2011 Postseason Predictions

After quite possibly the most exciting night in baseball history, it's time for the postseason to provide a decent follow-up act (if possible)! Let's take a look at each series, and how I think they will unfold. First, the National League.


National League Division Series: Arizona Diamondbacks (94-68) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66)

The Brewers cruised to the NL Central crown with a rock solid bullpen, a frightening offense, and a decent starting rotation that is light years better than they were in 2010. This enabled them to win their first ever division crown since 1982, when they were still in the AL East. In addition to this, they won a franchise record 96 games, breaking the old record of 95 set in 1979 and 1982.

Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy has been one of
the best (and most underrated) starters in baseball this year.

The Diamondbacks however, became only the third team in baseball history to reach the postseason after losing 97 games the previous year (the 1991 Braves and the 1999 Diamondbacks are the other two). They raced to the division crown featuring a decent offense and a very underrated pitching staff, led by Ian Kennedy, who finished with a ridiculous 21-4 record with a 2.88 ERA.

My prediction: Diamondbacks 3 games to 1. I believe that Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson will be on top of their game, stalling Milwaukee's offense along the way. Arizona's offense will find just enough pop to get by Milwaukee, and that will help lead them to their first NLCS appearance since 2007.

National League Division Series: St. Louis Cardinals (90-72) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (102-60)
The Redbirds were huge underdogs in the NL Central heading into 2011, as many prognosticators believed the Reds and Brewers were better teams (myself included). Honestly, for the first five months, this definitely appeared to be the case, as St. Louis was a whopping 10.5 games behind Atlanta in the Wild Card race as late as August 25. The Cards caught fire after that day, going 22-9 the rest of the way, while the Braves went a dismal 10-20 to miss the playoffs in one of the biggest collapses of all-time.

Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay may not no-hit the Cardinals,
but he'll help lead Philly to the NLCS for the fourth straight year.

The Phillies were just the Phillies, winning their fifth consecutive division title with a franchise-record 102 victories. They did this with the best rotation in baseball leading the way, which masked the fact that their aging, injury-prone offense wasn't much to write home about. However, the Phils slumped toward the end of the season, going on an eight-game losing streak just days after clinching.

My prediction: Phillies 3 games to 2. The Cardinals are a team on fire right now, and they will ride that momentum going into the postseason. St. Louis has also given Philly fits this year, going 6-3 against them in the regular-season. Nonetheless, the Phillies will hang on only because their rotation will be just strong enough for them to extinguish the Cards.

American League Division Series: Detroit Tigers (95-67) vs. New York Yankees (97-65)

Justin Verlander will have a lot on his
hands dealing with New York's potent offense.

The Tigers rode to their first division title since 1987 mainly behind the efforts of starting pitcher Justin Verlander, who has a terrific shot at becoming the first pitcher to win the MVP since 1992. The Tigers also have a solid offense, with AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera leading the way. Also, once you give the ball to closer Jose "Papa Grande" Valverde, it's game over; Valverde went a perfect 49 for 49 in saves this year.

The Yankees, as always, are riding on the heels of their intimidating offense into October, but the guy leading the wasn't Jeter, A-Rod or Teixeira. It was former Tiger Curtis Granderson, who hit an unprecedented 41 homers and drove in 119. The Yanks also stayed afloat with a piecemeal rotation behind ace C.C. Sabathia, as White Sox castoffs Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have come through big for them this year.

My prediction: Yankees 3 games to 1. The Tigers will steal game one behind Verlander, but the lack of depth in their rotation will do them in against New York's mighty offense.

American League Division Series: Tampa Bay Rays (91-71) vs. Texas Rangers (96-66)

The Rangers will need for C.J. Wilson to
be on top of his game all throughout
the postseason.

Tampa Bay made their third postseason appearance in four years behind a comeback for the ages (and a collapse for the ages from the Red Sox). However, this should not mask the fact that they have one of the best rotations in the game, and all of their starters are under 30! Their team ERA of 3.58 was the second-best in the American League, only trailing the Angels' 3.57. Their offense isn't much to write home about, but then again, it wasn't last year, and they still managed to win 96 games. Simply put, their hitters know how to drive people in when it counts.

The Rangers theoretically are still the team to beat in the American League. After all, they are the defending American League champions and they are back in the playoffs. They reached the postseason again behind some decent pitching and an intimidating offense. As a team, the Rangers hit an AL-best .283.

My prediction: Rangers 3 games to 2. The Rays are on fire right now, but Texas will certainly cool them off behind their blistering offense and solid pitching. Like last year, the Rangers will need all five games to take out the Rays.

The Rest of the Postseason:
ALCS: Rangers over Yankees, 4 games to 2.
NLCS: Phillies over Diamondbacks, 4 games to 2.
World Series: Rangers over Phillies, 4 games to 3.

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Now, for my other award predictions:
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays
NL Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays
NL Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Also, for your reading pleasure, here's Tom Verducci's brilliant recap of last night's drama. (Sports Illustrated)

That's all for now. Take care, and enjoy the playoffs tomorrow!

The End of an Era

We all knew this was going to come sooner or later.

The Chicago White Sox, after much speculation, decided to release Ozzie from his contract yesterday, which means that he will more than likely become the next Florida (Miami) Marlins manager. Fittingly enough, Guillen ended his run with a 4-3 Sox victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In his managerial career on the South Side, Ozzie went 678-617, placing him third on the team's all-time managerial wins list, trailing only Al Lopez (840-650) and Jimmie Dykes (894-933). Among Sox managers with at least 400 or more wins, Ozzie is third in winning percentage (.524), trailing only Paul Richards (.529) and Al Lopez (.564). Guillen is also the only manager in Sox history to reach the postseason twice (2005 and 2008).

Even though this year wasn't entirely Guillen's fault, the aura surrounding the team was becoming toxic enough to the point where someone had to go, and that usually falls on the manager. I'll miss the fact that he was exactly what the team needed following the disastrous end to the Jerry Manuel era in 2003, when I started to believe for the first time that I would never see a White Sox world championship. Ozzie was brash, loud, opinionated and on top of all of that, he was a former Sox player who knew the franchise in and out. Jerry Manuel was a nice guy, but he was too laid back and too quiet for Chicago, and he was an outsider when he came in. Ozzie brought fire, energy and more importantly, attention to a franchise that was sorely lacking it. Not only that, he achieved something that no Sox fan ever imagined witnessing: a World Championship in 2005. Wire-to-wire regular season, 11-1 postseason, including a World Series sweep.

Throughout the long history of the White Sox, there have been plenty of great managers that have come through the South Side. However, Ozzie was able to do something that Al Lopez, Paul Richards, Jimmie Dykes, Gene Lamont, Jerry Manuel or Tony LaRussa couldn't do: bring a World Series trophy to Chicago.

Thanks for everything Ozzie, and best of luck to you in Miami! On a side note, let the speculation commence as to who will become the next White Sox manager. Personally, I'd rather not go the route of Tony LaRussa version 2.0.

My Top Five AL MVP Candidates

Yesterday we looked at who I think should be the top five National League MVP candidates. Although Ryan Braun added to his credentials last night with a three-run homer that helped Milwaukee clinch the NL Central, my position still stands. Even if Matt Kemp does not achieve the Triple Crown, he will still finish close enough for me to garner the MVP.

Today, it's time to look at who I believe should be the top five candidates to win the American League MVP.

Fifth-place vote: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Through September 24: .336 BA, 27 HRs, 100 RBIs, .443 OBP, .566 SLG
Cabrera is having another terrific year for the Detroit Tigers as the anchor in their lineup. He's currently third in the American League in batting average, second in on-base percentage and fourth in slugging. However, his home run total is lacking a bit this year (he's tied for 14th in the AL) and he put up better numbers last year on a team that finished with a worse record.

