LVSoxFan

If I had to buy one now without a doubt I would buy Iguchi. Good call.

Did you guys see the Sun-Times this morning? The Sox are having a field day with this one, razzing AJ. Apparently most of them voted for him too (LOL!) and supposedly even HE voted for him! Funny.

I read him everyday. I actually enjoy him, as wrong as he can be sometimes. He sure is tellin' it like it is with the Cubs right now, and I thought he was pretty damns supportive of the Sox last year and this. When he's wrong, he's wrong (like with the AJ column this week). I'd rather see somebody go both barrels though. IMHO.

Well here's my criteria for when I bought this year's jersey: 1) Do I think this guy will actually be on the team next year? (Having been burned on a Loaiza jersey and really wanted a Takatsu one beginning last year). 2) I wanted to stay away from the ones that everybody has; e.g., Konerko. 3) Then I figured, since I'm paying out the ass for this thing, I might as well make them put as many letters on the back as possible and get my money's worth: Ka-ching! Yup, Pierzinski fit that description. LOL.

AJ should get nothing. Pods should get nothing--he was getting punched by Barrett too. Anderson, okay, I can see that. Let Barrett take the fall for this, and rightly so. He literally started it. Had he just shoved AJ or something, it would have never gone past that. He's a headcase.

I have the AJ WS home white jersey. Love it. But I think Thome's a great choice too. BTW can't wait to wear the AJ jersey to Wrigley for that series, LOL.

The only reason I wasn't shocked by this play is because it was Torii Hunter all over again, except this time it was us on the delivery side, which is a good sign. I'm surprised there's so much controversy. You block the plate, this is what you can expect. We know it, and we knew it from Torii. Why don't the Cubs?

Unlike most Sox fans, I actually enjoy Mariotti and read his column 1st thing every day when I pick up the Sun-Times. I appreciate the outspokeness. However, I have never thought him more wrong than after reading Sunday's column where he blamed the entire Sat. game incident on A.J. We've all seen the video 100+ times now. Sure, A.J. is an instigator, but you have to give him a pass on that one--that was Barret acting out of sheer frustration and he's certainly been doing that a lot lately (see: San Diego game). I will still read Mariotti but he was dead wrong in that column and no wonder A.J. wants to kick his ass. But then again, this is the guy who said famously back then that we (the Bulls) would never make it through Utah that last season championship becaus we were too old and tired. Oops!

I was there but I did not meet one person. I could not tell anybody from their face, obviously, and only a handful had nametags, none of which I recognized. However, it was a nice setup. The patio deal was nice (love that view) and the seats were great--can't complain. And I still can't believe we won that game--I thought we were toast. Side note: I was very proud that Frank got an ovation when he appeared and not that kind of crap that Thome got in Cleveland. Hell, best part was ththat damn squirrel.

I'll be there! Looking forward to it.

A little early to be making playoff predictions, isn't it? Does everybody forget that Cleveland sucked 1st half last year and almost knocked us off the top of the hill in the second? The reason I don't panic is that, after last year's September swoon, hell: if we want to be wobbly 1st half and then do a Cleveland second half (except winning it this time), that is FINE with me. I never want to go through that again. The other reason I don't panic is that Tampa Bay is just one of those s*** teams that we always have had problems with. On paper we should kick their ass but there's just something about that place where everytime we go down there, things get hinky. I am months and months away from pushing the "panic" button. Look on the bright side: we should have been blown out in that Logan game but we came almost all the way back. We only lost by one last night. Yes a loss is a loss but I guess that one-run luck can't be ours every season. Forget Tampa Bay, Detroit and what place we're in. Enjoy. Hell it's the CUBS SERIES! Now THIS is gonna be fun.

What he meant is that the ONLY thing to do at Wrigley for a kid is watch the game. Whereas at The Cell there's the Fundmentals deck, the showers, the fast pitch, etc. He's right. Chicago is, and will probably always be, a Cubs town. It is what it is. Why does that make us inferior? Is this a popularity contest?

Thank you!

Okay I need some ID here...

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ May 17, 2006 -> 12:40 PM) Been to quite a few. They are fun, and I enjoy the crosstown games as much as the next person. I just fail to see how we as Sox fans would put beating the Cubs as such a high priority. Beating them is nice cause I really dont like the Cubs, but I think we have much bigger fish to fry these days. I understand the cultural thing and all, but with a World Championship in hand and more in our sights, the Sox/Cubs series seems a little melodramatic. Yes, it gets a lot of hype and media attention, probably moreso than the more important series. I'm just saying that our franchise has gotten to the point where this shouldn't mean so much to us Sox fans. Its this constant need to show everybody that we are better than the Cubs that makes us look kinda silly. But I guess I did miss your point. In regards to media attention, fan interest and hype, yes, it probably beats any other regular season series. My response was more directed to the 1300 or so people (according to the poll) and the seemingly 15% of our fanbase that still dwells on having a superiority over the Cubs above all else. Oh hell no, above all else? Not me. I'm just saying these are probably the most emotionally charged games of the season year after year. Mathematically they're not important, but perhaps culturally they become larger than life (although once the series is over everybody forgets who won the series, because it's irrelevant). We don't need to show the Cubs anything; we are World Series champions. And one of the bonuses of last year is that they have nothing to say to that until they are. And that seems like it's going to be a long, long time away. I-55 series. My bad. I always do that too.

