Slammin Sammy hits # 600

So, "Slammin Sammy" hit his 600th homerun yesterday June 20th, 2007 of Jason Marquis of the Chicago Cubs. It was 18 years ago today, June 21st, that he hit his first homerun of his career, off of Roger Clemens. He was always smiling and having fun, he was a fun guy to watch.

Sammy has come a long way since he first broke into the majors with the Texas Rangers in 1989. He was traded to the White Sox later that year, and then was sent to the Cubs in '92 for George Bell. He played his most prolific years as a member of the Cubs, years that are easily remembered. His hop after a homerun swing, his kisses in the dugout, his homerun chase with McGwire. From 1998 to 2001 he hit an astonishing 243 homeruns, and won the MVP in 1998.

He became the man in Chicago, clobbering balls all over the place for the Cubs. When baseball resumed after 9/11 he ran onto the field carrying an American Flag that he had in his pocket. He was smiling, he was trying to have fun again after an awful tragedy. He left the Cubs via trade in 2005 and joined the Baltimore Orioles. He had a down year only hitting 14 Homeruns and the Orioles released him. Many thought this was the end of Sammy, as the Nationals offered him a minor league contract in 2006, but he turned them down. Then he signed a minor league contract with the Rangers before the 2007 season, and he had a very good spring training. He joined the Major league club and has been a start for the season.

Anyone talking about Sammy wants to bring up the "corked bat incident." The Cubs were playing the Devil Rays and Sosa's bat broke, revealing it was corked. Sure, there is evidence that corked bats don't offer any help, but why would he use it then? He said it was just a bat that he used during batting practice to put a show on for the crowd. Oh, and he has also sent at least 5 other bats to the hall of fame, all those were tested and none revealed a cork. Other people want to talk about Steroids. I understand that word will forever be a part of baseball now, but I want to focus on something here. Sammy has never had a positive test, and he has made a succesful comeback this year. He didn't look as bad as McGwire during the congressional hearings, and he hasn't been proved wrong like Palmerio has. Now, he is only batting .242 this year, which is below his career average of .270. But, he has 12 homeuns and 53 RBI's. He is on pace to hit about 30 HR's and drive in well over 100 runs. Those are good stats for a guy that everyone gave up on.

I don't know how many people enjoyed watching his 600th homerun, but I did. I told my son while watching Sportscenter, "You know, Sammy is only one of five players to ever hit 600 homeruns." He seemed intrigued, and then asked who the others were, and I told him they were Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds. Funny thing is, the only name he recognized was Babe Ruth. Watching Sammy round the bases, smiling, hearing the fans cheer for him, both dugouts giving him an ovation. It was a good day in baseball, and it was fun to watch.

To trade, or not to trade

That is the question that is facing my team, the Chicago White Sox. Just two very short years ago, they were celebrating their first World Series victory in about 500 years. Okay, I exaggerated that a little bit, but come on, anything over 85 years is unbearable....right Cub fans?

Now, thanks to a failing bullpen, a team batting average barely above the Mendoza line, and a bunch of youngsters that just may not be ready yet, we are in a bind. Anyone that follows the Sox knows that GM Kenny Williams is a wheeler and a dealer. He isn't afraid to make a trade, and he doesn't care who it is, as long as he thinks it's beneficial to the teams future. When he traded Freddy Garcia for Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez, a lot of people didn't like the trade. I liked it, we got two young pitchers who could be in the rotation next year, or this year with the way things are going. He then traded "future stud" Brandon McCarthy for Jon Danks and Nick Masset. Brandon is 4-4 with an ERA of almost 6 this year. Meanwhile, Danks is 3-6 with a 4.30 ERA and Masset has struggled along with everyone else in the Pen this year.

I still believe those trades will prove to be beneficial for us in the long-term. So the question now becomes, what do we do at the trade deadline?

Mark Buehrle is a free agent at the end of this year, as well as Jermaine Dye and Tadihito Iguchi. Buehrle and Dye, if Kenny makes them available, could return some top talent from a team that wants to win this year. The Sox need a SS of the future, as I am sure they don't want to pay Uribe his $5 million dollar option next year. They also need a 2nd baseman, and a catcher. One place to look might be the Angels as they have both Brandon Wood and Erick Aaybar at SS, and Sean Rodriguez who has been playing SS, 2nd and 3rd.