Fourth-place vote: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
Through September 24: .319 BA, 28 HRs, 98 RBIs, .374 OBP, .539 SLG, 37 steals
Ellsbury has been a major catalyst in Boston's lineup this year, as he is on the brink becoming the first 30/30 player in Red Sox history. While his .319 average is impressive for a leadoff hitter, his 28 home runs and 37 stolen bases makes him an all-around threat, along with his defense in center field.

Third-place vote: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Through September 24: .303 BA, 42 HRs, 101 RBIs, 128 BBs, .447 OBP, .611 SLG, 1.058 OPS
"Joey Bats" is proving that last year was no fluke, as his batting average is significantly higher than it was last year. He currently leads the AL in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and walks. Oh, and he's also in the top ten in batting average. Make no mistake about it, Bautista looks like he's here to stay as one of the elite hitters in the American League. Only his team's sub-par performance will keep him from winning the award.

Second-place vote: Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees
Through September 24: .277 BA, 41 HRs, 119 RBIs, .372 OBP, .572 SLG, 24 steals
Granderson is having the kind of breakout season that Bautista had during 2010. While his average is lacking (.277), he easily makes up for it in home runs (second in the AL) and RBIs (first in the AL). Even though the Yankees would still be a very good team without Granderson, he is the guy that has them in first place instead of third in the AL East.





First-place vote: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
Through September 24: 24-5 record, 2.29 ERA, 244 Ks, 244.0 IP, 0.91 WHIP
Throw out the fact that he is a pitcher and not a position player and think of him in terms of overall value to his team. The award is called the Most Valuable Player, right? Well, who has been more valuable to his team than Justin Verlander this year? Let's face it, the Tigers are a significantly weaker team without him, and the AL Central would be a race between the Indians and White Sox if it weren't for Verlander's outstanding season for Detroit. The fact that he goes deep into ballgames lessens the workload of the bullpen, and when you look at the other pitchers in Detroit's starting rotation (Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Brad Penny, etc.), this team would be lost without Verlander. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that he's leading the AL in wins, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP and innings pitched.

My top five NL MVP candidates

The end of the MLB regular-season is just five days away and the writers' votes for each MLB award will be submitted by then. Who will get the nod for each award? Obviously I do not have a say, but let's take a look at who I think should be the top five MVP candidates in the National League.

Fifth-place vote: Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals
Through September 23: .300 BA, 31 HRs, 91 RBIs, .411 OBP, .522 SLG
There is no question that Berkman is the slam-dunk NL Comeback Player of the Year. However, his efforts with keeping the Cardinals afloat throughout the season cannot be denied. Even when Albert Pujols was slumping early in the season, Berkman caught fire and found a second life in the Gateway City, putting together numbers that are reminiscent of his glory days in Houston. Right now, the Cardinals are walking the tightrope in the NL Wild Card hunt, but if Berkman weren't there this year, the Cards would be somewhere between the Pirates and Cubs in the Central Division.

Fourth-place vote: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
Through September 23: .292 BA, 31 HRs, 88 RBIs, .372 OBP, .536 SLG

The biggest surprise contender of the year would easily go to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are on the brink of pulling off a shocking upset victory of the NL West over the Giants. A big reason for this has been Justin Upton. He has been carrying the load in a lineup that has far less protection than Lance Berkman, and has put up similar numbers. While the improvement of the bullpen is the biggest reason for Arizona's turnaround, Upton's terrific year in an otherwise average lineup should not go unnoticed.


Third-place vote: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
Through September 23: .330 BA, 31 HRs, 104 RBIs, .393 OBP, .584 SLG
Currently, Braun is leading the National League in batting average, and is part of the intimidating one-two punch in Milwaukee's lineup, along with Prince Fielder. Really, you can flip-flop these two on the ballot, and I would have no problem with it at all.

Second-place vote: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
Through September 23: .293 BA, 34 HRs, 112 RBIs, .408 OBP, .544 SLG
The other half of Milwaukee's dynamic duo, Fielder is having another terrific year with the playoff-bound Milwaukee Brewers. He's currently third in the National League in both RBIs and on-base percentage, and he's tied for fourth in home runs with Florida's Mike Stanton. Take either Braun or Fielder away from this Milwaukee lineup, and they are a significantly less threatening team offensively.

First-place vote: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
Through September 23: .326 BA, 36 HRs, 118 RBIs, .403 OBP, .582 SLG, 40 steals
Yes, he is on a losing team this year. However, a MVP winner does not necessarily have to come from a winning team (see Alex Rodriguez- 2003, Andre Dawson- 1987, Ernie Banks- 1958 and 1959). However, when a player has an offensive year that simply cannot be ignored, voters take notice. Right now, many are beginning to notice the fact that he has a fantastic shot at becoming the National League's first Triple Crown winner since "Ducky" Joe Medwick in 1937. He's only one homer away from tying Albert Pujols for the NL lead, only .004 points away from equaling Braun in the batting average race and he currently leads the league in RBIs by five. Even if he does not achieve the elusive Triple Crown, he'll finish close enough to it to warrant winning the NL MVP.

The Cardinals, Angels and Rays are very much alive

Remember when I was with you last week, and I mentioned that if the Cardinals were to survive their series in Philly, they would have a great shot at making the postseason? Well, the Redbirds are one step closer to reaching October, as they took three of four from the Phillies in shocking fashion. In addition to that, St. Louis returned home and took the first two games in their series against the Mets, leaving them only 1.5 games behind the Braves with seven left to play.

The Cardinals' final seven games include their series finale against the Mets today, along with three against the Cubs and Astros. The Braves have just six left, three against Washington and three against the Phillies. With the relentless pace the Cardinals are on, it seems as if October is a mere formality for them at this point.

However, history tells us that there are reasons for Braves fans to remain optimistic about holding on to their Wild Card lead. Remember back in 2005, when it seemed like the Indians were on their way to the postseason with their ridiculous 38-16 record in August and September? It did not come to pass, as the Tribe lost six of their last seven to miss the postseason. Three of those losses came against the lowly Royals and Devil Rays, while the other three came against the White Sox, who basically started their Triple-A roster against Cleveland after clinching the Central.

In 2008, the Twins looked like they were well on their way to another AL Central  Division title after sweeping the White Sox in the penultimate series of the season. However, the Twins lost two of their last three against Kansas City, setting up a one game playoff against the White Sox which they would lose 1-0.

While this bit of history won't provide much comfort or consolation for Braves fans at this point, it just serves as a reminder that teams who go crazy in September don't always reach October. However, the Cardinals were 8.5 games behind Atlanta on September 5. Since then, they are 12-2, while Atlanta is 6-10. If the Cardials do pull this off, it will likely go down as perhaps the biggest September collapse/comeback in baseball history.

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There is also high drama unfolding in the American League Wild Card race, as Boston's free fall continues. The Carmines dropped three of four against the Baltimore Orioles this week, and have seen their Wild Card lead dwindle down to just 2.5 games over the Angels and Rays. On September 3, the Red Sox had a nine-game lead over the Rays in the Wild Card and a 9.5 game lead over the Angels. They could potentially upstage the Braves' NL collapse if they fall far enough.

Plus, this is a collapse in every sense of the term. You can still give credit to the Cardinals for getting hot at the right time, but the Rays are just 10-7 since September 3, while the Angels are 10-6 since that date. The Red Sox's record since then? A ghastly 4-14. Here's how the final games shape up for each of the three AL teams in the hunt for the Wild Card:

Joe Maddon could have his team on the brink of a historic
comeback.

