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Concert Flashback: Chicks With Attitude

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So, how do you top accusations of selling out after putting out a pop album that puts off your vocal indie fanbase?  How about teaming with Maybelline for a tour meant to promote a new brand of edgy makeup.  The artists, Liz Phair, The Cardigans, Katy Rose and Charlotte Martin, “have been handpicked to represent Chicks with Attitude–strong young women on the rise who are an inspiration to other young women looking to find their own voice,” according to a press release.  Because why not, I was in attendance, along with Tina and some of her friends, when the tour rolled in to the House of Blues, just under a year since I saw Liz Phair previously.

I have no particular memory of Charlotte Martin or Katy Rose, either of their performance that night or their careers in general.  The Cardigans were next, and they delivered on the few songs of theirs that I know and enjoy.  Finally, Liz Phair performed, once again in support of her self titled pop album.  Just like the show from the year before, I don’t have any particular memories of her performance.  This album was probably the end of my Liz Phair fandom, so I’m sure I at least somewhat enjoyed myself.

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#241 – Mike Myers

mmyersName: Mike Myers

Rank: 241

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2007

After spending 15 years in Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, Mike Myers escaped and returned to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois.  Oh wait, that’s the wrong Mike Myers.  After 6 seasons on Saturday Night Live, Mike Myers left to pursue a film career, where…what, still the wrong Mike Myers?  How many where there?

Baseball’s Mike Myers, a native of Arlington Heights, joined the White Sox in August of their lost 2007 season after being released by the Yankees.  He fit right in, which, sadly, means he did not pitch well, putting up an 11.20 ERA in 17 appearances.  Myers had a $1.1 million option for 2008, which the White Sox chose to decline.  Myers tried to latch on to a team the next spring, but never did pitch in the major leagues again.

Myers’ numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: Continue reading →

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#242 – Rocky Biddle

rbiddleName: Rocky Biddle

Rank: 242

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2000-2002

Rocky Biddle was drafted by the White Sox in the first round of the 1997 draft.  In August of 2000, with the White Sox heading towards a Central division title despite a pitching staff falling by the day, Biddle was called up and made his major league debut on August 10.  Pitching on only three days rest against the White Sox eventual ALDS foe Seattle, Biddle gave up 6 runs in 5 1/3 innings.  He ended up starting 4 games that season as the White Sox limped to the playoffs and a three game sweep against the Mariners.

Biddle spent parts of the next two seasons as one piece of the black hole that was the fifth starter for the White Sox.  Biddle started 28 of his 74 games over those two seasons, although his ERA did improve each season.

His time with the White Sox came to an end on January 15, 2003 when he was included in a 3 team trade that sent Biddle, Jeff Liefer, and Orlando Hernandez to the Expos, Antonio Osuna and minor-league pitcher Delvis Lantigua to the Yankees, and brought Bartolo Colon and minor-league infielder Jorge Nunez to the White Sox.

Biddle’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#243 – Donny Lucy

dlucyName: Donny Lucy

Rank: 243

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 2007, 2010-2011

Donny Lucy joined the White Sox organization after being selected in the second round of the 2004 draft.  He made his major league debut for the White Sox on September 5, 2007 against the Tigers, getting his first major league hit against Kenny Rogers.  Lucy made his way into 8 games as the White Sox played out the string in what was a lost and disappointing season.

Lucy returned to the minor leagues until 2010, when he broke camp with the White Sox due to backup catcher Ramón Castro heading to the DL with a bruised heel.  Lucy hit his first big league home run and notched his first RBI against the Blue Jays on April 15.  When Castro was ready to return on May 3, Lucy was returned to Triple A.

Lucy returned to the White Sox in August of 2011 when AJ Pierzynski went down with a broken wrist.  He managed to appear in 6 games this time, with his final appearance coming in the Sox 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays on September 28.

On December 16, Lucy announced his retirement from baseball.