The Sox are set at 1st with Konerko, 3rd with Josh Fields, but the middle infield needs some serious upgrades. I am not usually one who wants to blow up a team, but I have to be realistic. Buerhle probably isn't re-signing after this season. He wants to play in St. Louis, and I would be really surprised if he didn't end up there. Dye is great, but his career is winding down and re-signing him next year would just hinder players like Owens and Sweeney, that need time at the major league level.

I guess what I am saying is this: It will hurt, but I am willing to trade these guys to get some future prospects back. Our team needs some young offensive talent, and we have the bargaining chips to go get that talent. Buehrle has long been one of my favorites, so it will be sad to see him go.

Don't get me wrong, I am not bailing on this season. Buehrle is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA, and Dye is batting .226 with 11 HR's. I have confidence that those numbers can be replaced with people in house. These guys have the history though, Dye is a World Series MVP, Buehrle is as consistent as it gets....and any team in the race would be better with them.

The trading deadline is about a month and a half away, so things are going to start getting really interesting. I'm ready Kenny, ready for the rumors, ready for the prospects. I'm ready for you to pull the trigger. We have no depth on the middle infield, and it's killing us. So go ahead, be bold, make a trade, and lets re-load this team.

You can't touch this

So far in this great baseball season we have witnessed two no-hitters. One by my boy Mark Buerhle on April 18th versus the Texas Rangers. The only man to get on base was Sammy Sosa via a walk. Here are some takes from the game:

"I probably was more nervous coming out of the eighth [inning] and going back to the ninth with the crowd going crazy," Buehrle said. "I could feel my knees shaking."

Buehrle said it was his first no-hitter at any level—"I pitched maybe two innings of a seven-inning one in high school"—and the first by a White Sox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez beat Baltimore 7-0 on Aug. 11, 1991.

"His stuff was the best I've seen in two years," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.

Buehrle's no-hitter was the Sox's first at home since Joel Horlen beat Detroit 6-0 on Sept. 10, 1967. The last American League no-hitter occurred on April 27, 2002, when Boston's Derek Lowe beat Tampa Bay.

Buehrle, 28, struck out eight, including a called third strike on Matt Kata to start the ninth inning. He threw 66 of his 105 pitches for strikes.

Yes, Buerhle was a man on a mission in this game. And as the Sox continue to fall back in the Central, this game may be their defining moment for the 2007 season. Buerhle has always been a great guy off and on the field. During rain delays, he would come out and entertain the crowd by doing slides on the tarp. This however, has been outlawed by Management....but it was fun to watch.

Then we has Curt Shilling who had a no-hitter going with two outs in the 8th and then Shannon Stewart came up to the plate.

"We get two outs, and I was sure, and I had a plan, and I shook Tek off," Schilling said. "And I get a big 'What if?' for the rest of my life."

I can't believe he shook of his catcher, but I guess that is something he will think about for the rest of his life. He came so close, one out away, one pitch away from the elusive no-hitter.

Then last night, Jun 12, we have Justin Verlander who no-hit the Brewers. Verlander was ROY last year, and everyone was wondering if he would have a sophmore slump...well, he'll take a slump if that means pitching a no hitter. He was almost untouchable.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me," he said.

The 2006 AL Rookie of the Year came back with the game of his career, striking out 12. He benefited from several stellar defensive plays, the best by Neifi Perez, who turned a possible single up the middle in the eighth into an inning-ending double play.

Not quoted there was a nice sliding grab by Ordonez in right field. Also, Verlander was still throwing over 102 MPH in the 9th inning...unbelievable.

Just goes to show you that we still have a lot be proud and happy with in baseball. So with all the milestones being reached this year we already have two no-hitters and one almost no-hitter....and we aren't even to the All-Star Break.

Can you feel the excitement?

My Team

During the NFL draft I was talking with some friends and said, “I can’t believe we got Greg Olsen!” While talking with a friend about the Bulls season, I said, “We finally made it to the second round of the playoffs. It’s a good building block for us, hopefully next year we can take it one more step.” When the Bears were in the Superbowl this year, and someone asked me if I was happy, I said, “I didn’t expect for us to make it this year, we were just able to overcome some injuries and inconsistent play at the QB position.”

