Tag / Rays

by jim

Opening Day

Today will be my 15th Opening Day for the White Sox, and my 12th in a row.  The first was in 1985, a blowout win against the Red Sox in rookie shortstop Ozzie Guillen’s first game in Chicago.  Other highlights include the 2005 1-0 victory against the Indians and the raising of the championship banner on Sunday Night Baseball in 2006.

Joining me for today’s game will be my niece and nephews.  A certain mascot should be stopping by sometime during the game to wish Michael a happy birthday.  Hopefully the weather holds out and the White Sox uphold their end of the bargain.

Here’s the results of the previous 14 openers (11-3 record) I’ve attended:

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All Time Team Records

Heading into the 2012 season, here all the all-time team records in games that I have attended.

All-Time Team Records

Team Won Lost Winning Pctg
California Angels 1 0 1.000
Arizona Diamondbacks 12 2 0.857
Florida Marlins 15 8 0.652
Philadelphia Phillies 10 6 0.625
Toronto Blue Jays 8 5 0.615
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 13 10 0.565
Chicago White Sox 191 158 0.547
New York Yankees 9 8 0.529
Chicago Cubs 188 168 0.528
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by jim

2012 Predictions

Continuing the tradition started last year, here are my picks for the upcoming baseball season.

American League

East: Yankees

Central: Tigers

West: Angels

Wild Cards: Rays, Rangers

AL Champion: Angels

Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia

MVP: Albert Pujols

National League

East: Braves

Central: Brewers

West: Giants

Wild Cards: Phillies, Dodgers

NL Champion: Braves

Cy Young: Zach Greinke

MVP: Jason Heyward

by jim

2012 Games Of Interest

Fireworks Night

4/28 vs Red Sox

5/12 vs Royals

6/23 vs Brewers

7/4 vs Rangers

8/25 vs Mariners

9/29 vs Rays

 

Kids Day

4/15 vs Tigers

5/27 vs Indians

6/10 vs Astros

7/8 vs Blue Jays

8/26 vs Mariners

 

Other Fun Stuff

4/13 vs Tigers – Opening Day

5/26 vs Indians – Robin Ventura bobblehead

6/3 vs Mariners – Southpaw’s Birthday Party and Southpaw Mini Plush Pal

6/24 vs Brewers – Kids 1972 Replica Jersey

8/3 vs Angels – Elvis Night

8/5 vs Angels – Kids Chest Protector Backpack

8/12 vs A’s – Spirit & Mascot Day

 

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#485 – Javier Vazquez

Name: Javier Vázquez

Rank: 485

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2006-2008

In 2005, the White Sox defied expectations and won their first World Series championship since 1917.  In an attempt to bolster the rotation for their title defense, Kenny Williams sent playoff hero Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Luis Vizcaino, and prospect Chris Young to the Diamondbacks for Javier Vazquez, the former Expos ace who had bounced around the previous few years.  On paper, it seemed like a good move, but it failed to take into account that Javier Vazquez is at his best when he is pitching for either a National League club or a team out of contention.  Neither of these fit in to the White Sox plans for the 2006 season.

Watching him pitch in 2006 was frustrating, to say the least.  He had a propensity for being unhittable for 5 innings, and then completely falling apart in the sixth.  He finished the year 11-12 with a 4.84 ERA in 33 games and, while they won 90 games, the White Sox finished in third place.

2007 was a much better year for Vazquez, going 15-8 with a 3.74 ERA.  Coincidentally, the White Sox finished the year with a 72-90 record, 24 games behind the Indians.  In 2008, as the team rebounded to 89-74, winning the division in a one game playoff versus the Twins.  Vazquez regressed back to a 12-16 record, with a 4.67 ERA.  Thanks to the push down the stretch to win the division, the Sox were forced to start Vazquez in game 1 of the ALDS, where he was battered around by the Rays, giving up 6 runs in 4 1/3 innings.  That December, his tenure on the South Side came to an end when he was moved to the Braves for a package that included Tyler Flowers and Brent Lillibridge.

