Antonio Osuna

Is Jeff Bagwell hitting it? .... OK, that was bad. Very bad. But we're World Series champs and Jenks got the Save when it mattered.

Here's a good illustration of just how big the crowd was, and how packed the streets of Chicago were during the parade. I was at Adams and LaSalle. Some guy climbed onto a streetlight to get a better view. Pretty soon, a lone police officer on foot came and ordered the guy to get off of it. The guy refused. The cop couldn't do anything -- there was literally no way to get through the sea of humanity out to see the Sox. The guy was up on that streetlight for the whole parade.

We'll definately see a bump early in the season, when the last memory of the Sox will be the World Series sweep. Whether or not attendence stays bumped depends on whether or not the Sox can have a good season.

If the positive test occured prior to the playoffs -- and it almost certainly did -- and MLB let this person play in the postseason, I will be absoutely furious. I hope that, even if it is Rowand or Pods, it will create an uproar and get MLB to impose a steroid policy that actually has teeth.

An American went to the Chiba Lotte Marines and helped them win a championship after a long drought. A Japanese went to the Chicago White Sox and helped them win a championship after a long drought.

I assume that its gonna be at 63rd street like the last two times?

Tear that hurricane a new one, guys. As if it were the 2003 Yankees.

"Hell Yeah!"

Brewer fans seem to be angry that Luis Vizcaino is getting a ring, but are happy for Pods.

The hotdog guy certainly deserves to be on that list. If you're a competitive eater, and you see him show up at an event, you know right away you're not going to win it. Before the ALCS, I'd have put Vlad Guerrero on that list.

I'll personally be looking out for the flag raising.

I was shocked at how many people left before the MVP award and the post-game press conferences. Then I realized they were all going to get the Sox World Championship gear that went on sale immediately after the last out. It was as close to "home" as the UC can get. The only thing missing was a certain beer vendor.

Greatest day of my life so far. Especially considering that they technically won two World Series games today. I ate my full of United Center nachos and hot dogs tonight, but tomorrow I get to start on my delicious breakfeast: I was excited about Iguchi and AJ, but I didn't think the team had the offense needed to win, nor did I think that our pitching staff and bullpen would be so good. Nor did I think that Geoff Blum alone constituted the sort of trade deadline that could lead us to the promised land. I love being wrong. And I'll never be more wrong in my life. Crede, I don't care if you hit .180 for the rest of your carrer and pop up in every future RISP scenario. I'll never call you a bum again. Same for you, Geoff Blum. I'll never take the l out of your name again. Same for the other 23 guys on there.

I'm sorry if I was a bit graphic or blunt in the words I used, but the fact is that we have not won squat except for the Division and the Pennant. People are celebrating as if we've won something beyond that, or if we will have an easy time doing that. That's not in line with reality. If the Sox win tonight, by all means celebrate, and make threads like this. God knows I will too. But they haven't won yet. We could still easily lose this thing. Such unjustified optimism is one of my major pet peeves when it comes to baseball. Prematurely crowning themselves champions is something that other team's fans do, and I find it highly distasteful. (See 2005 Red Sox, 2004 Cubs, Yankees every year, etc.) I don't want to have to see that in my fellow Sox fans.

This is getting ridiculous. Yes, tonight could be the greatest day of your life as a baseball fan. It could also be the beginning of the most tragic experience, the greatest Sox-related suffering EVER to hit you. Indeed, a suffering greater than has hit any other baseball team. There's a reason we play the games. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

I don't have anything against Native Americans, but I do object to using a "Indians" metaphor for Sox fans.

I'm leaving for the UC in 3 hours.

What the hell? Somebody's overconfident about THIS year, which, may I remind you, isn't over yet. With the way our pitching and their pitching is set up, Houston has the best chance of anyone in recent series history to come back from 3-0 should they win tonight. So nobody get too giddy yet.

43 is a very special number to many of us, myself included. Sometimes, I start thinking that Damaso brings shame to that number, that perhaps I don't approve of him selecting that number and keeping it. Not tonight. Tonight, Marte, you have proven yourself worthy to hold the Milkman's number. And no pitcher with a win in this World Series deserves it more than you.

United Center. Section 203.

It would be huge to not have to face the Big 3 again. Yeah, nobody's ever blown a 3-0 lead in the Series. Doesn't mean it can't happen. Up until last year, nobody ever blew a 3-0 lead in the LCS. If we falter tomorrow, not only do we have to face one of their 3 best pitchers, but we seriously oxygenate a fire that is on the verge of burning out now. We went above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to surviving their Big 3. With the way our starting and relief pitching has been faltering, and with the latent talent that those three have, we don't want to risk it. Win it tomorrow, put our minds at ease.

There's a reason I haven't posted my opinion.

Let's see if we can approach this objectively. Arguments for Podsednik: - won game, no pitching or fielding needed - hitter did not hit one out during the entire regular season - off extremely formidable closer (v obviously tired middle reliever for Blum) - followed defensive miscue by same player Arguments for Blum: - While he has hit a few longballs in the past 365 days (5, precisely), he hit fewer HRs than Podsednik did in 2004. So you could argue that Podsednik's stats are misleading, as he had a greater latent HR power that he was merely choosing not to use. As such, you could argue that homering is more difficult for Blum than for Podsednik. - Blum sat on the bench for weeks prior to this game (v Pods being a regular) - it made it possible for Marte and Buehrle to end the longest game in World Series history - 3-0 is obviously bigger than 2-0 As far as historical comparisons go, Podsednik's shot is sort of by itself. There was a guy for the Braves that homered in the World Series after a 12-year drought, but I don't believe it was in a walk-off or game-altering situation (correct me if I'm wrong). The Podsednik HR is probably most comparable to Gibson, but you can see how there are obviously major differences. The Blum HR, on the other hand, has an excellent parallel in a very recent series. Alex S. Gonzalez in the 2003 series against Weaver. Same situation: extra-inning game, guy that has no business getting a hit in the World Series hitting a game-winner off a tired reliever. You could argue that smallpox boy for the Astros is better than 2003 Weaver was; but I submit that bench player Blum is a worse player than Sea Bass. So: of the two HRs, which is bigger, objectively?

The win by Marte tonight is the most deserved by a Sox pitcher in this series. Congrats Mark Buehrle on your World Series save.

Major props to Damaso Marte. He didn't have it, but he didn't give it away. In that sort of situation, that's all you can ask. Welcome back to being clutch, Damaso. It's been a long time.