shoulder), Mark Prior (elbow) and Carlos Zambrano (elbow) have raised concerns about the durability of the Cubs' starters. Veteran Greg Maddux is 2-1 but has a 4.15 ERA. EDGE: SOX RELIEF PITCHING Here's the difference between the two bullpens: The Cubs' original closer (LaTroy Hawkins) struggled early, and the Cubs spun their wheels seeking a new closer, running a succession of pitchers through ninth-inning work. The Sox' original closer (Shingo Takatsu) struggled early, and Dustin Hermanson -- whom the Cubs passed on during the offseason -- moved seamlessly into the job. Hermanson has not allowed a run this season, spanning 191/3 innings, and is 9-for-9 in save chances. The Cubs finally settled on Ryan Dempster, who blew his first save chance but converted his next two. EDGE: SOX BENCH White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has done a good job of getting most of his players involved. Timo Perez, Pablo Ozuna, Willie Harris and Chris Widger haven't grown rusty sitting on the bench. Injuries forced Cubs manager Dusty Baker to take the best elements of his bench -- infielder Neifi Perez and outfielder Todd Hollandsworth -- and push them into the starting lineup. With Jason Dubois getting more time in left field, Hollandsworth and his left-handed bat return to the bench. EDGE: SOX MANAGER Ozzie Guillen said it best last season, during a major meltdown by former closer Billy Koch: A manager looks like a genius when his closer does the job and looks terrible when the bullpen collapses. If that's the formula for success, Guillen leaves Dusty Baker in the dust. But Baker deserves credit for keeping the Cubs close to .500 despite an early rash of injuries that has robbed him of a key starter (Kerry Wood), two closers (Joe Borowski and Chad Fox), a superstar shortstop (Nomar Garciaparra) and a solid second baseman (Todd Walker). Guillen gets credit for keeping his players loose and for not letting them get too full of themselves. Actually after looking at the stats I guess Uribe and Perez are pretty close, but I still pick Uribe....they needed a Cub so let them pick Nefi. I'll take that over Patterson/Rowand.

Illinois Speed Cameras to Take License on 2nd Offense Illinois will begin using photo radar in freeway work zones in July. Second offense tickets are $1000 with license suspension. Beginning in July the State of Illinois will use speed cameras in areas designated as "work zones" on major freeways. Anyone caught by the devices will be mailed a $375 ticket for the first offense, but a second ticket will cost $1000 and comes with a 90-day license suspension. Drivers will also face higher insurance premiums as the first offense remains on the record for 4-5 years, but a second offense remains for a minumum of 7 years. This represents the harshest penalty structure yet for a city using photo enforcement. The state will begin with two camera vans issuing tickets in zones with speed limits lowered to 45 MPH. Photographs of both the driver's face and license plate are taken. Officials plan to keep at least one van in the Chicago area on the Dan Ryan and Kingery Expressways while other vans issue tickets in the rest of the state. Illinois Tollway Executive Director Jack Hartman promised more work zones: "Since the Tollway just launched our $5.3 billion Congestion Relief Plan, drivers will see more work zones on the Tollway than they have in the past."

QUOTE(Kalapse @ May 19, 2005 -> 02:30 PM) 2005 Stats G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS A. Rowand: 40 144 22 40 9 1 3 15 11 27 6 2 .278 .338 .417 .754 C. Patterson: 38 154 23 39 2 0 8 16 9 34 4 1 .253 .294 .422 .717 G GS W L SV CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP BAA O. Hernandez: 8 8 5 1 0 0 0 46.0 52 23 20 3 24 30 3.91 1.65 .287 C. Zambrano: 8 8 3 2 0 1 0 50.2 42 23 23 7 19 46 4.09 1.20 .230 Rowand Vs. Patterson Rowand: +1H +7(2B) +1(3B) +2 BB -7K +2SB +25AVG +44OBP +37OPS +Defense Patterson: +1R +5HR +1RBI -1CS +5SLG Rowand is having a better year than Patterson. That seems pretty clear to me...but oh well it's the trib and they needed a cub. this one was close enough to swap.