Notice anything weird or different about my answers? If not, maybe you just view sports like I do. Maybe how I discuss them isn’t that weird after all. One of my kids asked me a while back how come I refer to the Bears as “My team?” How come I include myself in the answers when I answer a question about one of my favorite teams? Other people have asked me that as well, I guess I just never realized I was doing that. I have heard other people answer that way, so after some thought I realized why I talk that way.

Thinking back to 2005, the Sox were in the World Series for the first time in my lifetime. They were playing Houston, and watching the whole World Series was like a dream for me. I kept waiting for them to blow it, I didn’t want to get too excited just to have those thoughts crushed. They ended up sweeping Houston, and I was so excited, it was an awesome event. My first World Series victory. Then, the Bears went to the Superbowl this year. It started out so great, and then the bottom fell out. My heart was crushed, and it was at that point that I realized why I use words like “we”, and “us” when I talk about them.

It’s because I am part of the team….okay, I’m not crazy, let me explain. My heart is in it, I feel pain and joy when they do. When they lose, it makes me sad, when they win, it makes me happy. When they win championships, it makes me ecstatic! Without fans like me, these teams would not be in the situation they are. We as fans are the ones that make it possible for them to win championships, sign free agents, build new stadiums. Every time you buy a jersey, go to a game, or eat a hot dog at a game, you are investing yourself into that team.

So if people look at you like you are weird when you say “My team is only a few games away from winning it all!” Or, if you say, “I can’t believe we get the number 1 pick!” Don’t worry, you aren’t weird, you are just an invested fan. And don’t forget, that is the BIGGEST reason those teams are around.

I’ve been a baseball fan for a long time, and I long for the game how it used to be: The smell of the fresh cut grass, talking to the players as they come out of the dugout, eating dogs, getting cotton candy, etc. Watching two teams play a game they love for three hours hoping to come out with at least 1 more run than the other team. I went to my first game when I was almost 5 (just a few days before my birthday), it was the White Sox hosting the Yankees. I remember thinking Chet Lemon was my favorite player because he had to be awesome with a name like that! When I think back about that game, I don’t really remember that much about the game itself. I don’t remember all the outs, hits, or runs scored. I do vividly remember looking at the field, the crowd noise, the seat I was in, the food I ate……and my Dad yelling “That was a stupid call”, when he didn’t agree with the umpire.

It was so innocent and fresh then. There were no steroid scandals or other player scandals tarnishing the game. I consider myself to be a big fan of baseball, even through the strike years (Sox could have won it all in ’94) and the scandals. I have this insane little habit of remembering very obscure numbers, that when I repeat them, usually nets me an odd look. I mean come on, isn’t it important to know that while winning his second MVP award in 1994, Frank Thomas had an On Base Percentage of .487? Just think about that, he almost made it to base every other time he went to bat. Unbelievable.

Anyway, this year is going to be a special year for baseball. The numbers that will be reached, the plateaus that will be achieved is remarkable. Here is a list of some of the numbers that are being approached and could be reached this year:

Home Runs:

Barry Bonds – Approaching Aaron’s 755 HR Mark
Sammy Sosa – 600
Frank Thomas – 500
Jim Thome – 500
Manny Ramirez – 500
Alex Rodriguez – 500
Gary Sheffield – 500

Hits:

Craig Biggio - 3,000

Pitching:

Trevor Hoffman – 500 saves
Tom Glavine – 300 wins

Misc:
Kenny Lofton – 600 SB’s

Now, I understand that with the steroid controversy has put doubt in the minds of everyone as these numbers are reached. The truth is, we will never understand the full effect that steroids have had on the game. Did it cause more homeruns? Did it cause more strikeouts? Did it cause more injuries? Who did them, and who didn’t? Did Pitchers or Hitters benefit more?

Now, I don’t want to turn a blind eye to this, but I am ready to move on. This is going to be a big year in baseball and I want to enjoy it. I want to watch the games with my kids, I want to take them to the games and let them enjoy it. I want them to know some worthless information about their favorite player and what he accomplished. Most of all, I want us all to have fun with baseball again. So I hope that people can decide to go to a game, take your family, and enjoy the time you get to spend, and maybe you’ll catch a little history.