Boston Red Sox:
Friday 9/23 @ Yankees
Saturday 9/24 @ Yankees
Sunday 9/25 @ Yankees
Monday 9/26 @ Orioles
Tuesday 9/27 @ Orioles
Wednesday 9/28 @ Orioles

Los Angeles Angels:
Thursday 9/22 @ Blue Jays
Friday 9/23 vs. A's
Saturday 9/24 vs. A's
Sunday 9/25 vs. A's
Monday 9/26 vs. Rangers
Tuesday 9/27 vs. Rangers
Wednesday 9/28 vs. Rangers

Tampa Bay Rays:
Thursday 9/22 @ Yankees
Friday 9/23 vs. Blue Jays
Saturday 9/24 vs. Blue Jays
Sunday 9/25 vs. Blue Jays
Monday 9/26 vs. Yankees
Tuesday 9/27 vs. Yankees
Wednesday 9/28 vs. Yankees

Looking at the schedules, it's basically a push for all three teams. Everybody faces somebody who they will have some difficulty beating. If I had to pick one team that has the toughest schedule to finish the season, it's the Angels, only because they will be battling the Rangers for the division crown in those final three games (should they still be in contention for the AL West title).

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What could also unfold from all of this is the ever-elusive three-way tie, which has never occurred in MLB history. From what I could ascertain, there have only been six instances in which there was nearly a three-way tie in MLB history:

2010 National League:
San Francisco Giants: 92-70 (NL West Champion)
Atlanta Braves: 91-71 (NL Wild Card)
San Diego Padres: 90-72

Former Padres First Baseman
Adrian Gonzalez

San Diego, after having a dreadful September, was placed in a position where they had to sweep the Giants to stay alive. The Padres took the first two games from the Giants, and if they would have won the season finale, the first three-way tie in MLB history would have taken place. Since the Giants lost the season series to the Padres, they would have traveled to San Diego to face the Padres in a one-game playoff to determine the champion of the NL West. The loser of that game would have traveled to Atlanta to play the Braves for the Wild Card title the following night. This "mini-playoff" would have put the entire NL postseason on hold, as the Phillies and Reds would have awaited the results of this extra postsesaon round.




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1967 American League:
Boston Red Sox: 92-70 (AL Champions)
Detroit Tigers: 91-71
Minnesota Twins: 91-71
Chicago White Sox: 89-73

Carl Yastrzemski's Triple Crown season in 1967
helped lead Boston to the American League Pennant.

This year nearly featured a four-way tie for the American League crown, as MLB was still two years away from implementing the playoff system. The team with the best record went to the World Series, and entering Wednesday, September 27, here's how the standings looked:

Minnesota Twins: 91-68
Boston Red Sox: 90-69, 1 GB
Chicago White Sox: 89-68, 1 GB
Detroit Tigers: 89-69, 1.5 GB

The White Sox crumbled badly unfortunately, losing their final five games to the dreadful Kansas City A's and Washington Senators. The Tigers hung tough, splitting a four game series with the California Angels to finish 91-71. The Twins would lose on September 27 to the Angels 5-1, setting up a tense, two-game series in Boston to determine the American League Pennant. The Red Sox would win both games against the Twins to capture their first American League Pennant since 1946.




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1964 National League:
St. Louis Cardinals: 93-69 (NL Champions)
Cincinnati Reds: 92-70
Philadelphia Phillies: 92-70

Phillies manager Gene Mauch watched things spiral
out of control during the end of the 1964 season.

This was the year of the infamous "Philly Phold," as the Phillies led the National League by 6.5 games with 12 left. Philadelphia would lose 10 in a row after that, with manager Gene Mauch going into panic mode, starting Jim Bunning and Chris Short (his two best starters) a combined five times during the losing streak. The Phillies managed to win their final two games against the Reds but it was too little, too late. St. Louis stormed back to capture their first NL flag since 1946. If the Cardinals lost their final regular-season game against the Mets, there would have been a three-way tie in the National League.




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1964 American League:
New York Yankees: 99-63 (AL Champions)
Chicago White Sox: 98-64
Baltimore Orioles: 97-65

Hall of Famer and relief specialist Hoyt Wilhelm
was one of many phenomenal pitchers on Chicago's
staff in 1964.

What a year! This year would be the Yankees' swan song, as they would capture their 15th pennant in 18 seasons, but not without some drama. The White Sox and Orioles hung tough with the Bronx Bombers all summer. New York caught fire in September, going 22-6 during that month, while the White Sox went 14-10 and the Orioles went 15-13. The Yankees, despite their impressive September mark, survived a late scare from the White Sox, who finished the year with a 10-2 kick, including a nine-game winning streak. It's a little complex explaining how there would have been a three-way tie that year, but I'll do my best.

The Orioles would have needed to sweep their doubleheader against Washington on September 30, which would have them finish the season on an eight-game winning streak;

The Yankees would have needed to lose two of three against Cleveland in their final series to finish 98-64.

New York would ultimately lose the World Series to St. Louis, and with an aging roster, would fall into oblivion for the next decade.




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1908 National League:

Fred Merkle was just 19 years old in 1908, but
he unfortunately made a baserunning mistake that
would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Chicago Cubs: 99-55 (NL Champions)
New York Giants: 98-56
Pittsburgh Pirates 98-56

The Cubs captured their third consecutive National League crown, thanks in large part to Fred Merkle's "boner" in the Polo Grounds earlier in the season. It would take a ton of time to explain, but if you want to find out more about Fred's baserunning blunder, please go HERE. Since the two teams remained tied at the end of the season, they had to replay the "Fred Merkle Game" at the end of the season as a de facto one game playoff, which the Cubs won.









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1908 American League:

Cleveland's Addie Joss pitched just the
fourth perfect game in MLB history in 1908.

Detroit Tigers: 90-63
Cleveland Naps (Indians): 90-64
Chicago White Sox: 88-64

Why does it seem like the Sox are always on the bad end of these things? Anyway, the Tigers captured the American League Pennant by a half-game (which wasn't nearly as controversial as their "half-game AL East Championship" 64 years later, but that's a story for another day). The highlight of this pennant race was when Cleveland's Addie Joss tossed a perfect game against the White Sox on Friday, October 2, to keep the Naps just a half-game behind Detroit with five left to play. However, the Tigers ultimately kept Cleveland at bay, as the Naps lost two of three against the St. Louis Browns at the end of the season, while tying the first game of the series against them.



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It may be a long shot, but here's to hoping that we can see the first-ever three-way tie this year in the American League. That's all for now. Take care.

White Sox and Reds 2012 schedule highlights

Billy the Marlin looks forward to his new home for next year.

Seeing the release of the new MLB schedule is always an interesting moment. Mind you, it is not quite on par with the release of the NFL schedules, but it is always an interesting day nonetheless. Most of the intrigue lies with the scheduled interleague matchups and how they become more bizarre and disjointed year after year. However it is also a time for baseball fans to circle dates on their calendars in anticipation of seeing their favorite team on the road, myself included.

Usually when it comes to taking a gander at the new schedules, I look to see who the Sox are playing, along with the Reds. Unfortunately, the two do not meet each other at all next year, so here are some of the highlights from both teams. First, the Sox.

White Sox:

Paul Konerko could inch closer to Frank Thomas
on the all-time White Sox home run list next year.

Friday, April 6: Sox open with a three-game series on the road in Texas. They will head to Cleveland for another three-game series afterwards.

Friday, April 13: Sox host their home-opener against the reigning division champion Tigers.

Friday, May 18- Sunday, May 20: Sox @ Cubs. The Sox own a 45-39 all-time record against the Cubs (excluding the 1906 World Series) but unfortunately, they are just 20-22 at The Friendly Confines. Time to change that next year!