Yeah they just needed another Cub in there. Funny thing is, I don't think too many cub fans would even argue Rowand over Patterson. Whatever I guess it wouldn't be all city team if they didn't include some cubs. Honestly all I see is Derek Lee and Prior. Ramirez is in if he stays healthy, but thats it...the rest belongs to the Pale Hose!! Now let's give em some Black on Blue this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

QUOTE(Steff @ May 19, 2005 -> 09:54 AM) I think all those resorts are geared towards family.. I think it was about 6 hours for us... 430 miles from Chicago...speed limit is 65 so you're going 70-75. You live in Plainfield...so Id say about 6. I don't think they had that water park when I went. There were hardly any kids when I was there. Golf course was nice....there's plenty to do on site...plus Lake of the Ozarks has a lot as well.

I had a great time here about 5 years ago. http://www.tan-tar-a.com/

Man..Id like Chavez, but I'd hate to alter the makeup of this team. Anybody know how Joe is in the clubhouse. Is he well liked..out going..or does he kinda keep to himself?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 19, 2005 -> 07:37 AM) I have been all over AJ's nuts ever since he turned our starting pitching into gods. And looking back at our catching recent history, that just makes any offense he provides a big fat bonus. AJ is without a doubt, the biggest move we made in the off season, and he only cost us just over $2 million. I hope Kenny has a 3 year deal for this guy in his back pocket somewhere... there is no one I want to see bring along guys like Brandon McCarthy and company more than AJ. I haven't been all over his nuts, but I do love his testicular virility and hope we sign him to a three year deal. This sums it up for me right here how he gets his pitchers to believe... I love seeing AJ's emotion...I like when he gets up and whips the ball to the pitcher as if to say...'come on now...throw me the f***in ball right HERE' On another note...I read something about those contacts a while back..here's an article on them.... Performance-enhancing contact lenses? They're pretty cool..

hawk just said cubs will be using Maddux, Zambrano, and Prior this weekend. Give us your best flubbies and we'll put ya down anyway!!!

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ May 18, 2005 -> 02:59 PM) come on gooch... lets get that homerun swing you want to work on k..I suck! :banghead

come on gooch... lets get that homerun swing you want to work on

another double for dye! that's 3 on the day

mench double.

bam that was fast 1-2-3

IW to Jurassic

double dye!!!!!!!

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ May 18, 2005 -> 02:07 PM) we did a hit and run against baltimore Crede was batting think Julio was pitching cant really remember. I think Dye was running

You're right fathom... Ok no more running this game. Their pitcher and catcher are just too good.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 18, 2005 -> 01:55 PM) Pods with an infield single on a chopper up the middle. Lets see if he is stealing... he better be

AJ picked and dye doubles....lets pick him up here

ahhh...the answer to our Jermaine Dye problem

QUOTE(RockRaines @ May 17, 2005 -> 10:26 AM) Willie in center is a terrible idea in my opinion. Why move A-row from his position to put a below average center fielder in that spot, it makes no sense. I like the lineup. It's similar to one I suggested back when we were playing the A's and I wanted the speed out there. Somebody suggested I was a wacko for having Willie DH, but he has the good speed we need to manufacture runs and we're not losing Everetts bat. I think Ozzie had Willie as DH in a game last week which made me grin with a 'I told you so' smile. I guess you choose your poison with either the Willie in center option or Everett in right and Willie DH. Either way I like that lineup for a few games.

QUOTE(Steff @ May 13, 2005 -> 03:18 PM) Yoss.. I don't think you and I have ever had a cross conversation. It's just a select few that for some reason think I think my s*** don't stink because I know people who play professional sports.. :rolly OOOoooooo... big friggin whip. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us. ok fine...hey everyone steffs s*** does stink...and she admits it!! soooooo.....who ya know??

me either....I love the way he calls games. IMO best PBP man in hockey. Steff why haven't you posted here?? Don't you know players??

I like Hawk and I can deal with DJ, but he ain't my favorite. He plays the martyr card too much...and has a strange sense of humor... Favorite hawkism.. STRETCH ...I find myself and my friends saying that for so many thigns....