Lucy’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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Return Of Winter

chkdskSo, after spring arrived for one day on Monday with temperatures breaking 50 degrees for the first time in 2014, Tuesday night dropped another snowstorm on us, wrecking traffic and playing havoc with the electrical lines.  The power has gone out and come back on in under a minute at least 10 times since I woke up this morning.  As a result, I got the priviledge of watching my computer go through a CHKDSK after shutting down in the middle of a meeting.

On the plus side, I have recently started to back up my files for the first time in years, so a crashed hard drive, while annoying, would not be catostraphic.  On the minus side, I was in the middle of a meeting, so the continuous power outages kept knocking me off the phone and the prolonged CHKDSK made rejoining the Webex a bit difficult.

At the end of the day, the old computer made it through in one piece.  But, winter seems unwilling to let go of its grip on the Chicago area.  Any snow that had melted the past few days has been replaced with a fresh coat, and 2013-2014 has become either the 2nd or 3rd snowiest winter in Chicago history, depending on the airport, and the cities denizens continue to suffer the effects.

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GlobalFit III: Week 35

Y3Week35A so-so week, as only 3 days surpassed the 5000 step plateau.  Monday and Tuesday were pretty typical, with a trip for coffee just pushing us past the 5000 step mark.  Wednesday was a busted day thanks to snow, which pushed my commute to work up past the 2 1/2 hour mark, and late meetings which kept me there past 6.  Thursday had the best total of the week, and it was because of a wake.

Total steps: 31,164

Weekly average: 4452

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Concert Flashback: Liz Phair

03lizphair

10 years after her seminal debut album, Liz Phair returned to her hometown to support her latest release, an attempt to be an out and out pop star.  At her best, Phair was always a timid stage performer and, according to the Chicago Tribune, this wasn’t her at her best.  I can’t claim to have much in the way of particular memories about this show, but the story of her sharing the stage with a fan to perform Flower does ring a bell.

I had been a fan of Liz Phair since the release of Exile In Guyville back in 1993 and the occassional appearance of her video on MTV’s 120 Minutes.  While it may not have been the  best performance, I could at least cross her off the list of acts that I would need to see.  Of course, she would also play a part in the next show I would see.

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#244 – Tony Peña

Tony+PenaName: Tony Peña

Rank: 244

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2009-2011

Tony Peña, the pitcher, joined the White Sox via a July 7, 2009 trade that sent Brandon Allen to the Diamondbacks.  Peña was expected to bolster the bullpen for the remainder of 2009 and then take over Octavio Dotel’s role, who would be a free agent following the season.  Things started out well for Peña, who put up a 3.75 ERA down the stretch for the White Sox, a half run better than he had done for the Diamondbacks.

Things started to fall apart in 2010.  With Dotel gone, Peña was slated to become the main workhorse out of the pen, but control issues limited him to 52 games, including 3 spot starts.  His ERA jumped to 5.10 as he was relegated to long relief and mop up duty.

Unfortunately, 2011 was not any better for Peña.  His ERA jumped up to 6.10 as he made 17 relief appearances over the season’s first two months.  On May 29, he was placed on the disabled list with right elbow tendinitis, which is where he would spend the rest of the season.

He was released by the White Sox following the season, and he would never pitch in the major leagues again.

Pena’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#245 – Jason Frasor

Jason_FrasorName: Jason Frasor

Rank: 245

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2011

Jason Frasor joined the White Sox, along with fellow pitcher Zach Stewart, as part of a salary dump that sent Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen to the Blue Jays on July 27, 2011.  Frasor, an Oak Forest native, was supposed to lighten the workload on Jesse Crain, but was mostly ineffective, giving up 10 runs in only 17 2/3 innings.

After spending nearly 5 months as a member of the White Sox, Frasor was shipped back to Toronto on January 1, 2012 in exchange for Daniel Webb and minor league pitcher Myles Jaye.

Frasor’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:
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