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Astros @ Sox. This will mark the first time the Astros have visited U.S. Cellular Field since 2007. Chicago lost two out of three to Houston that year, with Mark Buehrle winning the series finale to avoid the sweep. Chicago is 10-8 against Houston all-time (not counting the '05 World Series). Excluding the World Series, the Sox have not visited Houston for a regular-season series since 2000.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Sox @ Cardinals. This will mark the first time the Sox have visited St. Louis since 2001, when the Redbirds swept them out of town. The Sox are 8-10 all-time against the Cardinals, and they own a dreadful 2-7 record in St. Louis.

Friday, June 15- Sunday, June 17: Sox @ Dodgers. For some inexplicable reason, this will mark the fourth time in the last five years the White Sox will play the Dodgers. Anyway, this will be the Sox's first visit to Dodger Stadium since 2008, where they took two of three from the playoff-bound Dodgers. The Pale Hose are 11-4 all-time against the Dodgers, including 4-2 in L.A.

Monday June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Cubs @ Sox. Nice move here by the schedule-makers placing this at the beginning of the week. Guaranteed sellouts on Monday through Wednesday are always a good thing to have. The Sox own the Cubs at home, with a 25-17 all-time record against them at U.S. Cellular.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Brewers @ Sox. Chicago closes out their interleague schedule by hosting the Brewers for the first time since 2000. The Sox demolished the Brew Crew that year, sweeping them out of town and outscoring them 29-12 in the process. Since Milwaukee moved to the National League in 1998, the Sox are 10-5 against them, including a 4-2 mark at home.

Thursday, September 27- Sunday, September 30: Indians @ Sox, Rays @ Sox. Chicago wraps up the year with a seven-game homestand, featuring three with Cleveland before finishing things out with four against Joe Maddon's crew.

Perhaps the only thing that is puzzling about the Sox's schedule is why the schedule-makers continue to have them face the Dodgers. Is there something I'm missing here, other than it will mark 53 years since they last met in the World Series?

On another note, why do the schedule-makers have the Sox avoid the Mets like the plague? I know it's a random thought, but next year will be the 15th season of Interleague Play, and the Sox and Mets have squared off against each other just once, all the way back in 2002. The Mets visited the South Side that year and lost two of three to the Sox. The Pale Hose have yet to go to New York to play against the Mets in a series.

Anyway, let's take a look at some of the Reds' 2012 schedule highlights, shall we?

Cincinnati Reds:
Friday, April 6: Opening Day in Cincinnati against the Miami Marlins (yes, that will be the new name for the Fish upon moving into their new ballpark next year). What will be more odd for the Marlins is that they will open at home against the Cardinals for one game on April 4 before heading north to Cincinnati.

Monday, April 9- Wednesday, April 11: The Reds take on the hated St. Louis Cardinals for three at GABP. Will Pujols still be at first base for the Redbirds? We shall see.

Wednesday, May 16- Sunday, May 20: Reds @ Mets, Reds @ Yankees. In a neat little scheduling quirk, the Reds will spend five days in the Big Apple in May, taking on the Mets for two in Queens before heading to the Bronx to square off against the Yankees for a weekend series. The Reds are 5-4 in the regular-season against the Yankees all-time, and this will be their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. Cincinnati managed to take two of three from the Yankees in their last trip to the Bronx in 2008.

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Tigers @ Reds. This will be the first trip to Great American Ballpark for the Tigers. Their last visit to Cincinnati was in 2001, when the Reds lost two of three to Detroit at Cinergy Field. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Tigers (excluding the 1940 World Series) and are 2-4 at home against them. Another neat tidbit about the Tigers' visit to GABP: they will join the Yankees and White Sox as the only American League teams to ever face the Reds at Redland/Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field and Great American Ballpark.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Indians @ Reds. Cincinnati is 36-39 all-time against Cleveland, and are 18-18 at home against them.

Monday, June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Reds @ Indians. The Reds own an 18-21 road record against the Tribe.

All signs point to Johnny Cueto emerging
as the Reds' next ace, should he stay healthy.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Twins @ Reds. For the first time since 2000, the Twins will finally stop in Cincinnati. This will be their first visit to Great American Ballpark, leaving only the Mariners and A's as the only American League teams that have yet to play a series there (Seattle and Oakland each visited Cinergy Field in 2002, however). Surprisingly enough, this will also be the first time Ron Gardenhire has managed against the Reds in his 11 year career at the helm of the Twins. The last time Minnesota faced the Reds was at the Metrodome in 2001, with Tom Kelly still leading the way for the Twins. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Twins, but own a 5-1 record at home, including sweeping them during their last visit over a decade ago.

Friday, September 14- Sunday, September 16: Reds @ Marlins. The Reds will make their first trip to the Marlins' new ballpark. Cincinnati owns a 39-35 all-time mark at Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Landshark/Dolphin/Whatever the hell it's called Stadium.

Tuesday, September 25- Sunday, September 30: Brewers @ Reds, Reds @ Pirates. The Reds finish out their 2012 home schedule with three against the Brewers before closing out the season for three in Pittsburgh.

The 2012 season could also potentially mark the end of an era. With all of the talk and rumors swirling about the Astros moving to the American League and an expanded postseason, this could be the last time we see the AL and NL as somewhat mutually exclusive leagues. Should the Astros move to the AL, we will have interleague play year-round, along with two extra teams added to the playoffs. Who knows, the Astros move could also usher in major realignment as well.

Make sure to take it all in next year, because 2013 could be radically different.

Two more races in MLB, Shades of 1968 and The Pirates

Things have become considerably more interesting since the last time I joined you. Both the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals have fought their way back into contention, trying desperately to do their best 2007 Rockies impressions. Despite their back-to-back losses against Baltimore, the Rays begin a crucial four-game series in Boston tonight, as they trail the Red Sox by four in the Wild Card race.

Tampa has closed the gap in the AL Wild Card,
but can they overkate Boston?

Meanwhile, in the National League, the Cardinals continue to put pressure on Milwaukee and Atlanta, as they trail the Braves by 4.5 in the Wild Card and the Brewers by 5.5 in the Central. The Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 games, while the Braves and Brewers are both 4-6 in their last 10 contests.

Who has the better shot at making a comeback and reaching the postseason? Right now, I would have to say Tampa Bay, only because they still control their own destiny. They have four games left with the Red Sox and a whopping seven left against the Yankees, so they can not only set their sights on the Wild Card, but the division title as well. The Cardinals however, are not so fortunate. They do not have any  games left against the Brewers or the Braves, meaning that their margin for error is very small, and they do not control their own fate. If the Braves go 6-6 in their final 12 games, the Cardinals will need to go 11-2 to force a one-game playoff. If Milwaukee goes 6-6 in their final 12, St. Louis will need to go 12-1 to tie them, both of which are very tall orders.

Two losses are all the Cards can affford
at this point.

They also begin a four-game series in Philadelphia tomorrow, which further complicates matters. If they escape Philadelphia with a series victory or a split (barring how the Brewers and Braves fare this weekend), the Cards may have a decent shot at coming back, as they finish the season out against the Mets, Cubs and Astros. With the way things stand right now, I would say Brewers fans do not need to be too concerned. However, if the Cardinals escape Philadelphia without a series loss and the Braves fail to gain any ground, then there might be cause for concern in Atlanta.






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Shades of 1968

On the flip side of things are the Detroit Tigers, who are currently riding a 12-game winning streak, their best since 1934. After their dismantling of my White Sox, they can wrap up the AL Central race as early as tonight, provided that they win and the Indians lose. If not tonight, then things will definitely be wrapped up by Sunday.