What's next for Ozzie and the Sox?

Ozzie was hired following a disappointing 2003 season in which Jerry Manuel once again could not reach the top of the division, despite a growing payroll. All White Sox fans remembered Ozzie as he first broke into the Major’s in 1985. He would continue to play until ’97 with the Sox, and then spent the last few years of his career as a role player with the Braves and Devil Rays.

Ozzie is a fiery guy, anyone who has ever watched him knows that. When he first arrived, it didn’t take him long to start making controversy. He upset Frank Thomas, called him out, was brash with reporters and displayed an attitude and charisma that wasn’t there anytime recently. The finished in 2nd place in Ozzie’s first year, but had a little something to build on.

Then came 2005, and Ozzie was always a hot topic. People either hated him, or loved him. The team sure played their butts off for him though. Ozzie would go on rants protecting his players from the media, from bad calls, you name it. Ozzie stuck his neck out for the team and they responded. They won the World Series for the first time since 1917. Ozzie brought us a championship. His fire, his charisma, his love for the game….he drove this team to win.

Fast forward to 2007: 8 games out of first place, a batting average barely above the Mendoza line, a staff ERA that makes you miss Freddy Garcia and Brandon McCarthy. Ozzie is still fiery, but now that is seen as a sideshow and a possible distraction. The very thing that “drove” this team to a World Series in 2005, is now a distraction? Sure, I can understand how Ozzie can become annoying, but has he lost the ability to drive the team?

The next few weeks will be very telling for Ozzie and the White Sox. If they continue to lose, can Kenny Williams fire the guy that brought us our first Championship in 88 very long years? Only time will tell, but one thing is sure: Ozzie won’t go quietly.

LeBron

Not sure how many people were watching the finals last night, but LeBron put on a show. The Finals had actually gotten to be a little unwatchable. The Spurs were running all over the Jazz, while the Pistons and Cavs were trying to see who could score 80 in one game. Then came May 31st, 2007. This is a day that many will remember, not only Cavalier fans. LeBron has had his toughness questioned, his ability to close a game questioned, and his ability to be a finisher.

When you have the talent that LeBron has, everyone is going to expect greatness from you from the minute you step on the floor. Let's not forget, this kid is 22 and has not even hit his prime yet. He took a lot of grief over the game 1 and game 2 losses that were pinned solely on him. So what does he do to follow that up? He has solid games in game 3 and 4, and his supporting cast steps in and contributes as well. But, the questions still remain: Is he tough enough, can he close a game and be a finisher?

Well, after last night, those questions are answered. Last night, from the 4th quarter through the 2nd OT, he just could not be stopped. Everyone on the Pistons knew he was getting the ball, still couldn't stop him. Ilgauskas and Gibson foul out, taking away two of the Cavs scoring threats, yet the Pistons still couldn't stop him. He had multiple defenders on him, taking fadeway jumpers, driving to the rim, he couldn't be stopped. He took the Cavaliers on his back last night and drove them to a game 5 victory.

Watching that game last night was sort of surreal for me. I grew up in Chicago idolizing Michael Jordan, the real #23. So I was used to seeing efforts like that, just wasn't use to seeing them with any other name but Jordan on the back of the jersey. I always get sick of hearing "who will be the next Michael Jordan?" There will be no next, he is and will always be the greatest.

As I sat there last night watching this 22 year old take over a game of this magnitude, I started thinking.....I am watching this kid become a man right before my eyes. I've never liked the Pistons or the Cavs (probably the Bulls roots!), but I can always appreciate greatness when I see it.

Now, he still has to go out and lead his team to one more victory in order to get to the finals. He also can't be counted on to score the last 29 of his team's 30 points every night. Part of being great, is being able to count on your teammates to make big shots....just ask Steve Kerr or John Paxson.

Now, he isn't the next Micheal Jordan, that isn't fair to Michael or LeBron to make that comparison. What is he then? He's a kid that just answered a lot of questions, became tougher, and became a finisher. I just hope everyone got to witness that.