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

by jim

#487 – Nick Swisher

Name: Nick Swisher

Rank: 487

Position: OF/1B

Year with White Sox: 2008

In January 2008, Kenny Williams pulled the trigger on a deal that would send three prospects to the Oakland A’s in exchange for Nick Swisher, a switch hitting outfielder/first baseman who could get on base and provide some pop.  Swisher was also supposed to be a great clubhouse presence, someone who could keep the team loose throughout the course of the season.

With Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye entrenched at first base and right field respectively, the plan was to plug Swisher into left field.  Unfortunately, another off season pickup, Carlos Quentin, managed to earn the job out of spring training, leaving Swisher to play out of position for most of the season in center field.

To say things did not go as planned would be a bit of an understatement.  As the season wore on, and Swisher continued to not perform, his demeanor changed and you could say his attitude hurt the team almost as much as his .219 average.  When manager Ozzie Guillen dared to sit him on the bench occasionally down the stretch while trying to win the division, Swisher showed his true colors by complaining.  When he did play, he was so interested in trying to walk that the easiest way to get him out was to lay one right down the middle.

After the playoff loss to the Rays, Williams wasted no time in shipping him out to the Yankees, less than a year after he had been acquired.

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

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It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

Earlier this winter, the MLB Network re-aired the 2005 World Series Championship video and, for the first time, there was an undertone of sadness to it, knowing that this day was likely coming.  Now that it is here, it is a dark day indeed.  Mark Buehrle, the most successful White Sox pitcher of my lifetime, has moved on, signing a new deal with the Miami Marlins.

Buehrle first came up during the 2000 season, working out of the bullpen for the eventual division champions.  He moved into the rotation the following season, and stayed there for the next 11 seasons.  During that time, there were numerous memorable appearances, many of which I was privileged to see in person.

The 2007 no-hitter against the Rangers.

The 2009 perfect game against the Rays.

Winning Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS against the Angels, thanks to AJ’s heads-up baserunning, and starting the streak of 4 straight complete games.

The 1 hour 36 minute game against the Mariners in 2005.

The no look, through his legs flip to Paul Konerko on Opening Day 2010 against the Indians.

And, of course, his performance in the 2005 World Series, starting Game 2, getting a no decision, and coming in to pitch the 14th inning and earning the save in Game 3.

It’s always difficult to see your favorite players move on, and this will be no different.  Seeing Mark Buehrle joining Ozzie Guillen in South Beach, and someone else getting the Opening Day nod for the White Sox for the first time since 2007 will certainly be odd.  While I had prepared myself for this eventuality, there was a part of me that thought Jerry Reinsdorf would step in as he did last winter to keep AJ Pierzynski in town. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and Chicago’s loss is Miami’s gain.

In White Sox annals, Buehrle is currently fifth all-time in strikeouts, sixth in games started, and eighth in wins and innings pitched.

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2011 Final Standings

I “only” went to 43 games this year, the ninth highest total of my life, and only hit the two local stadiums.

TeamCity TeamName Won Loss Winning Pctg
Los Angeles Angels 2 0 1.000
Detroit Tigers 3 0 1.000
New York Yankees 1 0 1.000
Boston Red Sox 2 1 0.667
Baltimore Orioles 2 1 0.667
Chicago White Sox 24 18 0.571
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Who’s Next?

2004 – 2011

Rumored for nearly 2 years, the Ozzie Guillen era for the White Sox came to an end last week, as Guillen was released from his contract and allowed to take his talents to South Beach.  Guillen wrapped up his tenure as the third winningest manager in team history, in terms of victories, and the only manager to lead the team to multiple post-season appearances.  That said. his act had started to grow stale and it became apparent that a change was needed in the clubhouse, something to shake up the underachieving bunch that has been run out for the past two years.  So, as Guillen prepares to lead the re-christened Miami Marlins into their new stadium next season, who will take his place on the end of the White Sox bench?

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