Another thing to look at with the Tigers' recent surge is whether or not they have a shot at finishing with the AL's best record. Right now, they currently sit at 87-62, just 3.5 behind the Yankees. If Detroit can stay hot, they have a decent shot at delivering one of the bigger surprises of the postseason before it even begins: taking home the best record in the AL. The Tigers have not finished with the AL's best record since 1987, so we'll see.

Tigers pitcher Denny McLain, who went 31-6 with a 1.96 ERA in 1968.

On another note, this team has some eerie resemblances to the 1968 squad that won it all. The '68 Tigers also got white-hot in September, reeling off an 11-game win streak between the 9th and the 21st of that month. Motown's crew in '68 also featured Denny McLain, MLB's last 30-game winner, who would take home both the Cy Young and MVP award in the American League that season. Justin Verlander isn't going to win 30 games, but he still has an outside shot at becoming the first Tigers pitcher to 25 wins since Mickey Lolich in 1971 and to win the AL MVP, which no Tigers pitcher has won since Willie Hernandez in 1984. This year's AL Cy Young is already a forgone conclusion, and it will be a shock if Verlander does not win it.

The '68 Tigers and this year's squad also received big offensive contributions from their catchers. The '68 Tigers got a big year out of Bill Freehan, who finished with a .263 average, 25 homers and 84 RBIs during "the year of the pitcher," when offense was scarce and the AL's best batting average was .301. Alex Avila is having a terrific year behind the plate for Detroit, as he has a .301 batting average, 19 home runs, 77 RBIs and is slugging .577. Also ironic is the fact that both catchers started the All-Star Game for the AL, Freehan at the Astrodome, Avila at Chase Field.

The '68 squad also clinched early, winning the AL on September 17 and finishing 12 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in what would be the final year before divisional play (the team with the best record went to the World Series from 1903-1968). This year's Tigers will definitely clinch their division early too, and if they cool off for just two days, it could very well be on the 17th too.


Since I'm teetering into the realm of speculation, I'll end the comparisons on this note. The Tigers in '68, despite finishing with 103 victories, were underdogs in the World Series against the defending-World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, who boasted MLB's best pitcher that year, Bob Gibson. Detroit went down 3-1 in that year's series before making an improbable comeback to win it all, defeating Bob Gibson in Game Seven. Would it not be crazy if something similar were to happen this year, if the Tigers were to face Philadelphia (I know they aren't the defending champions, but they are the most comparable NL team), and pull off a seven-game series victory, defeating Roy Halladay in Game Seven? I know, I'm stretching here, but baseball can be a funny game sometimes.

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Oh those Pirates

The Bucs clinched their 19th consecutive losing season with a 3-2 loss against the Cardinals last night. I know Pittsburgh fans have likely gotten used to the losing seasons, but this one had to sting a little bit more, considering they were in a tie for first as late as July 25. However, the Bucs have not been the same since their 19-inning loss in Atlanta featuring quite possibly the worst call I have ever witnessed during a Major League game. They have not been the same since that ill-fated evening.

                                Jerry Meals, how could you?

However, there are some positives to be taken from this season. For starters, they will not lose 100 games this year, and their final record will stand as a significant improvement over last year. The Bucs still need pitching help badly, but Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker look like they can both be the two players Pittsburgh can build their franchise around. If you also factor in that Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata both have the potential to improve (despite their dismal performances this year), their streak of losing seasons can end very soon.

That's all for now. Take care.

Some quick thoughts and a blast from the past

You may have already seen it, but tempers flared a little bit during last night's Brewers/Cardinals game in St. Louis. Nyger Morgan, after striking out in the ninth against Chris Carpenter, shouted something directed at either Carpenter or someone else (with Morgan, who knows). Albert Pujols took some offense to it and began to run toward Morgan, which resulted in the benches emptying. No worries though, this wasn't a legitimate "brawl," and the only thing that appeared to be hurt were the Cardinals' feelings afterwards.



Let me make one thing clear: I cannot stand the St. Louis Cardinals. I do not care for the fact that they always seem to be the self-appointed, mystical keepers of baseball etiquette, always pissing and moaning about what constitutes playing the game "the right way." Not only that, but you can come up with a laundry list of the things the Cardinals have complained about in the past, from the baseballs being "too slick" at Great American Ballpark to complaining about the mound at Coors Field (a good list of LaRussa's complaints can be found HERE).

However, I'm on the side of the Cardinals on this dispute. Morgan is clearly frustrated after striking out against Carpenter, who pitched a great ballgame last night. He does not need to get angry at Carpenter or the Cardinals just because he struck out during the ninth inning of a close game. I like Nyger Morgan, and I like his alter ego "Tony Plush." He's entertaining, and players with his kind of personality are great for the game. However, his intensity can get the best of him at times, and this was just another case of it here. LaRussa, Carpenter and Pujols even said so after the game.

Hopefully Morgan can keep his intensity going without needlessly screaming at the other team for getting him out. Also, props to Prince Fielder for keeping things from escalating. Here's to wishing the Brewers the best in the postseason.

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With regard to this year's races, it seems as if there is a lack of drama this September. As of this morning, the only real "race" that's left is in the AL West, with the Rangers maintaining a 2.5 game lead over the Angels. Those two teams close out the regular-season with a three-game series in Los Angeles, so if things stay close, that should be a blast to follow.

Unfortunately, this is the first time in the wild-card era that there are a lack of compelling races in September. The Yankees and Red Sox are jousting over the division title and wild card, as the Yankees hold a 2.5 game edge over Boston. Unfortunately, Boston holds a seven-game lead over Tampa Bay in the wild card, with 20 left to play. Barring a monumental collapse by the Red Sox (a la Detroit in 2009 or the Mets in 2007), they will be in the postseason, along with the Yankees.

The Tigers opened up a nine-game lead in the AL Central over the Sox, coming off a sweep of the Indians this week. The Tigers are also riding a six-game winning streak right now, and they are in great shape to get their first division title since 1987 (remember, they were just a Wild Card entry in the 2006 postseason). The only question left for them is if Justin Verlander can become the third pitcher in team history to win the Cy Young and MVP in the same season, joining reliever Willie Hernandez (1984) and 30-game winner Denny McLain (1968).

Barring any collapses, the National League playoff picture appears to be set, with the Phillies opening at home against the Diamondbacks and the Brewers opening at home against the Braves. The only question that remains in the National League race is if Arizona can surpass Milwaukee for the second-best record among the division winners. The Diamondbacks are 2.5 games behind the Brewers right now and if they can pass them, they can have the honor of starting the Division Series at home and manage to avoid the Phillies in the first round.

Speaking of the Diamondbacks, how shocking is their seven-game lead over the Giants right now? If the Diamondbacks can pull this off (all signs point to "yes" at this point), they will capture their fifth division title in their 13 year history. Not only that, but it will be the second time in team history and only the third time in MLB history that a team has made the postseason the year after losing at least 97 games, joining their 1999 squad and the 1991 Braves.

While the races themselves may not be interesting, the playoffs should definitely be a lot of fun once they begin on the 30th.

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I saw this on Lance McAlister's twitter page today and I thought I would share it with you. On this day in 1985, Pete Rose tied Ty Cobb's all-time hits record at Wrigley Field. Here is a great video from WCPO, with the great John Popovich and Dennis Janson providing you with the story:



Also on this day in 1998, Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' single-season home run record. Knowing what we know now, it really is not that significant. However, if you take yourself back to the night it happened, it was a moment to remember. It seemed as if the entire country was transfixed on the home run chase that summer.


That's all for now. See you soon.

Mercy...

