Sox vs. Twins, A Friendly Atmosphere?

Me, my wife, my sister and her boyfriend

by Ken Kay       

    Last night my wife and I, along with my sister and her boyfriend, took in the game at the Cell and enjoyed ourselves as the Twins beat themselves.  They had two costly errors which gave the Sox a few runs and that's exactly what they needed for their two-run win over the Twinkies. 

I need to mention I was happier than normal because the Sox actually beat the Twins.  I can't remember the last time I went to a Sox-Twins game when the Sox won.  I am no longer their kryptonite when they play the Twins at home!

Anyways, the night started off great.  I parked in my usual spot - the parking lot of a church/school along Wentworth Ave.  This is the best kept secret for anyone going to a Sox game.  Gate 1 is right around the corner and the Dan Ryan ramp is right there when it's time to exit.

We bought some peanuts from the vendor in the lot and we were headed to the gate.  First thing we did - bought some hot dogs, a Pepsi for the wife and a beer for me.  Once we grabbed our food and drinks we walked directly to our seats, 7th row, right field line.  Good seats, but what's the first thing I noticed?  TWINS FANS!  They were directly in front and behind us.  I have no problem at all with opposing fans at the ballpark, but we were surrounded.

The game starts and the Twins take an early lead with a three-run homer.  I stay quiet and keep to myself as the Twins fans start screaming and slap fives above my head.

Then, it's our turn.  The Sox come back in the bottom of the inning with a three-run shot from De Aza and I'm already yelling and waving my arms before the ball lands in the right field bullpen.  High fives for our row!

 The De Aza home-run was a conversation starter for the Twins fans behind us.  Next thing you know, my wife and the lady behind us begin talking about why they are visiting and where they're from.  I couldn't believe it.  I seriously hate the Twins and throughout the whole game I found myself engaging in friendly conversation with the fans behind us.  Usually "friendly conversation" with Twins fans leads to arguments, but not this time. 

Last night's seventh inning stretch made me wonder if anybody knew what was going on.  It was the quietest "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" I've ever heard.  The fans were louder once the Chevy Pride Crew came out on the field and starting tossing free t-shirts in the crowd.  This lead to another incident where I thought "Wow, these Twins fans are nice people".  The couple behind us actually grabbed a t-shirt after spilling popcorn everywhere and we all had a laugh.  The lady took one look at the shirt and looked at my wife and said, "Here. Do you want it"?

Ugh!  Really?  Why do you have to be nice right now.  All I want to do is rub it in that the Sox are now ahead but the opposing fans are giving us gifts!

Honestly though, thank you to the Twins fans who sat behind us (wow, that hurt).  You helped make the game enjoyable to watch, a Sox win helped, but you also made my wife's night.  Everyone loves a free t-shirt.  Especially a Sox one. 
 

Not So Fast, Briggs

by Ken Kay

    When the Bears refused to resign 6-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz, the team admitted the vibe in the locker room and team morale wouldn't be the same.  And it hasn't.

Matt Forte went pubic before training camp and said he strongly feels he deserves a contract extension, Greg Olsen was told he doesn't fit in with their offense and was released, Roy Williams already said he wants the ball more and now Lance Briggs wants more cash.  Wait in line Briggs.

But don't worry Bears fans, Briggs claims the way he feels about his current contract will not be a distraction to the team.

Really?

Isn't this the same Lance Briggs that threatened to be traded a few years ago if the Bears didn't give him what he wanted.  And the same Lance Briggs who is promoting a new contract for Matt Forte.  I find it hard to believe if it comes down to paying one or the other, Briggs will stand up and say "No, it's Ok.  Pay him".  

Does he deserve it?  Maybe.  Will he get a new deal? No.

The Bears wouldn't resign Kreutz for one more year and they still haven't agreed to terms with Matt Forte, who is arguably the most consistent running back the Bears have had in over a decade. 

Briggs should have kept quiet because after Forte's new deal, is Roberto Garza.  Garza is the most underpaid offensive lineman in the league for his tenure and all of the work he's put in for the Bears.  Then once you secure Forte and Garza (but we know how the Bears treat O-Line guys who've bled orange and blue their whole career) the Bears have to worry about Urlacher becoming a free agent in 2013.

I understand in every aspect of work everyone believes they are worth more than they are.  But for Briggs, the Bears might have other plans for all of that money they aren't spending at the moment.  I could be wrong, but Briggs should probably be last in the "I need more money" line.

