TLAK

Rather whiny tonight, aren't we Spaulding?

If you're going to blame anybody, blame Ozzie. He called the hit n' run I think in a 1 run game you want to try to make things happen, but this pitcher was making his MLB debut. I felt he should have looked a couple first, but Oz was very agressive. Hero or goat, he got the goat. 2nd guessing is easy!

Stewart's not on the 40 either. I'm not an expert on this but doesn't it really only come into play at draft time or when you've decided to bring somebody up?

A couple interesting names popped up in Charlotte's pitching line last night. They played a double header so it was a 7 inning game. CHARLOTTE J Stewart (W,6-7) 6 2-3 7 1 1 1 4 1 K Wunsch (S,0) 1-3 0 0 0 0 1 0 They started Josh on a very short leash this year, good to see him go deep into a game with success. He's now 7-7 with a 3.85 era. Also good to see Kelly's name in the box score, the 1 is a K. These guys could be very good quality September call ups. My fingers remain crossed about seeing Frank and Maggs back too. If the boys can stay alive through August and get some luck with the injuries they can make a run for it.

From Rotoworld, 7/16 Mets signed LHP Vic Darensbourg to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Darensbourg was let go by the White Sox earlier this month. The organization demoted Royce Ring to Double-A Binghamton to make room for Darensbourg in Norfolk.

I guess now we know how the Twins felt when the Sox swept them at home last time. I just looked out the window and, although it is behind some clouds, the sun indeed rose this morning. Time to move on. Schoeneweis v Johnson. 6:05 tonight.

In today's Sun-Times Joe Goddard's 'What's Up With…" column was on Ed Herrmann who played 11 seasons for the Sox. The whole column is well worth reading but there is a Dick Allen story I can't pass up. "Melton and I saw him for the first time in spring camp in Sarasota, Fla. He was in the batting cage, letting pitches bounce off him. We asked what he was doing and he said, 'Getting used to getting pitched inside,' Right then, we knew this man was about winning." BTW: Ed lives in San Diego, runs baseball camps and coaches, his web site is www.edherrmann.com, it includes player and scouting tips (must read), photos and period articles from Edgar Munzel, Dave Nightingale, John Hilyer and Richard Dozer. Plus he answers Emails himself. Ed was not the most talented player on the White Sox when I was growing up, but he had, and still has, the biggest heart of them all.

Biggest out of the game was Politte getting I-Rod to lead off the 8th.

Last night Buehrle threw the most dominating game I have seen since Lamar Hoyt beat the Yankees in the second half of 1983. I've seen the Jack McDowel throw great games and Alverez's no-no on TV but I don't remember a pitcher who commanded the opposition like Mark did since Lamar. I say this because the Indians are a good hitting team and they never rolled over, Mark just beat their best. Then Freddy Garcia was excellent tonight, he didn't match Buerhle but the Indians looked good at the plate and just couldn't crack him. These ain't no bums they're getting out. In '83 the pitchers took over after the All-Star break. Team defense, just enough runs and opponents mistakes all contributed to winning ugly, but the starters won the division. I'm starting to feel the same combination. Mark Buerle, Freddy Garcia, Estaban Loaiza, Jon Garland and Scott Schoenewiess. Lamar Hoyt, Floyd Bannister, Britt Burns, Jerry Koosman, Richard Dotson.

Valentin didn't play today either, hmmmm. Bosox? Speculation.

Ncorg's theory has been that Eddie Einhorn and Roland Hemond are the true decision makers and that KW is just the face man who meets the press. Lets him applaud the moves but still bash Kenny.

His cooling off also roughly coincided with his collision with Maggs.

I like the way Ozzie is handling the marginal guys on the team, making them compete for playing time. Willie looked absolutely lost for a couple weeks so Ozzie didn't start him, even in situations you would have thought he should. Instead he gave him to Greg Walker to work with and just spotted him here and there. Now that he looks a bit hitterish, I'm sure we'll see more of him, and it's Uribe's turn to work on the side and show Ozzie he deserves to get back in. This approach has worked with Rowand and Timo. You have to contribute in some way, not waste at bats, or the guy sitting next to you is going to get the nod. You don't have to hit 4 home runs everyday, and one or two 0 for's won't sit you down but unless you consistently compete, you're gonna sit.

That's his job, ESPN sometimes promotes the Ed and John talk show. His goofy stories about golf and attend-dance are all part of the plan. Ed brings a subtle passion to the broadcast. After Bobby Crosby's HR in Oakland he was saying "I don't know why we have scouting reports". He quoted the report and demonstrated that Loaiza's pitch was exactly what the scouts said NOT to do. But he wasn't standing on his chair screaming so people don't pick up on it. They are not perfect, I voted that I like them, not love. My particular pet peeve is Farmer not calling pitches when they interview a guest. First because unless it's a ball player there shouldn't be any guests on a baseball broadcast, second there is no reason he can't work the interview around the pitches, Rooney does it.

Well said. By contrast watch some Atlanta games and see how Bobby Cox handles his staff, he never sets his guys up for failure. If somebody looks off, he gets them the heck out of there.

The A's have a very nice looking line up against lefties. I looked up the splits, they bat .278 against them on the year, 5th place in the AL. Compare to the Sox at .272 and 8th place. Mark needs his A game tonight. (pun)

Lineups:

From Rotoworld: Doug Mientkiewicz - 1B Twins placed first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz on the 15-day disabled list with a wrist injury. Mientkiewicz took early batting practice Thursday but soreness persisted in his left wrist and he was sent back to Minneapolis for an MRI. The Twins are expected to call up Justin Morneau tomorrow to replace Mientkiewicz. Jul. 15 - 7:43 pm et

Scott Merkin, MLB.Com Ozzie is worried too. He'll bring his team out loaded for bear... er, cat.

Spot on Ozzie! Be ready for them there Tigers or they will bushwhack you, bring your A game, be ready to compete and you can win this thing!

If Frank is still out and they don't get a good LH bat, it's more like 0 or 1 runs.

I must have met 6 different guys tail gating at Joliet this weekend who claimed they were at disco demolition night. One guy said he was going but when he got to the viaduct on 35th he saw guys scaling the walls, so he turned around and got out of there. Talking baseball, I found that all the guys who claim to have been there were Cub fans, the guy that skedadled is a Sox fan. Even 25 years ago, drunken cub fans were ruining Comisky!

Wisdom. You know, except for your love of the Blue Vermin (still playing the Beltran-like Corey Patterson in fantasy?), I've agreed with just about all your posts. The only thing I would add is you do need more offense with the DH during the regular season. There are so many AL teams that are just loaded nobody can shut them down day after day. But in the playoffs healthy pitching and basic baseball will win every time.

Funny!

Link I had never heard of the guy who threw out the first ball last night, but if he's respected enough for Harold Baines to hug, he's worth a look up. Here's the Bio from The History Makers, an African American history web site, and the link is above, the site also has some pictures. Catch Satchel Paige in one half and throw a shut out himself in the other half of the same double header, pretty cool.