Blowing a seven run lead on Saturday. Losing 18-2 yesterday. Having your GM and hitting coach go at each other. Having your manager plead for a contract extension near the end of a disappointing, lackluster season. Although Ozzie's plea occurred before the Detroit series, the 2011 season reached its nadir over the weekend, when the Sox could not muster a single win against the division-leading Tigers. What was more disappointing was how the Sox lost the last two games, in perhaps the most disappointing series I have witnessed since the 2003 season.

It goes without saying that blowing a seven run lead is inexcusable during any point in the season. However, you would expect a team fighting for survival to come back and put up a good fight in the next game. That didn't happen, as the Sox just rolled over and were pronounced dead at the scene following last night's game.

Now that this season is effectively over, the biggest question is no longer whether or not Ozzie Guillen stays. He's good as gone now. I am wondering if the entire coaching staff will be axed along with Ozzie. Since Walker was nearly fired on Friday, I cannot imagine him sticking around for too long, and the only people I see that would have a remote chance of returning would be first-base coach Harold Baines and possibly pitching coach Don Cooper. "Coop" is one of the more underrated pitching coaches in the game, and it would be a real shame if the Sox were to lose him. Nonetheless, he may be an unfortunate loss if the Sox go through a full cleansing of the the coaching staff.

Another person I am curious about is bench coach Joey Cora. He interviewed for the Brewers managerial position last year, and he will eventually get scooped up by a big-league club looking for a new manager. I wonder if that club is right there in the South Side? I do not know if he will have the same approach as Ozzie, but he will certainly be a lot quieter (and sadly, less entertaining).

All I know is that the Sox on the field are no longer worth following this season. They are listless, apathetic and honestly, only a handful of players look like they actually give a damn on the team right now. The real drama will unfold after the final out is made on September 28. Stay tuned.

Giants hang tough in crucial series vs. Arizona

In what is easily the biggest series of the year for the defending World Champion Giants, they got off to a good start last night, defeating the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2. Their victory also snapped Arizona's nine-game win streak, which helped the Snakes vault to a commanding six game lead in the division prior to their loss. The Giants' work isn't finished however, as they will definitely have to sweep the series in order to stay alive in the NL West. While the deficit San Francisco faces isn't insurmountable (five games back with 24 left), the season has definitely gotten to the point where they almost need Arizona to cool off a bit for them to come back.

The scary thing about the Diamondbacks however, is that they look legitimate this year. They don't have that "fluke" feel to them like San Diego did last year, not to mention that Arizona actually got hotter in late August as opposed to last year's Padres. Ian Kennedy is quietly putting together a fantastic year in their rotation, as he enters today with a 17-4 record and a 3.03 ERA in 187.1 innings. Justin Upton is leading their offense in nearly every major statistical category, including batting average (.295), home runs (26), RBIs (80), OBP (.374) and hits (152). While their team ERA ranks a pedestrian ninth in the NL at 3.88, they are fifth in the NL in runs scored with 614. Arizona is also just one of two teams with a positive run differential in the division at +35 (the lackluster, third-place Dodgers are the other at +8).

The Giants certainly will not go out quietly, as Matt Cain twirled a gem for them last night, and they have Tim Lincecum on the hill this afternoon against Kennedy. However, time is running out for the defending champs, and it is against a team that may be a little better than people give them credit for. At this point, the Diamondbacks can go just 13-11 the rest of the way to finish with 91 wins, while the Giants will need to go 18-6 just to match them. They still have five games left against each other, including the final two of this weekend's series. If the Giants want to have another shot at October glory, they better get busy.

Time to help vote your favorite broadcasters into Cooperstown

September is here again, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame is allowing fans to help get their favorite broadcaster one step closer to Cooperstown. Voting is taking place on the Hall of Fame's Facebook page now through September 30, with the finalists being announced on October 5 (the top three fan-voted selections, plus seven more selected by an exclusive panel). The winner will be announced during the Winter Meetings on December 6, "based on popularity, longevity and past voting results in the online fan balloting," according to the website. Each franchise has two candidates, along with a list of at-large candidates. Here they all are, with each current and former Sox broadcaster emphasized (courtesy of the Baseball Hall of Fame Website):

• Arizona Diamondbacks: Greg Schulte, Daron Sutton
• Atlanta Braves: Skip Caray, Pete Van Wieren
• Baltimore Orioles: Joe Angel, Jim Hunter
• Boston Red Sox: Joe Castiglione, Jerry Remy
• Chicago Cubs: Pat Hughes, Ron Santo
• Chicago White Sox: Ed Farmer, Ken Harrelson
• Cincinnati Reds: Waite Hoyt, Joe Nuxhall
• Cleveland Indians: Mike Hegan, Herb Score
• Colorado Rockies: Jack Corrigan, Wayne Hagin
• Detroit Tigers: George Kell, Jim Price
• Florida Marlins: Tommy Hutton, Rick Waltz
• Houston Astros: Bill Brown, Larry Dierker
• Kansas City Royals: Ryan Lefebrve, Paul Splittorff
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Dick Enberg, Jose Mota
• Los Angeles Dodgers: Rick Monday, Ross Porter
• Milwaukee Brewers: Merle Harmon, Bill Schroeder
• Minnesota Twins: Dick Bremer, John Gordon
• New York Mets: Gary Cohen, Ralph Kiner
• New York Yankees: Michael Kay, John Sterling
• Oakland Athletics: Ray Fosse, Bill King
• Philadelphia Phillies: Richie Ashburn, Chris Wheeler
• Pittsburgh Pirates: Steve Blass, Lanny Frattare
• San Diego Padres: Ted Leitner, Eduardo Ortega
• San Francisco Giants: Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper
• Seattle Mariners: Ron Fairly, Rick Rizzs
• St. Louis Cardinals: Al Hrabosky, Mike Shannon
• Tampa Bay Rays: Todd Kalas, Dewayne Staats
• Texas Rangers: Mark Holtz, Eric Nadel
•  Toronto Blue Jays: Tom Cheek, Jerry Howarth
• Washington Nationals: Bob Carpenter, Charlie Slowes

At-large candidates: Thom Brennaman, Joe Buck, Ken Coleman, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Ned Martin, Buck Martinez, Tim McCarver, Al Michaels, Joe Morgan, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, Phil Rizzuto, John Rooney, Steve Stone, Gary Thorne

Most of us who follow the Sox already know by this point Hawk has lost a bit off his fastball, so to speak. However, he is one of the most recognizable voices in the game, and has been the voice of Sox baseball for 26 seasons (1982-1985, 1990-present). Chicago has a long history of over-the-top "homer" announcers (see Harry Caray and Jack Brickhouse), and Hawk simply fits right in with both of them. Since you can only select one broadcaster now, do yourself a favor and vote for the ol' Hawkeroo. Remember, you can only vote once per day.

Let's get the Hawk one step closer to the Hall!

Also, for your pleasure, here are the past Ford C. Frick Award winners*, along with their primary team(s) where they became famous.

