Overall, an above average week, but with three sub-par days, ending my consecutive 5500 steps days streak at 14. Things were back above my goal for Monday through Wednesday, but then Thursday fell back below again. Friday had a nice bounce back thanks to a trip for coffee, but Saturday was back below the line thanks to an afternoon of rain.
Total steps: 40,623
Daily average: 5803.3
Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.
Volume 6 takes us through the end of high school, through the summer, and into the beginning of my freshman year of college. Sadly, this is not the original version of volume 6, which was lost after being borrowed by my sister for a party. The steady stream of hair metal and pop starts to become overtaken by alternative and hip-hop.
Genesis – I Can’t Dance
The last hit for Genesis has more than tripled its number of listens in the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 4/12/2015
Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You
The first hit for the band who came up a few years too late has put together a decent increase over the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 8 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 8/7/2014
Joe Public – Live and Learn
The one hit for the so-called new jack swing group managed to double its plays since our last check.
2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 4/2/2015
Boyz II Men – Please Don’t Go
I still haven’t listened to the final release from Cooleyhighharmony.
2012 iTunes stats: Never Played
2015 iTunes stats: Never Played
Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man
The second hit from Adrenalize also managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/16/2014
Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Somehow, I haven’t listened to this song at all over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 3/31/2012
Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under The Bridge
The mainstream breakthrough hit for the Chilli Peppers, and the first appearance of “alternative” music, has had a healthy increase.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 1/10/2015
Paul Konerko: Farewell To A Friend – Scott Reifert
Following the retirement of Paul Konerko last fall, the White Sox put together a book, edited by Scott Reifert, to celebrate their longtime first baseman and raise money for Chicago White Sox Charities. To be honest, there wasn’t much reading to be done with this book, as it was mostly pictures along with a few short articles.
Paul Konerko meant a lot to the White Sox and its fan base over the past 16 years, which I covered last fall as he retired. This book sums up his last weekend, while also hitting on a few of the highpoints of his career, especially the run to the 2005 World Series championship.
Name: Bob Howry
Rank: 158
Position: P
Years With White Sox: 1998-2002
Acquired in the infamous White Flag trade, Bob Howry joined the White Sox organization on July 31, 1997, along with Keith Foulke, Lorenzo Barcelo, Mike Caruso, Ken Vining, and Brian Manning, from the Giants in exchange for Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez. Howry made his major league debut on June 21, 1998, pitching 2 innings of scoreless relief in the White Sox loss to the Twins.
Howry stuck with the big league club and eventually became the closer, saving 9 games down the stretch. He finished the year 0-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 44 appearances.
Howry remained as the closer for most of 1999, until he was replaced by Keith Foulke. He finished the year with a winning record, at 5-3, and saw his ERA rise slightly to 3.59. His 28 saves led the team and was 9th best in the AL.
His most infamous moment in a White Sox uniform came in early 2000, when the White Sox and Tigers were involved in 2 brawls during their April 23 game, which the Sox won 14-6. Howry was ejected in the 9th inning after hitting Shane Halter, igniting the second brawl of the day and earning himself a 3 game suspension. Many claim that the brawl united the young White Sox team, spurring them on to winning the AL Central title. Howry finished the year with a 2-4 record and a 3.17 ERA, picking up 7 saves. He appeared in 2 of the 3 games against the Mariners in the ALDS, giving up 1 run in 2 2/3 innings.
The White Sox faltered in their bid to repeat as division champs in 2001, and Howry was part of the problem. His ERA ballooned to 4.69 and he blew more saves than he converted. He finished the year with a 4-5 record and only 5 saves, giving up more hits than innings pitched for the first time in his career.
Howry bounced back somewhat in 2002, but was still above his career norms for runs and hits allowed. As the White Sox were floundering at the trade deadline, Howry, despite still being under contract for 2003, was shipped to the Red Sox for Frank Francisco and another minor league pitcher. “The opportunity presented itself and we told Bobby it was an offer we felt too good to pass up,” GM Kenny Williams said.
Howry’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:
Name: Oscar Gamble
Rank: 159
Position: DH
Years With White Sox: 1977, 1985
With the 1977 season about to get underway, Oscar Gamble, along with Robert Polinsky, LaMarr Hoyt, and $200,000, was traded to the White Sox from the Yankees in exchange for Bucky Dent. As one of the spark plugs for the team that would eventually become known as the South Side Hitmen, Gamble had a career year, hitting 31 home runs with a .297 average and a .588 slugging percentage.
Owner Bill Veeck couldn’t afford to keep Gamble past the 1977 season, so he was allowed to leave as a free agent. But his time on the south side wasn’t done, as Gamble returned to the White Sox as a free agent in 1985. Unfortunately, his second go around did not go as well.
Gamble split time at DH with Ron Kittle, but did not put up much offense. He managed a paltry 4 home runs with a lowly .203 average. He was designated for assignment on August 12 to make room for rookie Joe DeSa. “The fact Oscar only hit four homers doesn`t mean he didn`t help us,” manager Tony LaRussa said. “What he needed to do was hit for a higher average. He had one of the highest on-base percentages on the club with all his walks. I thought Oscar did all right with us.”