Sox Youngsters Flexin' Their Muscles

by Patrick Ronald

    And suddenly the White Sox dugout looked relaxed, focused and excited for the first time in a long time after the Southsiders shut out their division rivals from Minnesota.

    

They won their fourth straight game Monday and although the team is still five games back of the Tigers, it is encouraging to watch these young players hit the ball at the big-league level.

   

Personally, I am an enormous fan of Dayan Viciedo and I was extremely excited when we snatched him from Cuba a few years back.  He is rough around the edges, but I’ve always admired his raw talent.  He swings the bat hard and he throws the ball harder.

   

Viciedo batted .308 last season with five homers in only 38 games with the big-league club.  He continued this season with Charlotte with a .296 batting average, 20 homers and 78 RBI’s and now he is showing his bat off again on the White Sox.  He finally got his chance to shine with a pair of hits including an opposite field three-run homer Sunday in Seattle.  Then he followed up the impressive performance with two more hits, another run, another RBI, a stolen base and a walk Monday.

   

Tyler Flowers has recently proven to be worth the wait with exceptional plate appearances in AJ Pierzynski’s absence.  The young catcher has batted .273 since he was called up in July.  He hit a grand slam Sunday and tallied two more RBI’s  Monday.

   

Kenny Williams’ 2008 acquisition of Flowers and Brent Lillibridge from Atlanta for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan is turning out to be beneficial for the club’s future.

   

With a core of young talent like Viciedo, Flowers, Lillibridge, Alejandro De Aza, Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez, Brent Morel and a dominate starting pitching staff and bullpen, I still find an insignificant reason to watch the White Sox down the stretch because the youngsters are keeping me interested.

Patrick's Fantasy Team

I'm proud of my fantasy squad.  After the draft the other nine people in the league determined that my team was stacked and 'Lefty from Mulberry Street' is the team to beat.

What does Field of Teams think?

Starters

QB - Michael Vick, Philadelphia,

RB - Maurice Jones-Dre, Jacksonville,

RB - DeAngelo Williams, Carolina,

WR- Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona,

WR- Santonio Holmes, New York Jets,

TE - Jermichael Finley, Green Bay,

K  - Josh Brown, St. Louis,

TM- Philadelphia,

Bench

QB - Matthew Stafford, Detroit,

RB - Willis McGahee, Denver,

RB - Marion Barber, Chicago,

RB - Beanie Wells, Arizona,

WR- Deion Branch, New England,

WR- Mike Sims-Walker, St. Louis,

WR- Johnny Knox, Chicago,

Major 'Right'

by Patrick Ronald

    Entering his second season, Bear’s free safety, Major Wright, has super star written all over his face, but is obviously affected by the infamous injury bug.

 

    While catching a glimpse of the Bear’s 14-13 loss to Tennessee Saturday night, I can’t help but recall Wright hobbling off the field in the second half.  Wright, who is an impact player, played in 11 of 16 games in his rookie campaign last season.  However, he was sidelined with a groin strains and a broken finger last preseason and out for more than a month with a nagging hamstring injury at the end of the year.

 

    I love this guy.  I liked him during his college days as a Gator, but these injuries need to stop if the youngster expects to blossom into a premier defensive back.

    "Last year with me getting injured, I really studied. I couldn't do much, so I studied, studied and studied," Wright said in an interview with ESPN.

 

    The extra classroom sessions seem to be translating on the field, according to Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke, who admits Wright's health is the team's main concern.

 

    "No question [the major concern for Wright is staying healthy]," Hoke said. "He was a guy who through his whole college career never missed anything.

 

  “It’s weird,” he added.

  Wright has been a star his entire career.  In high school he received all-state mentions his junior and senior years, and earned the National U.S. Army Player of the Year Award before the Florida native took his talents to Gainesville to play for Urban Meyer in 2007.

 

  As a freshman, he started seven of the Gators 13 games and never gave up the free safety position.  As a sophomore, he started all 14 games.  He has nine tackles and an interception in the 2009 National Championship Game against Oklahoma before being the Bear’s third round draft pick in 2010.

Credit to ESPN.com

Bears Training Camp

BEARS TRAINING CAMP 2011

by Ken Kay

New Pics I've Uploaded From Training Camp.  Again, thanks to Pops for letting me use his camera! 

Sanzenbacher!!!





Uh, duhhh.





Angelo having a chat with the "D" man.