1978: Mel Allen (New York Yankees)
1978: Red Barber (Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees)
1979: Bob Elson (Chicago White Sox)
1980: Russ Hodges (New York/San Francisco Giants)
1981: Ernie Harwell (Detroit Tigers)
1982: Vin Scully (Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers)
1983: Jack Brickhouse (Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs)
1984: Curt Gowdy (Boston Red Sox, NBC Sports)
1985: Buck Canel (New York Mets, New York Yankees)
1986: Bob Prince (Pittsburgh Pirates)
1987: Jack Buck (St. Louis Cardinals)
1988: Lindsey Nelson (New York Mets)
1989: Harry Caray (St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs)
1990: By Saam (Philadelphia A's, Philadelphia Phillies)
1991: Joe Garagiola, Sr. (NBC Sports)
1992: Milo Hamilton (Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros)
1993: Chuck Thompson (Baltimore Orioles)
1994: Bob Murphy (New York Mets)
1995: Bob Wolff (Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins)
1996: Herb Carneal (Minnesota Twins)
1997: Jimmy Dudley (Cleveland Indians)
1998: Jaime Jarrin (Los Angeles Dodgers)
1999: Arch McDonald (Washington Senators)
2000: Marty Brennaman (Cincinnati Reds)
2001: Felo Ramirez (Florida Marlins)
2002: Harry Kalas (Philadelphia Phillies)
2003: Bob Uecker (Milwaukee Brewers)
2004: Lon Simmons (San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's)
2005: Jerry Coleman (San Diego Padres)
2006: Gene Elston (Houston Astros)
2007: Denny Matthews (Kansas City Royals)
2008: Dave Niehaus (Seattle Mariners)
2009: Tony Kubek (NBC Sports, Toronto Blue Jays)
2010: Jon Miller (Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, ESPN)
2011: Dave Van Horne (Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins)

*The name of the award given to each broadcaster who is selected to the Hall of Fame.

The Strange Case of Ozzie Guillen: Should he stay or should he go?

Dealing with the question of whether or not a franchise icon should stick around is always difficult to approach. Often times, it's because objectivity is thrown out the window, and emotions begin to take control of the decision-making process. You want to show him the door, but how do you do it? After everything he has done for the franchise? Another side of you will think that "ah, it was just a mediocre year, many other teams/players would love to trade places with us. He's worth keeping around." However, where do you draw the line for accountability?

It has reached that point for Ozzie Guillen. Before I get into whether or not he should stick around, keep in mind that Guillen is a major figure in Sox history. He played shortstop for the them from 1985-1997, garnering a Rookie of the Year award in '85, along with a Gold Glove in 1990 and three All-Star appearances. His blue-collar work ethic endeared him to many fans on the South Side, and his temperament seemed like the perfect solution for the Sox's problems following the disappointing 2003 season, when the team parted ways with the laid-back Jerry Manuel. Ozzie was the perfect choice to manage the Sox because the team needed a fiery, aggressive manager and because he was a Sox guy, through-and-through. He understood the mindset of the fanbase and he knew Chicago.

His first season saw injuries to Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez, the major catalysts in their offense, and the team limped to an 83-79 finish. However, the Sox did the improbable in 2005, going wire-to-wire and sweeping the World Series, something only two other teams had ever accomplished in major-league history (the 1927 Yankees and the 1990 Reds were the others). The 2006 season began with a considerable amount of promise, as the team stormed to a 57-31 mark by the All-Star break. Unfortunately, the pitching staff was gassed by that point, and the team crumbled to a disappointing 33-41 second half record, finishing 90-72. They would miss the postseason.

Since then, the Sox have been largely mediocre, save for a miserable 2007 campaign in which they lost 90 games. They reached the postseason again in 2008, but nobody was mistaking that team for the 2005 Sox or even the 2000 team.

The accountability that a manager should have for his team's success (or lack thereof) is always tricky to ascertain. Really, the players are the ones who make the manager look smart. Do you think Tony LaRussa has all of the wins he does because he's an exponentially better manager than say, Bruce Bochy? No. It's because Tony always seems to have top-notch talent on his teams (i.e. Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Bob Welch, Dave Stewart, Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Jim Edmonds, etc.). If you go back to Tony's Chicago years, you will find that they are largely unimpressive (except for 1983) because...wait for it....many of his players flat out stunk.

Which brings us back to the dilemma with Ozzie this year. It's easy for people to get on him for the team's lack of success this year. However, can Ozzie make Adam Dunn bat .300? Can Ozzie make Alex Rios hit they way he did last year? Could Ozzie have made his bullpen pitch better than it did to start the season, which is a major contributor to where the team is at now in the standings? A manager cannot go out there and make his players play out of their minds, and really, he is at the mercy of their performances. Ozzie is a great manager, and an even better motivator. Do you believe that the White Sox could have made the comeback they did in 2010 had Ozzie not been a good motivator and had given up on the team?

The Sox have also played decently since the middle of May, fighting back from what could have been the start to an awful year. Unfortunately, the team has not been able to get on an extended hot streak like they did last year to move into first. Is that Ozzie's fault? While I still believe he is a great motivator, you almost have to wonder if he is still getting through to his players. Was he simply dealt a bad hand with the group he has?

Despite his puzzling lineup decisions (Dunn hitting in the middle of the order?!), if the people who were expected to be key contributors actually came through, this wouldn't be an issue. If Dunn were on pace to hit at his career norms (.244 average, 38 homers, 96 RBIs according to Baseball Reference) and if Rios were to have a similar year as last year (.284 average, 21 homers, 88 RBIs, 34 steals) the Sox wouldn't just be in first, they would be running away with the division. Instead Dunn is having a historically bad season, and Rios is reverting to his apathetic style of play he had in his final years in Toronto. Also, the bullpen has a combined 17 blown saves this season, with many of them coming in the first two months of the season (see table below). You think if that number were cut in half, things wouldn't be considerably different with the state of this team? Thankfully, the bullpen stabilized itself after the first couple of months, and they have been nailing it down since.

	BSv 6
Jesse Crain	5
Sergio Santos	4
Matt Thornton*	4
Tony Pena	2
Will Ohman*	1
Chris Sale*	1
Brian Bruney	0
Gavin Floyd	0
Jason Frasor	0
Jeff Gray	0
Lucas Harrell	0
Philip Humber	0
Josh Kinney	0
Jake Peavy	0
Hector Santiago*	0
Zach Stewart	0
League Average
Team Total	17

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/1/2011.

Nonetheless, the combination of these unfortunate events has likely led Ozzie to lose his patience, which is probably further straining his relationship with GM Kenny Williams. Ozzie is already pressuring the team into extending him beyond 2012, threatening to leave if his wish isn't granted. A public plea for an extension with the team six games back in September will not earn you many supporters. The situation appears that's Ozzie's good as gone, but I'm not so sure another manager could do a better job. The decision to get rid of him is not as easy as some think it is, nor is it a cut-and-dry issue. However, if Ozzie stays or goes, I'm fine either way.

1991 White Sox/A's skirmish at Comiskey Park, La Russa Erupts

Ah, the joys of Youtube. Sometimes you will get to see a classic video clip of something you have never seen before, or it may be something that you have not seen in years. Well, this highlight certainly falls into the former for me, as somehow this has evaded the countless amount of "blow up" lists that you will usually see on sports networks all across the country.

The video here is from 1991, and it features the Chicago White Sox taking on the reigning three-time American League champion Oakland Athletics at Comiskey Park. A's catcher Terry Steinbach is unfortunately hit in the head by an errant pitch from Bobby Thigpen, and some of the A's players took exception to the beaning. A skirmish between the two teams was ignited, and at one point you can see 43-year-old Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and 46-year-old A's manager Tony La Russa exchange words in the heat of the battle.

However, that was not the end of it, at least for La Russa. Tony took exception to some of the questions being asked to him by a reporter, and one of the more underrated post-game blowups in sports would follow (Language alert: Some of the things said here are not safe for work):



While the A's still won the game, the 1991 season would not be kind to La Russa's bunch, as the A's finished fourth in the A.L. West with an 84-78 record, 11 games behind the eventual World Champion Minnesota Twins. The White Sox would only finish three games better than Oakland in the West that year, finishing at 87-75.