Gamble’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:
Now that the Cubs have installed their brand new jumbotron, there’s been a renewed rumbling from certain corners of their fanbase to dump the tired “tradition” of guest conductors for the 7th inning stretch and to replace it with a video of former broadcaster Harry Caray. Of course, the Cubs brass quickly shot down the suggestion, saying that fan surveys tell them that the guest conductors were “the highest-rated activity during the game” over the past 3 seasons. Which means one of 2 things: Cub management is lying or Cub fans who fill out surveys are stupid.
Honestly, my money if on option #1. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past year is that Crane Kenney and the rest of the business side of the Cubs brass are either stupid or liars, and they didn’t get to the positions they are in by being stupid. After 18 seasons of the guest conductor, nobody really cares anymore. Absolutely nobody looks forward to Jim Belushi or the state lacrosse champs to stick their head out the window and lead the crowd in singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame. The time has come. Bring back Harry.
Apparently, the joy of calling up Kris Bryant on Friday wore off for Cub nation, so they decided to dip in to the well one more time on Monday when they decided to call up Addison Russell, the stud shortstop prospect they acquired from the A’s in the Jeff Samadzija trade. Russell, who had been moved to second base last week, replaces Arismendy Alcantara, who kicked off the prospect parade last summer but had struggled in limited playing time this year, on the roster. Like Bryant, Russell struggled in his major league debut, going hitless in 5 at bats and garnering 3 strike outs.
Not to be outdone, the White Sox also decided to call up their top prospect on Monday. Carlos Rodon, the team’s first round draft pick last summer, was slated to join the starting rotation at some point this season, but instead was brought up to head to the bullpen. He also made his debut Tuesday night, and it was also a rocky one. He gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 2 and a third innings.
Chances are both will bounce back and help their respective teams this summer and for years to come. The hopes of an entire city lie on their shoulders.
Another good week, and the consecutive days over 5,500 steps streak stretches to 14, my longest streak since January. Sunday got the week off to a good start thanks to a trip to US Cellular Field for exciting White Sox baseball. Monday was a typical work day, with the afternoon coffee run pushing me over the top. Tuesday was a WFH day, which usually means an off day, but taking my mom for eye surgery meant a lot of waiting around. That led to my best single day total since the Sprint & Stride race in September. Wednesday was back to the office for the rest of the week. Saturday avoided its usual paltry total thanks to a morning walk around the neighborhood followed by a trip to the store for a new backpack.
Total steps: 48,536
Daily average: 6933.7
Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.
Volume 5 takes us from the end of my junior year of high school, through the summer, and all the way to spring of my senior year, from mid 1991 through early 1992, and once again features a healthy dose of hair metal and pop. It also includes the appearance of my first CD player, a Christmas gift in 1991.
Firehouse – Don’t Treat Me Bad
I haven’t listened to the first hit from Firehouse in nearly 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 7/11/2012
Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up
The first hit for ths so-called R&B boy band had a decent increase over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/10/2015
Boyz II Men – Motownphilly
The debut hit from Philadelphia crooners had a healthy 3 play increase since last we checked.
2012 iTunes stats: 1 play
2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 2/14/2015
Motley Crue – Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
The last hit off of Dr. Feelgood gets a nice increase to keep it in the running for most listened to song.
2012 iTunes stats: 18 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 2/6/2011
Slaughter – Fly To The Angels
It’s been almost 2 years since I heard the big ballad from the hair band.
2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 5/21/2013
Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye
Big increases for both versions of the cover song originally written for the film Cooley High.
2012 iTunes stats (Radio version): 11 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/14/2014
2012 iTunes stats (Album version): 6 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 4/3/2015
Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
A big three fold increase for the first ladies of rap.
2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 4/14/2015
Last Saturday, Geovany Soto and Jeff Samardzija became the 25th and 26th people I’ve seen play in person for both the Cubs and the White Sox. Here’s a look at those players, in alphabetical order.
David Aardsma
After posting a decent season with the Cubs in 2006, Aardsma was traded to the White Sox for Neal Cotts. Aardsma lasted one season with the Sox, where he was unable to duplicate his success from the year before.
Jason Bere
Drafted by the White Sox in the 36th round in 1990, Bere debuted with the big league club in 1993, finishing 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting. After an All Star selection in 1994, injuries marred the remainder of his tenure on the South Side, which ended in 1998. He resurfaced with the Cubs in 2001 and had a decent season, but he went 1-10 in 2002 before being let go.
Neal Cotts
Acquired by the White Sox in the Billy Koch trade, he debuted with the team in 2003. He was a key contributor in the bullpen during the 2005 championship season, and was the only relief pitcher to appear in all 3 rounds of the playoffs that season. Following the 2006 season, he was traded to the Cubs for David Aardsma, and he spent the next 3 injury filled seasons on the North Side.
Scott Eyre
Joining the White Sox organization in a 1994 trade with the Rangers, he debuted with the big league team in 1997. He split the next 4 seasons between the rotation and the bullpen, not to mention between Chicago and Charlotte, before being moved to the Blue Jays following the 2000 ALDS loss to the Mariners. He joined the Cubs as a free agent for the 2006 season and enjoyed 2 seasons of relative success, before falling apart in 2008, when he was traded to the Phillies.
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