I don't know why so many are so down on interleague play--some of the coolest series last year were IL (Dodgers!). The Rockies series was a blast for us, and San Diego, too. This year we get the Cards for a classic I-57 series which could easily have been the World Series last year. I love it.

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ May 17, 2006 -> 10:21 AM) Are you honestly saying that these games are bigger than Cleveland, Minnesota and Detroit series in August and September? Seriously, of course I don't like the Cubs and I enjoy beating them, and if we lose I'll be pissed off (I dont like losing to anybody). But way too many people out there put too much emphasis on this series. Its fun, and its cool for the city. But with the aspirations that we have for this team, you really think this means a lot in the big picture? Especially with the disparity of success for both teams? And if you are really worried about what Cub fans will say if they beat us, here's an excellent comeback: 1908. Otherwise, you can choose to stop caring about what Cub fans think (I prefer this option). You're preaching to the converted, dude. I'm saying that it transcends baseball--like I said, it's a cultural thing. Mathematically no it is not as significant, but that's not the point. But if you're talking about attendance and hype and media attention and passion--you're damn right they're bigger than any Central opponent game--have you not been to one? You'd know what I'm talking about.

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ May 17, 2006 -> 08:40 AM) This is so eerily similar to what outsiders said about the Sox last year. I think Detroit will be our biggest competition at the end of the season and once again, just as last year with Cleveland, I think the Sox will be better off for it. BINGO EXACTLY what was said about the Sox last year. Deja vu. Our schedule last year, as I recall, got "tough" after the ASB, when we had heavy doses of Yankees, Boston, etc. But watch out. I don't think Detroit is going away anytime soon. What blows my mind is how Cleveland's way back--although so they were last year...

C'mon guys these games are bigger than baseball--this is a cultural thing. It is, quite frankly, the World Series of Chicago. No matter what we do afterward, bragging rights for the next year ride on this. Granted, we have the ultimate bragging rights which won't be invalid apparently in this lifetime (we actually won the WS), but no--these games are just games overall, but in Chicago it is all about Us vs. Them. So yeah I agree these are the biggest games of the season every season. Not the ONLY big games of the season, but the only thing bigger is the playoffs. And no, being swept by the Cubs would be heart-stopping for Sox fans, even if we won the WS again. Because then the twerps would say "Well, we swept the WS champions." Look on the bright side: if we beat their ass down, they have NOTHING to say this year.

I don't understand why we're expected, apparently, to sell out every game. The Cubs do, and they're awful--so what the hay?

I am focused on only one thing: winning the division. That is my expectation. Anything less would be considered a failure, especially for an improved-on-paper team. Now my HOPE is for a WS, but there are so many "what ifs" attached to that it's impossible to "expect." We could well be the best team in baseball but once the playoffs start, anything goes. We certainly were one of the best last year, but you have to admit: we got some breaks. The fatal dropped ball in CF in the Royals/Cleveland game. The AJ strikeout. The booted grounder by Boston in game 2 of the playoffs. Dye getting called as HBP. All the breaks went our way. That's something that just happens, no matter how good or bad your team is. If you're a good team you're able to CAPITALIZE on them, which is what we did. So yeah I hope for the WS but expect a division. Thinking about the WS this early just makes my head hurt.

Yeah the Drays have a habit of making us miserable, no batter how bad they allegedly are.

Everybody's right: this is essentially the Chicago World Series every year and if everybody thinks the Cubs are going to lay down, watch out. Plus, they're in such dire shape right now that wins over the WS champions may be just what they're seeking to energize them and their fan base. I would treat them like we treated Houston in the WS--hopefully the outcome will be the same. That aside, how great would it be to sweep their asses and sign Dusty's pink slip?

Yeah I've broken mine about five times. The next day is the worst. Then you get the two black eyes. Ouch.

I thought this was a great game simply for the comeback and that Ozzie had faith in Buehrle enough to not yank him after that first inning. Man was that ugly. But also for Buehrle to come back and COMPLETELY regain his composure and shut them out the rest of the game. Talk about rock-solid, man of steel. He said in the paper this morning that others on the team told him he was tipping his pitches and once he fixed that, he shut them out. And then, to get the triple play! The pickoff! Uribe's bat-dodging catch! Thome! A.J.! Jenks! Great game. And I loved that we stuck it to Minnesota--on ESPN no less. Last year all the talk was how we were fortified by all our one-run wins--we could deal with pressure. This year, if you can come back in a game like this, that's gotta have a similar effect.