The Ten Greatest Moments in All-Star Game History

MLB.com is featuring a campaign for fans to vote on the greatest moment in All-Star Game history, and it has come down to Cal Ripken's home run during his All-Star farewell in 2001 and Stan Musial's game-winning blast in Milwaukee in 1955 as the potential winners. I have been voting furiously for "Stan the Man," if only for the reason that I would like to hopefully see him make an on-field appearance for the final time, surrounded by both All-Star teams a la Ted Williams in 1999 and George Steinbrenner in 2008. Musial is 90 years old and has always been one of the more underrated legends in baseball history, and even though I do not particularly care for the St. Louis Cardinals, Musial is the embodiment of all that is good within their historic franchise and in Major League Baseball.

However, if I had my druthers, neither moment would be in my top three for the history of the All-Star Game. Here is my list of the top ten moments in All-Star Game history:



10.) Stan the Man ends the All-Star Game with a bang in Milwaukee, 1955.

Throughout the course of his illustrious career, Stan Musial would appear in a record 24 All-Star Games, along with hitting a record six home runs in the Midsummer Classic. However, his biggest All-Star moment came during the 1955 game at Milwaukee's County Stadium, when he lit up Boston's Frank Sullivan for a game-winning, solo home run in the 12th inning. The final score: National League 6, American League 5.



9.) Fred Lynn hits the first grand slam in All-Star Game history at Comiskey Park, 1983.

The All-Star Game was celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1983, and fittingly enough, it was held at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox and the site of the inaugural All-Star Game in 1933. The American League was suffering through a record 11-game losing streak in the Midsummer Classic, as their last victory over the N.L. came in Detroit in 1971. However, the Junior Circuit's drought would come to an abrupt end this time, and the Angels' Fred Lynn would seal the deal with the game's first-ever grand slam in the third inning off of San Francisco's Atlee Hammaker. The slam capped off a seven-run inning for the American League, giving them a 9-1 lead. The A.L. ended their 11-game losing streak that night, crushing the N.L. 13-3.



8.) Dave Parker nails Brian Downing at the plate in Seattle, 1979.

Known as a five-tool player during his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, right fielder and reigning National League MVP Dave Parker came through big with an outstanding defensive play for the National League. The game was knotted up at six apiece in the bottom of the eighth inning, with Cubs closer Bruce Sutter on the mound, Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles at the plate and runners on first and second with two out. Nettles lined a single to right field and the Angels' Brian Downing was making his way toward home plate from second base. His run would have been the go-ahead one for the American League, but Dave Parker would scoop up the ball and throw out Dowining at the plate on a one hop throw. The play ended the inning and preserved the tie. The N.L would go on to win the game 7-6, and Parker would be named the All-Star Game MVP.



7.) Torii Hunter robs Barry Bonds in Milwaukee, 2002.

Another great defensive play would take place at Miller Park in 2002, when in the bottom of the first, Giants slugger Barry Bonds crushed a 1-1 pitch from Boston's Derek Lowe deep into right center field. The ball would have easily been a home run, but Twins center fielder Torii Hunter leaped high above the wall to take it away from the game's most feared hitter. Unfortunately due to a shortage of available players, the game ended in a flat-footed tie in the 12th inning at 7-7.



6.) Babe Ruth begins the first All-Star Game with a bang at Comiskey Park, 1933.

The game would be billed as "The Game of the Century," as the festivities were held as a part of the World's Fair that was taking place in the Windy City that summer. The White Sox's Comiskey Park played host to the first-ever All-Star Game, and the first home run would be hit by none other than Babe Ruth, when he took Cardinals' starter Bill Hallahan deep in the third inning. The A.L. would go on to win the game, 4-2, and a Midsummer tradition was born.



5.) Boston's Pedro Martinez dazzles the hometown crowd with a flurry of strikeouts, 1999.

During the Steroid Era, there were not too many pitchers who stood out for their on-mound excellence. However, the Red Sox's Pedro Martinez would be one of the few exceptions, as he would finish 1999 with one of the best seasons in recent memory by a pitcher. His performance in the All-Star Game would be the defining moment of his Cy Young season that year, striking out the first four N.L. hitters (Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire) in perhaps one of the most intimidating All-Star lineups in history. The A.L. won 4-1 and Martinez would garner the All-Star Game MVP for his impressive effort.



4.) A 15-inning thriller in the Bronx, 2008.

Old Yankee Stadium's final year was in 2008, and it would not go out quietly hosting its final All-Star Game, as the contest lasted 15 innings in what could arguably be the finest Midsummer Classic ever played. The N.L. appeared to be on the fast-track to winning the game in the bottom of the seventh, when Reds' pitcher Edinson Volquez could not hold the lead, surrendering a two-run homer to Boston's J.D. Drew to tie the game. In the following frame, the N.L. would re-take the lead on a Adrian Gonzalez sacrifice fly, but the A.L. rallied to tie the game again in the bottom of the eighth, when an Evan Longoria ground-rule double scored Grady Sizemore to even things up at three.

The game marched on to extra-innings, and the drama continued. Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook managed to work out of a bases-loaded, no out jam in the bottom of the 10th, while Pirates center fielder Nate McClouth made his best Dave Parker impression in the bottom of the 11th, throwing out Tampa Bay's Dionner Navarro at the plate. Both teams managed to get people on, but neither one could scratch another run across until the bottom of the 15th, when Michael Young's sac fly scored Justin Morneau to win the game. Fittingly enough, the final play even had plenty of drama, as Morneau barely slid in ahead of the throw from Milwaukee's Corey Hart.



3.) Pete Rose takes out Ray Fosse at home plate in Cincinnati, 1970.

Riverfront Stadium was not even a month old when it hosted its first All-Star Game in 1970, and what a game it was! The game would mark the first time since 1957 that the fans could vote for the game's starters, and the people of Cincinnati were treated to a classic, as the game was tied at four heading into the 12th. With Pete Rose on second and two out, the Cubs' Jim Hickman lined a Clyde Wright offering into center field for a base hit. Royals center fielder Amos Otis came up firing and there would be a dramatic play at the plate. Rose, demonstrating the hard-nosed style of play that endeared him to fans in Cincinnati, crashed into Cleveland's Ray Fosse at home, scoring the game-winning run. The National League won by a score of 5-4, but the promising career of Ray Fosse would be nearly lost, as he suffered from a severely injured shoulder as a result of the collision. While Fosse would play another nine seasons and capture two World Series rings with the Oakland A's, he would never regain the level of play that made him so promising during the 1970 season.



2.) Reggie Jackson's titanic blast at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, 1971.

Sure there have been other gargantuan blasts hit in All-Star competition (Johnny Bench's center field, upper deck shot during the game as Jackson's blast and Bo Jackson's titanic shot in Anaheim 18 years later come to mind), but neither one holds a candle to Reggie's moon shot. In the bottom of the third with one on, Jackson connected with a hanging slider from Pittsburgh's Dock Ellis that wound up hitting the light standard high above the right center field roof. The home run went an estimated 520 feet, and it would help spur the A.L. to a 6-4 victory, their first since 1962.



1.) Carl Hubbell strikes out a quintet of future Hall of Famers at the Polo Grounds, 1934.

In one of the defining moments of the career of Hall of Fame lefty Carl Hubbell, the screwballing lefty would strike out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin all in succession during the first and second inning of the second-ever All-Star Game. All five hitters would go on to make the Hall of Fame, and in an era where players did not strike out nearly as much as they do today, the feat is all the more impressive. The record of five consecutive strikeouts would only be matched by the Dodgers' Fernando Valenszuela in 1986, but the five he struck out (Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken, Jr., Jesse Barfield, Lou Whitaker and pitcher Ted Higuera)- while impressive- does not hold a candle to what "King Carl" did before his home crowd on July 10, 1934.