He signed autographs for a half hour.  Good man.



Bears Preseason Perspective

 Jennings - A, Bears 'D'

by Ken Kay

I was watching the Bears Monday night and I couldn't help notice #26.  Tim Jennings was everywhere!  Making plays on defense and special teams.  He had two solid open field tackles, a diving tip to prevent a TD, and he smothered a punt return for no gain. 

Jennings came ready to play and he was definitely the number one corner that night.  Heck, 26 was the number one guy on both sides of the ball.

Unfortunately, Jennings was the only positive I saw all night.  I know most people would say the O-line looked good for once and that proves my point.  It's one game.  Mike Tice's offensive line finally looked decent for the first time he's taken over.  Congrats.

Another thing that scares me, Briggs.  Where is he?  I hope the Bears are just protecting him from further injury because he's a scratch for the game against Tennessee with a knee bruise.

I have to admit I was pretty pumped for Bears football to start but I find myself asking the same questions from the previous years.

So please, Bears, put all of my questions to rest and give Chicago a reason to be excited.  Crush Tennessee this week so I don't have to hear the coaching staff fish for answers to the same damn questions.  I know the defense shouldn't have a problem considering running back Chris Johnson, aka "CJ2K" still plans on holding out.

'Big Z' In The Land Of Oz

by Patrick Ronald

My world was flipped upside down when I woke up to the news.

Something this drastic is always ‘breaking news,’ when one sub-par division contending wannabe inherits the cursed club’s cancer.

The radio personalities were ranting and raving about the White Sox recent acquisition of former Cubs head case Carlos Zambrano.

I was shocked.  I wondered what Kenny was thinking.

“We’re glad he’s joining our club,” Ozzie said in a sound bite.  “He gives us more options.”

What world were we living in?  Where have my hazy thoughts taken me?  Why did they make such a silly move?

I make such jokes about scenarios like this because I like playing in my own general manager daydream.

I hate Carlos Zambrano since five years back and I have enjoyed his head-case antics the entire time.

However, I like to think about what could of happened this summer if the White Sox would of brought in ‘Big Z’ as a big, strong and aggressive left-handed bat to be the club’s new clean-up hitter in the DH spot.

In ‘Pat’s World’ Zambrano would never touch a glove again.

Bye Adam.  Your class is commendable, but you need to return a portion of that big ol’ country check you took back to Texas.

I know you’ve hit more than 30 home runs every year since 2005.  I know you are known to strike out.  I know you have flaws, but I always know you are batting .167 with 40 RBIs.

The idea of bring in Zambrano is clearly a joke, but so is my overpaid, soft-spoken Texan.

However, with all do respect, Dunn is still our guy, and we should not forget that. 

The classiness of the struggling slugger goes along way and most of us in the land of Oz appreciate that.

  Good Luck

Allergic To .500

by Ken Kay

In the bottom of the ninth with the game tied, White Sox radio announcer Ed Farmer made sure listeners knew how important Tuesday night's game was when he said, "Frasor is pitching for his teams life".  

My first thought after hearing the clip of Farmer, "Why? But typical."

Why was Frasor in the game if this game will make or break the entire season?  I'm sorry, but when you're six and a half games back with six weeks left, you're pretty much done.

The coaching staff had three other options and all were better.  Sale, Thorton or Sergio would've been the right choice when your "pitching for your teams life".  

Sergio has been solid all year, especially on the road, while Thorton and Sale are power-pitching lefties, who have been getting better during the stretch. 

After I ran through all of the other scenarios that could have happened, I quickly realized that this has been the most frustrating season I've ever witnessed as a Sox fan.

And there's nothing I can do about it.  

In the offseason I couldn't put into words how happy I was when they resigned Pauly, AJ and added that left handed power hitter they needed (no, I refuse to even mention his name).  Pauly has been great all season long and even better when he's playing hurt.  AJ is AJ and "the lefty" shouldn't be allowed near the batters box.

The Sox have been steadily five games back the entire season and it seems like they're closer to 10.  

They are allergic to .500 and completely choked in a division that was open for anyone.  Detroit and Cleveland left the door open all season and the Sox never walked in.  

 
I'd rather have them completely out of it by now, but they still hang around. 

They hang around enough for me to watch the games, get excited when they win and then realize Detroit did too.  Then Detriot wins again, Sox lose, I'm pissed.  But who am I kidding, I still have tickets for a game next week and I'll be watching like it matters.